Irish Americans
Happy St. Patrick's Day
March 17
Aye lads and lassies, don't ya' forget to wear the green . Irish and Irish Americans commemorate the death, as legend has it, of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who died on March 17, around 492. But mainly, people today honor Irish heritage and its rich culture and traditions. Cities all over the U.S. celebrate with St. Patrick's Day parades and festivities. The most famous of these annual festival traditions includes the Boston St. Patricks's parade, with its first parade in 1737; the New York City St. patricks' Day parade, which began in 1762; and the Savannah, Georgia, St. Patrick's Day parade which started in 1812. What do you do to honor Irish tradition? Wear green? Look for four-leaf clovers? Sing Irish songs?
U. S. Census Bureau Data on Irish Americans
Irish Americans, especially those who arrived in the U.S. in the 1840s, have had to overcome much suffering. The Great Potato Famine of 1845-49 claimed the lives of 1 million Irish back on the Isle of Erin (Ireland is also called Eire). To escape starvation, those that could immigrated to America. Most of the Irish who settled in the U.S. during this period arrived with little education and few material possessions. As a result, they encountered poverty and discrimination. Most were Catholics and also suffered because of longstanding prejudices against their religion. But Irish Americans showed their strength and courage.
In 1862, during the Civil War, the Irish Brigade was formed. These Irish American soldiers fought for the Union in some of the bloodiest battles of the war. One historian, Phillip Thomas Tucker, said, "These Celtic soldiers were fighting most of all for their own future and an America which did not segregate, persecute, and discriminate against the Irish people and their Catholicism, Irish culture, and distinctive Celtic heritage." Irish American heritage has become an important part of American culture. In song, festivity, appearance and company, Americans of all ethnicities are celebrating St. Patrick's Day
source: Library of Congress
|
St. Pat's Day Gourmet Gifts
Sending the Green @ 1-800-FLOWERS.COM
Travel to Ireland
Stop Adware and Spyware from invading your computer. Internet Security Tools
clean cookies, Internet Temp files and History as scheduled or upon command.
Protect your family today!
1000 Low Carb Recipes
|
Bookmark this at Del.icio.us 
