A Toast, This St. Paddy’s Day, To The Irish In All Of Us
I am deeply proud of my heritage, but I’m also a bit biased. You see, in my opinion, Ireland is responsible for some of the greatest exports this world has ever seen: Oscar Wilde, leprechauns, U2, Guinness, castles, Allen Leech, my Dad and Macklemore. The Seattle rapper’s infectious single, ‘Thrift Shop’ may be the first indie track to top Billboard charts in almost 20 years (and certainly the only one promoting the theft of your Grandpa’s style), but it’s his 2011 Celtic anthem, ‘Irish Celebration’, that is sure to get true bloods and honorary Irish alike pumped for St. Paddy’s Day this year.
We already knew Macklemore had a heart of gold, but his homage to country and folk is so biting, so on the money, and so surprisingly subtle in how it pulls on your heart strings, that I found myself wanting to immediately slam my theoretical pint down on the bar and run into the streets screaming “ERIN GO BRAGH!!!” (Ireland Forever), but I’ll refrain until it’s socially acceptable on March 17th.
Whether you’re Irish by blood or association, a jovial drinker or abstain completely (Macklemore himself has been sober since 2008), I think we can all agree there’s a lovely elegance in a “drinking song” that tips its cap to all of our ancestors who fought a white-knuckle tight battle to be free of the ties that bind.
So, here’s the to freckle faced hustler in all of us, and this Sunday, I hope you’ll join me in raising “a pint for the people that aren’t with us, and livin’ tonight cause you can’t take it with ya.” Sláinte!
