The celebration came to the United States in 1737 and took place in Boston, Massachusetts, when dozens of Northern Irish Presbyterian immigrants from the Charitable Irish Society gathered to honor St. Patrick and their culture and heritage.
Today, St. Patrick’s Day has expanded vastly from the very first celebration. Now, it is tradition in large cities like Chicago, Kansas City, Boston, and Philadelphia to plan a host of events for the weekend before and after the holiday. Parades, concerts, bar and pub crawls, Irish food and traditions are the most popular events.
In different places in Illinois, many celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the typical parades and festivals, corned beef and cabbage dinners, and wearing green. Some areas are deeply committed to the holiday, whereas other places do not. In Springfield, locals gather downtown for their annual parade and host a variety of events to follow at the local establishments. This year, their parade theme is “Raise a Glass to an Irish Lass”.
Meanwhile in Chicago, the celebrations are elevated with the dyeing of the Chicago River. Tourists and locals go to the city to admire the green river, three annual parades, and the many Irish-centric festivities. The Archer Avenue Parade is expected to kick off at noon on Saturday, March 15th and conclude by 2:30 p.m., whereas the Southside and Northside Irish Parades, will be held on Sunday, also beginning at noon.
Illinois is home to many Irish Americans, ranking as one of the top states with the most Irish population, in both northern and southern Illinois, specifically in Cook and Gallatin counties. Irish Americans have made notable impacts on the United States and Illinois with political activism, labor and infrastructure, religion, and the arts.
Representative Patrick Sheehan, an Irish American, representing portions of suburban Will and Cook counties in the House Republican Caucus, recognizes the value of the impacts made by Irish Americans.
“I am proud of my heritage and thankful for the hard work that Irish Americans have put in to make advancements in multiple facets of our country and great state” said Rep. Sheehan. “The contributions of Irish American laborers, include infrastructure projects like laying railroads, building canals, digging roads, and working in mines that have made our state what it is today. Without their work in these dangerous fields, the city of Chicago would not have grown from the town it once was to the third largest city in the nation.”
March is also Irish American Heritage Month, being designated in 1991 to coincide with honoring St. Patrick and to further memorialize all Irish Americans have done across the United States. Deputy House Republican Leader Norine Hammond, a long-time advocate for Irish Americans, notes their successes often.
“As a member of the Irish American Caucus and of Irish decent, I always work to commemorate the work of Irish Americans and note their contributions,” said Leader Hammond. “Irish Americans are behind so many great everyday advancements and entertainment options, and they should be celebrated. Music, infrastructure, coal mining, and political advocacy have been impacted by Irish Americans. To thank Irish Americans for their work, they should be celebrated even outside of Irish American Heritage Month.”
This St. Patrick’s Day and Irish American Heritage Month, check out your city’s St. Patrick’s Day plans and remember the contributions of Irish Americans.