If you’re anything like me, the first thing you think of every March 17th isn’t “It’s St. Patrick’s Day - time to celebrate the man who Christianized Ireland!” My thoughts are more along the lines of “Do I own a green shirt? Do I own a green anything?” And judging from the Americans’ lack of knowledge about the holiday and Irish culture itself, I’m not alone.
St. Patrick’s Day started out, obviously, in Ireland – a day meant to honor a fifth century missionary, Saint Patrick, who is credited with bringing Christianity to the country. For hundreds of years, the Irish people honored Saint Patrick’s death by attending church and paying tribute to traditional Irish culture, perhaps by reading Irish-language recitations. Until the 1970s, pubs were ordered closed by the government. There were a few local parades, but nothing comparable to today’s frenzy of booze, corned beef, and the color green.
According to the History Channel, nearly 122 million Americans – a whopping 39% of the population – say they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. An overwhelming 83% of those who celebrate this holiday claim to wear green, while 31% say they attend parties as part of the festivities. Ireland has adopted many of these customs - a move that some experts say could be an attempt to attract tourists.
In both Ireland and the United States, St. Patrick’s Day has transitioned from a church-centered event to a secular, often oversimplified carnival of Irish culture.
It begs the question: Why and when did this day of worship turn into an excuse to party?
The answer is in the numbers. Between 1820 and 1930, nearly 4.5 million Irish immigrants arrived in the United States, many hoping to avoid the fate of their countrymen in the Irish potato famine of 1845-1850. Once on American soil, the Irish were not met with open arms. Instead, the newcomers were greeted with little economic opportunities and were forced to take low-paying jobs while remaining at the bottom of the social food chain. Seeking an outlet for their homesickness, Irish immigrants began organizing parades and other St. Patrick’s Day celebrations to express their pride in their country and culture.
Once the Irish-American community began experiencing economic and political success in the U.S., St. Patrick’s Day became a way to simultaneously celebrate Irish heritage and American prosperity. The parties became more lavish, with less emphasis on Christian doctrine and more focus on keeping cultural pride alive. Irish-Americans soon began creating their own staples, substituting traditional dishes with corned beef and shamrocks with four-leaf clovers. Their innovations have become so associated with Irish culture that most Americans, myself included, can’t tell the difference between the original and the knock-off.
Today, nearly 40 million Americans claim Irish ancestry – a treasure trove of people with a vested interest in exploring their heritage. While St. Patrick’s Day as we know it could never claim to offer an accurate portrayal of Irish culture, it opens the door to a deeper understanding of Celtic tradition. But if we truly seek to welcome other ways of life, we shouldn’t limit our celebrations of cultures to one day out of the year. We need to expand our knowledge of our world heritage and promote cultural awareness all year round.
So when you wake up this St. Patrick’s Day, think beyond the green T-shirt you had to dig out of the dirty clothes pile. Make an effort to look past the stereotypes of Irish culture. Start acting like the Culture Girl you are.