John Theodore Rush — aka Sean — is either blessed or cursed. Son Sean’s birthday is March 17 — affectionately called Saint Sean’s Day by Clan Rush. By the way, those not familiar with Celtic (K-eltic) takes on English spellings, the name Sean is not pronounced Seen nor Scene. It’s Sean, excuse me . . . S-h-a-w-n.
True to the side of his genetic makeup which comes from a relatively small island in the Atlantic Ocean, Sean has a twinkle in his eye. I believe it’s his left eye, but I could be mistaken which baby blue has the extra glimmer. That said, both his mom and I understand what the future could hold for our son. He could be one with the Force (goodness), or he may go the route of Darth Vader and be tempted by the Dark Side
We have our work cut out for us.
The other day I asked him what his favorite Irish song was. ‘I’m not sure what it is called. I haven’t heard it in so long. It’s the one with Captain Farrell. They say, ‘Musha ring dumma do damma da.??
That, my friends, is a song all five, nearly-six-year-olds should be aware of . . . Whiskey in The Jar. It’s a nice little ditty about our hero (who is telling/singing the story) who robs Captain Farrell of his money, which and I quote, ‘made a pretty penny.? The nameless hero takes his booty to his own main squeeze, Jenny. When the hero goes to sleep, Jenny calls the captain, swipes our hero’s rapier and submerses his pistol’s ammunition in water. He’s taken prisoner and laments about his ‘darling sporting Jenny.?
Like I said, a great song that all six-year-olds should know and recite.
Sean of the twinkling eye is looking for fun. Sometimes he goads his older brother Shamus into fits. He winks at his mother. And just the other day he donned his roller blades and went out the back door to roll down a grassy hill that drops 60 feet down (it’s a great sledding hill when there’s snow). He’d roll down, walk up and do it again. He’s got some strong legs, too.
The thing is, he’s a good kid. He’s polite, likes to help out and generally wants to make people smile. He’s entertaining. He likes to sing, laugh and dance. I’m just worried — an Irishman born on St. Patrick’s Day — Jesus, Joseph and Mary — somebody bless him!
* * *
Last year’s St. Paddy’s Day joke got some folk? Irish up . . . so, here is this year . . .
Paddy was found dead in his backyard, and as the weather was a bit on the warm side, the wake was held down to only two days, so his mortal remains wouldn’t take a bad turn.
At last his friends laid him in the box, nailed it shut and started down the hill into the churchyard. As it
was a long, sloping path and the mourners were appropriately tipsy, one fellow lurched into the gatepost as they entered the graveyard. Suddenly, a loud knocking came from in the box.
Paddy was alive!
They opened the box up and he sat up, wide-eyed, and they all said, ‘Sure, it’s a miracle
of God!?
All rejoiced and they went back and had a few more drinks, but later that day, the poor lad died.
Really died. Stone-cold dead.
They bundled him back into his box, and as they huffed and puffed down the hill the next morning, the priest said, ‘Careful now, boys; mind ye don’t bump the gatepost again.?
* * *
A young Irishman sits at a pub in the New World drinking beer and conversin? with the barkeep. Another comes in and sits besides him. He says, ‘How you do?? Hearing the lilt he asks, ‘You be Irish??
‘Yes I am.?
The first man yells, ‘Barkeep give us another round and one for my friend here, as he’s from the old sod as well.?
The second man asks, ‘So where in the old country ye from??
‘Dublin,? responds the first.
‘Dublin, you say — so am I.? And the second man hollers, ‘Barkeep bring us another round and a shot of your best Irish Whiskey for me and my friend here.?
Afterwards, the first man asks from where in Dublin
and the second man responds with the street. The first man says, ‘Well I’ll be — so am I,? and yells, ‘Barkeep another pair of beers and Irish Whiskey for the pair of us.?
The phone behind the bar rings and the barkeep answers it. It’s the owner of the pub, who asks, ‘How’s business??
The barkeep responds, ‘Not too bad, the O’Malley twins are here getting drunk again.?