| St. Patrick's Day has become a celebration of | | | | York to celebrate their Irish homeland from |
| all things Irish. Most public celebrations | | | | which they had long since been away. St. |
| include quite large quantities of alcohol. | | | | Patrick's Cathedral stands in Manhattan as a |
| Many families serve corned beef, cabbage, and | | | | majestic reminder of the history of Irish |
| mint chocolate pies every year on March 17th. | | | | people in New York City. |
| And some cities like Chicago turn large | | | | |
| bodies of water green to commemorate the life | | | | As America grew, so did its Irish population. |
| of St. Patrick. | | | | Throughout the late 18th century, Irish Aid |
| | | | societies like the Friendly Sons of Saint |
| "But who was St. Patrick". St. Patrick is | | | | Patrick would hold annual parades celebrating |
| the patron saint of Ireland and is one of the | | | | St. Patrick's Day. These parades came to |
| most celebrated figures in modern | | | | include bagpipes and drums, even though |
| Christianity. He was born to British | | | | bagpipes were known more as a Scottish custom |
| aristocrats in the late fourth century; as in | | | | than Irish. |
| most aristocratic families at that time, | | | | |
| Patrick as a later son was destined for the | | | | When the Great Potato Famine hit in 1845, |
| priesthood in order to bring tax incentives | | | | almost a million poor Irishmen streamed into |
| to his wealthy family. When he was 16 years | | | | America. Unlike their middle-class Protestant |
| old, he was captured by Irish raiders and | | | | predecessors, these immigrants were Catholic |
| held for six years. During this time, he | | | | and often uneducated. They found great |
| became much more spiritual as he was a lonely | | | | difficulty in finding work, and were |
| shepherd and required his faith to keep him | | | | ridiculed in public and in the press as |
| strong. | | | | drunken monkeys with undecipherable accents. |
| | | | During this time, St. Patrick's Day |
| After six years in County Mayo, Patrick heard | | | | celebrations grew decidedly more subdued. |
| a voice, that he believed to be God's, | | | | |
| telling him to leave Ireland (as was | | | | By the early 20th century; however, the Irish |
| indicated in his writings many years later). | | | | population in the United States came to |
| He walked hundreds of miles to the coast | | | | realize that they were large in number and |
| where he was able to escape to Britain. He | | | | thus had voting power. They began to court |
| was then ordained into the priesthood. He | | | | public opinion and became quite a political |
| returned to Ireland as a priest, as the | | | | machine. When Harry S. Truman attended the |
| majority of Irish were at that time Pagan. | | | | New York City St. Patrick's Day parade in |
| | | | 1948, many Irish-Americans knew that they |
| Patrick's time in captivity in Ireland had | | | | were at last an accepted part of American |
| influenced him greatly and he brought many | | | | culture. |
| Irish customs to his parishioners. He began | | | | |
| celebrating Easter with a large bonfire, | | | | In Ireland itself, St. Patrick's Day was |
| following the Irish practice of honoring | | | | traditionally a religious holiday. In fact, |
| their gods with fire. And he created the | | | | until the mid-1970's, Irish law dictated that |
| Celtic Cross by superimposing the image of a | | | | all pubs and bars had to be closed. By 1995; |
| sun onto the cross. St. Patrick died in 460 | | | | however, the Irish government began to use |
| AD, and it is largely believed that he died | | | | St. Patrick's Day as a driver for tourism as |
| on March 17th. | | | | people all over the world clamored for all |
| | | | things Irish. St. Patrick's Festival in |
| As time went on, St. Patrick's legend grew | | | | Dublin now draws over 1 million people in a |
| throughout the United Kingdom and | | | | multi-day celebration with parades, concerts, |
| particularly in Ireland. He became a figure | | | | and fireworks. |
| that was larger than life, and it is believed | | | | |
| he completed many near-impossible feats, | | | | In homes throughout the world, St. Patrick's |
| including the driving out of the snakes and | | | | Day is celebrated without alcoholic excess. |
| abolishment of the Druids at Tara. His | | | | Many Irish Catholic families celebrate with a |
| influence on everything Christian in Ireland; | | | | day of prayers. Families cook the traditional |
| however, is unmistakable. He can be | | | | Irish feast of corned beef (also known as |
| singularly credited for spreading | | | | Irish bacon), cabbage, and soda bread. Many |
| Christianity throughout all of Ireland. | | | | of these families end the night with some |
| | | | coffee with Irish crème, and a chocolate |
| St.patrick's cathedral new york cityThe first | | | | pie or cake liberally saturated with mint |
| St. Patrick's Day was celebrated in New York | | | | flavoring. These traditions are passed from |
| City on March 17, 1762. Irish soldiers | | | | generation to generation, and are revered as |
| serving in the British Army in the American | | | | much as if not more so than the alcoholic |
| Colonies marched through the streets of New | | | | debauchery that is known so well. |