September 9th, 2015 | Uncategorized
Halfway through my very first lecture at UL, my professor stopped the class abruptly to notify us that there are several magpies outside. Given that she had stopped the entire class to direct our attention towards the windows, I thought it was going to be something relatively serious.
When I looked out the window, I was incredibly confused as to what everyone was looking at. Finally, my teacher started counting, one, two, three, four magpies! Only then did I clue in that she was talking about the birds sitting in the tree outside of our classroom. At that point I thought to myself, magpies are pretty, but nothing that I would stop class for.
Still confused, my teacher then says, “uh oh, boys, watch out, looks like you have trouble coming your way.” Only then did I understand that there was a level of superstition attached to these birds.
I did some research after class, and Magpies are associated with bringing good or bad luck depending on how many you see at any given time. There’s a rhyme that goes along with it:
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret,
Never to be told,
Eight for a wish,
Nine for a kiss
Ten for a bird
You must not miss.
It’s safe to say that I learned some marketing that day in class, while also getting a taste of the Irish culture, as well as its wildlife. From that point on, no magpie will go unnoticed.
Victory Scholar: Sarah Benedetti
Present University: University of Limerick
US League: NEC
Club/Community Partner: UL Huskies
Alma Mater: St. Francis College
Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland
