What to watch

With the global coronavirus pandemic impacting St. Patrick’s Day festivities, there is a chance the holiday might not play out as you had imagined.

You might have to isolate yourself by avoiding bars or restaurants and stay home rather than risking exposure.

Here is some inspiration to help you make the most of this cultural and religious holiday that commemorates St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

A good movie, a frothy toast, traditional music and some hearty Irish stew might help you to connect to your Irish roots this year even if it’s in the comfort of your own home.

Slainte!

“Once”: This is an Irish romantic musical drama that features two struggling musicians in Dublin. You may recall the duet featured in the film, “Falling Slowly,” won Best Original Song at the 2007 Academy Awards. It’s a great movie to cozy up to after the kids have gone to bed.

“The Quiet Man”: Starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, this 1952 classic features romance, drama, comedy and a little action thrown in. John Ford won a Best Director Oscar for the film. Wayne’s character is an American

Beef and Guinness Stew

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces

2 1⁄2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 onions, coarsely chopped

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.9 ounce) can dark beer (such as Guinness)

1⁄4 cup tomato paste

4 sprigs fresh thyme

3 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon white sugar

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

2 1⁄2 cups chicken stock, or as boxer who decides to retire to the village in Ireland where he was born. Think of it as a Western set in Ireland.

“Michael Collins”: Liam Neeson portrays Collins, who led the IRA against the United Kingdom in the 1920s. According to screenrant.com, the film is “a powerful biopic that effectively captures the Irish struggle for a free nation.” It’s the website’s top pick for a St. Paddy’s Day movie.

What to listen to

“Best Irish Pub Songs” by various artists: This 17 track compilation features the Dublin City needed to cover

4 cups mashed potatoes (optional) DIRECTIONS:

Cook and stir bacon in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until bacon is browned and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off heat and transfer bacon into a large stew pot, reserving bacon fat in the skillet.

Season beef chuck cubes generously with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Turn heat to high under skillet and sear beef pieces in the hot fat on both sides until browned, about 5 minutes. Place beef in stew pot with bacon, leaving fat in skillet. Turn heat down to medium; cook and stir onions in the retained fat in the skillet until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes; season with a large pinch of salt.

Cook garlic with onions until soft, about 1 minute; pour beer into

Ramblers, Sean Dunphy and more. It includes all of the wellknown Irish folk songs you would want to hear if you were out at your favorite pub for the holiday. Find it at www.amazon.com

“Clancy Brothers — Greatest Hits”: The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem made Irish folk music almost mainstream. This album, originally released in 1973 and re-released in 1986, features song such as “Jug of Punch,” “Whistling Gypsy,” “Mountain Dew,” “The Irish Rover,” “Whiskey You’re the Devil” and “The Leaving of Liverpool.” Find it on Amazon.

“Celtic Woman”: For something skillet and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up and dissolving any browned bits of food into the liquid. Pour cooking liquid from skillet into the stew pot. Stir in tomato paste, thyme sprigs, carrots, celery, sugar, 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper and enough chicken broth to cover.

Bring stew to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine; reduce heat to low and cover pot. Simmer stew until beef is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Stir stew occasionally and skim fat or foam if desired. Remove cover and raise heat to medium-high. Bring stew to a low boil and cook until stew has slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange mashed potatoes in a ring in a serving bowl; ladle stew into the center of the potatoes. a little more current, try this album, released in 2004. The group is an all-female Irish musical ensemble whose repertoire ranges from traditional Celtic songs to modern selections.

What to drink

Victory’s Donnybrook Stout or Guinness: If you’d like to support a local brewery, the Victory Donnybrook Stout is a great option by Victory Brewing Co. in Downingtown, Chester County, but you have to go there to pick it up. Call first to make sure they have it in stock. It has a creamy and frothy head like Guinness, which offers a malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness with notes of coffee and chocolate. You can find Guinness at just about any store that carries beer.

Bushmills Original or Jameson Irish Whiskey: If you’re in the mood for something a little more potent than beer, you can’t go wrong with either of these selection to sip on, either neat or on the rocks. Find it at any of our local Wine and Spirits Shoppes.

What to read

“The Irish Americans” by Jay Dolan: If your spirits are dampened because you aren’t heading out to celebrate, you can always distract yourself with a book and get caught up on your Irish American history at the same time. Dolan of the University of Notre Dame is one of America’s most acclaimed scholars of immigration and ethnic history. He gives his take on Irish American history that’s based on his own research. Where to find it: www. barnesandnoble.com

“Trinity”: A novel by American author Leon Uris, “Trinity” is an epic adventure that takes place during Ireland’s struggle for independence from Great Britain. According to goodreads.com, “It is the electrifying story of an idealistic young Catholic rebel and the valiant and beautiful Protestant girl who defied her heritage to join his cause.

“It is a tale of love and danger, of triumph at an unthinkable cost — a magnificent portrait of a people divided by class, faith, and prejudice — an unforgettable saga of the fires that devastated a majestic land... and the unquenchable flames that burn in the human heart.”