What to Read, Watch, and Eat This St. Patrick’s Day

Brooklyn, The Quiet Man, and The Barrytown Trilogy covers on a green background

Graphic by KCM

In case you’re looking for an excuse to consume pounds of potatoes…

St. Patrick’s Day has long been a cherished celebration in the United States, though America’s version is a far cry from Ireland’s traditional religious observance of its patron saint. Parades in cities like Chicago, Boston, and New York City are back on after a two-year hiatus due to Covid, along with their accompanying parties and bar crawls. Many cities hold their celebrations during the weekends before or after the 17th, leaving the day itself open to interpretation. If you’re looking for ways to celebrate at home, we have you covered with our favorite Irish books, movies, and recipes, including a healthier riff on corned beef and cabbage from our favorite food blogger, Amanda Haas.

What to read for St. Patty’s Day

The Barrytown Trilogy by Roddy Doyle

Amazon

Set in a fictional neighborhood of Dublin, Roddy Doyle’s series chronicles the very real triumphs and trials of the working class Rabbitte family, including unemployment, unplanned pregnancies, and teen angst. While it might take a few pages to get the hang of the Irish slang the books are written in, the reward is well worth it. All three parts of the series were made into movies as well for the film-lovers among us.

Watch all three on Amazon Prime Video.

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‘In the Woods’ by Tana French

Amazon

Tana French, an Irish-American resident of Dublin, weaves a suspenseful story linking past and present crimes in her debut novel. In the Woods is the first of French’s six Dublin Murder Squad crime novels, giving you plenty more to dive into if you find this one gripping. That’s all we’ll say — no spoilers here.

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‘Dubliners’ by James Joyce

Amazon

While James Joyce’s famously long Ulysses has gained a reputation for pretentiousness, this collection of short stories is much more approachable. The vignettes provide glimpses into the lives of each character and leave you with plenty to reflect on. Though it was first published in 1914, Dubliners doesn’t feel out of place today; Joyce’s characters are timeless.

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‘Brooklyn’ by Colm Toibin

Amazon

Colm Toibin captures the anxieties, uncertainties, and mistakes of young adulthood in the story of Eilis Lacey, who leaves her small hometown in Ireland to start a new life in Brooklyn. The book is just as enjoyable as the Oscar-nominated 2015 film adaptation, starring Saoirse Ronan. While some might classify it as a romance, Brooklyn is, more than anything else, a story about growing up.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video.

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‘P.S. I Love You’ by Cecelia Ahern

Amazon

Cecelia Ahern’s P.S. I Love You follows newly widowed Holly as she figures out how to continue living, helped along by letters her husband wrote for her before his death. The film adaptation, starring Hilary Swank, doesn’t follow the book exactly, but it’s equally beloved and includes beautiful footage of the Irish countryside.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video.

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What to watch for St. Patty’s Day

‘Belfast’

Amazon

Kenneth Branagh’s 2021 Oscar-nominated film is a semi-autobiographical look at his childhood, which captures a family in a Protestant-Catholic working class neighborhood in Northern Ireland and their struggles through The Troubles (the Northern Ireland conflict). Branagh gives perspective into the conflict through breathtaking directing, depicting majority black and white scenes that give a touching glimpse into how the conflict affected his parents, grandparents, and neighbors. Come for a cinematic masterpiece of the Northern Ireland conflict, and stay for Judi Dench’s performance as an empathetic grandmother.

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‘Derry Girls’

IMDB

Derry Girls, now streaming on Netflix, also chronicles a coming-of-age story during the The Troubles period in North Ireland. The teen sitcom is set in Derry, Northern Ireland takes place in the final years of the conflict in the 1990s, during the Northern Ireland peace process. The show revolves around five Irish high school students attending a Catholic secondary school for girls, and how they deal with teen angst and absurd situations in the middle of tense, political unrest.

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‘The Quiet Man’

Amazon

A favorite St. Paddy’s Day tradition for KCM’s Ciara and her family, this John Ford movie stars Maureen O’Hara as a feisty Irishwoman and John Wayne as a former boxer returning to the Irish village where he was born. The movie documents the culture clash between 1920s Ireland and America through their rocky courtship, dealing with both serious issues and hilarious misunderstandings. 

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‘Once’

Amazon

In less than an hour and a half, Irish director John Carney works an album’s worth of songs into a maybe-love story that will leave you caught between a whole host of emotions. Struggling musicians Guy and Girl join up for one week to record music that will hopefully send Guy to the big leagues. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll find some new favorite songs.

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‘The Luck of the Irish’

Disney

This Disney Channel Original Movie may not win any awards for great filmmaking, but it has enough laughs and early-2000s nostalgia to make it worth a watch. After losing his lucky medal at an Irish festival, high school basketball star Kyle discovers his mother is a leprechaun — making him half leprechaun. Hilarious antics ensue as Kyle fights to get his luck back.

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‘Sing Street’

Amazon

John Carney’s semi-autobiographical movie is set in 1980s Dublin and follows high school student Conor’s efforts to impress Raphina, an aspiring model, by starting a New Wave band. It’s everything you want from a story of teen rebellion, complete with David Bowie-esque eye makeup, an amateur music video, and just the right balance of humor.

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What to eat and drink for St. Patty’s Day

Amanda Haas’ Pegan-friendly Brisket and Vegetables

Amanda Haas

Our friend Amanda Haas adapted the classic St. Paddy’s Day meal of corned beef and boiled vegetables to fit the pegan reset without skimping on flavor.

Get the Recipe

Green River Float

Amazon

Green River — a shockingly bright, lime-flavored soda — is a Chicago classic. Though it originated in Davenport, Iowa, Green River was produced by the Schoenhofen Edelweiss Brewing Company in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood during Prohibition. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a festive, delicious treat.

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