St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) is an Irish commemoration of the traditional anniversary of the patron saint of Ireland’s birthday into heaven (his death). 🇮🇪
Latin Irish
Irish are considered the last Celts because in their isolated location on the Western edge of Europe, traditions survived longer. They were a “Celtic Fringe.”
Asturians, Galicians and Basques from Spain’s northern coast are Celtic with gaita (bagpipes), tartan, kilts, and more shared traditions. There are a lot of Galicians in New York City and Argentina. They celebrate too. 🇪🇸
Mexicans can celebrate the San Patricio Battalion (Los San Patricios), Irish American soldiers who defected during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) to fight alongside their Catholic brothers. 🇲🇽
Daniel Florence O’Leary was Simón Bolivar’s most trusted aide in Venezuelan and Colombian independence. 🇨🇴 🇻🇪
Bernardo O’Higgins is called “The George Washington of Chile.” He led Chile’s fight for independence from Spain. 🇨🇱
Juan (John) Mackenna was a Chilean War hero who founded its Corps of Military Engineers. 🇨🇱
Francis Burdett O’Connor was a major figure in Bolivian independence. 🇧🇴
Peter (Pedro) Campbell founded Uruguay’s Navy. 🇺🇾
St. Patrick
Saint Patrick (c. 385 – c. 461) is credited with turning Ireland Christian in the 400s. The British Roman teenager from a wealthy Christian family was kidnapped into slavery in Ireland where he prayed for freedom. After a vision, he escaped, but later returned to Ireland as a missionary.
He famously used the three-leaves of the shamrock to describe the Holy Trinity.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Fifth Avenue is the world’s largest. New York City also has St. Patrick’s Parades in Staten Island, Queens County, Brooklyn, Throggs Neck, and Bay Ridge.
The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade was in the Spanish colony of St. Augustine, Florida; which is the oldest European settlement in what is now the United States. 🇪🇸
Irish New York City
There were several waves of Irish immigration to NYC. The big surge was during The Great Famine Era between 1845-1855.
Many settled in the Five Points which is now Manhattan Chinatown. They built Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral in what is now Little Italy. Early enclaves included the Lower East Side, Seaport, and Hell’s Kitchen. In the boroughs, Irish settled in Vinegar Hill Brooklyn, Astoria Queens, and Mott Haven The Bronx.
Poor Catholic Irish were not accepted at first by the mostly English Protestant New Yorkers. Irish managed the transition to being American by making the New York Police Department Irish.
There used to be an Irish bar on almost every New York street corner. They were all different, but somehow shared the same vibe. On St. Patrick’s Day, over-enthusiastic celebrants turned the streets green early in the day.
Iroko “Kíko” Keith ~ Believe it or not, I am part Irish. I don’t have red hair, but my son does. ☘️