Famous Irish Americans

St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday celebrated in not only Ireland, but many other countries as well. It is a feast day in which Saint Patrick, the most well known patron saint of Ireland, is honored. Some may wonder why our country celebrates an Irish holiday, even though there aren’t many Irish-Americans in the U.S. If you think that there is a small Irish population in the U.S., think again. Did you know that there are 34.5 million U.S. residents who claim to be of Irish ancestry? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Irish is the United States’ second most frequently reported ancestry (German is the leading ancestry). In addition, 12% of the nation comes from Irish ancestry. There are many famous people in our society that you wouldn’t have guessed are Irish. Here is a list of only a few of the thousands of famous Irish-Americans:

Entertainment Industry

George Clooney

Mel Gibson

Mariah Carey

Walt Disney

Conan O’Brien

Christina Aguilera

Political Figures

John F. Kennedy

Joseph Biden

Ronald Reagan

Business

Henry Ford (founder of Ford Motor Company)

Good Luck Charms

Everybody wants to get lucky. But not all cultures find luck in the same way. All are familiar with the symbols of luck typical to the western side of the world. Horseshoe or four-leaf clover, anyone? Or perhaps that elusive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Yes, all these symbols are prevalent throughout our own culture, but what about other cultures around the world?

According to Chinese astrology, the tiger is viewed as a protector against evil, theft and fire. Like the tiger, the red is also regarded as a shield against evil by Chinese culture. When five red bats are seen together, they signify the five good fortunes of health, love, longevity, wealth and virtue. In Germanic cultures, the pig represents good fortune. The cultures of ancient Greece, Sumer, Egypt and Rome surround the Mediterranean Sea and often encountered dolphins. These dolphins were recognized for their intelligence and speed, and thus well0-rsepected, symbolizing protection.

For centuries, insects have been symbols of luck in cultures such as ancient Egypt and Asia. Egyptians viewed scarab beetles as sacred because they rolled balls of dung across the ground similar to how the sun rolled across the sky. Images of scarab beetles were often carved into jewelry and worn as a sign of good luck. Fans of the Disney movie Mulan may recall the cricket given to Mulan, which symbolizes good luck in Asian cultures. And beware, ladybug killers. It is considered good luck when lady bugs land on you, but bad luck to kill them.

And so, with these new symbols in mind, maybe it’s time to switch up the old 11:11 p.m. wish with a handy dandy cricket. Or may you’d even like to keep a pet scarab beetle around when you’re feeling a bit down on your luck. As disgusting as you may find insects to be, perhaps it’d be a good idea to whip them out every now and then. After all, you never know when a little luck could come in handy.

Quiz: How Irish Are You?

1. You decorate your Christmas tree on…

a. the first of December

b. sometime in the middle of December

c. on Christmas eve

2. The meaning of The Irish Claddagh ring is:

a. friendship

b. loyalty

c. love

d. all of the above

3. St. Patrick’s Day celebrates which of the following:

a. the day St. Patrick died

b. the day St. Patrick was born

c. the day St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland

4. A shillelagh is…

a. a wooden pipe

b. a leperachaun’s outfit

c. shot, stout, oak club

5. Erin go bragh means…

a. Please get me my hat

b. Ireland Forever

c. A little leprechaun

6. Sláinte is a famous…

a. cheer

b. movie star

c. type of clothing

Irish Cream Pudding Parfait Recipe

Irish Cream Pudding Parfaits with Oatmeal-Walnut Crunch Recipe

Ingredients for Crunch:
1        cup of old-fashioned oats
3/4     cup all purpose flour
1/2     cup packed brown sugar
2        teaspoon instant coffee crystals
1/4     teaspoon ground allspice
1/4     teaspoon salt
1/2     cup (or 1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4     cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Ingredients for Pudding:
1-1/4  cup chilled whipping cream
12      teaspoon Irish Cream
3/4     cup packed brown sugar
6        large egg yolks
1/4     teaspoon ground nutmeg
12      teaspoon dried currants

Preparation for Crunch:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture forms moist clumps. Mix in walnuts. Sprinkle mixture onto rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crisp, occasionally stirring gently and leaving mixture in clumps, about 35 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight.)

Preparation for Pudding:
Combine 3/4 cup cream, 6 tablespoons Irish cream, sugar, yolks and nutmeg in large metal bowl. Place over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Using electric mixer, beat until custard thickens and thermometer registers 160°F, about 8 minutes. Remove from over water and beat until cool, about 8 minutes. Mix in remaining 6 tablespoons Irish cream. Beat remaining 1/2 cup cream in medium bowl to medium peaks. Fold into custard. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

Layer 1/4 cup pudding, 1 tablespoon currants and 3 tablespoons crunch in each of six 12 ounce goblets; repeat layering 1 more time. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour. When an hour has passed, you can enjoy your delicious Irish parfait!

Recipe is from Little Shamrocks – http://www.littleshamrocks.com/Irish-Dessert-Recipes.html