St. Patrick's Day: How an Irish celebration went global
St. Patrick's Day is now part of the social calendar around the world, a time for music, revelry and parades. Ireland's history of emigration helps to explain how a national celebration became international.
When Irish eyes are smiling
With St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Sunday this year, celebrations took place across the whole weekend. The New York parade dates back more than 250 years and has long included a political element. In the 1970 and 80s there was controversy over the inclusion of groups that actively supported Irish terrorist organizations. For most, though, the event is purely about fun.
Paint the town green
The presence of an Irish diaspora throughout the world does help to explain why one national celebration is marked in so many ways across the world. The first documented St. Patricks's Day celebration in the United States took place in Boston in 1737. Meanwhile, in Chicago, the city's river is dyed green every year to mark the event. Both cities have a strong history of immigration from Ireland.
Story of a missionary
St. Patrick is believed to have been born in Roman Britain — possibly in Wales. The story goes that he was kidnapped by pirates and taken to Ireland but underwent a spiritual awakening. He went on to convert many to Christianity. Famously, he is said to have driven all snakes out of Ireland. This Dublin reveler took inspiration from the famous saint as he started his celebrations early on Sunday.
A Russian shade of green
It's not necessary to have a tradition of mass immigration from Ireland to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The weekend also saw celebrations in Russia, where parades have taken place regularly since the collapse of communism. They include an official military-style parade — soldiers were among the earliest Irish people to make Russia their home — as well as an unofficial carnival procession.
Nearest neighbor, difficult history
England's large Irish community has long celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, although celebrations were somewhat muted during Northern Ireland's "troubles." In a new era of peace, that's all changed. While London holds an annual parade and lights up major monuments in green, it's Birmingham that has the largest UK parade, said to be the third-largest in the world after Dublin and New York.
Shamrock diplomacy
St. Patrick's Day is a chance for Ireland to project itself onto the world stage. Even the White House turned a shade of green this week, with President Donald Trump welcoming Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar for the yearly shamrock ceremony. The tradition dates back to the 1950s and sees incumbents of the Oval Office presented with a pot of shamrocks at around the time of St. Patrick’s Day.