top of page

Everybody is a Little Irish on St. Patrick’s Day

Writer's picture: Christina BoydChristina Boyd

Updated: Mar 17, 2024


Young boy and girl in a flower garden
My Wee Faere Folk in My Garden of Weeden, circa 2005.

🍀 On St. Patrick's Day, I'm always interested in the Boyd family Irish heritage and name meanings. My son's name, Finnegan Casey, is anglicized "Finnegan" and comes from the Irish name Ó Fionnagáin or Fionnagán, a form of the Irish name Fionn, meaning fair-haired,” and "Casey," the original family name, “derived from the Irish Gaelic 'cathasaigh,' meaning vigilant or watchful.”


My daughter is Ellary Maeve. "Ellary" is an English name but, of course, "Maeve," in Irish Gaelic, the name "Medbh" or "Méadhbh" means "she who intoxicates" and is rooted in the Irish legend of Queen Maeve. (Incidentally, I named a horse Queen Maeve in my book Woman in the Painting.) Medb, one of the main protagonists of the early Irish legend Táin Bó Cúailnge. It is also associated with the fairy queen Queen Mab of Irish and English legend.


🍀The family Boyd came from Ireland but really are Caseys. As I heard the story from my father-in-law, Mark Patrick, God rest his soul, the Casey family left Ireland at the turn of the last century, and while on board the ship, the entire family came down with some dread sickness, and many of the family died, including the parents. So when the remaining children arrived at Ellis Island, they were allowed admittance only because another family, Boyd, claimed them, eventually settling in upstate New York. And that's how I remember the tale. And my dear MrB aka Matthew Shamus says, "Something like that."



A dexter hand erect with the last two fingers bowed inwards. Boyd Clan Motto: Confido (I Trust.)
Boyd Pennant in my daughter’s dorm room

🍀The pennant is in Ellary’s dormroom at Kings Point (as they are allowed to hang pennants only.) A dexter hand erect with the last two fingers bowed inwards. Boyd Clan Motto: Confido (I Trust.) Full disclosure: I purchased the penant online, and I think it might actually be Scottish.


🍀As this half-Filipino, quarter-Austrian, and quarter-Slovenian lady makes our cornbeef and cabbage dinner tonight, I like to think everyone is a little bit Irish on St. Patrick's Day. "There are 4 things you must never do: lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away..." ђaρρy Ŝt. PatRɨck’ṡ Đay. Sláinte!


2 Comments


denise
Mar 17, 2023

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Like
Christina Boyd
Christina Boyd
Mar 17, 2023
Replying to

And you!


Like

  • Facebook Social Icon
  • Instagram Social Icon
  • X
  • Bluesky_Logo.svg
  • linktree
  • bookbub
  • booklife logo
  • Amazon Social Icon
  • audible logo
  • goodreads logo

© 2018-28 by Christina Boyd, The Quill Ink, LLC    Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page