It’s St. Patrick’s Day and everyone has on some form of green on to avoid the pinching fingers of their peers. Shamrock sunglasses, green top hats, and “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” buttons have been popping up on shelves in stores everywhere. So what’s the story behind the line “Kiss Me, I’m Irish”?
Well the phrase “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” is a spin off of the “luck of the Irish”. During the gold and silver rush years in the second half of the 19th century, a number of the most famous and successful miners were of Irish and Irish American birth. Over time this association of the Irish with mining fortunes led to the expression ‘luck of the Irish.’ Of course, it carried with it a certain tone of derision, as if to say, only by sheer luck, as opposed to brains, could these fools succeed.
These ‘lucky’ miners got people everywhere wishing they had a little more Irish luck working in their favor! This is where the “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” where non-Irish folk could steal a little bit of luck away with a kiss!
As it turns out, Irish people aren’t the only ones worth kissing if you want a little bit of luck. The Blarney Stone is a block of bluestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle in Ireland is believed to endow a person with the gift of the gab; the catch is you have to kiss the stone (much like rubbing a Buddha’s belly will give you luck). Millions of tourists have kissed the stone over the years, hoping to walk away with a bit of Irish luck!
This year we were fortunate enough to have our returning customers Fox’s Restaurant – Oak Lawn, Fox’s Restaurant – Orland Park, and Hennessey’s Tavern Redondo Beach come to us to make their annual St. Patrick’s Day buttons. So if you see their buttons, snap a pic and send it to us using the #LuvMyButton, we would love to see them out there amidst the celebration!