Why do non-Irish people celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

[Dinner]

Because it is an excuse to drink and have fun?

[loinburger]

Sorry, apparently drinking and having fun is only allowed at gay pride parades.

MrFun, do you also berate heterosexuals who participate in gay pride events? Do you educate the poor homosexuals who think that homosexual culture consists of dancing around in assless pants?

[SlowwHand]

A better question is, why the universal green? That's Catholic. Protestant is orange.

[Hauldren Collider]

maybe because Ireland is predominately catholic?

[SlowwHand]

Big whoop.

[Alexander's Horse]

more Irish protestants went to the US than catholics, Bill clinton an example, but they went early, 18th century, before the troubles

[molly bloom]

more Irish protestants went to the US than catholics

I'm not entirely sure this is strictly accurate- but given that a lot of Catholic Irish were forced to migrate during the Famine years, and that the ships they sailed on became floating disease vectors, more may have migrated across the Atlantic, but fewer may have survived:

"Born in County Cork, Ireland, he died at 23 on Partridge Island, Saint John, N.B., 2 July, 1847.


"To alleviate the suffering of his countrymen quarantined there during the typhus epidemic of 1847, he offered his services on the island. Within weeks, he contracted the disease and died alongside those he served.


"Originally interred in these grounds, his body was the only one allowed to be removed from the island.


'A MARTYR TO HIS DUTY'

“Project of Famine 150 and sponsored by the Saint John Irish Canadian Cultural Association. Dedicated July 2, 1997."

http://www.newirelandnb.ca/NB-Irish-Trails-Irish-Memorials/SJ-James-Patrick-Collins-Memorial.html

There are as you correctly pointed out, a fair few descendants of what were called the Scotch-Irish from the north of Ireland in the U.S. and Canada- I remember a friend's father telling us about his shock when he saw an Ulster Loyalist parade in Canada- he'd hoped when he emigrated from Scotland that he'd left that kind of thing behind.

Anyway, speaking as an Irish Catholic homo, I have no problem with heterosexuals taking part in Gay Pride events, and no problem with the non-Irish enjoying St. Patrick's Day celebrations either. We could all sit at home and read the depressing news about environmental degradation, nuclear proliferation, suicide bombings and the civil war in Syria. Or for a couple of hours, people could neck some Guinness or Irish whisky and just have fun....

[kentonio]

Doesn't all this cheapen people's cultures or heritage though?

MrFun have you ever met any Irish person who actually got offended by St. Patricks day shenanigans?

No, I haven't. I'm sure there are some, though.

I'm sure if you searched for a decade you might find a miserable **** in Ireland who cared. You know what the normal reaction there is to St Patrick's days though? It's basically 'Who cares? Why is everyone making a fuss?'. The only reason you even know about St Patrick's Day, is because it became a worldwide fad for 'Lets get pissed!' and having spent Paddy's Day with many Irish folks, I can assure you that you're caring about something they don't.

Incidentally the Irish are some of the most chilled out, fun loving people on the planet. The idea that they're going to get all huffy about perceived insults to their 'cultural heritage' is pretty hilarious.

[Alexander's Horse]

There was a big documentary about the Irish diaspora done a few years ago Molly. The predominance of protestant Irish going to North America, over 400 years, was one of the surprise findings, particularly from Ulster, and particularly to the south of the United States. The catholics came in larger numbers later - after the famine.

Homo Irish catholic? In another age you probably would have been a Christian brother, I salute you. Twas educated by fine men such as you

You touch on one big contrast with the Irish in America. They are much more sentimental about Ireland. In places like Canada and Australia sectarianism was very much alive when I was growing up - Saint Patrick's Day meant something more, it was a day for remembering and singing the rebel songs. The "establishment" was of course English and protestant. We had no such illusions that the Americans seem to have, discrimination was something I felt in Australia, our ancestors went there in chains including many famous political prisoners, and St Pat's day was one to stand up and be counted. No parades, but the wearing of the green.

[SlowwHand]

My ancestors got here in 1796.

[Alexander's Horse]

ah, around the time of the French revolution and the Napoleonic wars - there was a big outflow at that time - turmoil in Ireland - the wearing of the green song is from that period.

[molly bloom]

Homo Irish catholic? In another age you probably would have been a Christian brother, I salute you. Twas educated by fine men such as you

Bejaysus and begob, you came out unscathed and all. Mr Joyce was a wee bit rude about the Brothers, which is a bit rich, as he ended being taught by them, briefly, during one of his father's bouts of financial irregularity:

— I never liked the idea of sending him to the christian brothers
myself, said Mrs Dedalus.

— Christian brothers be damned! said Mr Dedalus. Is it with Paddy
Stink and Micky Mud? No, let him stick to the jesuits in God's name
since he began with them. They'll be of service to him in after years.
Those are the fellows that can get you a position.

James Joyce, 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man'


I know a fellow Aussie of yours appreciated his Jesuit schooling:

I may not seem to have been unusually warm about my mother, but I didn't know her that well because when I was 12, I was dispatched to a Jesuit boarding school from which I did not emerge for some time. We weren't all that close. But she certainly didn't dislike me, and I know I didn't dislike her.' One sibling, he adds, got 'ticked off' with the way he had written about the Catholic church.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2006/dec/24/art.biography

You touch on one big contrast with the Irish in America. They are much more sentimental about Ireland. In places like Canada and Australia sectarianism was very much alive when I was growing up - Saint Patrick's Day meant something more, it was a day for remembering and singing the rebel songs.

Yeah, my grandfather was not exactly keen on me having Protestant friends... must have been something to do with being in Dublin for the Easter Rising, and seeing the Black and Tans in action.

I did enjoy the Aussie film 'The Devil's Playground' when it was shown over here, but I missed the chance to see the series 'The Harp In The South'.

our ancestors went there in chains including many famous political prisoners

I was mistaken for part of the exhibits in the Ned Kelly display in Old Melbourne Gaol- according to my better half, I look uncannily similar to a fleshly version of Ned's death mask. I suppose it didn't help that I'd recently had a buzzcut, and was wearing all black... I do remember a dramatisation of the Parramatta Rebellion which involved some Irish who'd been transported.

http://www.dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/castle_hill_convict_rebellion_1804

I can't help but think that even the verdant parts of New South Wales must have seemed bewilderingly different from the green hills of Erin....

Sport your green willow with pride...

[Alexander's Horse]

For your father

[Sava]

My ancestors got here in 1796.

slave rapers

[Hauldren Collider]

I've never met a single person in the US who gave a crap about his Irish heritage. If I told someone I was half-Irish (a little less actually), no one would give a ****. I have no cultural connection to the place whatsoever aside from being raised nominally Catholic, like 1.2 billion other people. Is this not also the case in Australia?