European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 16, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine Ysido Schapiro Ith 00 million americans of Irish descent March 17 is the Day when a great Green sea of smiling Irish faces washes across he United slates in the annual Irish on Parade festivities in Honor Al Ireland s Patron Saint for sure it s a Day when Irish eyes arc smiling. Ii is perhaps a Little ironic that nowhere is St. Patrick s Day celebrated with More Tervor  single Mindor toss than among the Irish in America  indeed around the world it is on reflection truly extraordinary that this should be so thai one Small country such As Ireland could Hotd the world &1age Lor an entire Day every year. For whatever the great East Day of St. Patrick signifies to Irish people in Ireland an Irish american journalist commented in is certain that overseas it is simply a tribute to Ireland  the  no doubt it s .1 Motif us Alfair with a marked tendency to bedeck almost everything in sight with each  every of the  Many shades of Green. There will be numerous parades in the . Iron coast to coast As Well As concerts dinner dances family gatherings  religious services. It s no Surprise when the Irish  their friends March in new Yolk Boston Philadelphia  Chicago but parades Are also planned in mini fort Lauderdale Savannah Beverly Hills Las vegas  t to Dulu where a special License to menu lecture Green Beer is granted Loi the tin they will be Matching too. In Baltimore Washington Cleveland. St Louis. Dallas. . Pittsburgh los Angeles Salt late City  Many other cities  towns Down to probably the smallest in is. Patrick to. Population 49. Where lira Parade is held on main Street every year parades will Aio in held in san Juan puerto Rico. Is . Virjin islands  Montreal Canada As one new Vort newspaper headline put it Irish read to Sham Rock the big  nearly 200 marching bands  Irish american i Mips will be led up filth Avenue by  of the famed 69th regiment of the Mew York National guard which has lies la new York s fighting la Kali brigade going Back 10 the civil War an estimated 1 �0.000 people will March in the 22ci i annual Sik hour Parade with Abri it 1 2 million spectators stationed along hip route. A bit cd Blarney along with other politicians new York s mayor de Koch who is jewish participates in the Parade saying he could claim gaelic roots because the 10 lost tribes of Isreal had ended up in Ireland then Koch added if you did t have a Little Blarney you could t be either Irish or a Public  All Eire proudly hails the first 1,000 years of its capital in 1988. The Dublin millennium Parade thursday will be the highlight Olsi. Patrick s week. The Iheme is Dublin through the   hundreds of thousands of people Aio expected to watch Trio spectacular Parade a pub i awol Dublin s fair cily is not Only an adventure in convivial drinking in s a delightfully satisfying  to Irish history folklore  songs both sad  Happy " in s no wonder that before they Over Safiti a Shamrock or kiss the Blarney Stone most visitors to the Emerald Isle usually search lot the nearest pub  the Chance to experience the essence of Ireland. No matter where you go finding a pub is not difficult considering that this Small country about the size of Maine has More than 10,000 pubs or Public houses As they Are More formally called. Dublin alone has at least 1,000 pubs. Over the centuries the Irish pub evolved into a foul Point almost a clubhouse Lor locals  visitors alike ii also became Tho Ideal spot to Seal a Deal on Market Day Exchange the latest gossip argue Boul politics or finish a Long Day s work Wilh a song or a dance. A Tew pubs May have added television sets Pool tables  Dart boards to their decor but the Irish pub a still basically a unique hybrid of open Hearth meeting room music Hall news depot  an All around congenial setting. Ash Tho Irish when they got together their love of language Linda its 11 nest no Natter Whent Cotigo la Inland Hatting a pub it not difficult. Wednesday. March 16, 198b App Wolfl expression in toasting each other s health  there Ere loads of traditional Irish toasts. Try this one May you have warm words Dpi a cold evening. A full Moon on a dark night  the Road downhill All the Way to your door a special place to visit is Lough Der. A favorite of pilgrims since the 12th Century. Legend has it that Lough Der was founded by St. Patrick who brought christianity to Tho Island in the 6th Century . History tells us that As Early As 1682, Irish people Havo been settling in substantial numbers on this Side of the Atlantic. Colonies such As new Ireland were established in Maryland in the 1600s, among those who signed the declaration of Independence were four men of Irish birth  nine of Irish ancestry. So Many other connections Spring up when combing Tho pages of history the great Seal of the us was designed by Irish born Charles Thomson. Secretary of the Congress Tho hrs daily newspaper in America was founded by an irishman John Dunlap Iha White House was designed by James Hoban from country Kilkenny  the stale of Pennsylvania is named aft of an irishman from Cork William Penn. Fourteen . Presidents Hava claimed Irish ancestry in this Century alone there Are live Woodrow Wilson John f. Kennedy Richard Nixon. Gerald Ford  Ronald Regan. One out of live americans reported Irish ancestry in Tho 1980 census the nation s most recent head count Over 10 million Al to Lhasa Octa solely Al Irish extraction Over a million in new York Stato alone. The Irish lore of cities like Boston Chicago  new York would Lead Many to name Massachusetts. Illinois or new York As the slate Wilh Ihn largest Irish population Tho census figures Tell another Story though. Number one in the country is California Wilh 37 million nearly As Many As in Ireland itself. Second is new York third is Pennsylvania fourth is Texas  filth is Ohio. The top ten Are rounded out by Illinois Florida. Massachusetts. Michigan  new Jersey. But proportionate to slate population Massachusetts is no. 1, with 40 percent of its residents reporting Libish ancestry. Rounding out the top live proportionate to population arc new York new Jersey Montana  Connecticut. Sid Sciapio a slats Ana stripes new York Bureau Retiree Oasis thebe Honsl. Patrick a Day. 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