Often associated with mold and decay, the color blue is typically not a popular one when it comes to all things food related. That's why you won't see too many blue plates in restaurants -- just not too appetizing, say food experts. Interestingly, you don't typically see too many blue foods either. Well, in Ireland you might. And other places too if you really look around. But let's stick with the Irish story.

The blue potato, once introduced by a family producing vegetables for 200 years, became all the rage in Dublin not long ago, where parents began urging kids to eat their blues.

Who knew the blue potato -- the color comes from the antioxidant anthocyanin -- would be such a hit when marketed to the masses. The idea was to appeal to children by selling them something with a little novelty. It worked -- initially. But interest may be waning. Why? The color.

How do you feel about blue? I'm OK with it. I like blueberries and blue chips, and well, I can't really think of anything else. Blue potatoes? I'd try them. How about you?

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Looking for a way to be sporty and fashionable this St. Patrick's Day? Go Irish and stylish right down to your toes with some special St. Patrick's Day sneakers. With all the green and shamrocks and whatnot, they might just end up being your luckiest shoes yet! I mean, why buy shoes you'll only wear for the holiday when you can get a new pair of running shoes at the same time?

Courtesy of Inventor Spot, the gallery below shows you several shoes that will show off your athletic prowess, even if your main sport is the Green Beer Chugging. Or, maybe, especially if that's your best sport ...

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Saint Patrick's Day is a day for wearing 'Kiss Me, I'm Irish' t-shirts, consuming copious amounts of green beer and loudly belting out Irish folks songs that you hardly remember the words to. It's fun, yes, but let's just say that March 17th is not commonly thought of as a healthy holiday (but then again, are any holidays healthy?)

Anyway, if you're trying to make healthy choices, why not make the choice to forsake green beer and do something fit this St. Patty's day? There are a number of great St. Patrick's Day runs across the country, of all different levels of difficulty. Hey, you can always grab a green beer afterwards if you really want -- you'll have something really impressive to celebrate!

(Via Fitsugar)

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Who says St. Patrick's Day has to be a day devoted to green beer and corned beef and cabbage? There's no reason you can't bring some exercise into the mix, especially if you live near Merrimack Valley in Massachusetts. A new race series has been introduced (and I'm sorry, we've already missed the first one) -- The Wild Rover Irish Series.

The series takes place on three Sundays, beginning last Sunday on February 24, and runs along "The Emerald Necklace of Merrimack Valley." The first race is three miles, the second is four miles, and the last race is five. However, the point of these races isn't get the best time -- it's to have the best time. After all, the idea for this was spawned in an Irish pub -- how serious can it be?

Parties will be held after each race (and possibly before, and during), and you know a good party always make it a little easier to push toward the finish line. It sounds like a great way to have fun training for spring races!

If you're interested in registering, check out the website.

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This has to be the strangest news story I've ever read, hands down. The title alone sounds like it was torn from an issue of the National Enquirer. I actually read the story twice, just to make sure that I wasn't missing or confusing any information. But, no, nothing was missing and there was no confusion. It was just, plain amazing.

Alright, let me first set the stage....

A man from Ireland, Bob McNichol, lost his sight two years ago after an accidental explosion occurred at a recycling plant. The 57-year-old was told by doctors that there was nothing they could do to help, and that his blindness would be permanent.

But ...

Employing a technique that involves the use of a tooth (yes, you read that right, a tooth) to create an artificial cornea, doctors were able to restore Mr. McNichol's eyesight!! The miracle operation, called Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis , was just performed at the Sussex Eye Hospital in Brighton, England. The tooth used in Mr. Nichol's operation was donated by his son Robert.

"Now I have enough sight for me to get around and I can watch television. I have come out from complete darkness to be able to do simple things," McNichol said in a report released today.

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