Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
Brushing Up on Your Holiday History
I was recently talking to a friend about his plans to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and was really struck by what he told me: as a recovering alcoholic, he wasn’t planning on celebrating at all. He told me he’d spent years as a high-functioning alcoholic, and since St. Patrick’s’ Day is a holiday based on drinking, he wouldn’t be participating in any festivities this year. Being a bit of a history nerd, I told him that wasn’t the case at all (although I support his decision to abstain from celebrating), and I realized that there are many Americans who don’t know anything about the fascinating history of this religious holiday — and that it certainly isn’t centered around alcohol!
Americans take the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day for granted. We wear green, drink Guinness, and might head to a parade. We take many myths about the holiday as facts, but the real story is far more interesting than the blarney. For example, did you know that St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was not Irish? According to the BBC, many debate whether he was born in Scotland or Wales, but all agree that he was born and raised somewhere in Roman Britain. Perhaps even more fantastic is the lore that surrounds this man born in the late 4th century: an adventurous tale rife with pirate abduction, a pied piper-like vanquishing of snakes, a dramatic religious conversion, and a lifelong battle with town thugs.
Before you head out on March 17th, take a few minutes to learn about the history of St. Patrick’s Day. A new perspective may change the way you see the holiday.
St. Patrick himself was a fascinating character. He was abducted by pirates when he was 14 years old, and was later sold into slavery to herd sheep in Ireland. The work was hard, and he missed his family. Perhaps that is why he converted to Christianity while he was there. After 7 years, he managed to escape back home to Britain. However, his Christian convictions led him back to Ireland. He trained as a priest, and spent the rest of his life back in Ireland, working to convert those who practiced paganism. Though he devoted his adult life to the Irish people and was well-regarded in history, he was persecuted for the remainder of his life for his religious beliefs.
St. Patrick’s Day was first and foremost a religious celebration, celebrating the man who is thought to have first brought Christianity to Ireland. It was a minor feast day — that is, a day when Catholics could take a break from Lenten fasting to “feast.” The Irish typically celebrated with mass and a good meal — but pubs were shut, so they did not drink on St. Patrick’s Day until the late 20th century. According to this reference, the traditional St. Patrick’s Day Parade was actually invented in America. It was held in “New York City in 1762…with the dramatic increase of Irish immigrants to the United States in the mid-19th century, the March 17th celebration became widespread.” The popular event grew to include floats, green beer, and even a green river in Chicago. Now the parades are popular around the world.
Without Irish immigrants, this story could have turned out much differently. The people who emigrated to America from the 16th to the 19th centuries were the catalyst for how we celebrate this holiday, according to this genealogy resource. The site further tells how the Irish came via rough roads such as slavery in Barbados, but went on to prosper in linen trades, then in farming and skilled work after the independence of America from Britain. Millions of immigrants came to the country looking for a better life. They came together to celebrate the home from which they came, in their new American home.
With this history in mind, try to take this year’s celebration as an opportunity for contemplation. Take the evening to celebrate quietly. Perhaps share a meal with family or friends featuring traditional Irish food, such as ham and colcannon. Choose a book to read from together, like St. Patrick of Ireland: A Biography. If you are accommodating young people, choose one tailored for their age — this can be especially fitting for people like my friend who won’t be drinking for the holiday. Decorate with clovers, which St. Patrick used to explain the Holy Trinity.
Taking a break from the usual revelry is a great way to reflect on life, recharge, and renew for the start of spring. Save the green beer for another year or even forego it completely, and bone up on some fascinating Irish history!
Article “Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day” by: Sarah Lockwood
sarah_lockwood@thepreventionco
ThePreventionCoalition.org
