“Kiss me, I’m Irish!” Found on everything from green t-shirts to streamers to napkins and everything else that can be marketed and sold in the weeks between Valentine’s Day and Easter, this slogan is just one of many that signals that March 17th is upon us once again.
More than a date on the calendar, St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday with a storied past. It centers around the patron saint of Ireland, who took the name of Patricius (Latin for father) when he entered the priesthood. St. Patrick, as he was later known, was actually born in Rome and brought as a slave to Ireland. He stayed to convert the pagan and druid population, and the establishment of many churches are credited to him. While numerous legends surround him, such as the idea that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland, he is also represented by the shamrock because it is said that he used one to teach the concept of the holy trinity. His death is supposed to have occurred on March 17, 461.
St. Patrick’s feast day has been established and honored by the church since the early seventeenth
century. This has allowed a brief respite of restrictions during Lent and has slowly and steadily gained in popularity since then. With the Irish diaspora to North America following the Great Famine in the mid-
nineteenth century, St. Patrick’s Day really began to take off. Today, it is celebrated in more countries than any other cultural festival.
To the modern citizen, there are a few ways to view St. Patrick’s Day: there may be a religious connotation, if one is Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran or Eastern Orthodox, and the appropriate observations may be made in those cases. There may be cultural connections, if one is of Irish heritage, and if so, it is a day of especial reflection and pride. For the general public, there are quite a few ways to celebrate that involve decorating, “the wearing of the green”, parades, listening to traditional Irish music and of course, what the day has now become most famed for, drinking. It’s generally viewed as a fun time for all, and a welcome bright bit of high spirits in what is typically a dull stretch of winter (at least in the northern part of the Midwest.)
Words that are not usually associated with St. Patrick’s Day are: loneliness, sadness, isolation, withdrawal. Heartache. Yet many people experience these very feelings. Our friends and neighbors, our own family members, they may be watching all the fun and for one reason or another not be able to participate. St. Patrick’s Day is a time of revelry, dancing, lighthearted spirits, cavorting and attending parties. It brings to mind all manner of fun, but not necessarily of family. Think to yourself if an older uncle who has lost his mobility is now alone or if someone you know who usually enjoys a good time is unable to get out as much. At this time of year especially, it can be frustrating for those left on the fringes to feel left out of the fun.
Should you take your grandma to the bar or give your great auntie a mug of green beer? Maybe you should, after all! However, the remedy isn’t to feel guilty about your own good time, but just to remember that a call or text will go so far to ease loneliness in anyone. Reaching out to stay connected is all you ever need to do. Helping those around you to feel cherished is as simple as saying hello now and again, even during your own good times. Especially then. So this year raise a glass to St. Patrick, to good luck, and to occasionally staying in touch with family. Cheers!
