Green Beer, Leprechauns, Corned Beef & Cabbage Debunked [WATCH]
St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow, so a visit to St. Cloud's Olde Brick House was due to debunk the rumors about the Irish. You won't believe what's actually not real Irish!
Olde Brick House Manager - Brandon, sat down with my wife and I over lunch and we talked about what a real Irish experience is all about. He went to Ireland for a couple weeks recently and got to know the culture from a true 'non-tourist' point of view, visiting the places that most don't get to experience.
Let's just say I was blown away at how us Americans grow up learning things that are just not true about the Irish.
- First of all, there are no leprechauns or pots of gold anywhere in Ireland.
- 4-leaf clovers are nothing more than a weed and don't symbolize anything Irish over there. Another myth that associates good luck, the color green, and somehow that tied into Irish. If you see them in Ireland, it's usually going to be in a tourist area trying to attract people who are expecting that.
- Green beer doesn't exist in Ireland, unless somebody were to put food coloring in it to laugh and mock Americans. We do it on this side of the world to merely symbolize the celebration of St. Patty's Day, which is a big beer drinking day for most of us.
- They don't say "top of the mornin' to ya", or any of those sayings we say when trying to sound Irish. I honestly just like saying that, and I always will when I'm trying to be Irish.
- Finally, and this may surprise you...corned beef and cabbage is not really an Irish thing. They would never eat that on St. Patrick's Day. They actually prefer lamb or bacon! Beef isn't even part of their normal diet.
St. Patty's Day is tomorrow, and even if you bring your Irish spirit that really doesn't exist, the Olde Brick House folks won't mind. It's all about the fun of the celebration!
Be sure and join them for their annual tent party right outside the front of their doors in downtown St. Cloud this weekend. Live music, food and drink...and of course lots of green (just not in the beer though)!