Where did all the Irish Go.

[Keith_Hixson]

Nothing about St Patricks Day? Something Wrong.


Myspace Graphics

For the Irish.

Keith

[39mto39g]

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN

Kieth
Click on site, click on chickens.then start.

Ron

[39mto39g]

Paintings

[QM3steve]

Those guys are GOOD!

[Tab]

I think they were watching the cricket

[39mto39g]

Howdy Tab.
Hows Southern England?

Ron

[revwardoc]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070318/...oI.4D_tQhvaA8F

TOKYO (Reuters) - For a city with far more Sakamotos than O'Sullivans, Japan's capital still manages to go all out to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Although many Japanese know little about Ireland -- some even confuse it with chilly Iceland -- the small European nation has nonetheless attracted a band of die-hard fans halfway around the globe.

Again this year thousands of Tokyoites took the streets on Sunday to watch what may be the world's most unlikely St. Patrick's Day parade.

Dressed in green clothing and sporting shamrocks painted on their faces, many of the onlookers appeared unfazed by the fact that they weren't Irish, or that the parade was held a day after the Irish national holiday.

"Irish people are friendly," said Masahito Aitsuki, a 45-year-old man who was wearing a luminous green blazer and emerald-coloured shoes.

After visiting Ireland on a business trip, Aitsuki said he was charmed by the country and its people.

"They have something spiritual about them, which is kind of like the Japanese spirit," he said.

This year the event drew a crowd of around 40,000 onlookers, according to Masayuki Kishi, one of the organisers.

Now in its 16th year, the parade shows how enamoured some Japanese have become with Irish culture.

Participants included a kilt-clad pipe band, Irish dancers and even the local contingent of the Irish setter club. Strikingly, nearly all the members of the different groups were Japanese.

"This year was great," said Kimie Nagahama, an Irish dancing teacher who participated in the parade together with several of her students.

Like many women who practise the traditional dancing made famous by the "Riverdance" show, Nagahama wore an elaborate dress. But she had to buy her costume second-hand, as such costumes aren't readily available in Japan.

"This is the first year I wore my costume in the parade. I was always a little shy to do so because the design of my dress is a little out of date."

Some Japanese got interested in Ireland through its music or sports: many at the parade sported Ireland rugby shirts, and even a handful wore the jerseys of Gaelic football teams.

"I like Irish artists such as the Pogues," said Tsuyoshi Amagasa, a 29-year-old clad in a green T-shirt.

"Because I like Irish music I became interested in Ireland. I definitely want to go there some day," Amagasa said.

While the parade may not have been on St. Patrick's Day -- organisers said they wanted to stick with tradition and hold it on a Sunday -- Tokyo's Ireland fans got another treat this year, the illumination of Tokyo Tower.

The massive steel tower in central Tokyo was bathed in a brilliant green on Saturday night to celebrate the 50 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. "This year we had the illumination of Tokyo Tower," said Kimihiro Asano of the Japan office of Tourism Ireland. "Every year more and more Japanese are becoming aware of Ireland and becoming interested in Ireland."

href="http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070318/ids_photos_ts/ra3041953454.jpg;_ylt=Aq1kQ3vc1jkTKHtk7Ni_0OKek3QF">

If the photo I posted doesn't come out here, click on the site link to see the most ridiculous "St. Patrick-San" in the world!

[Robert Ryan]

Shame on me, my last name is Ryan, and I didn't wish anyone a happy St Pats day, sorry, so a day late hope everyone enjoyed St Pats day.

[SparrowHawk62]

Twas a hard thing not boasting about me Irish on this site.
While I morn St. Patrick's passing, I reflect back on my the Irish side of my Family. My Granddad and Granny, fine Irish they were.
Not of the Lace Curtain type, down to earth good people.
I think of family still in the old country, dealing with the day to day.
To all the good Irish, a merry dew!

[Jerry D]

A Happy Belated St Paddys Day to Ya'all and a blessed day to all