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This article is drawn from Cronin and Adair's book The Wearing of the Green: A History of St Patrick's Day, Routledge, London and New York, 2002. This is the first study of the evolution of St Patrick's Day in Ireland and its development in key parts of the Irish diaspora – England, Canada, the United States, and Australia.
Copies of the book are now available, and can be ordered at major retailers
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Part 1: 1788-1914
The Irish, whether at home or abroad, have long recognised 17 March as a special time for joyful religious observance and festive affirmation of a common culture. Around the world, St Patrick's Day is recognised by Irish nationals, those who claim an Irish heritage, those who purport to be Irish, and further still by many non-Irish. It is, arguably, the most universal of all national days. Whereas Independence Day in America and Bastille Day in France command enormous parochial attention, St Patrick's Day attracts international interest. It is no surprise, of course, that St Patrick's Day is of greatest significance in places where Irish emigration has been most pronounced – namely Britain, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Before you dive into your freshly poured celebration pint of Guinness, spare a minute to think why you are celebrating 17 March – the day of Ireland's patron saint.
This article, together with part 2 to follow, offers a broad historical overview of 17 March festivities in Australia, with a particular focus on Sydney and Melbourne. There the Irish have long been numerically significant: they were, after all, part of the convict population, while free migrants also made their way from Ireland to Australia in the hope of finding gold or securing property. They were some 13,000 miles from Ireland; St Patrick's Day, in that respect, was an important time for Irish colonists to express nostalgia for the homeland they had left. But 17 March was also a timely occasion for the Irish to celebrate their place in a new community: this became obvious in St Patrick's Day dinners, dances, parades, and sporting events around the colonies. However, before examining 17 March Downunder we need to unravel two key issues: why have the Irish been so concerned about the life of a saint who died 1,500 years ago?; and how did St Patrick's Day become a key part of the Irish experience abroad?
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