St. Patrick’s Day in New York: oRIGINS
St. Patrick’s Day in New York is part of the culture of many U.S. cities as a result of Irish migration.
Ironically, the British Army was responsible for starting the tradition of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York, now a massive celebration that gathers thousands, considered one of the largest in the world.
It was Irish soldiers serving as redcoats who walked on the morning of March 17, 1762 on their way to a breakfast in honor of the ephemeris.
St. Patrick’s Day in New York began to expand as Irish immigration to the U.S. grew in the 19th century, when the famine of 1845 killed nearly a million people in Ireland and pushed another 1.5 million to emigrate.
Most of them arrived via New York in search of the American dream.
The initial resistance against the poor Irish emigrants gradually mutated, and their participation in the American Civil War had a lot to do with it.
St. Patrick’s Day in New York: From Rejection to Integration
Thus, St. Patrick’s Day in New York was gaining momentum as soldiers in the Union Army finished victorious.
By the end of the conflict with the Confederate states, the Irish were already considered part of the fabric of the country.
“They went out as second-class citizens, but returned as heroes,” wrote historian Mike McCormack of the Irish-American Catholic order of Hibernians, the oldest of its kind on American soil.
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In other words, an armed conflict led to respect for the Irish, and thus, St. Patrick’s Day in New York became more a part of the culture in the city.
Over the years, the families that crossed the Atlantic began to have better jobs, their children went to college and even an Irish descendant made it to the highest office in the land: President John F Kennedy, part of one of the best known political families in the US.
A president with Irish roots
Decades later, current President Joe Biden would become “the most Irish of presidents.”
His ancestors emigrated to the U.S. during the great famine of the 1800s and the rest is history. It was during his presidency that the White House fountain was dyed green in salute to St. Patrick.
Through the years and the integration of Irish traditions, the holiday lost some of its religious significance – although for many descendants it still has a component of fervor for the saint – to become a day to celebrate Irish-American heritage and a pretext to celebrate in the streets, shop during the bargain season and above all…drink.
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Popular holiday
The St. Patrick’s Day holiday in New York is so popular that a survey revealed that this weekend, 82% of respondents in the U.S. planned to wear green.
Meanwhile, 29% will prepare a special meal associated with the holiday, usually processed meat and cabbage; while another 27% will go to a bar or restaurant to celebrate.
A staggering 13 million pints of Guinness beer will be consumed around the world on the date.
While the planet becomes “Irish for a day”, in the place where the tradition was born the feast in honor of St. Patrick continues to have a more solemn tone, although little by little the Emerald Isle has caught the enthusiasm from the other side of the Atlantic.
