Irish Kilt?

[macwilkin]

I can't help but actually feel a bit sorry for the Irish diaspora because fantasy Ireland has taken prescendence over real Ireland and, in some ways I understand that, but fantasy Ireland seems to honestly make Ireland out to be a little worse than it really is. The celebration of St. Patricks Day, a day of a Catholic saint, has turned into one of the biggest drinking days of the year, and green beer has now become what it means to be Irish. Many Irish-Americans have no idea what being Irish is or what being Irish means. Most of us have no idea about the dark Irish history in America and, to be honest, most of us wouldnt care. Being Irish means wearing a "kilt" (or a thigh-length womens pleated skirt like I saw on one man), a bright orange wig, and getting totally and completely s*itefaced on St. Pattys Day.

One other thing to consider: the St. Patrick's Day parade has its roots in America. Tradition says that either Boston or New York claims the first, and that Irish-American fraternal organizations, Irish soldiers in the British Army and later, Washington's troops, celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a parade. Over the years, as the Irish-American community slowly became accepted in the larger community (after years of discrimination and hostility), the St. Patrick's Day parade became less and less (if ever) about the feast day of Ireland's patron saint, and more about a celebration of having "made it". Hence why American celebrations tend to mirror Mardi Gras -- and even that is is not "true" Mardi Gras -- being married to a Cajun, I know what that is. <grin>

St. Patrick's Day in Ireland, according to Irish friends, was always more solemn, a day when the pubs were closed and everyone went to Mass. Parades were largely ceremonial military parades, and it's only been recently that American parade customs have been brought to Ireland.
T.