Flashback Friday: Family Tradition

You grow up an O’Rourke, you know that St. Patrick’s day ranks right up there with Christmas, Easter and ice fishing season. For many years, my family traveled to northern Wisconsin to celebrate the most sacred of green beer holidays. We would spend the weekend at Uncle Kevin’s cabin, listening to The Chieftans and Van Morrison. Saturday was the pinnacle of festivities, the famous St. Patty’s Day Parade. We froze our ¼ Irish hinies off to grab candy, Mardi Gras beads, and other “Imported from China, not County Clare” baubles.

Every year the cousins would compete for who had the most Irish paraphernalia. But Mary’s dangly earring and sock collections were no match for Sean-E-O and his belt buckles, green carnation corsages and his shamrock ties.   I'm sure my mom felt left out with her authentic Ireland sweathsirt.  She did buy it in Dublin, afterall.

I’m just teaching my kid to keep up with family traditions.