There is a phenomena that occurs when people immigrate to the United States of America. They get here, fully expecting to find a niche community of their fellow nationalities where they can integrate and still follow the customs and culture of their homeland. Well, some of that may be true...but very often they find that Americans have taken many of those cultures and turned them, well, much more American. This was the case for me when I moved to America as a young Irishman and found that Saint Patrick's Day was much different than what I had back home. If it weren't so absolutely widespread here, then it would be completely disrespectful. You, as an individual, can help educate and guide your friends by just observing three rules.
You can wear your crazy Irish t shirts, but please have a little class about it. Yes, it is true that there is a terrible stereotype out there that the Irish are heavy drinkers. No, it is not alright to wear a shirt that makes fun of that stereotype. Do not be offensive to the people whom you are celebrating on Saint Patrick's Day. I find it distasteful and uncouth when I see drunk idiots wearing shirts about being drunk and being Irish. It's not appropriate. There are plenty of shirts out there that you can wear that are fun, but not offending.
Traditional Irish Pubs are a great place to hang out 364 days of the year. They are extremely low-key and they serve all of the best beer brands. You can typically get a pretty fine meal there and no one gets to loud. On March 17th, these pubs turn into madhouses. Kids who have never stepped through the door before in their lives come screaming into my pub and act like drunken monkeys for about 5 hours before leaving the place a mess of discarded green Irish tee shirts and headaches. If you absolutely must be a drunk idiot, then go do it at some mainstream bar that would love to have you.
You may not be a religious person yourself, but you absolutely must understand that Saint Patrick's Day is a sacred day to those who practice the catholic faith. We understand that there isn't much we can do about people going out into town and filling the streets with revelry. We enjoy ourselves too, actually. Please do not profane or do anything terribly immoral during this sacred day, if you don't mind too terribly much. You can have a great time having drinks and sharing laughs with your friends, but don't turn this day into another Mardi Gras.
I'm not asking you to feel ashamed for what America has done as a society to Saint Patrick's Day. In fact, I will be out and having fun on March 17th like everyone else. All I ask is that you be mindful of what is insensitive to our culture. I don't go out and throw eggs at McDonald's, so please be kind to the sensitive nature of Irish pride. If you see me out this year, you'll recognize me by my proud Irish t-shirt and my glass of thick, heady Guinness. Don't be a jerk, and I may buy you a shot!
You can wear your crazy Irish t shirts, but please have a little class about it. Yes, it is true that there is a terrible stereotype out there that the Irish are heavy drinkers. No, it is not alright to wear a shirt that makes fun of that stereotype. Do not be offensive to the people whom you are celebrating on Saint Patrick's Day. I find it distasteful and uncouth when I see drunk idiots wearing shirts about being drunk and being Irish. It's not appropriate. There are plenty of shirts out there that you can wear that are fun, but not offending.
Traditional Irish Pubs are a great place to hang out 364 days of the year. They are extremely low-key and they serve all of the best beer brands. You can typically get a pretty fine meal there and no one gets to loud. On March 17th, these pubs turn into madhouses. Kids who have never stepped through the door before in their lives come screaming into my pub and act like drunken monkeys for about 5 hours before leaving the place a mess of discarded green Irish tee shirts and headaches. If you absolutely must be a drunk idiot, then go do it at some mainstream bar that would love to have you.
You may not be a religious person yourself, but you absolutely must understand that Saint Patrick's Day is a sacred day to those who practice the catholic faith. We understand that there isn't much we can do about people going out into town and filling the streets with revelry. We enjoy ourselves too, actually. Please do not profane or do anything terribly immoral during this sacred day, if you don't mind too terribly much. You can have a great time having drinks and sharing laughs with your friends, but don't turn this day into another Mardi Gras.
I'm not asking you to feel ashamed for what America has done as a society to Saint Patrick's Day. In fact, I will be out and having fun on March 17th like everyone else. All I ask is that you be mindful of what is insensitive to our culture. I don't go out and throw eggs at McDonald's, so please be kind to the sensitive nature of Irish pride. If you see me out this year, you'll recognize me by my proud Irish t-shirt and my glass of thick, heady Guinness. Don't be a jerk, and I may buy you a shot!
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