St. Patrick's Day is one of my favorite holidays. I don't get the day off from work or anything special, but it reminds me of part of my heritage.

My maternal grandfather was Irish, Vincent Patrick Raap. When he was alive, he smoked Camel non-filtered cigarettes down to the nub and enjoyed a stiff drink or two. He was a short man, who drove a big Buick and could barely see over the top of the steering wheel.

One Thanksgiving, Grandpa got upset with the children making too much noise in the kitchen. He stormed in from the dining room and bellowed, "Shut up and eat!" It 's something I'll never forget.

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Grandpa, Mom and I dined last night on a meal of corned beef, cabbage, and boiled potatoes. Tonight, the leftovers. YUM!

Musically, I picked out five songs that remind me of St. Patrick's Day. In case you're wondering why I've excluded "Danny Boy," it's not really an Irish song. The ditty, made famous by Bing Crosby, was composed by an Englishman, who never set foot in Ireland. The song is more appropriate for a funeral, than a celebration.

A quick note about "My Wild Irish Rose." The tenor is Morton Downey, whose son, Morton Downey, Jr., was an infamous talk show host in the 1980's.

'Éirinn go Brách'--Ireland Forever!