The story of St. Patrick’s Day is quite widely known. We all learned it in elementary school while we colored pictures of leprechauns and pinched that unfortunate kid who forgot to wear green.
It always seemed to consist of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, driving snakes out of Ireland, or something to that effect. Our fifth-grade teacher always failed to tell us Ireland doesn’t have any snakes. Probably because Saint Patrick banished them! Insert comedic cymbal crash here.
Seriously, though. St. Patrick’s Day started in the 17th century as a Catholic holy day in Ireland. It was a feast day. Catholics across the country would make it a point to attend mass. In fact, even today, it’s considered a holy day of obligation in Ireland.
Throughout the rest of the world, it’s a celebration of Irish heritage.
Those of Irish descent show their pride and even those who don’t have Irish ancestors will put on a green shirt and act like they do.
Leave it to America to put our own twist on something created by another
country. We have Taco Bell, we have Pizza Hut and we have our own way of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. A day of solemnity in Ireland becomes a day of partying in America.
Got your “Paddy’s Irish Pub” shirt on? Check. Got some Dropkick Murphys on your iPod? Check. Got your flask full of Jameson to hold you over until your friends meet you at the local bar for your pint of Guinness? Check. Sounds
like you’re ready for an American celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.
New York City, every country’s default thought when it think of American life, is the home to the biggest and oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world. Chicago dyes the Chicago River green. Seattle even paints the traffic stripes on some of its roads green the week of March 17. Coast to coast, America has ways of celebrating the Irish heritage on one of the biggest drinking days of the year.
Whatever you do, don’t walk into a bar on St. Patrick’s Day and order a Bud Light. Go big or go home March 17 and order an Irish beer. Ireland’s “big three,” Guinness, Beamish and Murphy’s, might be a bit more expensive, and definitely a lot richer than American beers, but you can’t celebrate without them.
If stouts aren’t your thing, Ireland has some lagers as well. Harp and Kinsale are light enough to dye green while still keeping true to Irish tradition. Smithwick’s Irish Ale is a bit darke, but dates back to the 14th century. It’s like tasting a sip of history.
However you celebrate St. Paddy’s Day, by drinking, wearing green or searching for the pots of gold at the end of the rainbow, it only comes once a year. Have fun, be safe, and have a happy St. Patrick’s Day.
