How to party like a real Dubliner this St. Paddy's Day
St. Patrick’s Day is quickly approaching! Since we bloggers spent four months studying abroad in Dublin last semester, we feel we have a lot to teach you about how to celebrate like real Irish people. Our time in the motherland ~cultured~ us and, more than just teaching us how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness, it taught us really how to live the Irish lifestyle.First and foremost: All you naive celebrants should know that it’s St. Paddy’s Day, not St. Patrick’s Day. Swap out the usual unfriendliness for Irish conversationalism: Talk to everyone, from the hardo girl next to you in spin class to your Ratty crush as you stand in line for eggs in the AM. Though others may appear confused or even threatened at first by your overt extroversion, this is a surefire way to channel the true Irish spirit of talking, talking, talking. Perhaps even suggest that you may or may not have smooched the Blarney Stone last time you were across the pond — this mystical rock is rumored to give all those who kiss it the gift of the gab. Have a strong opinion on Bono: Either hate him or love him, and wax poetic about the reasons for your passion.
Ask your friends, “What’s the craic?”: If you want to sound like a real Irish youth straight outta Dublin, just use the term “craic.” Not like crack crack, though it is pronounced like it. To ask “What’s the craic?” means, where’s the party at? And if the party’s good, elbow your mate and say to him, “This is good craic, eh?”Learn how to drink Guinness the ~proper~ way: Take a big gulp of the stout and tell everyone in your immediate vicinity that, no offense, but real Guinness, brewed in the home country, is WAY better. Then secretly spit it out when nobody's looking, because Guinness tastes like fermented coffee mixed with rotten milk and chocolate.
Switch out "awesome" for “grand”: Tell your friends you’re looking to have a grand time this weekend, and they’ll know you’re serious about honoring the holiday.Learn the differences between hurling, Gaelic football, and rugby: To be honest, we still don’t quite know ourselves.
Casually drop that you’ve spent a lot of time chilling in Temple Bar or meandering down Grafton Street: This will make you seem like a real Dubliner. James Joyce could never! Maybe even spread rumors that you were an extra in Ed Sheeran's music video for "Galway Girl," which was filmed on Grafton Street.
Tell people you’re from baile átha Cliath (pronounced bol-yeh aw-ha clee-ah): Even though we only realized that this meant Dublin in Gaelic after 4 months of living in baile átha Cliath, we now know that saying this will show that you’re really connected to your Irish roots.Now that you’re a cultured baile átha Cliath resident, put on your green, grab your pint, and enjoy that good craic on this St. Paddy’s Day! Images via, via, via, via, and via.