May the luck of the Irish be with you!
While the Irish were not historically lucky people (see potato famine and Cromwell), the phrase had to come from somewhere. The phrase was possibly a result from an entirely different trait. According to IrishCentral.com the translation is: happiness, or good fortune. It was a trait developed in spite of their circumstances. (Sounds familiar right?)
In fact, the Irish and Butte have quite a bit in common. We both developed that “can do” spirit in the face of adversity. Whether Butte developed that spirit as a result of crisis, or learned it from their Irish neighbors, our community was built on a bedrock of Irish luck.
You can see evidence of our luck even today. Simply find the next spaghetti fundraiser and watch how Butte people support each other. And the next time someone wishes you the luck of the Irish, remember what a powerful force it can be.
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