Signpost 46 (15 March)

REFLECT

• St. Patrick's Day is now celebrated globally, and the focus is often on the theme of Ireland as a whole rather than Patrick himself. You can read the story of St. Patrick's life here and the website “Theology of Work” has a written a reflection in honour of St. Patrick here.

CONNECT

• The internet provides some unique opportunities to connect with faraway places during these difficult times. Webcams allow us to see places all over the world, and Ireland has a great selection. Why not visit Inchydoney Beach in County Cork, or go inside Saint Brigid's Church in Dunleer. Click here to see another 5 webcams from across Ireland.

LEARN

• Guinness has to be one of Ireland's most prominent exports, and over the years the advertising for Guinness has become more famous than the product. The Guinness website has a whole section about its innovative advertising here. You can see some of their most famous videos, their first advert and even find out more about the Great Guinness Bottle Drop.
  
• St. Patrick’s Day is now a global celebration with parades in major cities around the world. The Economist has this short documentary about why St. Patrick’s day celebrations went global.
• One of Ireland's most striking landmarks and areas of global geographical importance is the Giant's Causeway. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1986, you can read more about it on the UNESCO website or watch this short film about the myth around the causeway.

DO

• Ireland has an impressive history of authors; from Joyce and Yeats to Seamus Heaney and Iris Murdoch. This article gives a selection of 5 novels from Irish authors from the past 40 years. If you would like to read one of these books you may consider ordering it online from a website such as bookshop.org - a website where you can buy online and support your local bookshop. You can find out more about it here.

FUN

• Father Ted is a sitcom that focuses on three priests living on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland. It has become a beloved cult classic since it first came to our screens in 1995. Channel 4’s website allows you to watch Father Ted here, but you do need to sign up as a member. You can do this by clicking this link and putting in the details they ask for.