G12 15 - 21 MARCH 2013

ST PATRICK’S DAY

ST PATRICK’S DAY: NOT JUST FOR THE WINNERS

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ST PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

Irish Coffee traces its history back to 1942, when Joe Sheridan served coffee mixed with whiskey to passengers travelling through Dublin’s Shannon Airport. Credit for the original recipe goes to Jack Koeppler, who began serving Sheridan’s drink at the San Francisco café where he worked. After tinkering with the recipe, Koeppler came up with the idea of adding cream. His chosen whiskey was Tullamore D.E.W., thanks to its smoothness and character. The rest, as they say, is history. As far as Koeppler’s café goes, it now serves over 2,000 glasses a day of the drink he made famous.

VISIT OUR TENT AND WARM UP WITH A CUP OF IRISH COFFEETHE PERFECT CUP OF IRISH COFFEE

I ’VE NEVER had much chance to take part in a parade myself – and I suspect there’s good reason for that.

You see, parades are usually meant to celebrate something noteworthy. I’ve nev-er played in a marching band, never won an award, and my lack of hand-eye co-ordina-tion would almost guarantee that I’d fall o� a parade � oat to an untimely death below. “Trampled by papier-mâché dragon”: I can already see the headlines.

In fact, the only time I’ve ever been in-vited to march along in a procession was on a remarkably low-stakes occasion. I was eight years old, and it was for my elementary school’s annual Halloween parade.

� at’s where St Patrick’s Day in Copen-hagen comes in. � e city’s annual parade gives me a chance to relive my glory days – but this time, I’ll be wearing an oversized green hat instead of a Cleopatra costume.

And after a particularly long, dark win-ter, the holiday isn’t just an excuse to imbibe, either – it’s reason enough to become part of the show yourself. For those who aren’t so inclined to self-glori� cation (or humiliation, as the case may be), check out the next few pages for other ways to celebrate and � nd that last push through the chilly season. I’m sure you’ll � nd something to entertain the whole family.

For Gregg Clayton, an Ameri-can based in Sweden, the laid-back, multicultural � avour of the day was particularly enjoyable. Clayton travelled to Copenhagen speci� cally to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and partake in the parade, and es-pecially appreciated the relaxed nature of everyone involved.

Last year was my � rst time to attend a parade outside of the US. I have

a costume that I made about seven years ago of a leprechaun named ‘Lucky’, copied from the children’s cereal Lucky Charms.

I was very impressed by how accepted I was by the Dan-

ish and how friendly everyone was to me. � e most fun was out in the crowd before the pa-rade, having my picture taken with many di� erent people. � e Danes love to party and have fun.

People of all age groups, families and children were there, too. I was teased by a

little boy the whole day there. He would sneak up behind me and hit me and run o� – I only caught a glimpse of him once!

� e parade was put together and organised very well and is a good chance to travel across the bridge, let your hair down and go green!

GOING GREENJESSICA HANLEY

WHAT IS ST PATRICK’S DAY?

ST PATRICK’S DAY is a holiday commemo-rating the death of Ireland’s patron saint on March 17 in the year 461. It is thought that Patrick was born in Roman Britain and kid-napped by Irish raiders when he was 16. After living as a slave in Ireland, he managed to � ee and return to Britain. He became a priest and later returned to Ireland as a bishop to spread the Christian faith. Folklore claims he ban-ished snakes from the island, though this is not thought to be true.

� ough the earliest recorded celebrations of St Patrick occurred as early as the 9th and 10th centuries, it wasn’t until 1903 that the day became an o� cial public holiday in Ireland. Originally a religious celebration, the holiday has become increasingly secular over time and is now seen as a more general celebration of Irish culture. In fact, the Irish government of the mid-1990s developed a plan to use the day to promote the Irish brand globally.

While this may be the case, the day still re-mains the most important day in the Irish cultural calendar.

CREDIT BOX

Editor: Jessica HanleySales consultants: Mark Millen, Jørn OllingWriters: Marie O’Connor, Ruth StylesGraphic Design & layout: Aviaja Bebe Nielsen

G1315 - 21 MARCH 2013

ST PATRICK’S DAY

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W ITH ITS famed p r o c l a m a t i o n , “everyone is Irish on St Patrick’s

Day!” Copenhagen’s annual pa-rade has proven for years that this holiday truly isn’t just a day for the Irish: it’s for every-one. Every year since 2005, a multitude of nationalities have marched through the streets of the city on March 17 to cele-brate the coming of spring under a banner of green.

But the St Patrick’s Day celebrations around Copen-hagen haven’t always been out in the streets, points out Mari-anne Green, one of the parade’s founders and organisers. Green explained that the idea for the parade sprouted out of a desire to make the festivities more ac-cessible for people of all ages.

“St Patrick’s Day was always celebrated in the di� erent Irish pubs in Copenhagen,” Green told � e Copenhagen Post. “But we felt that this left a lot of people out of the opportunity to share in the celebrations, particularly families and people outside the Irish community and pub scene. We wanted to start a parade in

Copenhagen to bring people to-gether and to open up the world of Irish culture to new people.”

Holding a parade meant that the holiday celebrations would now include those who might be a bit too young to hit the pubs and throw back a few pints. In an e� ort to make the event even more accessible for all ages, the organisers have revamped the parade’s additional festivities as well. While the day used to end with an after-party, the celebra-tions now take place during a warm-up afternoon at Rådhus-pladsen before the parade starts.

As Green pointed out, the parade’s main aim is to bring out the Irish spirit in everyone, regardless of culture, back-ground or age.

“� e event is meant to be a framework in which anyone with an interest in or curios-ity for anything Irish can come together as participants, volun-teers, audience members or even performers,” she said.

It’s precisely this laid-back, multicultural � avour that Sarah Cox, one of last year’s attendees, particularly appreciated. Cox’s daughter dances with the Dark

Green School of Irish Danc-ing, which will be performing throughout the day – and for Cox, the pre-parade festivities like those are often the highlight of the day.

“For me, the best part is watching my daughter dance on-stage,” she explained. “� e Irish

music gets everybody’s feet tap-ping. Although the Guinness and Irish co� ee probably help too!”

“It’s a happy, inclusive event,” Cox went on. “Little kids do their own little-kid jigs and reels, while the adults enjoy – or not – the Irish jokes.”

� is year’s programme kicks o� at 15:30 at Rådhuspladsen, and while the festivities will last

all afternoon, visitors can drop by anytime in the afternoon for as long as they please. As in pre-vious years, the event isn’t simply made up of � oats or profession-als, but of people like you.

For those interested in par-ticipating but who don’t have a wardrobe of green hats or face decals, a parade tent set up at Rådhuspladsen will have every-thing you need. Visitors can stop by from 13:00 to stock up on ac-cessories and adornments. While the drinks used to be saved for the post-parade party, there’s no need to hold o� until later this year: adults can prep for the parade with an Irish co� ee or a Guinness (likely only the � rst of the day) while the kids enjoy professional face painting until the entertainment commences.

� ree separate musical per-formances will take the stage this year, including the Dark Green School, which often per-forms original works based on Irish myths and legends and have been a staple of the parade’s pre-programme for several years. Alongside them will be the pro-fessional Irish dance group Green Steps. Copenhagen will also be

paid a visit directly from Ireland by world-renowned accordion-ist Josephine Marsh and violin-ist Yvonne Casey, who will play alongside Copenhagen-based singer-guitarist Seamus Cahill.

Following the musical per-formances, the Irish ambassador, Brendan Scannell, will o� cially open the parade with a greeting from the stage at 16:50. From there, the parade departs from Rådhuspladsen at 17:00, led by St Patrick himself – played this year by actor Ian Burns. For those who missed the per-formance from the Dark Green School earlier in the afternoon, fear not: they’ll be performing again during the parade. Also making appearances will be a group of Irish wolfhounds – the world’s tallest dog breed – and the pipe band Gordon Pipes and Drums, bringing a bit of Scot-tish � avour to the day.

Noreen � ygesen of Ireland particularly enjoyed the Scottish pipes last year. � ygesen has at-tended the parade for the past six years and felt that the Gordon Pipes and Drums added to the international atmosphere at the parade.

“Last year was great as we had a bit more Celtic feeling with the Scottish pipes – but I just enjoy the atmosphere,” � ygesen said. “It is fantastic to chat and tell stories from home, where the auld blarney, the craic and the wit just � ows.”

“People on the street and in buses, cars and even the restau-rants were waving out of win-dows and soaking it up,” she went on. “In true Irish spirit, they decided to give everyone walking outside a wave anyway.”

And as Cox explained, this kind of spirit is hard to ignore on St Patrick’s Day.

“� e Irish know a thing or two about music, dancing, sing-ing and forti� ed co� ee,” she said. “� ey know how to have a good laugh. It’s infectious.”

And as the parade’s organis-ers will have you remember, eve-ryone is privy to that Irish spirit on St Patrick’s Day. Whether it’s the music, the costumes or even the Guinness, you’re guaranteed to � nd something to enjoy at this year’s parade.

COPENHAGEN’S ANNUAL ST PATRICK’S DAY PARADE HAS WASHED AWAY THE WINTER GLOOM WITH A WELCOME DOSE OF IRISH ENTERTAINMENT SINCE 2005. THIS YEAR IS NO EXCEPTION

THE PARADE WHERE EVERYONE IS WELCOME

The Irish music gets everybody’s feet tapping. Although the Guinness and Irish co� ee probably help, too!

JESSICA HANLEY

ST PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

Rådhuspladsen, Cph K; Sun, 13:00-17:45; info@stpatricksdayparade.dk; www.stpat-ricksdayparade.dk, www.facebook.com/co-penhagenstpatricksday

PARADE DAY PROGRAMME13:00: Tent opens at Rådhuspladsen with drinks and accessories15:30: Onstage entertainment begins17:00: Parade begins to leave Rådhuspladsen17:45: Parade arrives back at Rådhuspladsen

G14 15 - 21 MARCH 2013

ST PATRICK’S DAY

IT ISN’T OFTEN that a city identi� es itself with a failure – but Belfast isn’t just any old city. � e Northern

Irish capital has come a long way since the 1998 Good Fri-day Agreement and has, to an extent, put what is euphemisti-cally known as ‘the Troubles’ behind it. Not that the newly con� dent city is averse to refer-encing its past: when it comes to the doomed Titanic, built in the city’s Harland & Woolf ship-yard, it’s hard to escape.

Nestled in a grassy depression at the end of Belfast Lough, the city skyline is dominated by the towering cranes of the Harland & Woolf shipyard, close to the newly built Titanic Quarter. Wherever you are, the sight of a yellow cast-iron crane isn’t far away, regard-less of if you’re contemplating the magni� cent baroque edi� ce of City Hall or wandering among the shops in the enormous glass Victoria Square. Even when you can’t see the cranes, there’s always a reminder, whether in the haunt-ing Titanic murals daubed onto walls in Protestant west Belfast or on the t-shirts piled up in the souvenir shops proclaiming mes-sages like: ‘� e Titanic: It took an Irishman to build her and an Englishman to sink her.’

While the English might beg to disagree about the lat-ter, the Northern Irish certainly did build her, and you can still see the sca� olding on which the

tragic vessel was constructed. Nearby is the Titanic Belfast, a gargantuan new museum shaped like one of the ship’s funnels, crammed with artefacts and information about the ship, as well as an ever-changing roster of temporary exhibitions. � e Ulster Museum, on the other side of town, is also a paradise

for history bu� s and includes a thought-provoking exhibition on ‘the Troubles’, as well as the contents of one of the Spanish Armada ships wrecked along the nearby coast.

But there’s more to Belfast than history, ever present though it is, and one of the undoubted highlights is the burgeoning food-ie scene. Along with restaurants like James Street South, which specialises in lux versions of Irish classics like colcannon, Belfast’s St George’s covered market is the place to go for a real taste of Ireland. Located close to Belfast Courthouse with its ominous an-ti-blast fence, St George’s market hosts a multitude of stalls selling

everything from handmade crafts to superb local food. Tuck into a gut-busting Ulster Fry, an ultra-greasy version of the classic Eng-lish breakfast, followed by a cup or two of eye-wateringly strong Fairtrade co� ee at one of the little cafes � anking the main market. If you still have the energy to get up and look around, don’t miss the stalls selling locally-made sea salt and cheese shaped to resemble the Giant’s Causeway.

While St George’s reiceived to locals and tourists in search of a cheap eat, the Merchant Ho-tel serves guests of an altogether di� erent nature. A magnet for the local glitterati, this hotel has also received to the likes of Lady Gaga and Westlife. Its cocktail bar is great for a chilled even-ing’s entertainment, although if you want authentic Irish fare, go next door to the Spaniard, where you’ll � nd free-� owing Guinness and a horde of locals ready to share it with you – wherever you come from.

In many ways, this is indica-tive of just how far the city has come in the 15 years since the Good Friday agreement was signed. Once lumped in with the likes of Beirut and Sarajevo, the transformation of Belfast from a war-torn town into a con� -dent and forward-minded city is nothing short of miraculous. Now’s the time to go and enjoy the result.

FROM WAR-TORN NO-GO AREA TO VIBRANT MODERN CITY, BELFAST’S TRANSFORMATION IS LITTLE SHORT OF MIRACULOUS

The Titanic: It took an Irishman to build her and an Englishman to sink her

RUTH STYLES

BELFAST: A FAST CHANGING CITY

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ST PATRICK’S DAY

ST PATRICK’S Day is the closest you’ll get to experienc-ing Irish culture without actu-ally travelling to the Emerald

Isle itself.On top of the music, dance and

green beer on hand during the day, there is no better way to fully indulge in the occasion than by trying some of Ireland’s culinary delights.

In fact, feasting was part and parcel of what made St Patrick’s Day so special in Irish tradition. � e holiday tends to fall roughly midway through the Chris-tian holiday of Lent – a time when the consumption of meat and poultry was prohibited.

Yet the Irish Church made an allow-ance on March 17 to enable devotees to enjoy a feast in St Patrick’s honour. � e traditional meal of Irish bacon and cab-bage was most often consumed, with

corned beef and cabbage becoming its substitute for recent generations in America.

As for traditional Irish food on the whole, the nation is usually associated with potatoes – and the unfortunate lack of the tuber following the Great Famine and the Potato Blight of 1840.

Indeed, Irish food has been de-scribed as falling into three categories: before the potato arrived, after it arrived and after it failed.

Despite this rather bland impression, Ireland’s classic dishes include a range of comfort meals that make use of the vari-ety of vegetables and meats that became available following the hunger crisis.

Over the past 30 years in par-ticular, Ireland has capitalised on the abundance of fresh ingredients that are accessible and has in fact experienced something of a culinary revolution.

It’s hard to � nd a village now that doesn’t boast a decent restaurant, and even the pubs serve food of a high standard – an idea that would have been unimaginable 45 years ago.

Many Irish dishes that are now la-belled as ‘traditional’ have very little to do with what Irish people actually ate a century ago. � e ingredients would not have been used or even known to most common people.

Yet that’s no reason to abstain

from indulging in the tasty meals, which often share some resemblance to the classic plates.

Traditional cooking did rely quite heavily on frying, so many of the mod-ernised editions are often healthier, keeping in step with the current food trends in the country.

Nevertheless, Irish food should be relatively easy to make, so it’s always a bit alarming to � nd recipes for Irish stew that require one to cook the lamb from scratch, when there is nothing simpler than making this dish from the leftovers of a lamb roast.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF IRISH FOOD TAKES US FROM POTATOES AND CABBAGE TO TODAY’S CULINARY EXPERIMENTATION

WHERE COMFORT FOOD IS ALWAYS ON THE MENU

March 17th

St. Patrick’s Day Party!

At the Globe

Nørregade 43-45, 1165 København K

Drink and be merry, live music with Celtic Reign!!! Green beer and Guinness on tap all day and night!!!

Irish food has been described as falling into three categories: before the potato arrived, after it arrived and after it failed

RECIPE: IRISH STEWIngredients:Leftover lamb roastPotatoes, plenty of themPeas, frozenLamb stock cube (a vegetable one will do)Several carrots, leeks Salt and pepper to taste

Take the leftover roast (even leftover chops will work) and assess the damage. To make a decent Irish stew to feed the family, you’re going to need at least two handfuls of lamb. Shred every piece of meat, removing all the fat and hard bits – this dish needs to be gristle free. Once you’ve ripped o� the meat, put the bone into a saucepan of water with any vegetables, and simmer and reduce. � e bigger the bone, the better the stock. You might � nd that you need to top it up with lamb or vegetable stock. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and slice them. Add them and any other raw vegetables to the sieved stock and boil them. � e great thing about this process is the margin for error. Overcook them and it’s not a disaster; if anything, it will give the stock more body.Near the end of the process, add the leftover roast vegetables (chop them into small pieces – fry them, whatever your fancy), the meat and the peas, and season to taste.So, while most chefs are by now probably throwing up their arms at the amateurish nature of this recipe, who honestly cares providing it tastes good. � is dish should be completely idiot-proof, not some version dreamed up by a ponce that requires � llet. Bon appétit! (BH)

RECIPE: COLCANNONIngredients:2 lbs potatoes1/4 cup butter3 cups of kale (use shredded cabbage if kale is not available)1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced1 cup cream

Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Place them in a medium-sized pot and cover with enough water to leave a few centimetres at the top. Salt lightly and bring the water to a boil on top of the stove. Cook until potatoes are tender. Drain the pan and set aside.Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium-high heat in another saucepan. Once the butter is com-pletely melted, add the cream and kale or cabbage. Cook until the kale is wilted, stirring occasionally (about three to � ve minutes). � en add the green onions and cook a minute further. Combine the greens mixture and the potatoes in the medium-sized pot.Reduce the heat and mash the potatoes into the greens using a potato masher or large fork. Avoid the urge to use an electric mixer as this will make the potatoes too smooth and gluey – you want the potatoes to be soft, but still retain some shape.Season the dish with salt to your liking, and serve while still hot with a pad of butter in the middle of each serving. Enjoy! (JH)

MARIE O’CONNOR

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HappySt. Patrick’s Day!

From Ireland’s favourite cider.

St. Patrick’s St. Patrick’s St. Patrick’s St. Patrick’s St. Patrick’s St. Patrick’s Day! Day!

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