A little story to add to the Reading Ireland Month celebration and all things Irish, the #Begorrathon, an annual event hosted by Cathy at 746 Books.
I usually reprise my little Beans, Beans story for St Patrick’s Day, but if you’ve been following me awhile, you’ve seen it. So this year, I thought I’d bring back another old St Patrick’s Day story originally posted back in March, 2017.
Well, what in the world were we thinking? Driving an old Class A RV to the coast where I’d signed up for a craft booth to sell my grandfather’s books on Rockaway Beach, Oregon for a Pirate Festival. (Rockaway Beach is part of the Tillamook Coast, of course, Tillamook–famous for fabulous cheeses.)
One of the booth sales ladies in the Yuma Winter Craft Shows told me about the pirate festival in Oregon when I rented spaces during the winter in Arizona to sell my grandfather’s books. Several of his books talked about pirates, so I thought it sounded like a lot of fun and a great venue for his books and promptly put in my reservation for the following June. The dates coincided with our son’s birthday, born on the CE’s birthday. (Sadly, it appears the Festival has run into insurance problems and has had to cancel the last couple of years.)
But, hey, it’s the Oregon coast. Can you say R A I N? (and cold and wind)
Arriving in a downpour Friday evening, I was a little dismayed about the thought of trying to set up our display in the wind and rain on Saturday. I was prepared with boxes of my grandfather’s books, a treasure chest with trinkets, and pirate scarves. And, yeah, the RV was leaking.
Our costumed daughter got right into the whole scene and made braided hair strings (she even decorated Jack Sparrow’s look-alike with one), and we had other pirate-related gedunks.
It was a blustery day, the sun ducking in and out of clouds, but we were able to install our little booth. People were dressed in costumes, there was music and blunderbusses, but not a lot of sales.
To celebrate the birthdays, we found a special traditional Irish café and ordered a big pot of corned beef and cabbage. The lady there—SOOO gracious and generous—threw in soda bread for us all. (We bought a birthday cake and candles separately.)
So it is that I remember with fondness the soda bread, though I’ve not done so grand a job as the lady in Rockaway Beach. Just in case, however, that you also have a fondness for traditional Irish Soda Bread, I’ve attached a page containing a special family recipe from one of my favorite Irish authors, Jean Grainger, who just released Yesterday’s Paper, from the Knocknashee series. She posted this soda bread recipe several years ago in response to requests. Do yourself a favor and check out her book.
Have a safe and happy March 17!
©2025 V Williams
Rosepoint Publishing 
Yum! great bread recipe!
thank you!
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I’ve never made soda bread, but should probably give it a try some time. I did make corned beef today, but no cabbage. I just had it with potatoes and green beans (at least they were green). I have several of Jean Grainger’s books on my TBR, but haven’t read any yet. Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Virginia. ☘
yeah, i should try it too–some day. i bought a corned beef. it’ll go on the stove on Friday, simple with potatoes, carrots and onions mostly. Grainger is another author writing outside the box lately. some do it well, some don’t. i’m enjoying hers.
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