I like running and singing, but not at the same time…
In Ireland, we measure how fun something was by how much Craic we had. For example, “Hey, last night was good craic, we need to do that again!”
There are several levels of Craic, with 90 being the absolute highest craic one can have.
Grab this Craic-O-Meter t-shirt on my Etsy store that lets people know that the Craic is always 90 when you’re around.
I have started an Etsy store selling Irish themed t-shirts and other products. One of the new designs available is the Celtic Trinity knot.
This Celtic knot is probably the most well-known. It can be dated back to the 8th century, and was adopted by early christianity in Ireland to symbolize the Holy Trinity. I had fun drawing this one, and you’ll see it feature on a few different products in the store.
The prices include shipping to anywhere in the USA.
This one came together better than I expected. It’s a cover of an old Irish (with even older Scottish origins) folk song called “Wild Mountain Thyme”.
My guitar part was already tracked when I thought about trying to add something else. Then I found a D whistle hiding in a drawer. I can’t even remember why I have it, or where it came from, but I’ve held on to it for years. Maybe for this very moment. 😉
One problem though — I’d recorded the guitars in Eb.
Fortunately, D is only a half-step down, so no major impact vocally. I recorded the guitar parts again in D, one with capo and one without.
It took quite a few takes to get the whistle sounding how I liked it, but I love how it turned out, especially when I added a little bit of reverb.
I have a few more Irish songs planned now, and I hope they are all in D.
This is a favorite weekend recipe for us, as it’s quick and easy to make. Irish Soda Farls are a tasty and filling breakfast bread (or anytime snack!).
Ingredients
Method
Put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl.
I use a fork initially to bring all the ingredients together.
Then by hand, knead the mixture into a dough.
Flatten out the dough by hand into a pancake shape, about 1/2 inch thick. Any thicker and it can be hard to ensure it cooks through.
Cut the dough into four triangles and place on a heated skillet (medium to low heat).
Once they’re ready, let them cool on a rack for a while. To serve, slice open and eat with fruit jam, or cheese. I like to toast them before applying some butter.
Alastair Vance 