St Patrick's Day
11 March 2003 20:35![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mandragoraI don't get it. My family is sufficiently Irish that it's Tradition to name one male per generation 'Patrick', somewhere down the line. But, um, St Patrick's Day? Why?
Don't get me wrong, it's fun and all. But I can't help feeling that it's a fake celebration. The Irish themselves don't go as overboard on St Patrick's Day as people do in some other countries - oh hell, I might as well name names, by 'some other countries' I mean the US. I was in New York on St Patrick's Day once and had tremendous fun putting on a fake Irish accent and claiming free drinks at bar after bar after bar... Hey, was it my fault that most New Yorkers couldn't tell that the accent was fake? Especially as the name is authentically Irish *g*.
I can understand why there's a big celebration in New York, seeing as there's a large Irish-descent community there, but from what I can gather there is much wearing of shamrocks and green throughout the US, by people who have zero connection to Ireland. Presumably they enjoy the green beer *snerk*.
And what has set off this curmudgeonly, bad-tempered, kill-joy, bitchy rant (besides the fact that I am definitely coming down with some horrible lurgy)? It's the St Patrick's Day challenges/stories I see issuing forth onto mailing lists in fandoms that have zero connection to Ireland, St Patrick, or Irishness in general. I wouldn't mind if I'd read a good St Patrick's Day story. Alas, these are sadly lacking to date.
Don't get me wrong, it's fun and all. But I can't help feeling that it's a fake celebration. The Irish themselves don't go as overboard on St Patrick's Day as people do in some other countries - oh hell, I might as well name names, by 'some other countries' I mean the US. I was in New York on St Patrick's Day once and had tremendous fun putting on a fake Irish accent and claiming free drinks at bar after bar after bar... Hey, was it my fault that most New Yorkers couldn't tell that the accent was fake? Especially as the name is authentically Irish *g*.
I can understand why there's a big celebration in New York, seeing as there's a large Irish-descent community there, but from what I can gather there is much wearing of shamrocks and green throughout the US, by people who have zero connection to Ireland. Presumably they enjoy the green beer *snerk*.
And what has set off this curmudgeonly, bad-tempered, kill-joy, bitchy rant (besides the fact that I am definitely coming down with some horrible lurgy)? It's the St Patrick's Day challenges/stories I see issuing forth onto mailing lists in fandoms that have zero connection to Ireland, St Patrick, or Irishness in general. I wouldn't mind if I'd read a good St Patrick's Day story. Alas, these are sadly lacking to date.
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no subject
Date: 11 March 2003 14:37 (UTC)See, the Irish in America....it's not just that there are large ethnic Irish-American communities, although there are those - it's that the Irish immigrants into the US really bled into the cultural bedrock of the country (not to mention mixing into the country genetically). A lot of our famous people are Irish-Americans, and we elected one President.
Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's, around here, even if you're not. We don't even care. "What? You just came over from the Czech Republic? Too bad! You're Irish now!" (OK, that's an exaggeration. Kind of.)
There are some other ethnic holidays that Americans tend to go for en masse, but I think this is the big one, and I think it has a lot to do with how integrated (assimilated? influential?) the Irish have become in this country.
no subject
Date: 11 March 2003 15:04 (UTC)P.S. I'm one eighth Ulster Protestant. Do I count as Irish?
ST. P's Day fic just for you *snerk*
Date: 11 March 2003 15:27 (UTC)Turnbull was on a stepladder, hanging a paper chain of emerald shamrocks over the doorway to Thatcher's office. The consulate foyer was filled with green balloons and streamers.
"Erin go bragh!" exclaimed Turnbull, waving to Fraser.
"Turnbull, what is the meaning of this?" asked Fraser.
Ray Kowalski entered the room. He was dressed in a bright green t-shirt that said, 'Kiss my Irish Ass'.
"We're celebrating St. Paddy's Day, B-buddy!" said Ray.
"But Ray, you are Polish."
"Not today," said Ray, "Today we are all Irish. I am Ray O'Kowalski and my friend on the ladder is Rennie O'Turnbull."
"It's true," said Turnbull from the ladder, "We are decorating for tonight's party. We are having traditional Irish food as well as green beer. Alas, it is green Budweiser as Guinness proved resistant to the dye. Fortunately, Diefenbaker's white coat was easier."
As if on cue, a green wolf padded through the room with a donut in his mouth.
Ray then added, "The best part about the party is that Vecchio has forgotten it's St. Patrick's Day and thus forgot to wear green."
"Oh?" asked Fraser.
"That means we get to pinch him!" said Turnbull, "It is the tradition here to pinch someone who is not clad in green today."
Ray grinned. "And that nice butt of his is begging for a pinch."
Fraser smiled and said, "well, perhaps that is a fine idea after all."
no subject
Date: 11 March 2003 23:46 (UTC)I think the Irish influence is the US is known about in general terms, at least in Britain, and I have to admire the tenacity of the Irish in establishing themselves so firmly in the New World.
In Britain a staggering 70% (approximately) of people have some Irish ancestry somewhere down the line but the cultural influences are less pronounced than in the US, I think. That said, St Patrick's Day is celebrated in London by the young, as a good excuse (as if one was needed!) to get pissed.
no subject
Date: 11 March 2003 23:47 (UTC)Er, not by Irish standards *g*. By US standards? Maybe, I dunno? So, is St Patrick's Day celebrated in a big way in Canada as well (I'm guessing not, but could well be wrong).
no subject
Date: 11 March 2003 23:49 (UTC)Also, played for the Irish football team...
Re: ST. P's Day fic just for you *snerk*
Date: 11 March 2003 23:51 (UTC)Now see, if the St Paddy's fics had all been like this I wouldn't mind them a bit.
Thanks for the giggle, cheered me up no end. For I am sick. Definitely unwell. Now am off to court, drugged up to the eyeballs. Sigh.
Re:
Date: 11 March 2003 23:55 (UTC)Re:
Date: 11 March 2003 23:57 (UTC)Would they really give you a passport just for proving your great-grandmother was a Catholic from Ireland? Sheesh.
no subject
Date: 12 March 2003 08:12 (UTC)Would they really give you a passport just for proving your great-grandmother was a Catholic from Ireland? Sheesh.
Very warm, giving and generous people the Irish are. If you have an Irish grandparent you have the automatic right to an Irish passport and if you have an Irish grandparent then you may be entitled to an Irish passport - there are some limitations re the latter, though. And the Irish ancestor doesn't actually have to be Catholic it's just that most Irish, (as opposed to those, um, also Irish people who live in Ulster) are.
Well, I already have a British passport, so I think I'll survive without being able to get an Irish one.
Ah, but think of the advantages of having that Irish passport. Instead of being a denizen of the second-most hated nationality (the honour of first place going, of course, to the US) you get to be a citizen of a country that everybody likes. Now, one could argue, and with some success, that pretty much everybody also likes the Canadians, but I think the Irish just edge out the Canadians in the universal liking stakes. So, when you're in a hijacking hostage situation just flash your Irish passport at 'em and you'll be one of the first off the plane, as opposed to second to last if you use your British passport.
*g*