‘Wetting the shamrock’

I don’t hear the term ‘wetting the shamrock’ or ‘drowning the shamrock’ used as much around St Patrick’s Day as was the case in times past. Certainly the ritual of the ‘wetting’ isn’t nearly as dramatic as it was in days of yore.

You see, the olden drama had much to do with the fact that St Patrick’s Day finds itself plonked into the middle of the Season of Lent. Fasting, penance and self-denial was the order of the day… or more accurately the order of 39 days of the 40 days of Lent.

Back in the day, every self-respecting man swore off the drink for the duration in order to save his soul and stack a few quid for when the dam got lifted. But there was a halfway comfort in so far as there was a dispensation on St Patrick’s Day. Our national holiday was licence for the men who ‘took a drink’ to over-indulge to their hearts’ content. And before anyone asks about the women, the fairer sex would be at home doing what women did in those days. The most that Bean an Tighe got out of the national holiday was to wear her green scarf to Mass and sport a sprig of shamrock on her coat lapel. Children made badges, often in school, and nice ribbons and coloured badges could be bought in the shops.

Back to the main business at hand; wetting or drowning the shamrock was serious men’s work. There might be a guy in the pub rasping an accordion, which of course sounded like the Andre Rieu of the time, on account of the day that was in it. The younger generation went to a dance that night – and there you have it.

It may come as a surprise to many of you to learn that until recent years we had no outdoor activities, except in Croke Park, where the ‘Railway Cup finals’ in hurling and football attracted massive interest and they were followed in later years by the staging of the all-Ireland club finals.

It may come as another surprise to you to hear that eventually, when the St Patrick’s Day parades caught on in this country, it was because the parades were promoted and encouraged by both Protestant and Catholic clergy, and temperance movements, as a way of keeping the men out of the pubs. (See above!)

The first recorded St Patrick’s Day parade took place in New York in 1762. A group of Irish soldiers serving in the British Army marched to Irish music and started something that nobody could imagine would catch on and grow. I don’t know if it was 5th Avenue the soldiers marched on, but I do know that I nearly froze to death standing on that spot for three hours a good few years later.

It is hard to believe that it was 169 years later before the first parade took place in Ireland. That was in Dublin in 1931.

Parades are now a big part of celebration on St Patrick’s day across the world. From Boston to Bali, and from Cape Cod to Cabo Roig, the Irish, and those who wish they were, turn out in their droves for a bit of high jinks, good music and good fun.

The parade practice we imported is now embraced in every nook and corner of Ireland. It has turned into a lovely family day out, a time for welcoming people home, taking part in a float, playing music, oh and of course wetting the shamrock!

It is fair to say that the shamrock is more ‘wetted’ than ‘drowned’ in the Ireland of today. Even my own native little village of Drumcree has its parade. Denise, Linda, Trevor, Noel and Betty and all the proud inhabitants of a great place to come from ensure a colourful parade full of laughter and joy. There is no such thing as somebody from the village not being involved!

I have been to a lot of St Patrick’s Day celebrations all over the world, but there is nowhere I’d rather be than at the parade in Drumcree.

We should not lose sight of the fact that St Patrick’s Day is a Christian celebration. St Patrick is credited with bringing the faith to Ireland and one of the most famous symbols of the saint is the shamrock. We are told that he used the shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity.

Today, the Irish influence that is celebrated on St Patrick’s Day throughout the world is more than extraordinary. A globally recognised celebration of Irish culture, influence and heritage is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival.

As a nation we are entitled to feel proud on our national feast day, so go on, raise your glass and at very least, dampen the shamrock!

Don’t Forget

Lã Fhéile Pãdraig dhuit go léir!