Pet peeve

[fluter]

In the nearly twenty-two years that I lived in Ireland, almost everybody called it "Paddy's Day", because that's what it is-- the day we celebrate our patron saint, Patrick.-

I think Greg was objecting to the odd mis-spelling; I confess that it rubs me the wrong way, too. Although why a guy (I) who wears a skirt would object to calling Porrick "Patricia," will probably remain one of life's little mysteries.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

But just because Irish people say "St. Paddy" doesn't mean I have to be happy about it.

Can't say I ever heard anyone use the phrase "St. Paddy".... even on Paddy's Day. But I do remember a Paddy's Day interview on RTE (the Irish government radio-television network) that went something like this:

ANNCR: So what makes Paddy's Day special for you?

LITTLE KID: On Paddy's Day we celebrate the life of Saint Patrick.

ANNCR: And what do you know about Saint Patrick?

LITTLE KID: Well... (long pause, thinking hard) ...he had a big snake and his last name was Guinness...

[PiobBear]

Bunch of americans use it as an excuse to get drunk on cheap beer artificially colored green.

As long as it pays and they tip well (often there's a positive correlation).

Much of it is trivialized nonsense, but in North America we tend to do that with most cultures anyway.

Including their own; take a good look 'round next Fourth of July.

And I have never had a green beer. It's a matter of principle.

As everyone knows, God always intended for beer to be black.

[Phogfan86]

And I have never had a green beer. It's a matter of principle.

I nearly lost a job as a bartender one St. Padraig's Day in grad school because a customer said they thought green beer was stupid and didn't want any coloring in their pitcher of beer. As I obliged, the bar owner -- who was about as smart as a potted fern and less personable -- asked what why the h*ll I didn't make the guy's pitcher green. I explained, and he said he didn't care. The customer was nice enough to chime in, and the owner said something about "St. Padraig's Day policy" being all beer that day is green. The customer left, and the owner somehow managed to justify it as all my fault. Bonehead.

[siva011]

While we shorten St Patrick's Day to Paddy's day, we also seem to have no problem shortening another holiday's name to x-mas.

Of the people who celebrate Paddy's day around me, I'd say maybe 1/4 even care a tiny bit about Irish or Irish culture. It's about an excuse to get drunk. Also see Cinco de Mayo.

For the green beer, that's bad enough. But what gets me is when Budwieser and the like start putting shamrocks on their signs, and declare themselves the "offical" beer of the day. Meh.

[McFarkus]

St. Patty must be St. Patricia, a virgin who fled Constantinople to escape marriage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_of_Naples

[mbhandy]

Of the people who celebrate Paddy's day around me, I'd say maybe 1/4 even care a tiny bit about Irish or Irish culture. It's about an excuse to get drunk. Also see Cinco de Mayo.

AAAnnnd thhhe nexst mounth is Cinco de Mustard wit jallapinosss. In a Kilt.

You will be wearing your Irish National?
Come on just some humor ,
MrBill

[WARPIPER]

This is a great thread. It brings up some great discussion. I have the privilege of being of both Scottish (Dad’s side) and Irish (Mom’s side) descent and I celebrate and study both. I have found in my studies that the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day has developed from and Irish religious day to an American party day. However, if you study the history the reasons and its development (in the US) started as more political then religious and have broadened to a celebration of all things Irish. Now, as it has been said, many in the US are just out to Party and OK fine. Now it as has also been addressed in an earlier post the Irish have, in many places have adapted the US style celebration mostly for commercial reason.

Now the interesting thing is, as I read in the Scotsman newspaper last year, there is discussions and some planning in Scotland to move St. Andrews Day in the same directionfor the same reasons.

[Ian.MacAllan]

Why is it deemed proper to celebrate the life of a man of the cloth by getting blitzed?

To some of us anything is an occasion to get blitzed. Either we drink to celebrate something or we have nothing to celebrate and therefor need a drink.

.

Well, you are talking about Frugal Corner after all. Given the delivery problems, the "Bright Skye" fiasco, the other mis-named tartans (that's not Robertson Red, !) ... celebrating the feast of Padraig's lesser known sister St. Patricia is par for the course.

Right on the mark, Wompet, thank you.

And I have never had a green beer. It's a matter of principle.

That only the poorest quality beers are dyed green is, I think, conclusive evidence that St. Patrick's day is, in the US at least, primarily a mercantile occasion.

.

[macwilkin]

However, if you study the history the reasons and its development (in the US) started as more political then religious and have broadened to a celebration of all things Irish.

Plus ten for observation. St. Patrick's Day in the US was a way for Irish immigrants to celebrate the fact that they "had made it" in the New World, in spite of opposition from "Native" Americans.

Also, it should be pointed out that the first St. Patrick's Day parade was held in America, either in Boston (1737) by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick (with a Presbyterian as President) or by Irish soldiers stationed in New York in 1767. The St. Patrick's Day parade really is an American innovation.

There is a very interesting history of St. Patrick's Day titled: The Wearing of the Green by Mike Cronin and Daryl Adair. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in this topic.

Regards,

Todd