Dark Slender Boy, performed by Liam O'Flynn on the Uileann Pipes
March 17, 2012 8:51 AM Subscribe
Emerald Isle: Ireland from Space
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:57 AM on March 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:57 AM on March 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
As my traditional singer friends would say, "Mighty!"
Lá Fhéile Pádraig shona diobh / Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody!
posted by LN at 9:05 AM on March 17, 2012
Lá Fhéile Pádraig shona diobh / Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody!
posted by LN at 9:05 AM on March 17, 2012
Cheers mefites! I'm already having a beer. A. Le Coq Organic Beer - only one single mefite besides me is able to purchase it, so particular cheers to daniel_charms!
posted by Pyrogenesis at 9:05 AM on March 17, 2012
posted by Pyrogenesis at 9:05 AM on March 17, 2012
The thing about bagpipes is I can't ever tell if they're being played poorly. Or, maybe I've never heard anyone play poorly. I just love the sound they make.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
posted by Malice at 9:09 AM on March 17, 2012
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
posted by Malice at 9:09 AM on March 17, 2012
Like a real Irishman furiousxgeorge celebrates St Patrick's Day Eve!
A drink I'll be having today to honor me Irish grandmother who passed away on this day many years ago. The devil still doesn't know.
posted by three blind mice at 9:11 AM on March 17, 2012
A drink I'll be having today to honor me Irish grandmother who passed away on this day many years ago. The devil still doesn't know.
posted by three blind mice at 9:11 AM on March 17, 2012
29 years ago today I got engaged to the one and only Ralph. Who provided me with the Irish last name I carry.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 9:18 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 9:18 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
In honor of my Celtic brothers I will refrain from sacking any monestaries or pillaging seaside villages this weekend. You're welcome.
posted by The Whelk at 9:20 AM on March 17, 2012 [8 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 9:20 AM on March 17, 2012 [8 favorites]
The most important link you will read today.
posted by lalochezia at 9:26 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by lalochezia at 9:26 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Wookiefoot's Falling Down Trying always gets me in the mood.
posted by JoJoPotato at 9:31 AM on March 17, 2012
posted by JoJoPotato at 9:31 AM on March 17, 2012
This is more my speed. A biologist's St. Patricks Day!
posted by lazaruslong at 10:06 AM on March 17, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by lazaruslong at 10:06 AM on March 17, 2012 [3 favorites]
You'll never be able to scrub this from your brain. When Irish Eyes are Smilin'.
posted by ColdChef at 10:37 AM on March 17, 2012
posted by ColdChef at 10:37 AM on March 17, 2012
Don't forget to toast our Irish president!
An Irish song about the Irish president, Barack Obama.
Related: Obama gets in touch with his Irish roots:
posted by Davenhill at 10:49 AM on March 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
An Irish song about the Irish president, Barack Obama.
Related: Obama gets in touch with his Irish roots:
"My name is Barack Obama, of the Moneygall Obamas, and I've come home to find the apostrophe we lost somewhere along the way," he said.Sláinte!
posted by Davenhill at 10:49 AM on March 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
Pish. Everybody knows the patron saint of the Irish is Robert McAlpine.
posted by Jehan at 10:54 AM on March 17, 2012
posted by Jehan at 10:54 AM on March 17, 2012
<threadjack> and Happy Birthday to me!!!! </threadjack>
posted by supermedusa at 10:54 AM on March 17, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by supermedusa at 10:54 AM on March 17, 2012 [4 favorites]
This was beautiful. Thanks for posting.
I knew a man who played bagpipes. He played Piobaireachd and studied in Scotland. He was good.
He liked playing on remote hilltops at night. Many times I sat at his feet, on animal skins in the darkness, drinking Laphroaig and listening. "Here's something to bring the beasties out of the woods," he'd say, before launching into something like this with grace notes that shimmered like the sky.
He died at 27, 27 years ago last week.
They say Thomas Hardy, though he loved rustic fairs, would not attend them; the sound of piping made him weep openly. I have the same problem.
posted by kinnakeet at 10:55 AM on March 17, 2012 [11 favorites]
I knew a man who played bagpipes. He played Piobaireachd and studied in Scotland. He was good.
He liked playing on remote hilltops at night. Many times I sat at his feet, on animal skins in the darkness, drinking Laphroaig and listening. "Here's something to bring the beasties out of the woods," he'd say, before launching into something like this with grace notes that shimmered like the sky.
He died at 27, 27 years ago last week.
They say Thomas Hardy, though he loved rustic fairs, would not attend them; the sound of piping made him weep openly. I have the same problem.
posted by kinnakeet at 10:55 AM on March 17, 2012 [11 favorites]
The thing about bagpipes is I can't ever tell if they're being played poorly.
posted by Malice at 5:09 PM on March 17
If in doubt, it's a safe assumption.
What's the typical range of a set of bagpipes? About fifty yards - if you've got a good right arm.
posted by Decani at 11:02 AM on March 17, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Malice at 5:09 PM on March 17
If in doubt, it's a safe assumption.
What's the typical range of a set of bagpipes? About fifty yards - if you've got a good right arm.
posted by Decani at 11:02 AM on March 17, 2012 [3 favorites]
FROM KALED COUNTY ON SKARO ROCK I GREET YE
posted by Smart Dalek at 11:04 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Smart Dalek at 11:04 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
What's perfect pitch? When you throw a set of bagpipes in a dumpster, and it lands on a Bodhrán laying on top of a banjo.
I kid. I love all of the above instruments.
posted by lazaruslong at 11:06 AM on March 17, 2012 [3 favorites]
I kid. I love all of the above instruments.
posted by lazaruslong at 11:06 AM on March 17, 2012 [3 favorites]
And on October 11th, General Pulaski Day, we're bringing out the accordions! You. Have. Been. Warned.
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:07 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:07 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
The thing about bagpipes is I can't ever tell if they're being played poorly.
In bagpipe ensembles, at least, it's easier to tell: everyone playing the pipes in a pipe-and-drum band is supposed to be playing exactly the same thing, and you'll get yucky throbbing interference if people are even a little off from each other.
posted by kenko at 11:30 AM on March 17, 2012
In bagpipe ensembles, at least, it's easier to tell: everyone playing the pipes in a pipe-and-drum band is supposed to be playing exactly the same thing, and you'll get yucky throbbing interference if people are even a little off from each other.
posted by kenko at 11:30 AM on March 17, 2012
A girl at my high school took bagpipe lessons as an independent study. She practiced in the chapel for at least an hour every afternoon over winter term my junior year. The chapel had sort of insane reverb-y acoustics resulting from its faux Gothic layout and it was situated in the center of campus. Even in the dead of winter, in the rain, with all the doors and windows closed there was no escape from bagpipe practice. For those of you lucky enough to never experience bag pipe practice firsthand, I probably cannot do it justice. And though "loud animal, dying slowly and painfully" sounds rather trite, I cannot think of a better description.
posted by thivaia at 11:38 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Thank you for not linking to anything like the damn Irish Rovers Unicorn song. There's always a large bit of cheeseball crap music that gets dragged out this time of year, and I always think of my Irish friend's brother Donal who told me something when we were in a store playing an especially crap version of "When Irish Eyes are Smiling" on the muzak; he turned to me, gave me a very serious look, and said, "I just want you to know, this is the sort of music that embarrasses us."
This is more like it. Donal approves.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:38 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
This is more like it. Donal approves.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:38 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
I will be in my remote beehive hut, listening to The Clancy Brothers, drinking Guinness, and whacking snakes with my cane.
Sincerely,
an Irish-American named Pat
posted by zippy at 11:49 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Sincerely,
an Irish-American named Pat
posted by zippy at 11:49 AM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Englishman wakes up an Irishman after brain surgery.
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:08 PM on March 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:08 PM on March 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
This morning, NPR asked poet Frank Delaney, an Irish expatriate in the US and a Joyce scholar, to write a poem for the day.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:11 PM on March 17, 2012
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:11 PM on March 17, 2012
I unironically love the Uilleann pipes: most plaintive sounding instrument on the planet, IMO. Thanks for posting this. Had some proper soda bread for breakfast this morning (no currants or caraway seeds thank you very much), too.
posted by smirkette at 12:29 PM on March 17, 2012
posted by smirkette at 12:29 PM on March 17, 2012
Englishman wakes up an Irishman after brain surgery.
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:08 PM on March 17
Brain trauma ---> Englishman becoming Irish is probably not a good post for Metafilter. :-)
posted by Decani at 12:32 PM on March 17, 2012
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:08 PM on March 17
Brain trauma ---> Englishman becoming Irish is probably not a good post for Metafilter. :-)
posted by Decani at 12:32 PM on March 17, 2012
This has lead me to YouTube bagpipies. I am in a happy place.
posted by OsoMeaty at 12:52 PM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by OsoMeaty at 12:52 PM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Happy Leprechaun In The Hood day everyone! Enjoy the tradional rap!
posted by Artw at 1:04 PM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 1:04 PM on March 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
Englishman wakes up an Irishman after brain surgery.
Says "Happy St. Patrick'c Day, Mate! Let's go get knackered, eh?"
Irishman says: 神他媽的yerself遐傻娘們。
Happy St. Paddy's day everyone.
posted by Skygazer at 4:19 PM on March 17, 2012
Says "Happy St. Patrick'c Day, Mate! Let's go get knackered, eh?"
Irishman says: 神他媽的yerself遐傻娘們。
Happy St. Paddy's day everyone.
posted by Skygazer at 4:19 PM on March 17, 2012
My ancestors also visited Ireland to smoke out monks and steal ginger brides. But in honor of the day I drank a pint of Surly Bender. Trust me, it was a dark as Guinness but much more evil.
posted by Ber at 5:14 PM on March 17, 2012
posted by Ber at 5:14 PM on March 17, 2012
St Patrick's Day is when I'm a viking. We didn't make it to the Irish bar here in Shenzhen, but we did get drunk on margaritas and dance like we were 20 years younger.
posted by arcticseal at 3:00 AM on March 18, 2012
posted by arcticseal at 3:00 AM on March 18, 2012
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posted by furiousxgeorge at 8:54 AM on March 17, 2012