Put the “I” in Irish….It is often said that there are two types of people in the world: those who are Irish and those who wish they were. This St. Patrick’s Day, Ancestry, the leader in family history and consumer genomics, has put together an Irish Guide, a one-stop shop for celebrating your ‘inner Irish’. And to discover how deep your own Emerald Isle roots run, take an AncestryDNA test – there’s $30 off until March 18th.
Kiss me. I’m cultured.
Beloved Irish writer Oscar Wilde once said, “I have nothing to declare but my genius.” Unleash your own genius and impress your friends with these amazing facts about Irish contributions to Canada and beyond:
- The greening of Sussex Drive – Did you know that a third of our country’s 22 Prime Ministers boast Irish roots, including Lester B. Pearson, Brian Mulroney and Paul Martin? The Irish have also heavily influenced Canadian art, music, theatre and business.
- In the 1850s, Irish immigrants helped to build the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway from Portland, Maine to Montreal, uniting Canada’s vast and sprawling provinces. Canada’s Rideau Canal system is also largely indebted to Irish-Canadian engineering ingenuity.
- John Joly, Irish physicist, changed the way we see the world through colour photography. Joly is also known for his development of radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer.
- Irish engineer John Philip Holland was the first person to successfully launch a submarine.
- Legendary Canadian brewmaster, John Kinder Labatt, was born in 1803 in Mountmellick, right in the middle of Ireland.
Celtic Connections
Wondering if there are any four-leaf clovers in your family tree? Find out if you’re as Irish as you feel by exploring Ancestry’s records or taking an AncestryDNA test, $30 off until March 18th. Remember: this St. Paddy’s Day, everyone has a little luck of the Irish in them.
To get you started, we’ve dug through the 10 billion records available on Ancestry and listed a few distinctly ‘Irish’ names:
- John Lucky (Irish and Scottish descent) married Elisabet Lucky in Brockville, ON. The two went on to have three very fortunate children: Victoria Lucky, Esley Lucky and Lucky Sam Lucky.
- At the age of 28, John Shamrock, oiler and woodworker from Poland, married Catharine, 34, in Wentworth, ON, with father, Nicholas Shamrock as witness.
- Charles Shamrock, a Russian-Jewish jitney driver from Winnipeg, MB enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Forces on December 6, 1917.
- At the age of 30, Edward Maurice Clover, labourer from London, ON, married Margaret Susan, 24, in Middlesex, ON, during in the summer of 1915. Just four years later, Edward enlisted to serve in the First World War.
- Olive Milred Irish was in born in 1987 to C. Irish and Wellie Ward of Simcoe, ON.
The Ultimate Speakeasy
Speaking of beer, we all know that a libation at an authentic Irish pub is a big part of the celebrations on St. Patrick’s Day. And as you share a drink or two, thanks to Ancestry you can also talk the talk. Freshen up on your Irish lingo and toast to one of these famous sayings:
- Expression: “Is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla clíste.”
Pronunciation: Iss faar Gay-el-geh brish-teh naw Bay-er-lah clish-teh
Translation: Broken Irish is better than clever English.
- Expression: “May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks. May your heart be as light as a song. May each day bring you bright, happy hours. That stay with you all the year long.”
- Expression: “Tá onóir ag an aois agus uaisle ag an óige.”
Pronunciation: Tah on-ower egg on eesh ogg-uss ush-le egg on owe-egg-eh
Translation: Age is honourable and youth is noble.
- Expression: “May the luck of the Irish
Lead to happiest heights
And the highway you travel
Be lined with green lights.”
- Expression: “Níl saoi gan locht.”
Pronunciation: Neel see gon luch(k)t
Translation: There’s not a wise man without fault (we all have our weaknesses).
- Expression: A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures.
- Expression: “Éirinn go Brách”
Pronunciation: Erin go Braugh
Translation: Ireland forever!
One Hoppy St. Patrick’s Day
Paint the Great White North green! Draw on the luck of the Irish and get ready to snag a spot inside one of Canada’s most historic Irish pubs.
TORONTO
There’s an undeniable allure to celebrating at one of the 6ix’s most authentic Irish pubs. For one of the most spirited shindigs in the city, check out PJ O’Brien’ Irish Pub, reminiscent of a small-town pub on the Emerald Isle.
MONTREAL
Throw on your emerald green threads and claim your Irish roots at Le Vieux Dublin Pub & Restaurant, Montreal’s oldest Irish pub. Offering beer on tap, a hefty whiskey list, delicious burgers and live music, this historic hotspot is as authentically-Irish as it gets.
VANCOUVER
The longest running Irish Pub in the city will be overflowing with green spirit all month long. The Blarney Stone Pub’s festivities include an Irish Family Day brunch, Irish Appreciation Night, Irish Trivia Night and a St. Patrick’s Day Eve Party.
HALIFAX
The owners of Durty Nelly’s found the main problem with 99.9% of Irish pubs in Canada was that they were not truly Irish. Designed and built entirely in Dublin, this authentic Irish pub began its journey across the Atlantic in 2008, reconstructed piece by piece in the heart of Nova Scotia.
