European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 17, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse A bit of Green by Sid o Schapiro there is no need to be Green with envy for with or without the Benefit of Irish ancestry the greening of America on March 17 lets everybody turn Irish on St. Patrick a Day. From Anchorage Honolulu to san Francisco Chicago Boston new York americans of All faiths lineages can be seen sporting sprigs of Shamrock munching Green bagels even Green matzo balls quaffing Green Beer or Champagne. Just about everywhere in the world some Type of Celebration is on tap a parades pageants concerts dinners religious services. Orators will speak of the Irish Ireland. Originally intended As a solemn affair to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Ireland s Patron Saint in 451 a.d., St. Patrick a Day has evolved into a Public Celebration particularly in the United states. Blame Jacobus de Vori Agne for All the fuss about St. Patrick s Day the legend about banishing the snakes from Ireland. \ Jacobus you see was an italian Monk who wrote a manuscript in the 14th Century titled legend Aurora or the Golden legend. The Golden legend was a compilation of the lives of the saints it is the oldest extant manuscript on the subject of St. Patrick. Jacobus first mentions March 17 As Patrick s birth Date hence the Choice of that Day for the Celebration. Jacobus also for the first time referred to the legend of St. Patrick banishing the snakes from the old Sod. He described it thus Quot he implored got the Grace of the lord that no venomous beast might live in All the country yet unto this Day there is no venomous beast in All the oldest known painting of St. Patrick is in the Golden legend. The Book is now part of the Huntington Library Art museum in san Marino Calif. The seed for St. Paddy a festivities was planted in America in 1654 when the ship Goodfellow docked in Boston with 400 people from Ireland. This incursion kept on until there were enough Irish to hold a formal St. Patrick s Day Celebration there in 1737. As the Irish tide Rose James Logan Secretary to William Penn noting the thousands arriving wrote Quot it looks As if Ireland is to Send All her inhabitants in fact in the first official census of 1790, the number of Irish born not counting those of Irish descent was listed at 44,000. More than half of those lived South of Pennsylvania. George Washington ordered grog for the entire army at Valley forge on St. Patrick a Day. One estimate is that As Many As 40 percent of his men were of Irish or scots Irish descent. The Irish claim to have opened the revolution in America on the sea. In May 1775 a not Long after the Massachusetts militia stood up to the redcoats at Lexington a the British warship Margaretta arrived at the new England coast As a show of might. Maurice o Brien of Maine a native of Cork his five sons some neighbors put out in rowboats captured the Man of War. The British were infuriated. They sent two other ships to recapture the Margaretta. The o Briens captured them too. Outstanding among Irish families in the revolutionary War were the sullivans. Five were officers in Washington a army. Maj. Gen. John Sullivan opened the land War by storming fort William Mary capturing the guns that later armed the troops at Bunker Hill. He later commanded the right Wing at Trenton Brandywine Germantown. And then there were the Mccarthy. Five were cousins to Washington three of them were among his pallbearers. The Irish Impact on american life did no tend there let s take a look at two later sullivans. John l., Quot the Boston Strong boy Quot held the heavyweight championship in the 1880s 90s in two categories boxing carousing. He later became a lecturer advocating prohibition. Another Massachusetts Talent Francis Sullivan took the stage name of Fred Allen in the 1930s 40s established himself As one of the great wits humorists radio performers of the Century. Quot you can take All the humility in Hollywood put it in a gnat s Navel still have room enough for two Caraway seeds a press agent s heart Quot he said. As Early As March 17,1737, the Irish in Boston new York would congregate for breakfasts after mass in Honor of their Patron Saint. But in 1762, a group of Irish born militiamen on their Way to a St. Patrick s Day breakfast at hulls tavern in lower Manhattan decided to stage an Impromptu March through the streets with their band regimental colors on display. The ranks of the Parade gradually swelled As More More irishmen settled in new York eventually the Parade evolved into one with marchers of every ethnic religious persuasion. Politicians soon became perennial parades. In 1879, when the present St. Patrick s Cathedral was completed the new York Parade moved Uptown to follow its present route along fifth Avenue. They even paint a Kelly Green Stripe up the Avenue so none of the marchers gets lost. There a a grand spirit of brotherhood across the land As the Romanos Sadowski the Goldbergs step along briskly with the o Briens Kellys Murphys in the traditional Parade. The skill of bagpipes the Lively strains of Irish music set All tingling a celts temporary celts alike. Saturday in new York nearly 200 marching bands Irish american groups will be led up fifth Avenue by members of the famed 69th regiment of the new York National guard which has ties to new York s a fighting 69th&Quot Irish brigade going Back to the civil War. An estimated 120,000 people will March in the 229th annual Parade with about 1.2 million spectators along the route. And you can bet most of them regardless of their heritage will be wearing a bit of Green. Sid Schapiro a stars stripes new York Bureau roti Roo. Delights in becoming o Schapiro on St Patrick s Day a stars to stripes bookstores stars stripes bookstores the Mew York times bestseller a a he Metal of Kofu. Yeager a top 10 paperback discount i q z it it it of 2 it it from flying daredevil combat missions Over nazi Germany shattering records As a test Pilot to his annual trip into California s rugged sierras Gen. Chuck Yeager has always been a restless adventurer in search of new challenges. Now Yeager is Back in the cockpit in a Book that exemplifies his special Brand of living a full out straight ahead. 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