We asked readers to submit limericks in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Here are their responses:

Folks dressed up in green galore,

Parade and party what for,

St. Patrick's time again,

When Irish gals and men,

Partake of esprit de corps

- Dean Kahn, Bellingham Herald

Your ACcents should FOLlow this PLAN

With Emphasis STRONG to a MAN

By READing aLOUD

- With GESTures alLOWED -

Your LIMerick PLEASes your MAN.

- Tom Kimball, Lummi Island

Her LIMerick WOKE Irish MAN

Her MEANing was CLEAR, not arCANe:

She SPOKE in tense PAST,

Her SYLlables CAST

A SPELL that had LOVE as her PLAN.

- Tom Kimball, Lummi Island

Birds and bees through their forceful persistence

Have managed successful insistence

Wherever they go

They refuse to hear NO

Which accounts for their flighty existence

- Jim Milstead, Bellingham

A sweet Irish granny once pondered

Her fate if her fortune she squandered.

She laughed, "What the heck!"

And spent her small check

On train fare to Cork, where she wandered.

- Susan Chase-Foster, Bellingham

There's an Irish cop they call Murph

Who went to Hawaii to surf.

He chucked his shillelagh,

Took up the ukulele

And hula'd for all he was worth.

- John Mumma, Bellingham

Our president named Obama

Has a white American Mama;

But alas and alack

His Daddy is black

Thereby causing political drama.

- Shirley Payne, Lynden

There was a cute lady named Mabel

Who liked to dance on the table.

But she blushed and turned red

When a young fellow said:

"Wow - look at those legs on the table."

- Roger Dollarhide, Bellingham

Though children ignore what their grandparents say

And memories of Ireland fade away

It's still in our blood

And returns with a flood

When we hear the sweet music the pipes will play.

- Bob Hynes, Bellingham

Somewhere in Georgia, not specific

They came to our Northwest Pacific

Then they left, not a drag

But they forgot their big bag

Full of mercury, ain't that terrific

- Peter Bresser, Bellingham

On Lake Padden once landed a swan,

Lost and lonely, his flock had flown on.

So he paddled the lake

Realized his mistake,

Bugled once, flapped his wings, and was gone.

- Dave Scoboria, Bellingham

There was a young lad from Fairhaven

Who had an awfully big cravin'

His lust was green beer

But he shed a tear

When arrested for mis-behavin'

- Walter Olmstead, Bellingham

My grandparents came to the U.S.A.

When famine held Ireland in its sway

They came to this land

And found it was grand

And we have remained here unto this day.

- Bob Hynes, Bellingham

The sun is rising in the sky

Inviting kites to float on high.

The wind is cool.

I sit in school

And look out longingly with a sigh.

- Diane Cordrey, Ferndale

Said a misguided doofus named Rudy,

Who often was huffy and snooty,

"Blasting rockets all night

Is a God-given right;

And an American patriot's duty."

- Lou Lippman, Bellingham

There is a dear lady named Pat,

Who's Irish and so proud of that,

Ninety years she has seen

On March 17,

Happy Birthday to you "Gramma" Pat.

- Linell Williams, Everson

In loving memory of Pat Lusk

A parade on St. Patrick's day

the grand marshal leads the way

They chose Tammy Bennett

To be the one in it

In her sash down the street she'll sashay

- Larry Menninga, Bellingham

St. Patrick's grand marshal Ms. Bennett

Campaigned hard to be the one in it

Her department of fun

Keeps her on the run

But still left her time to win it

- Mary Jo Menninga , Bellingham

A somnambulist walking from dusk to dawn

Filling Internet orders for Amazon

Got a pink slip next day

Without severance pay

For working without his pajamas on.

- Jim Orvik, Bellingham

A stench from downtown on the breeze,

Once made us all choke up and sneeze.

But GP's now gone;

So bring coal dust on,

And bring back the Bellingham Wheeze.

- Lou Lippman, Bellingham

Rhodies deep red, with gold tulips skirting

The soil is calling, the birds are all flirting.

Spring at last we sigh,

What a marvelous sky!

Nature's beauty once more asserting.

- Jo Wallace Guthrie, Bellingham

There are some dear friends in the Hood

Who each morning stroll as they should

Around Lake Louise

Chatting and laughing as they please.

These Sudden Valley friends feel good.

- Sue and Dave Lillie, Sudden Valley

Our paper, the Bellingham Herald

Gives us news of our city and werald:

Of politics, wars,

Entertainers and bores,

And parades, with their banners unferald.

- Eric Bowen, Ferndale

There once was a town by the sea

Made one by the joining of three.

Through Fairhaven, Sehome,

And Whatcom we roam.

All Bellingham, the best place to be.

- Jo Wallace Guthrie, Bellingham

Let's transport to China our coal.

A thoughtless quick buck is our goal.

A fiscal solution,

Procured with pollution:

The cost being Bellingham's soul.

- Lou Lippman, Bellingham

How could you reform a leprechaun?

As we all know, it's mischief they focus on

But if you gave good advice

Might they change and be nice,

Or with their pranks just continue to carry on?

- John Connell, Bellingham

There was a nice lady in Blaine

Who ranted and raved at the rain

It never will quit!

We know this is it!

She keeps humming a rain dance refrain!

- Betty Harrington, Bellingham

There was a young lady from France

Who wanted a friendly romance

She was smart, she was cute (she was wealthy to boot!)

Poor lady she had not a chance

Cause she always wore bright red striped pants

- Betty Harrington, Bellingham

There once was a crafty old leprechaun

Who liked playing tricks on everyone!

A lass bright and bold

Found - then hid all his gold;

Thus playing a trick on the leprechaun!

- Connie Myhre, Bellingham

Flowering currant of shocking pink,

Such a blue sky - I just can't think!

What were the tasks on the list today,

The endless chores to get out of the way?

Leave the dishes to wait in the sink.

- Jo Wallace Guthrie, Bellingham

I know two lads of Summer street,

Up on the hill where youngsters meet;

Sully & Finn

my grand o'kin

Two lads a'leapin', pete and repeat.

- Jan Westhoff, Blaine

dedicated to my grandsons, Finnegan and Sullivan Montfort

Ah, captive me under their spell,

Such silly noises ... I'll never tell;

Just six and three

Brimmin' with blarney

I should not laugh, but then, oh well.

- Jan Westhoff, Blaine

dedicated to my grandsons, Finnegan and Sullivan Montfort

Charmin' lil gents help me grow old,

I'll watch you soar to feats untold;

Tug-o-war heap

Beds are for sleep

Truth be told, you are my pot-o-gold!

- Jan Westhoff, Blaine

dedicated to my grandsons, Finnegan and Sullivan Montfort

"Coal trains are just what we need,"

Says people elected to lead.

"Those ignorant locals,

A bunch of dumb yokels,

Just get in the way of our greed."

- Lou Lippman, Bellingham