Happy St Patty's Day everyone! I can't let this day pass without a 'shout out' to my Irish peeps in Newfoundland. Newfoundland has a very rich history with the Irish and is the only Canadian province where the day is a holiday.
What a shame!
It is estimated that about 80% of Newfoundlanders have Irish ancestry on at least one side of their family tree. The family names, the features and colouring, the predominant Catholic religion, the prevalence of Irish music – even the accents of the people – are so reminiscent of rural Ireland that Irish author Tim Pat Coogan has described Newfoundland as "the most Irish place in the world outside of Ireland".
Newfoundland is the only place outside Europe with its own distinctive name in the Irish language, Talamh an Éisc, literally "Land of the Fish" but meaning "the Fishing Ground".
There are many Irish-derived English words that still form a vital element of the island's vocabulary. Have a look at The prestigious Dictionary of Newfoundland English, an invaluable guide to interpreting the 'language' when in Newfoundland.
I am so proud to be from that beautiful province and highly reccomend every Canadian go visit this part of their country. Especially on St.Patty's Day where they say if you can't make it to the Emerald Isle itself, this is the next best place to celebrate!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment