As I questioned unsuspecting civilians about their
St. Patrick’s Day traditions for the paper’s Street Talk feature, I
realized that I didn’t know all that much about the holiday. I realize
there are religious undertones to the holiday, but I think its safe to
say that today its origins have been overshadowed by secular
celebrations. Maybe it’s a good idea to reacquaint ourselves with some
essential St. Patrick’s Day knowledge before getting out our shamrock
hats.

    March 17 is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron
saint of Ireland. According to The History Channel, there are a lot of
misconceptions about what St. Patrick actually did in his lifetime.
According to this source, Patrick was born in Britain and only ended up
in Ireland because he was taken prisoner by a group of Irish men, who
attacked his family’s home. Patrick also didn’t introduce Christianity
to Ireland, but rather he was called upon to work with the Christians
already living in the country. Apparently, the snake banishing story is
also false. Patrick is credited with the creation of the Celtic cross,
which was meant to symbolize the joining of Christianity with native
beliefs through the joining of the sun with the cross. The shamrock
also has its origins in ancient Ireland, when the plant was believed to
symbolize spring and rebirth.

    The largest St. Patrick’s Day parade is held in New
York City. According to some reports, the first official parade was
held in NYC in 1762 and the participants were Irish soldiers serving in
the English military. Now parades take place all over the country,
including Portland.

    After all of the marching, parade goers will need
refreshments and there are plenty of Irish dishes to sample. The most
popular is of course corned beef and cabbage, although, the dish may
not be as traditional as some people would believe. In my research, I
discovered that the dish is an “Americanized” version of Irish food.
One account suggested that beef was an expensive delicacy and rarely
eaten. The term corned beef comes from the kernel size pieces of salt
that were used to preserve the meat. When they reached the U.S., some
Irish immigrants ate beef more frequently because it was widely
available and inexpensive. One of the dishes they prepared was boiled
meat with cabbage.

    Another popular dish is Bangers and Mash, which is
sausage served with mashed potatoes and onion gravy. If you are headed
out for an Irish breakfast at the local pub, you most likely will also
encounter soda bread, lamb, and all sorts of variations on the potato.

    To wash all of that hearty food down, you will have
your green beer and your Guinness, of course. Green beer is another
American invention. Guinness actually has an extensive history, dating
back to the 1700s. Arthur Guinness had to fight Dublin officials for
access to the water he used in his brewery. According to the legend, he
threatened the officials with a pickaxe. Here is a St. Patrick’s Day
challenge: see if your bartender can draw a shamrock in the head of the
beer while pouring it.

    This is by no means a complete guide to St.
Patrick’s Day, but it should help you navigate any celebrations you
should happen upon. Perhaps the most important thing to know is the
term Slainte, pronounced Slahn-cha, which means cheers.

    No matter what misconceptions exist about the
holiday, when St. Patrick’s Day comes around, it is completely
acceptable to claim Irish descent even if it may be stretching the
truth.