Everybody’s Irish
It’s St. Patrick’s Day and it’s the day where everyone looks at his or her family tree trying to find an Irish relative so they can head out to a pub and party. Even if you have no lineage from the Emerald Isle it’s a safe day to call yourself an honourary Irishman (or woman).
We all know this is another day for a Saint that we have exploited for consumer purposes, in this case buying beer, and it’s lost the true meaning. But that doesn’t stop us from making a big party of the day…and let’s be honest, who can turn down a party?
In Ireland St. Patrick’s Day is a holy day and is a little bit different than the drunken parade full of shamrocks that many North Americans know it for. My parents moved to Canada in the 70’s and most of my aunts and uncles are living in Ireland. For them, it used to be all about going to church and getting together with family, check out the parade, maybe have a nice dinner and just trying to relax. It is a national holiday.
Nowadays things have changed. Ireland has a St. Patrick’s Festival, which began in the 90’s. The parades are getting bigger, it’s more of a party than when my parents used to celebrate it and people are definitely hitting the pubs. I believe (if I can accurately remember what my mother told me) that they used to close down the bars on March 17th to keep the holiday about religion and not alcohol.
The first parade in North America began in Boston in 1761 (according to Wikipedia.org…I love that site) and for Canada the longest running is the one in Montreal which has been celebrating St. Patrick since 1824. If you ever get a chance to catch the one in Montreal I advise you do so. My cousin lives out there and it was probably the most fun I have ever had.
You may be wondering why Calgary doesn’t have one. Well I did that story on Friday and it is because of a lack of volunteers and a lack of support…which could mean not enough people are taking the initiative. Colette Smithers with the Irish Cultural Society was telling me she really wants to start organising a parade for Calgary so that families, and anyone else who enjoys a parade, can have some fun and celebrate St. Patrick in a way that isn’t just revolved around pubs.
I think it would be an amazing addition to yearly festivities and would be great for tourism. I suggest you write to the Society if you are crossing your fingers for a parade, and if you have the hands or mind to lend in planning and preparing such a parade then help them out.
Oh and in case you’re wondering “why March 17th?” it’s actually the day St. Patrick apparently died. Sorry to leave on a morbid note…HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!