Like February itself, or winter in Texas, the shiny side of Valentine’s Day doesn’t quite last long enough. Other holidays have a full month to show their decorations, but as February winds to a close, we have only a hint of the memory of pink and red hearts—though February is American Heart Month.  The decorations shift—to pastel, mostly.  But here and there, you may have begun to catch a hint of green…

Friday is a fun day to begin a new month, and for fans of Irish music, culture, and heritage, the upcoming month promises to be a month of celebration!

On the Web

As you gear up for March, you will want to check out the home for St. Patrick's Day on the web, Marc Gunn's St. Patrick's Day Party Music web site.  This site is dedicated to Marc's love of St. Patrick's Day, and provides a resource for anyone who wants to discover great St. Patrick's Day music, to explore a little bit of history behind St. Patrick's Day, to find gifts, links, downloads, or Marc's St. Patrick's Day Podcast.  My favorite part of the web site is the downloads–because who doesn't like free music?  When I download free music, I am looking for a whole new entry point into Irish and Celtic music–sometimes the discovery of a new artist, and sometimes the discovery of an old favorite song recorded by someone new (like “The Unicorn Song,” which I listened to on an old '45 as a child, and rediscovered Brobdingnagian Bards style!)  And then I get to discover more music by the artists to add to my own playlists, keeping it new and fun.

Once you whet your appetite on the downloads page of St. Patrick's Day Party, visit the Celtic MP3s Music Magazine page for more free Irish music downloads!  Here you'll find the seasonally appropriate “St. Patrick Never Drank” by Marc Gunn, from his CD Kilted for Her Pleasure, as well as one of my favorites that I keep on my iPod, “Stand With Me Boys” by The Blarney Rebel Band.  As I'm driving my daughter to first grade, she often asks for that particular song, with its rousing chorus:

And it’s stand with me boys! Though the wind blows bitter cold
Or the sea will claim your body as the devil claims your soul.

She's seven–and completely innocent-looking, with soft curls and a sweet smile. I'm very proud.

And while that particular song of the sea is not included in Irish and Celtic Music Podcast Show #84, Music of the Sea, I would recommend a listen episode #84 as soon as you're finished with “Stand With Me Boys.”  I discovered “Mad Jenny” by the Merry Wives of Windsor, from that particular episode, and it's a gem!  It makes a nice follow-up to “Stand With Me Boys,” and is another one that every young girl should know.

Also remember to tune into Celtic Music Magazine for a celebration of things Irish throughout March.

CDs

It could be that you're a new fan of the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast, or a fan of Celtic music in general, and not as familiar with Marc Gunn as a solo artist.  If this is the case, where have you been?  But seriously…  Marc is getting ready to release an album that will be the perfect introduction: “Best Irish Drinking Songs.” It's a compilation from the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast of Irish drinking songs from Marc's other albums: Happy Songs of Death, Irish Drinking Songs: The Cat Lover's Companion, Kilted For Her Pleasure, and  Not Every Day Is St. Patrick's Day.  So if you do not already own these fine CDs, be looking for the release of “Best Irish Drinking Songs.”  If you do own these fine CDs, recommend “Best Irish Drinking Songs” to a friend!

How do you celebrate?

I'll come back to this again next time, but St. Patrick's Day is a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  For some it goes well beyond green clothes, beer, and pubs.  So what do you plan to do for St. Patrick's Day this year to celebrate your inner Celt?