St. Patrick

Growing up St. Patricks day wasn't a big deal around my house. Oh, we had leprechauns and all that and spoke with a brogue, the top'o' the mornin' to ya. The big parade was down to Montauk and that was a good distance from us. A good fifteen to twenty miles. I don't know why the parade was there I guess that is where the Irish lived. We weren't taught much about it either. All we knew,as kids, was that it involved corned beef and cabbage and drinking a lot of beer. We all knew that is what the Irish did, drink and fight. In fact those Irishmen fought each other just for the fun of it ! When somebody died what did the Irish do ? They had a party and drank some more. Seemed a little strange because almost every Irishman was a cop. That is what they did when they came to America, probably because they were used to violent people. And they were such a happy go lucky people too. Always laughing and having a good time. Most of them were named Mick for some reason. They didn't like it if you called them by that name though. I remember being told, he's a Mick, and that explained a lot of things.
There are those today that will tell you how we were being taught stereotypes. I can't argue with that as we certainly were. Of course, to be fair, the same was being taught about us. Whoever us is ! Now I knew a lady named Nora. A fine big Irish lady with a huge laugh and incessantly talking. My mother told me Nora had come over directly from Ireland. I asked Mom if all the Irish talked as much as that lady. Mom says, only the one that have kissed the blarney stone. The next time I saw Miss Nora, in typical kid fashion, I asked her. Miss Nora have you ever kissed the blarney stone ? Without hesitation she answered me, yes sir, twice ! Well, that explained that alright. My next door neighbor was an Irishman or at least I think he was. Dad called him Patty the mad hatter. A big robust fella, rather loud and outspoken, he had been a hat maker at one point in his life. He didn't sound like an Irishman though. No telling about a persons heritage though.
At some point I was told that St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland with his shillelagh. Geez, even the saints in Ireland are violent fellows. That shillelagh sure looked like a club to me. Well, we know about snakes from the Bible so it is no wonder that Saint drove them out. Funny though how the Irish seem to sin a lot anyway, what with their drinking and fighting. And now we have a big parade in honor of this Saint. A whole lot of beer drinking,cabbage eating and wearing green clothes. We spend the whole day acting in a way that should be offensive, at least in today's political correctness, to those of Irish heritage yet the opposite is true. It is practically a national holiday here in America. It really is in Ireland. It does strike me odd how some many " atheists " and others possibly lacking in religious belief so readily join in the celebration. Doesn't seem to " offend " them as much as saying I believe in Jesus or saying a prayer in school. Just my observation. Of course it could be argued that not much Christian behavior is being displayed either. Then again the Irish can't seem to settle their differences among themselves on the matter of religious belief. The protestants and the catholics have their differences, or so I hear. I haven't studied that issue at all so withhold all comment in that regard.
Well no matter. Enjoy the holiday for whatever reason you choose. All in all I think the Irish have a fine reputation for being a friendly people. Ireland is one country I have never visited but would do so given the chance. The emerald isle they call it and a fine soundin' name it tis. I wonder just how much of the Ireland of hollywood and tales from the old country are true. I would enjoy a pint in a real Irish pub in the countryside. It would be fun to just listen to the conversation.