The first St.
Patrick's Day parade took place in New York City in 1762-fourteen years before
the Declaration of Independence! It was organized by Irish soldiers serving
with the British army.
During the Potato Famine of 1845-1846,
close to a million Irish immigrants fled to America to escape starvation. But
they didn't find easy acceptance here. When Irish Americans celebrated
However, the Irish Americans refused to
let prejudice defeat them. They started to organize politically, and their
voting bloc, the "green machine," was influential in deciding local
and national elections. Annual St. Patrick's Day parades became must-attend
events for a slew of political candidates. In 1948, President Truman attended
New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade, a proud moment for the Irish.
Wearing of the
Green Goes Global
Today in Ireland, the traditional religious observances are accompanied by
events designed to attract tourism. Last year, close to one million people took
part in the St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring
parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions, and fireworks shows.
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by people
of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Although North
America is home to the largest events, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in
other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore, and Russia.
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