Happy St. Patrick's Day!

So after stuffing my face with way too much yummy food - corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, Irish soda bread, M&Ms - the last thing I wanted to do was sit down and write a blog post.  Honestly, what I really want right now is to slip into a food coma and pretend that everything I ate was only a few calories.

But I decided to write anyway, because I want to share some of my favorite Irish (or Celtic) books and movies.

My Favorite Irish Movies

• The Quiet Man  -  John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara star in this film about a Pittsburgh man who returns to the home he was born in, in Ireland, and must navigate through the Old World rituals that are still followed.  Beautiful and humorous, The Quiet Man is one of my family's favorites.
• The Secret of Roan Inish  -  An interesting movie about life on the small isles off the Irish coast and Irish selkie mythology, I've loved The Secret of Roan Inish since I was little.  It tells the tale of a family ripped apart by the sea, and it's both mysterious and sweet.
• Darby O'Gill & the Little People  -  Yes, this movie is cheesy, and the special effects are outdated, but it's fun and lighthearted.  It's an annual tradition in my family to watch this every St. Patrick's Day, and we've been doing it ever since I was little, so it will always hold a very special place in my heart.
• My Left Foot  -  I first saw this in my cinema class in college, and I loved it.  Based on a true story, My Left Foot tells the story of Christy Brown, a quadriplegic who can only control his left foot.  His tale is touching and emotional, and Daniel Day-Lewis gives an amazing performace as Brown.
• Evelyn  -  A definite tear-jerker, this movie is about a single father fighting for the right to raise his children on his own.  With great actors like Pearce Brosnan and a beautiful story, I highly recommend this movie to anyone who's looking for something both bitter and sweet.

My Favorite Irish Books

• Sushi for Beginners by Marian Keyes  -  One of the few chick-lit books I like, and not just because one of the main characters shares my name.
• The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer  -  I love this series and am still so sad that it's over.  Artemis Fowl's journey from genius criminal mastermind to a hero is full of fun, adventure, and magic.
• The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater  -  While this book isn't specifically set in Ireland, it feels very Irish.  When I read it, I just kept picturing the Aran Islands off the coast of Ireland or the movie The Secret of Roan Inish.  It has a definite Celtic feel, and since my heritage is mostly Irish, that also affects my perception of the book as Irish.