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This Irishman Hates St. Patrick’s Day (well what it has now become sadly I’m sad to say)
Today, on the 17th of March, we celebrate the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is, of course, St. Patrick’s day. So how will the Irish of modern Ireland and people of nations around the world — with or without Irish blood or heritage — honor the man who brought Christianity to our shores and changed Ireland and Western Civilization for the better? (The conversion of Ireland rekindled the conversion of Northern Europe after the fall of Rome.)
Will people go to a church, Catholic or Protestant? Will they forego churchgoing but say a prayer, or have a meal, in his honor? Will they embrace Ireland and God with thanks for our liberation from the darkness of evil and ignorance?
I kid, of course. We all know what St. Patrick’s Day has become. (And God help anyone who says “St. Patty’s Day” to me — I will beat them with a Hurley.) Rather than celebrating a religious holiday that enlightened Ireland and Europe, the majority of celebrants around the world, be they Irish or not, will mark this feast with an orgy of unedifying drinking, thus living up to an unfortunate national stereotype and explaining why so many Irish people die from liver disease.
On a historical note: St. Patrick’s Day celebrations began in America, where Irish Protestants wanted to celebrate the coming of Christianity to Ireland. (George Washington himself hosted one such celebration.) From there, it exported the tradition back to the mother country. It only became a holiday in the opening years of the 1900s. In fact, it was also a day, in Ireland, at least, when the pubs weren’t open.
Now, I’m not a teetotaller. I like a drink now and again (in moderation, depends on the company). But in Ireland, the worst of the worst come out for this day. Many Irish people, of all religious views, and many who’d have no idea what I’m talking about, along with many true Irish-Americans who witness what I’m sure is standard practice both here and in America.
I’m talking about people who use the man’s feast day to begin drinking as soon as breakfast is over, if they haven’t started the night before. I’m talking of young people who can’t handle their drink turning up at the parades utterly besotted after one or two drinks. I’m talking about young people having sex or using drugs, in public streets, before and after the parade, even in front of children. I’m talking about the vomit on the streets by mid-day – to the point that you have to walk in a zig-zag. I’m talking about going into any pub during the middle of the day and finding people so smashed off their heads that you can’t even chat with them without feeling sick inside.
I’m talking about the people who wouldn’t dream of going into a pub during the rest of the year coming in and ruining it for the rest of us. I’m talking about the awful clothes that turn people into walking stereotypes. I’m talking about drunks who abuse people in a way they’d never dare anywhere else, and then wind up at hospital emergency wards, creating a nightmare for hospital staff. Finally, I’m talking about the abuse to the ears of the Paddy-whackery music.
Some will think I’m a killjoy by nature. But I know people who are so sick of this day they abstain from it altogether. Proud Irish people who hate seeing their nation reduced to a drunkard’s paradise and a capsule-summary of the nastier traits of modern Ireland. Many avoid the pubs and won’t send their kids into town to the parade because of this. Moreover, imagine what St. Patrick thinks of all this – his day, which used to be a holy day when the sale of alcohol was banned – has become a pagan temple to the vice of alcohol, which has destroyed so many thousands of Irish lives, and will at this rate destroy even more in in the future.
I’ve spoken before of the consequences of Ireland becoming more secular. The degradation of St Patrick’s Day is one of them: a deeply disappointing and somewhat despairing happening. Temperance, sadly, is dead in modern Ireland. The Christianity that liberated Ireland is declining, whether slowly or rapidly depends on the point of view. What’s left is the worst of all worlds: the freedom of the individual to indulge in vice with no restraint, and people with no faith that urges them to resist such temptations.
But this island has seen tragedy and despair before. Today at mass, the priest called for St. Patrick to endow this country with faith again. I hope his prayer is heard. There was and is always a cyclical pattern to religious devotion. In the end, God only knows when Ireland will recover. I pray it is in my lifetime. For my relatives’ and descendants’ sake. too.
P.S. No Irish person ever says, “Top o’ the morning.” Or believes in leprechauns. Or hates English people. (Okay, some do). Had to say this, because too many hackneyed films from Hollywood have convinced Americans that we do. We don’t. Oh, and the majority of Irish people loathe the IRA of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, and dislike Gerry Adams.
Published in General
Last time we went to Ireland we flew back home on St Patrick’s day because Mrs. Reticulator found that we could get really good airfares on Aer Lingus if our date of arrival or departure was March 17. We speculated that most people wanted to be on the ground and drinking on that date, so there were extra seats available. It turned out that the folks on the plane were pretty quiet that day, and the plane was almost full.
Unfortunately, Mrs. R didn’t find any deals like that last year or this.
My understanding is that until recent years, St Patrick’s day hasn’t been such a big deal in Ireland (except perhaps for tourists) as in the U.S. Is that not true?
It is more popular for tourists, businesses and kids than everyone else for the reasons mentioned in the post. Good point though. By the way man check out the other post I just put up on member feed. Its good and a laugh so ha.
Last month, Ray and I watched an animated film called “Song of the Sea”, and were captivated. It’s the story of a little boy whose father is a lighthouse-keeper and mother was a Kelpie. He didn’t know about that (he was told his mother died in childbirth, but she just went back to the sea), but discovers it when his little sister discovers their mother’s “coat”. The artwork is just beautiful, and we really enjoyed it. Next, we’re looking for another such animated film called “The Secret of Kells” by the same animator.
Last time I visited was 37 years (yikes!) ago. I was staying in hostels, hitch-hiking around the country, and happened to be in Galway city that day. Every cable-knit sweater wearer I spoke to, or overheard, groups of people in the streets and pubs: were without exception American. Many were there with school bands to march in the parade that the city held to make American visitors happy. I didn’t witness much excessive drinking, certainly not in the streets. The locals all went to Mass in the morning, and otherwise had a quiet day. The Irish equivalent of our Chambers of Commerce staged the holy day as an opening to the tourist season, and a good deal of dollars were spent, but it was not the sickening raucous faux Mardi Gras the the day is in our current culture. I stopped going into NYC 20 years ago to see the parade; I would never bring kids there now. It does seem strange that with all the whining about cultural appropriation that’s current, anyone with actual Irish ancestors can’t expect to find any “safe place”—-except where it began, in the Church. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all here.
Yes, but what will you read next January 25th? While eating haggis.
MLH, I give up. What’s the significance of January 25?
Robbie Burns Day.
Amy, I love your school tradition!
With all the sensitivity at college campus’ to not offend by banning certain Halloween costumes or party themes because they are culturally “insensitive” or “Reinforcing stereotypes”. I guess with the rampant cultural insensitivity and stereotyping that goes on during St Patrick’s Day we should demand a ban on the entire thing.
I spent the whole day yesterday, in my “safe space” and all the puppy videos, playdough and coloring books could not protect me from the Trauma of the day. Not all Irish people are drunks, and we don’t like to be kissed by strangers just because we’re Irish, we don’t all like the color green or Guinness, Leprechauns are actually quite awful creatures, and green beer is just offensive. Ban, the whole thing.
Paddy, can you tell me what music counts as paddywhackery? Bc if Danny Boy is wrong I don’t want to be right. ? Haha.
Thankfully dunken bar crawls usually happen on weekends here, so the actual feast day is unsullied most years.
I should say the 4 leaf clover plastered on things does bother me, that one above was meant to be funny ☘ of course.
My forebearers escaped the famine, so I’m pretty far removed from knowing what is authenticity Irish. But, honestly, the paddywhackery and oirish stuff bugs me. Seems too snobby. I guess I always thought you guys embraced anyone who wanted to claim Irish roots.
Anyway, what I always admired, what made me proud to have Irish ancestry, was that the Irish never seem like victims even when they were being victimized.
I always hoped I inherited some of that brave spirit that made the Irish faithful in the face of persecution. I still hope that. But, the rapidity with which secularism has taken hold after independence makes me wonder if stubbornness was more of a factor in Ireland than faithfulness. I know for sure I’ve inherited plenty of that. Ha
All valid points. Paddywhackery music I cant describe right now but will tell ya when I can image it in future Katie. I fully would acknowledge you as being Irish Katie. The article was more an attempt to express my disdain at the secularisation of what is a great mans day and its transformation into a degenerates day.
I would argue that Irish in America got over victim label. I dont think that same here. Many Irish in Ireland tend not to wallow in it on surface but use the card now and again against Britain in the past or church nowadays to explain failures on their own part. (Although some criticism of both groups is fair).
I love St. Patrick’s day. If a holiday has become banalyzed, it’s not the holiday’s fault, it’s the people’s fault. I spent the day listening to Irish music and eating Irish-American food.
Likewise on Cinco de Mayo, I don’t get smashed on Margaritas, but do check out some local events (art fairs, etc.) or even visit local historic sites such as the San Pasqual battlefield.
Cultural holidays can be very entertaining and enlightening if properly appreciated.