Every year on March 17, people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, a day associated with parades, shamrocks, and everything Irish. We have discovered the origins of many of the symbols associated with St. Patrick’s Day, including leprechauns and the color green, as well as several that are unique to the United States.
St. Patrick’s Day is the feast day of St. Patrick (Maewyn Succat), a patron saint of Ireland. Originally celebrated with religious feasts and services, St. Patrick’s Day became a secular celebration of Irish culture when it reached the United States alongside Irish immigrants. There’s a variety of things people don’t know about this day and still celebrate.
To start, ironically, St. Patrick wasn’t even Irish. He was born around the fifth century in Britain, then part of the Roman Empire. When Succat was 16, he was kidnapped by some Irish Raiders and spent six years in captivity. After becoming a Christian, he went back to Ireland to work as a Christian missionary for the remainder of his life. Upon his demise of March 17, 461, he was largely forgotten until mythology grew.
According to one famous story, Patrick used the three leaves of the shamrock to explain The Holy Trinity. Consequently, to express their pleasure in being Irish Christians, people in 18th-century Ireland began donning shamrocks every March 17. That tradition later grew into wearing green clothing, a popular St. Patrick’s Day custom. The tradition of celebrating with parades originated in America.
St. Patrick’s Day Parades
The massive parade Downtown, now in its 69th year, wasn’t the only Irish pageant on display for St. Patrick’s Day this year. There were at least three others: The South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Northwest Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and Chicago Working Families’ Archer Ave. St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
This year, all four parades happen on the same weekend. And throughout history, there have been even more St. Patrick’s Day parades. Why are there so many? Politics, mortality rates, and a yearning for community — as a city, neighbors, and fellow Irish Chicagoans — all play a role in the solution. When Chicago’s population was only around 8,000 to 12,000 in 1843, the city had its inaugural St. Patrick’s Day parade. A band, civilians, and the Montgomery Guard — a military unit of Irish men who had raised money over the winter for new uniforms that they debuted in the parade — all marched together.
Beginning at the Irish armory on the intersection of Randolph and Wells streets, the festivities were held downtown until the late 1860s, when they relocated to Haymarket Square. The parade was abandoned in 1902 in favor of “a missionary movement for strengthening the United Irish League of America,” according to newspaper reports from the time. According to Murray-Belcaster, parade heads at one point had a meeting with the city where they discussed the benefits of having multiple parades in the neighborhoods to spread the crowds out.
Traditional St. Patrick’s Day Meals
Facts about St. Patrick’s Day includes that they share their own meals. St. Patrick’s Day is about more than just getting decked up in green attire and getting wasted; it’s also about starting the day with a substantial Irish dinner. All kidding aside, though, the essence of the occasion is a delicious dinner, regardless of how you observe it. The following presents a menu of rib-sticking fare that’ll keep you going full steam ahead all evening long;
- Corned Beef Brisket, Potatoes, Cabbage, and Carrots.
- Guinness Beef Stew.
- Real Irish Soda Bread.
- Stout-Battered Onion Rings.
- Irish Coffee Ice Cream.
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes.
- Classic, Savory Shepherd’s Pie (With Beef and/or Lamb).
4 Traditions For St. Patrick’s Day
- St. Patrick’s Day crafts: Make artistic crafts with your family to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day. Look up an idea for a project online or create your own. Gather the components for shamrocks, leprechaun hats, or any other project you have in mind, and presto!
- Find A Green River: One of the most festive St. Paddy’s Day traditions celebrated across the United States is the dyeing rivers green in honor of the Irish holiday. Do some investigating to discover if one near you is getting a makeover, then plan a field trip to see it up-close and in person.
- Wear A St. Patrick’s Day Badge Or Rosette: Wearing a rosette or emblem in observance of the event is an ancient ritual that honors the Irish. Children wear badges to exhibit their Emerald-Isle patriotism as a long-standing folk tradition honoring St. Patrick, a fifth-century missionary and bishop.
- Watch An Irish Movie: Press play and transport yourself to the rolling hills of Ireland. Let Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson show you what it’s like to live on a remote island off of Ireland in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” which took home the top prize at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards. Or warm your heart (and break it) while watching “P.S. I Love You” starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler.
Lastly, traditions and facts about St. Patrick’s Day aren’t only useful to those who celebrate. It is great knowledge from our history and ancestors.
Written by Dijana Reedfields
Sources:
Block Club Chicago – Why Chicago Has 4 St. Patrick’s Day Parades
History – St. Patrick’s Day Traditions
Serious Eats – A Traditional Menu for Your St. Patrick’s Day Feast
Today – 25 St. Patrick’s Day traditions to add a bit ‘o fun to your holiday
Featured Image Courtesy of Liza Lagman Sperl‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Peter T‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
