Hello UGLers, as you can tell by the seas of green today, it is St. Patrick’s Day! Are we all wearing our green today? You bet we are! There are many ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s day, so here at the UGL we decided to find all things Irish for your celebration.
You can start off your day by heading over to Crane Alley for some Irish-inspired food. They are having that especially for today! Located in downtown Urbana, Crane Alley is a great restaurant to share a meal with your friends.
If you’re feeling like staying in tonight, why not make a night of it with a movie (or movie marathon) and some friends. The UGL has their media collection in the lower level and we have found some titles that will be sure to give you different perspectives on Ireland without having to leave your comfy couch.
First, we have “Angela’s Ashes.” A movie that was based off the memoirs of Irish writer, Frank McCourt. It is the story of his family’s struggles with poverty and his childhood in Ireland and New York.
If this is not your style, fear not! we have other suggestions. Such as “P.S I Love You.” OK, we admit, this is not related to St. Patrick’s day, but you cannot beat the Irish scenery in this movie. Also, Hillary Swank and Gerard Butler are in it, so you pretty much have to watch it.
Other movies that you might find interesting are “Leap Year” and “The Commitments.”
Sometimes, you just want to stay in with a good book, so of course, the UGL has recommendations for those as well! Our first recommendation is a cookbook! because there is no better way to spend the holiday than to cook up some great Irish food with some friends. How about “The Irish Heritage Cookbook” or “Rachel’s Irish Family Food: 120 classic recipes from my home to yours.” Gather your friends, turn on some Celtic music, and try your hand at these recipes.
Want to travel to Ireland without having to pay all that airfare? Try “Travelers’ Trails in Ireland.” Read about 20 trails that will guide you on a tour of all the culture and beautiful scenery that Ireland has to offer! Other titles to check out might be “Silver Linings: Travels around Northern Ireland“, and “Memory Ireland.”
The UGL and the other libraries on campus have tons of more books for you, so, what are you waiting for? Check it out and have a great St. Patrick’s Day!