15 March 2006

THE REAL HISTORY OF ST PATRICK'S DAY

There's an Englishman, an Irishman and an Australian; which one wrote the definitive history of St Patrick's Day? Surprisingly the answer is the Australian and the Englishman, and a paperback version of their book is about to be launched in Belfast on St Patrick's Day, Friday 17 March.

The Wearing of the Green: A History of St Patrick's Day is written by University of Canberra historian Dr Daryl Adair and Professor Mike Cronin, Director of Irish Programs at Boston College's Dublin Campus.  

"What we set out to do with this book was debunk some of the myths about St Patrick's Day," Dr Adair said.

According to Dr Adair, the St Patrick's Day we know today has little to do with Irish tradition and is in fact a largely American-invented festival.

"St Patrick's Day was originally called the Anniversary of St Patrick's Falling Asleep and it was a very sober occasion for religious reflection.

"Protestant Irish emigrants to America observed it in this fashion, but with large scale Irish immigration to America following the potato famine, Irish-Catholic migrants began celebrating it as an expression of their own sense of ethnic identity and religious affiliation.

"It then became 'Americanised' with New York-style parades and Tin Pan Alley songs. When groups of Irish-Americans returned to the old country during the late 20 th century they took their celebrations with them and so Irish-American pageantry was introduced to the streets of Dublin.

Today the locally organised Dublin St Patrick's Day Festival attracts around a million visitors to the city. There is plenty of Guinness drinking and irish dancing, but the historic connection between St Patrick and faith has diminished. The St Patrick's Day parades feature "cartoon-style characters that have nothing to do with the religious origins of 17 March or wider expressions of Irishness."

Dr Adair argues that St Patrick's Day is nonetheless an unusually inclusive festival, which accounts for its popularity all around the world.

"It's unique in that anyone can be Irish on St Patrick's Day. You don't need any understanding of what the day is about to be able to be a part of it."

Additionally, St Patrick's Day has in recent years been an occasion for encouraging dialogue between nationalist and unionists, with delegations summoned to the White House for talks. Dr Adair says that 17 March may be used proactively to open up discussion about the peace process in Northern Ireland,

Dr Adair is available to discuss St Patrick's Day.

UC Communications

Gaye Morrison
T: 02 6201 5855
M: 0409 470 755

Kaddie Pass
T: 02 6201 2681

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Last Updated on August 1, 2005