Here we are again. Another year has come and gone and it is officially the feast of St. Patrick, the beloved patron of Ireland who drove out all of the serpents, in case your Gran did not tell you. No doubt plenty of you are sporting green to either show solidarity, avoid getting pinched, or some combination of the two. Perhaps you are even feeling rebellious and wearing orange to make some sort of Northern Ireland separatist statement. Either way, it is hard to deny the pervasiveness of St. Patrick’s Day in our culture.

From the parade down Greenville avenue to the “Happy Saint Patty’s, Y’all” shirts being sold by the Gamma Phi Betas, the celebration of this distinctly Irish festival explodes across our campus and the States in general in a way that no other ethno-specific holiday has managed to. Indeed, the closest thing to this Patty’s Day phenomenon is el Cinco de Mayo, a festive regional Mexican holiday which does not compete with St. Patty’s for grandiosity, even if it does rival March 17th for abundance of alcohol consumed.

What is it about this one day that stirs up the Irish in us all? When the Irish poured into the U.S. after the Potato Famine, they were largely despised and discriminated against. Yet this tiny island to the north of Great Britain managed to provide a spirit and culture without which our nation would be a little less lucky.

There is just something about the Irish that is irresistible. Take, for example, Irish accents. There’s something rustic and charming about them. Further, Irish drinks conjure up a romanticized alcoholism that is at once endearing and coarse. Even the popular idiom “Irish Twins”, referring to two siblings born less than a year apart, has become a staple in our vocabulary. And what about those “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” shirts. What about them? I’m not really sure what. If you are wearing one, you should probably take it off.

I love Ireland, and I do not think I am alone. Indeed, anytime I find out that something is Irish I feel a certain fascination and identification with it. Granted, the vast majority of my ancestry comes from Erin’s Isle. But I know that my fascination with everything Irish has less to do with my ancestry than my nationality. Plain and simple, Americans love the Irish.

So in the spirit of St. Patty’s, I offer you a short list of my favorite Irish things that those of us under the legal drinking age can enjoy in good conscience.

1) Irish dairy. There is nothing like Vintage Dubliner on a foggy afternoon. I suggest you invest immediately. And honestly, Irish butter on warm bread is quite possibly the best thing ever.

2) Irish oatmeal. Preferably McCann’s, and maybe even topped with a little Bailey’s, if you are trying to be authentic.

3) Irish music. Did you know that some of your favorite bands are Irish? Aside from the obviously Irish Flogging Molly and Glen Hansard, you have Damien Rice and Snow Patrol-bet you didn’t know they were Irish. Enjoy.

4) Irish linen. Baird McNutt shirts are wonderful and breezy.

5) Car bomb cupcakes. These delicious little treats are chocolate cupcakes with a bottle of Guinness in the batter topped with cream cheese icing with a touch of Bailey’s. E-mail me for the recipe.

6) Irish literature. “Dubliners” by James Joyce and “Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt are two must-reads. If you are into poetry, you might also give Yeats a try.

In short, celebrating St. Patty’s does not always mean inebriation. Did you know that the Guinness available to us in the States is actually brewed in Canada? Better make a bowl of oatmeal celebrate this St. Patty’s with legitimate Irish products instead.

Rebecca Quinn is a sophomore Spanish, French and art history triple major. She can be reached for comment at [email protected].