For the Love of St. Patrick and All Things Irish

From dressing up in green and eating corned beef and cabbage, to hitting the pubs for your favorite Irish ale, St. Patrick’s Day has become a much loved national holiday.  But how did it become so important to our culture? The answer is the result of one of the best things about the melting pot that is America.  Keep reading to learn how this tradition evolved into the celebration it is today.

History of St. Patrick

The patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, was born in Britain when it was under Roman rule. At the tender age of 16, he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland where he spent four years as a slave. Eventually he escaped, but ultimately went back to Ireland to spread Christianity. Before his passing, he had converted many, built churches, schools and monasteries.  His life and his teachings created legends, such as the idea that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland. It is also said that he used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. To celebrate his life, the Irish held feasts and religious services.  These humble celebrations have been observed in Ireland for over 1000 years.

Parades and Celebrations

The St. Patrick’s Day celebration as we know it today has been an evolution of the Irish tradition, which was brought to the United States through Irish immigrants. Several large cities in the States had large populations of Irish immigrants, such as Boston, Chicago and NYC. In these cities, political influence grew with the size of the immigrant population. 

Those with political connections used their power to drive the acknowledgement and celebration of the holiday, implementing grand parades and more. While records and locations vary, the first parade for St. Patrick is said to have possibly occurred in St. Augustine, Florida as early as 1600, when it was a territory of Spain. Other records indicate that a parade in 1772 in NYC kicked off the enthusiasm for the holiday. Either way, the enthusiasm has only grown since then.  

Dyeing the River

As the celebrations grew, so did new traditions in cities around the country. This is partly how Chicago came to start dyeing the Chicago River in 1962.  The other part of this tradition was purely serendipitous. City pollution-control workers used to spread an orange-colored dye in the river to find illegal sewage dumping that turned the water green. But the bright, vibrant green sparked the idea that it could be a fun way to add to Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day traditions. Today, the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union distributes the powdered vegetable dye inc a process watched by thousands, becoming an event all of its own.

However you choose to spend the holiday this year, May your troubles be less, and your blessings be more.  And nothing but happiness come through your door.  Slainte!  Happy St. Paddy’s Day!