Yesterday marked the end of Irish Week in Seattle, which culminated in a St. Patrick’s Day Parade and an Irish Week Festival at Seattle Center. I spent the week attending many of the events organized by the Irish Heritage Club and the hardworking Honorary Consul of Ireland, John Keane. The week started out with a soda bread competition at TS McHugh’s in Queen Anne with live music and Irish dancing to keep the crowd entertained while the judges chose the winners. My sister-in-law entered and took home an award for her brown soda bread. I took home the award-winning loaf and ate it!
Judging soda bread is a serious business
This is what award-winning brown soda bread looks like
The entries for ‘glorified’ soda bread – these loaves didn’t qualify as true soda bread which contains only 4 ingredients – flour, buttermilk, salt & baking soda
Having a bit of a dance while the judges choose a winner
On Friday I joined in the Seattle tradition of the Laying O’ The Green Stripe and then popped down to check out the parade on Saturday. Here are a few images from the day.
West Seattle High School get the crowd going – this band only formed last year but they rocked the parade
William Patrick Kiley marches as St Patrick in his 44th parade
The man behind Irish Week, John Keane, watches as the parade draws to a close
Hope you did something fun for St. Patrick’s Day.
xxx Ailsa
Where's my backpack? 
Love the parade shots. I’m looking forward to my town’s big St. Patrick’s Day parade this Saturday!
How interesting that your hometown is holding the parade on the 23rd, Beth, I thought most places held their parade the weekend closest to St Patrick’s Day. That’s good news though, you get to prolong the Paddy’s Day celebrations. 🙂
Wonderful photos – it looks like as the atmosphere was great in the streets of Seattle – very well captured… 😉
It was a really fun day, Drake, the crowds were in great form and Seattle’s rainy weather took a break and let the sun shine through for almost the entire weekend! 🙂
great pictures, you’ve been busy
Hya Pad, yes, I’ve been zipping around town trying to fit in as much as I can. Hope you had a good Paddy’s Day. xxx
Awesome post. I bet you forgot you’re actually in Seattle and not Ireland. Very cool
Almost, eagertraveller, but then I saw that dog in a kilt and remembered exactly where I was 😉
<—- Didn't do anything in observance of the holiday, so your post (and others like it) was a joy to view.
Great series!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
So glad you enjoyed the series, tilde531 xxx 🙂
I love your St Patrick-he looks the part!
He really does, doesn’t he? I thought the same thing, Livvy. 🙂
Haha, I don’t even think Ireland had this much Irishness going on yesterday! Very cool to see St Paddy’s Day gone global! 🙂
Great photography! Looks like a great time for all. 🙂
Your header photo is a leprechaun if I ever saw one, it’s got that look… 🙂
Great pictures. Love the dogs in Irish outfits!
I don’t see John Keane wearing any green. Hope somebody pinched him!
Fun Stuff! Thanks for sharing your joy Ailsa.
Brilliant and funny …. you, guys over there … know how to celebrate – but on the other hand there is more Irish living in US than it’s on Ireland. Love the guy with the green beard. Will post my first post about Seattle tomorrow, will be 3 in total. Welcome.
I enjoyed these photos! St. Paddy’s day was a bust here next time we’ll go to Seattle to celebrate!
What a great way to celebrate Irish week and the wearing of the green, Did they serve green beer?
Wonderful photos Ailsa! not over keen on dressed up dogs though 🙂
A fun and informative story with great pics! Well done. Here in Rhode Island, we conflate St. Patrick’s Day with St. Joseph’s Day, the annual Italian heritage festival. The result is the shops are filled with an Italian pastry called a zepole, which is in Italian means zeppelin. These are filled with green colored whipped cream and if you eat enough of them, you will LOOK like a zeppelin!
Enjoyed a traditional corned beef and cabbage with potatoes and carrots meal. Glad that’s over! Cooking corned beef properly requires the patience of Job.
These pix are fabulous! Looks like a super fun celebration. Last night we watched a program that featured Gaelic Storm. They were such great entertainment. Funny thing is I don’t really search out their kind of music, but now, I’d go to one of their concerts in a New York Minute! If you get a chance, YouTube them. I’ll bet you’ll enjoy. 😉
I’ve never heard about the soda bread serious business before 🙂 Love the little dog.
How fun!
Love all your photos! We were at the Seattle Center yesterday for the festivities. Our little guy was very intrigued by the Irish Band, and I loved the dancers!
Nice “should have been there” shots. As to the puppy…If you are going to dress your dog, you might as well go for the gold…
Ailsa, I am in awe of your photos and style. Thanks.
Not as fun as THIS! Wow!
Love the soda bread competition and that you took it home and ate it! LOL
Love your parade galleries. Congrats to your sister on her win, but I suspect it is really you that got the win 🙂 I’ll bet that bread was really good.
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pictures are very beautiful and you know I might take a picture of where
Hi 🙂 I’ve just nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award! Come see: http://clairebear2013.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/liebster-blog-award/
Superb photography! Loved these.
Thanks Jim, it was a fun event to photograph!
Love to celebrate in green. I went to Johnny Foley Irish House in San Francisco and celebrate with jolly people and a few pints.
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