The Irish Way

John Zmirak (who is half-Irish) suggests some ways to celebrate Saint Patrick's day. Here is an excerpt from a hilarious but moving article from Taki's Top Drawer:

But if there’s one thing for which the long-suffering people of Ireland came to be known, it was their ability to transform misery into joy. Listen to Irish music: The songs that aren’t about hopelessly unrequited love are tales of rebellions gone astray, betrayals by trusted allies, and drinking entire barrels of beer on board a sinking ship. Irish wakes—held in the home, around the body, which is frequently plied with its favorite brand of whiskey—end with friends of the deceased hiding the body from the family, who then have to ransack the house to locate the corpse so it can be buried. It’s in this spirit that I propose this party to honor the once-starving Irish, their endurance and their faith—and to offer those who died the Irish wake they never had.