Thursday, March 18, 2010
Top of the mornin’ to ya!
As the fog clears from our heads following the St. Patrick’s Day revelry, it’s fitting to take a moment and remember why we do what we do every March 17h.
Irish Americans have had a visible presence in the St. Louis area for nearly a century and a half, in urban settings and Catholic parishes. Today, as in many major cities, most Irish Americans have migrated to the suburbs and have blended into the mainstream of American life. The transformation from “oppressed people” to “mover and shaker” has been quite remarkable.
Lawrence McCaffrey writes: “The fact that 20th century descendants of 19th-century tenant farmers and cultural laborers have become university professors; elementary and secondary school teachers; distinguished novelist, playwrights, and poets; important figures on stage and screen; physicians; political leaders; and corporate executive officers classifies the Irish American Catholic experience as a tremendous success story.”
The rise of Irish nationalism in the U.S. has been a complicated mix of a search for identity, a cry for vengeance against the British, and a quest for respectability. Many linked their “American destiny to the sovereignty of the homeland,” McCaffrey says. Thus, Irish Americans have many overt expressions of Irish identity and pride.
These expressions have become key symbols of the Irish American culture, namely: the Irish Flag, St. Patrick, the shamrock, the claddaugh ring and, the “most sacred” of all rituals, the St. Patrick’s Day parade. The Irish flag, of course, is a symbol of Irish nationalism, and is proudly displayed on many homes, T-shirts, and parade flag poles. St. Patrick, though not a native son of Ireland, is hailed as the missionary who brought Christianity to the Druid land. Legend holds how Patrick utilized the native-grown shamrock leaf to explain the Trinity to King Laoghaire (circa 432), converted him to Christianity, and obtained permission to preach the gospel throughout the land.
The claddaugh ring, named for the oldest fishing village of Ireland, is also a popular Irish American symbol. Medieval in origin, the ring shows a heart and two hands clasped in friendship. Many Irish Americans wear the ring as a symbol of their heritage, and others use it as a wedding band.
Perhaps Irish Americans are best known for their grand display of pride on March 17, St. Patrick's Day. “No other ethnic group [in the U.S.] advertises its ethnic character” in the way the Irish do, especially with the St. Patrick's Day parade, writes Thomas Day. The parade has its genesis as an outward sign of the advancing status of Irish Americans in the early 20th century, and as another means to give the immigrants a heightened sense of their ethnic identity. Organizations, such as the Irish Catholic Benevolent Union, the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), local Catholic parishes and family groups marched in the annual parade. Today in St. Louis the celebration continues, with two St. Patrick’s Day parades celebrated downtown last weekend and the AOH-organized parade on the 17. These events are chock-full of Irish symbols, festivity and music.
Oh, the music! The Irish’s quest for identity and the experience of loss are perhaps no more dramatically portrayed than in their music. Irish Musician Van Morrison said: “All of Irish writing, whether it be literature or songs, is based on going away and coming back.” He made these remarks in a PBS documentary entitled, “Danny Boy: in Sunshine or in Shadows.” Presenting an historical and musical analysis of the famous Irish ballad, the documentary hailed “Danny Boy” as perhaps the greatest gift Ireland has given to the world. The enduring lyrics and haunting melody capture the profound loss the Irish have experienced. The singer shares with his /her beloved Danny Boy the great sadness of their separation, a loss so many Irish shared. Danny, along with his fellow immigrants, must have felt complicated contradictory emotions –hope for the future in America, and sorrow for the land and family left behind.
This past week Danny’s descendants and gangs of honorary Irish joined the festivities—a remarkable mix of pride, passion, and a great excuse for a drink. In the haze of green beer, tacky beads and slurred sing-alongs, let’s hope we haven’t lost sight of the faith, resilience and accomplishments that were cause for celebration in the first place.
Maria Rodgers O’Rourke is an author and speaker with 25 years of experience in communications and nonprofit management. Creator of the “Prepare Your Heart” journals, her work also appears in the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series of books. A native of St. Louis, she is married and has two children. Contact Maria at MROTheBigPicture@gmail.com or visit her website (MariaRodgersORourke.com)
Comments
Kslp (anonymous) says...
It's so nice that we are all Irish on St. Patrick's Day.
March 18, 2010 at 11:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cmiddendorf (anonymous) says...
Thanks for the salute to the faith, resilience and accomplishments of Irish Americans. It's great to see an acknowledgment that we are about more than green beer on St. Patrick's day. My maternal grandfather was Irish. Among his descendants are many professionals including a physician, a nurse, a pharmacist, a PhD research scientist, and a real estate broker. There are also the industrious ones who are carpenters, mechanics, bio-diesel developers, and those who followed in his footsteps as farmers. I appreciate the reminder about how far we have come.
March 18, 2010 at 11:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )