Five fine reasons to hop a flight to Ireland
This article originally ran on Examiner.com, March 11, 2016. It has been lightly edited. Don't wait for St. Patty's Day to hop your flight to The Emerald Isle. Do it now! Whether you are young, old, single or married; if you love nature and castles and pubs, do it. For Ireland is the greenest, purest, rarest of finds -- a verdant gem across the Atlantic replete with friendly codgers, centuries-old castles, darn fine bagpipes, some wicked stout, and a vibe as intoxicating as your first kiss. So here are just a few of the reasons you should skip that party downtown and head to the airport pronto. MARRIAGE EQUALITY As of May, 2015 it is legal to marry someone of the same sex in Ireland. In December of that year, numerous same-sex couples married en masse in Dublin. This is remarkable considering the country's strong Catholic demographic. Moreover, Ireland was the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. Three cheers for equality! SINGERS ABOUND Ade...