Actually, my dear, corned beef ain't Irish. I discovered that watching a movie some years ago -- forget the title, something about international spies or something -- in which an American family was hosting cousin from Ireland. At their first dinner the hostess served corned beef and cabbage. The cousin asked why the meat was red, and when he was told it was corned beef and the hostess thought it would make him feel at home, he said sarcastically "I've never heard of it, don't care for it."
I was skeptical, so I did a little research and learned it was true -- they don't eat corned beef and cabbage in Ireland, it's mostly an American thing. Perhaps it was relatively cheap and available to the poor Irish immigrants who came to America in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but it never caught on in Ireland.
Thank you Doug! I've been explaining this for most of my life. For some reason, folks still insist that corned beef and green beer are Irish. I usually don't bother arguing it on the internet because most folks don't really care. But since you brought it up.......
I'm first generation. My grandparents had their first 2 children (my dad & his brother) in Ireland before they came over here in the 1920's. Till the day she died, she said she had never eaten corned beef, and never would. What WAS traditional was what she called 'a joint of bacon', boiled with cabbage. This wasn't bacon cut into rashers like we know it. Irish bacon is more like a ham or pork roast.
Another improbable American interpretation making beef stew and calling it Irish. Beef was only available to the upper classes in Ireland. Stewing was a way to make the old lamb (mutton) palatable. Even though we can't really get mutton here, a young lamb stew is a wonderful improvement.
Besides cabbage and potatoes, other root vegetables were also common. Turnips (rutabagas), parsnips, carrots, onions were readily available.
Remember the song 'Molly Malone' as she wandered the streets broad and narrow crying 'cockles and mussels alive, alive-o'. Since Ireland is an island, fishing and therefore seafood, was an important part of the culture and diet. Salmon, trout, cockles, mussels, lobster were all considered poor man's food because they were cheap and readily available. It's hard to believe we ignore the wonderful seafood in favor of boiled corned beef and cabbage when celebrating the heritage of Ireland!
Desserts were a rarity since both salt and sugar were expensive. However, when there was dessert, is was most likely to be a bread pudding or an apple cake. I wouldn't include green creme de menthe (which is French).
Vera, you're partially correct on St. Patrick not being Irish. He was born in the 5th century, before either England or Italy existed in their current forms. The Roman Empire (later day Italy) controlled most of Brittania (later day England). He was born in Brittania, therefore could be considered sort of English or Italian. He was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave when he was a teenager.
Until the last generation, St. Patrick's Day was not celebrated in Ireland the way we do here. It was considered a 'holy day of obligation'. Church was mandatory! Then folks went home to a big holiday meal sort of like Easter or Christmas. There were no parades & drinking parties.
With the advent of cheap travel in the late 20th century, millions of Americans started going to Ireland for St. Patrick's Day to to celebrate the 'real thing'. They were highly disappointed. In order to keep the tourists happy the Irish Tourism Board started pushing businesses and municipalities to sponsor American-style celebrations.
You may notice that I've written most of this in past tense. Ireland now is as cosmopolitan as we are. Just like here, foods are available from all over the world. Unless you go to the western counties of Galway or Mayo, you'll never hear Gaelic spoken or see the old traditions.
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!
St. Patrick's Day blessings upon you.
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