European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 16, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Agazine annual greening or America by Sid o Schapiro hey re a Pequo Breed these Irish. Who else would Reserve a Day each year Lor everyone Irish or not to show the Green no need to beat around the Shamrock even bagels and Malzo balls turn Green for is. Patrick s Day. March 17 is Iho Day the american melting pot Luins a distinct Shade of Green. It does t matter wha1 nationality you Are what neighbourhood you wore born in or whether your name is rally. Rossellini or Rosenberg tuesday a Little bit of Irish will creep into your veins. It is the Day when even the worst Irish Joko gets a chuckle and everything in the Earth appears to be a lighter Shade o Green scholars really Don t know How or Why Tho color Green became so closely associated with the Irish and is. Patrick s Day. Most probably Groen became Tho Irish color because of the remarkable brilliance of color in Ireland s vegetation and because the Green Shamrock become the Symbol of the to mily it was suggested. The Emerald Islo id still Green arid Wilhan average rainfall of Between 30 and 60 inches a year is Likely to remain so for As Long As the Atlantic Ocean lashes against the Western shores. The greening of America will have millions of the Irish and Irish for a Day joining hands in a sea of Green to Honor Ireland s Patron Saint. All Over the United Stales there Are All manner of celebrations particularly in the Large cities where the streets take on a Green Haze and a traditional Parade takes place through the most prominent thoroughfare celebrations Are Fine but it is important that we recall How the Irish did so much to build this great land of  an Irish american Friend commented and contributed so tremendously o Ini s country s history of  an estimated 125.000 people will March up new York s filth Avenue in one of the nation s oldest and largest traditional Parados. If the Weatherman plays along about 1 2 million spectators will be lining the route. Of course they have been honouring St. Patrick s Day in Ireland for More than 15 centuries bul it is Only in the fast 20 years thai tha format has evolved Tram a solely religious Observance to a National festival. In fact he Irish have now set aside the whole week this year until March 22, or a countrywide Celet Iraklion. The is Patrick s Day Parade in Dublin is a Chance Lor monday March 16, 1987 overseas bands including some from Iho us. To display their talents Tho lord mayor of Dublin reviews the Parade and bands Are judged As they pass the reviewing stand. Awards Ore presented that evening before Tho lord mayor s Ball a gala of Cal St Patrick s night is a Greal night for casting out and dinner dances Aio held All Over Iho country. Thoro is Iho usual Lively entertainment in pubs. On St Patrick Day in Alaska there s no place like Nome As Irish America Magazine reported. It s just a Lew Hundred Miles across the Bering Straits to Siberia another few Hundred to the North Polo bul Tho Irish folks of Noma Don t forget their Irish roots in the second most northerly City of the North american continent. The annual Nome Irish got classic takes place on thai Day. The tournament is played on the Frozen Bering sea the ice around the Gold holes dyed Green and the golfers move from Hole to Hole by dog sled name s Large Irish population Dales Back to the time of the Gold Rush Whan thousands of Irish braved the alaskan wilderness and later settled in places like Nome. More recently a few Irish have moved there after working on the Oil pipeline. It is impossible of course to think of St. Patrick and not also think of his famous snakes. As Erin s Green Paradise has never had any snakes How did this arrange belie get started an Irish scholar gave this explanation the ancient Irish had never seen a Snake but they had Learned of their existence elsewhere and looked upon the reptiles As something alien and loathsome. The Snake became Tor them a despised image. A the celts became christians they applied the contemptuous term at Snake to their Druid priests who rejected the new Faith and dung to the old Pagan beliefs. Later under the powerful missionary work of St. Patrick the druids started to disappear rapidly and in time our great National apostle was said to have driven out the snakes it to All just a simple matter of iconography the scholar concluded tying the Mailer up neatly. Not a single Leprechaun has been sighted Lor some years now bul every now and then again a Story crops up about tha wee Lolk of Irish folklore whom everyone wants to catch because As everyone knows they carry crocks full of Gold. A county Cork housewife who in t one to sneer at these mythical wee Folk nor would any True irishman old a court recently that she got fed up being awakened one night repeatedly by people who protease to be looking for  she blamed a hypnotist who gave a show in a ballroom near her Home. For hours unlit 2 . Her Doorbell Kepi ringing and there were knocks at the door the Carters had been hypnotized and sent out to Lind  others who had been bothered Lold the same Story and joined the housewife in protesting renewal of a License Lor the ballroom on the grounds of noise and nuisance. The ballroom owner said the Enterprise Cost him $2-10.000 and pleaded these objectors complain about one steepness night. If i Don t get this License i will have steepness nights for 20 years a Wilt have to sell my hotel and Lake my family on the Road " the judge granted the License but did say i have Ine greatest sympathy with the victims of the Leprechaun Hunt Ireland is one of the new countries in Tho world to have a musical instrument As a National Emblem. Since the 14lh Century the Harp has appeared on Irish coins and has adorned Irish crests and Long actor of the 14th Century it had become peculiarly identified Wilh a music Loving race. Wandering harpists were honoured guests wherever they went wined and dined in lordly mansions and sharing whatever frugal sustenance there was m Humble collages the Irish Are great talkers. Irishman Oscar Wilde once observed Trie Irish Are the greatest talkers since the greeks Between in ctr music and their Chat the Irish can still Charm Iho Birds i of tha Ticas. And that s no Blarney sit Schapiro a stars and stripes new Orf Bureau Retiree still gels his Lush up Lor St. Patrick s Day the stars and stripes Page 13