Stories & Lifestyle: St. Patrick's Day - day of the Irish

The Irish or people of Irish origin are the largest demographic group within the US. At present, approx. 19 million Irish are living in the US, this is almost 8% of the population. Many of them left Ireland during a great famine, the so-called great potato famine (1845-51), they came to the US and worked hard in the new world's industry in order to make a living.
Due to a great sense of belonging together, the Irish, a continuously growing community, formed a close circle and soon gained significant influence in the US.

To commemorate where they came from, the Irish celebrate their St. Patrick's Day every single year on March 17 - a celebration that is becoming more and more popular overseas.

It has not really been determined when and where he was born, probably in Scotland in 382. Maewyn grew up a "heathen," in Wales. When he was 16, marauding Irish invaded the country. They abducted him and sold him into slavery to their country. During this difficult time, the legend says, Maewyn found comfort in Christianity. After six years of slavery an angel came to him and told him to run away. Maewy did so and took refuge with some monks in Auxerre. He spent the following 12 years in the monastery and was ordained to priesthood. Since that time, he went by the name of Patrick and his favourite task was to convert "heathens." He founded monasteries and schools and was very successful as a missionary. For thirty years he served the church, by the end of it, he had converted all of Ireland to Christianity. The priest died on March 17, 461 in County Down.

In Catholic Ireland itself, the anniversary of his death is a rather quiet day, spent at home with the family. The Irish immigrants in the US turned the day into what it is today - a mass event, attracting thousands of spectators.
The first St. Patrick's Day Parade was already held in Chicago in 1843. The number of participants, 800 at first, continuously increased, as well as the organizers' commercial interest in the event. While the first Irish participants only brought some green flags to wave around enthusiastically, over the time more and more products were dyed green. Green is the color and green has to be everything that day. Scarves, T-shirts, sweaters, pants, hats and even food and faces are colored green that day - nothing is safe. Entire sectors of industry have adjusted to this and are looking forward to making great profit.
One clever businessman even came up with the idea of producing green beer - and people keep guessing how he did it. Probably with green food coloring.
To extend the celebrations as long as possible - because once the Irish are celebrating, they will keep going a while - the Green Beer Day, or better "Days," was introduced (the days before actual St. Patrick's Day).

The greatest curiosity, however, was the idea of one Mr. Stephen Bailey in 1962, who poured 100 lbs of green food coloring into the Chicago River, which stayed green for a week. While at the time it mostly angered a lot of politicians, by now it has become tradition. Not for a week, but still for a few hours every year.
And this year, the 19 million Irish in the US may again celebrate their national holiday, as enthusiastically as ever, the way it is supposed to be done.