Hey all you Irish single ladies…if the man of your dreams hasn’t “put a ring on it” yet, then you’re in luck. According to Irish tradition, February 29th (which only falls every four years in what’s known as a “Leap Year”), is the one day when it’s perfectly acceptable for you to propose to the man of your liking. It seems we have good ol’ Saint Brigid, the female patron saint of Ireland, to thank for this welcomed tradition.
According to legend, Saint Brigid was giving out (complaining) to Saint Patrick way back in the fifth century about how unfair it was for women to have to wait for men to ask for their hand in marriage. Saint Patrick, being the kind man that he was, took pity on the ladies of the day and deemed it acceptable for the women of Ireland to propose in a leap year.
Back to modern-day, actress Amy Adams brought this little known tradition to light in the film Leap Year in 2010 (which incidentally wasn’t a “leap year”). In the film, Anna Brady (played by Adams) travels to Dublin, Ireland to propose to her boyfriend Jeremy on February 29 because, according to Irish tradition, a man who receives a marriage proposal on a leap day must accept it. As it turns out, Anna falls in love with someone else (an Irish man of course) and the two end up living happily ever after on the Dingle Peninsula in Co. Kerry. Such is the stuff of romantic comedies!
If you’ve been waiting for your “happily ever after”, wait no more because today is the day. Take matters into your own hands and pop the question. And, assuming the answer is a resounding “yes”, pop a bottle of bubbly and toast your future happiness with an Irish Black Velvet.
Black Velvets
4 ozs chilled Champagne
4 ozs chilled Guinness Stout
Directions
1. Pour the Guinness Stout into a fluted glass and top it with the Champagne. Serve immediately.
Some suggestions about what to do with the extra day: http://andreasmoser.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/an-extra-day-29-february-2012/
Absolutely love your take on February 29th…who couldn’t use an extra day? Me, I’d love to take this one and just go back to bed and rest…perhaps I will! This blog entry made me smile. Things I’d like to do, which you suggested, are milk a cow (hey, I’ve lived in Ireland for 20+ years very near to cows and have never once asked to milk one), give chocolate to everybody you meet today (just a fun idea and I love chocolate), pretend you don’t speak your native language (boy, would you learn alot about your native countryman or what with that one?), and enroll in a monastery (just sounds so peaceful). The only thing you left off your list was “propose to someone you love”! Hope you have a great Leap Year day and thanks for reaching out. Slan!
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Reblogged this on historicaltoursireland and commented:
An Irish Leap Year Tradition
29/02/2012 by Kim McGuire
Hey all you Irish single ladies…if the man of your dreams hasn’t “put a ring on it” yet, then you’re in luck. According to Irish tradition, February 29th (which only falls every four years in what’s known as a “Leap Year”), is the one day when it’s perfectly acceptable for you to propose to the man of your liking. It seems we have good ol’ Saint Brigid, the female patron saint of Ireland, to thank for this welcomed tradition.
According to legend, Saint Brigid was giving out (complaining) to Saint Patrick way back in the fifth century about how unfair it was for women to have to wait for men to ask for their hand in marriage. Saint Patrick, being the kind man that he was, took pity on the ladies of the day and deemed it acceptable for the women of Ireland to propose in a leap year.
Back to modern-day, actress Amy Adams brought this little known tradition to light in the film Leap Year in 2010 (which incidentally wasn’t a “leap year”). In the film, Anna Brady (played by Adams) travels to Dublin, Ireland to propose to her boyfriend Jeremy on February 29 because, according to Irish tradition, a man who receives a marriage proposal on a leap day must accept it. As it turns out, Anna falls in love with someone else (an Irish man of course) and the two end up living happily ever after on the Dingle Peninsula in Co. Kerry. Such is the stuff of romantic comedies!
If you’ve been waiting for your “happily ever after”, wait no more because today is the day. Take matters into your own hands and pop the question. And, assuming the answer is a resounding “yes”, pop a bottle of bubbly and toast your future happiness with an Irish Black Velvet.
Black Velvets
4 ozs chilled Champagne
4 ozs chilled Guinness Stout
Directions
1. Pour the Guinness Stout into a fluted glass and top it with the Champagne. Serve immediately.