When I was growing up, St. Patrick's Day always inspired a mix of emotions in my house. On the one hand, America's take on St. Patrick's Day always struck us as kind of weird and comical (seriously, lads, where did you come up with the whole "top of the morning" thing?). But on the other hand, March 17 inspired an annual bout of homesickness for the country my parents had left — and that I'd always considered my second home. Ever reluctant to assimilate (at least within the privacy of their own home), my parents would stock up on Irish bacon and Barry's tea bags and blast the RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) morning show on our kitchen speakers.
While it helped, nothing could compare to the therapeutic value of television. Irish wit and sentimentality translate pretty well onto the small screen, and curling up on the couch watching Father Ted never failed to make us feel like we were back home again, at least for a little while. So without further ado, allow me to introduce six streamable TV series that will provide you with an authentic Irish experience this St. Patrick's Day. Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit!