St. Patrick’s Day reminds me of my Papa Hop
St. Patrick’s Day memories remind me of my Granddad, Papa Hop. Now it was a fact that Papa Hop had certainly kissed the Blarney Stone, which is the fabled stone near the Blarney Castle in County Cork, Ireland.
Now this famous stone is said to impart skill and flattery to the person that kisses it, and at that same time, provide that person with the gift of eloquence and persuasiveness. He was a great storyteller and always set up his stories in a personable way.
Papa Hop said, “Howdy me Laddies, Sure, an’ you’d be wantin’ a tale o’ the Green on this St. Paddy’s Day!”
So, Papa Hop launched into a tale about the Irish Shillelagh. I found most of what he told to be true, and the rest based on hysterical fact! His version of the history of the shillelagh was quite a bit more creative and mystical than the actual process. You see, the shillelagh was a Gaelic fighting stick and if held just right, it could deliver a resounding victory in just three swings! The word shillelagh rhymes with ukulele and has three syllables, “shill-lay-lee. The village of Shillelagh is found in County Wicklow, Ireland. Here, there was once an abundance of Oak trees that produced the material for the shillelagh, but today, the Oaks have mostly disappeared, and shillelaghs are made from Blackthorn.
Artisans seek thick sticks with bark on and a generous number of knots or knobs, usually from the root area, that would produce the walking sticks or canes. These raw sticks are subjected to a special process of slathering them with whiskey butter and then placed over a fire to be cured, like smoking meat.
After this smoke curing process, the sticks are buried in animal dung heaps to keep them moist and to prevent cracking. At this stage, the shillelagh gets a coating of sealer and probably polished. Then the owner would add his personalization. The finished product will have a glossy black surface and care is taken to always have a heavy knob at the top of the stick.
This knob would fit the hand comfortably and provided great knock down power during a fight. The length must fit the owner’s height and is measured from ground up to the elbow. It is a common practice for fathers to pass their knowledge and skills down to their sons and when a lad come of age, they would be given a shillelagh as a right of passage which was a symbol of manhood.
A picture of shillelaghs show there are various shapes and sizes. So, to stay with Papa Hop’s method of storytelling, I give you this…
An Irish Tale With a Twist
So, you be wantin’ an Irish tale I hear,
On this grand St. Paddy’s Day,
Well, gather y’self about an’ lend an ear,
About Clancy, I’ll have this to say.
Not overly bright, but one skill he knew,
A portrait artist was he,
An’ throughout the years, his reputation grew,
Folk came from near an’ far, you see.
An’ the day came when his talent was required,
By a wealthy English lass,
She had seen his work an’ was totally inspired,
An’ hoped it would come to pass.
Money was no object, she’d pay a pretty sum,
If he would paint her in the nude,
Now folk, this was the first time this request had come,
For sure an’ he was not a prude.
But he must consider the feelings of his wife,
As he considered this request,
He didn’t want to cause a marital strife,
An’ cause his wife to be distressed.
Before this job a conference must take place,
To decide the right an’ the wrong,
What might a portrait in the nude embrace,
An’ does this really belong?
The decision was made an’ he said, “Now Lassie”
I’ll will paint you in the nude,
But in order to make this work remain classy,
One thing must be understood.
This job will be tedious an’ we must not rush,
An’ I want this fact to be known,
For I must have a place to wipe me brush,
I have to at least, leave me socks on!
Now the moral to this tale, if it’s a moral you seek,
Points at what is said an’ meant,
Be sure to savvy the gist of what one may speak,
Lest you squander the intent!
© Ol’ Jim Cathey
An Irish Blessing: If you’re lucky enough to be Irish, then you’re lucky enough.
An’ may the Good Lord take a liking to you — but not too soon.
May your troubles be less, and your blessings be more,
A world of wishes at your command.
And nothing but happiness come through your door.
God and his angels close to hand.
God bless the Irish!