We’re off to my sister’s house for St Paddy’s Day, tomorrow. And that’s PADDY, not PATTY! Patty is a girl’s name, just so ya know.

And… since we’re learning things, today, let me tell ya what I learned. There is no plant called a “Shamrock”! It’s the original WTF? How can that not be?!? I’ve learned and heard of Shamrocks all my life! Sang songs about them. Learned about them in Catholic School.

It appears that the word “Shamrock” is merely a bastardization of the Irish word for Little Clover – Seamair Bheag! Who knew?!? Besides the Irish, that is… One thing I did know was that the plant in the US that is sold as a shamrock around this time is actually oxalis – an invasive weed. You can buy oxalis killer at Ace Hardware – I know, I’ve bought it.

What started me on this was opening some decorations I bought for the cupcakes – and they were FOUR-leaf clovers. Another WTF moment.

I first found out that there was no plant called “shamrock” and then found out that only 1 in 10,000 clover leaves are 4-leaf. All the others are three. The little clover – the Seamair Bheag – was used to explain the Trinity in the Catholic religion and gained popularity, but it’s the FOUR leaf clover that is lucky – The Luck of the Irish!

My own Irish roots are on both sides of the family. My mother’s maternal great-grandfather was born in Tipperary in 1818, emigrated to the US in the 1840s and settled in Galena, IL. I haven’t really been able to trace him because Michael Hickey. Tipperary. His name might as well be John Smith. There’s a million of them. It’s quite possible he came over in one of the first waves of immigrants escaping the Potato Famine. His first child was born in Galena in 1848, so the timing is close. Who knows?!?

My father’s family is a bit easier. His paternal grandfather was born in Slievawaddera, Ballyduff, Co. Kerry, and emigrated in 1874 and settled in Omaha. We’ve traced his family back to at least three-great-grandfathers – all in the same town in Ireland. We also have the ship he arrived on, arrival date in New York – pre-Ellis Island – and his citizenship papers. He became Fire Chief of Omaha.

We were hoping to visit Ireland this year for our 30th Anniversary. Hard to believe that I’ve never been – but right now my hips are making it difficult to walk across the room, let alone do a decent pub crawl across the Emerald Isle! Hip Number One May 14th and Hip Number Two in November. Ireland 2025 is now the plan!

In the meantime, I have my Ancestry membership and I’m going to try and find out a bit more about The Hickey Family of Tipperary.

And eat cupcakes.

Green Velvet Cupcakes

adapted from Garnish & Glaze

For the Cupcakes:

  • 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons green liquid food coloring

Preheat oven to 350°F and line 24 muffin tins with paper liners.

Sift together the flour, corn starch, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. (The cocoa powder will clump if not sifted. Ask me how I know.)

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy – about 7 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate each. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and food coloring.

Mix in the flour until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Spoon batter into cupcake liners and bake for about 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

For the Frosting:

  • 2 8oz cream cheese
  • 1 cup butter butter
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature. Place in mixing bowl and cream together until smooth.

Slowly add the sugar and then the Bailey’s and vanilla.

Pipe onto cupcakes and decorate, as desired.