Struggle and triumph: St. Patrick’s Day not just corned beef, cabbage and green beer

Many Americans eat corned beef and cabbage, wear green clothing or drink green beer to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the celebration of all things Irish.

However, for some people, the holiday isn’t just about parties and parades, but a way to identify with Irish Americans.

“Among groups in the United States, Irish Americans in particular have histories of facing discrimination and injustice and then emerging as a group with access to all the privileges society can offer,” said Brian Britt, a professor or religion and culture at Virginia Tech. “These histories may be one reason why so many Americans like to identify with Irish Americans and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

“By being Irish for a day, revelers can enjoy the pleasure of parades and parties but also identify with a story of struggle and triumph,” he said. “The myth of the underdog who emerges from the trauma of the potato famine and British rule to make a happy new life in the United States holds appeal for many Americans, not just those of Irish descent.”

Britt said that when he visited Dublin as a college student on St. Patrick’s Day, the streets were quiet, and there were no celebrations.

“In my own experience, an aunt on my father’s side often told the story of anti-Irish job discrimination by quoting the insulting phrase ‘Irish need not apply.’  And my grandmother on my mother’s side affirmed her Irish identity through foodways, religion and fierce support for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, even though we lived in Nebraska, home of the Big Red.”

The holiday was founded in the 17th century by the Catholic Church in honor of the patron saint credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland and was seen as a religious feast day.

“The growth of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in cities like Boston, New York and Chicago is fascinating, as they quickly went far beyond their origins in particular fraternal organizations and the feast of the snake-purging saint,” Britt said. “During the 20th century ‘troubles’ between the Irish and the British, St. Patrick’s Day once again became an occasion for Americans to side with the underdog in a conflict that echoed the story of the American Revolution.

“The appeal of this framing can be seen today in Boston, where some celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day will welcome Latin Americans targeted by anti-immigration campaigns.”