This is something that had always been puzzling to me when I was younger. Even though I rarely practice these days I was raised Catholic and I always found it puzzling that on a saints day there was this "wild bash". It never seemed to happen on any other saints day. When I had studied Saint Patrick a bit I was even more puzzled, I could not associate the party with the saint.
Neither could I, Sorgi.
Before I continue, you have good taste in movies! Your friend just doesn't get it.
I'm afraid we have the Americans to thank for that.
When I was a child, the Pubs in Ireland were closed on 2 days every year....Good Friday and Saint Patrick's Day.
17th March was a National
Holy Day. (That's where 'holiday' comes from)
Oh, how I long for those days when it was simply our Saint's Day, a family celebration.
The whole family would start the Day with Mass, then go home for breakfast.
In the afternoon there was usually a local Sports event......Hurling or Gaelic Football, and the whole village or Town would turn out.
Then in the late 1950's, American tourists started to arrive in great numbers.
They wanted a drink on St Patrick's Day.
They expressed disappointment that Dublin had no parade.
They got the idea of sending Marching Bands over to compete with Irish Bands.
This was in the days when Americans were wealthy compared to the Irish.
They had US Dollars......the Irish saw an opportunity to make money.....
and the rest is history.
In 1998 when I was President of the IACS, Orlando had a huge Saint Patrick's Parade, sponsored by Clear Channel Communications.
A week before the Parade they invited me on the radio to talk about how the Day is celebrated in Ireland.
Their radio stations had floats in the Parade, and it was advertised a lot on their channels.
They announced there would be a "Leprechaun Village" for children with story tellers, face painting, etc.
They told everyone to bring their families for a fun day out.
On the day of the Parade we were shocked to see the vulgar floats, and the demeanour of some of the participants.
It was more like Mardi Gras.
There was great participation by the Fire Department, Police, and Military organizations, but many families in the crowd complained about the vulgarity of the sponsor's floats.
As our float appeared, the radio commentator said "Here come the drunken Irish".
I wrote a letter of complaint to the Organizers and City Officials, with copies to all City Churches, expressing our disgust that this vulgar display was supposed to honour our Patron Saint, and was advertised as a family Parade.
I told them unless they could promise to cut out the sleaze we would boycott the Parade in future, and would ask the Catholic Diocese to do the same.
They promised a better Parade the following year, but it was almost as bad.
So we withdrew, and Orlando now has no Saint Patrick's Parade.
Winter Park, 10 miles North, has had a super Family-oriented Parade for 32 years, and it was better than ever this year.
It has the full support of the IACS and other Irish organizations.
Today I am going to the Irish American Cultural Society's Dinner and Dance. It will be a great time,
members bring their children and grandchildren, it is a family day when we all join in the dancing.
On Saint Patrick's Day I would normally go to Mass in the morning, then stay home.
This year on 17th I've been invited to an "Irish only, by invitation" evening in a new Pub owned by a Limerick family.
Their family including little grandchildren will be there, they will do their party pieces for us.
There will be musicians from Ireland also.
I can guarantee there will be no drunks, and no "kiss me I'm Irish" buttons (no need, we know who we are).
And Saint Patrick would be very welcome.(actually, Saint Patrick's colour is blue)