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