It’s a tradition that most of us have a lot of fun with. Whether one is of Irish lineage or not, St. Patrick’s Day stands for a recognition of Irish and Irish American culture, and in many ways its resulting mix.

The religious origins of the day have, for some, been obscured and often all but forgotten in favor of the prominent displays of the color green, eating and drinking, and numerous parades. The day has been celebrated on the North American continent since before the American Revolution, and is actually an official holiday in neighboring Suffolk County. Ask any of our Boston brethren and they would – to a single soul – be aware of this fact.

*

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. To get into the spirit of celebration, here are a couple of suggestions to get the festivities started. Head out to The Burren in Davis Square for dinner and a show. Starting on March 13th through the 17th, there are 13 shows featuring tunes, ballads, stories and dancing. To go along with the show a traditional dinner your choice of either corned beef and cabbage or Guinness beef stew with soda bread will be available. Check out their website for additional information and a link to purchase tickets for the event, https://www.burren.com.

*

Review by Off the Shelf correspondent Ed Meek

Although we have all recently been made aware of the growing disparity between the rich and everyone else and the heretofore unremarked class-system we’ve all been toiling in for years, (see Parasite) there has also come to light of late a number of works that remind us of our common struggles. Big Little Lies, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Marriage, Sanditon, The Slave Play, etc. Carolynn Kingyens debut book of poems, Before the Big Bang Makes a Sound, explores the world from the point of view of a married, middle-class mother of two who, like many of us, encounters illness, questions faith, is concerned with gender roles and sexism and the way class plays into these issues.

*

Koby Hirschaut is a 19-year-old sophomore English major at Endicott College. He is from Peabody Massachusetts originally. He has held an interest in writing poems since high school and his greatest poetic influence is Pablo Neruda. This poem is in the style of a “Pantoum.”

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

St. Patrick’s Day is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s not just the boiled dinners and everyone wearing something green, it’s more. It’s the classic historic songs, the parades, and the general happy atmosphere that the day brings.

~ Tufts University Photo

With the risk of potential exposure to COVID-19 increasing, beginning March 25, Tufts  University instruction will be conducted virtually for the remainder of the semester.

Read more updates from President Monaco, including on athletics, events and travel:

Cervena Barva Book Table ~Photos by Doug Holder

The Bow Street Market Book Fair took place on Sunday, March 8. Pictured here: Cervena Barva Book Table, Tam Lin Neville reading at the Canopy Room, and Josh Lewin, publisher, co-owner of Juliet’s restaurant in Union Square.

A 2-alarm fire broke out at 69 Merriam Street,  Somerville late Monday afternoon. Fire fighters arrived with heavy fire showing from a third story front porch. The fire extended to the third floor apartment and along the gutter areas.

Somerville’s Engine 7  gave  assistance to the Medford Fire Dept. this afternoon at 168 Willis Ave. in Medford.

Medford company found heavy fire and smoke coming from the first floor racing upwards. With hard work the fire was  quickly put out.

U.S. Army Veteran, Ted Louis-Jacques, named new Director.

The City of Somerville is proud to welcome its newest Director of Veterans Services, Ted D. Louis-Jacques. Ted is a United States Army Veteran and a Corporal of the Massachusetts Army National Guard. Following his service as a Recruiting and Retention Specialist for the U.S. Army/National Guard in the Greater Boston area, Corporal Louis-Jacques was deployed with the 1060^th Transportation Company in support for Operation Enduring Freedom. He returned to the U.S. in September 2016.