TULSA WORLD Published 3/16/2009

St. Patrick's Day in Erin:
Start with real shamrocks

Margaret Duffy-McGuigan, 39, grew up in Tulsa. Now the Nathan Hale grad lives in an Irish village with her Irish husband.

So, with St. Patrick's Day coming Tuesday, the County Monaghan resident gave us a glimpse into life in Ireland, and how the isle celebrates a day when, back home, the beer flows green.

Margaret on Ireland: St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is a national holiday, so there is no school and most people are off work. We wear real shamrocks and everyone goes to Mass in the morning.

Many of the towns have a parade, so later on in the day we may head off to one of those.  Dublin has a huge parade, but I've only ever seen it on television.

It's different from America in that we don't eat corned beef and cabbage.  While some people wear green on the day, it's not necessary.

The best part of the holiday is that we have the day off. I also like the excuse to get in touch with friends and family in the States by sending them St. Patrick's Day cards.

I've lived in Ireland for nearly 17 years. For my husband it was moving back home, and for me, moving to Ireland was something I'd always thought about, as my parents are from Ireland. I'd spent lots of time over here as a child.

I wanted my children to grow up in Ireland. My children (five boys: 17, 15, 10, 7 and 3) are growing up very connected to their neighbors, their school and their football club.

Gaelic football is very strong here, and they have great pride in their county as well. There is a great sense of belonging. That is something I would really miss if we didn't live here.

When I lived in Tulsa, I didn't know most of my neighbors. I know everyone that lives around me here. People here are so good and willing to help out if needed.

Irish wakes are nearly always held at home in Monaghan. Funerals (which happen 2-3 days after the person has died) bring the whole community together. There is a sense of permanence living in Ireland.

I smile when I hear of people in America doing things to their homes that will increase their resale value; that's something that most people in Ireland would never think about. We find it odd to hear of people relocating their families for their job. Most people here would quit their jobs rather than take themselves, and their families, away from their homes and extended families. Although, perhaps, this will change with the downturn in the economy.

I like that even in a small country like this, there is a broad range of accents and you can tell what part of the country people are from. If you wanted to, you could drive the length of it in a day.  If I meet someone from another part of the country, within a couple of exchanges, we will probably discover that we know some of the people they know.

By MATT GLEASON World Scene Writer

for more info, visit, www.MattEidson.com