Opinion : Reading My Mind: Leprechauns

Now I have to admit, for me, Leprechauns are right up there with Greek Mythology. I remember in school learning about all of the gods and goddesses and in my head, I'm yawning. I suppose because of the word, "mythology." "It's not a fact, it's a myth, so can we move on?" I was thinking. Well, that and because it just wasn't "fun."

However, if we wanted to discuss something worth discussing let's talk Leprechauns. They are much more fascinating. They have a sense of humor and so I always found the idea of them much more entertaining. And come on now, let's talk that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, something we could all use about now. I suppose it's the stories wrapped in humor that I loved, but then I'm also part Irish, so there is that.

Now, I haven't done a lot of digging into my Irish ancestry, only enough to know that this branch of my lineage came over from Northern Ireland in the form of the John McNeal's. This branch of the family was naturalized in 1800. About all I know is that they married into an Irish Catholic family and immigrated here. They settled in Pennsylvania, then the next generation moved to Ohio where my second great grandfather James joined the Army to fight in the Civil War.

Another of my second great grandfathers on my Noe side of the family didn't have any of those little leprechauns helping him out, he also joined up to fight leaving from Illinois. He ended up in the Andersonville prison in Georgia, one of the worst of the civil war. Both grandfathers landed in Benton County after that, so that's why you are all blessed with my presence.

So anyway, being a bit Irish, I wondered, where did these St. Patrick's Day festivities originate and who in the world was St. Patrick? The Saint was the patron saint of Ireland, one of Christianity's most widely known figures according to History.com. St. Patrick died on March 17, around 460. He was born in Britain and didn't come from a religious family.

It is said that at 16, he was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate, then taken to Ireland and held in captivity for six years. While there, he was a shepherd, so he was often away from people and turned to Christianity becoming very devout.

After more than six years as a prisoner, he escaped Ireland walking nearly 200 miles. He believed that God wanted him to return to Ireland as a missionary. He then began his religious training which lasted for more than 15 years. He then became ordained as a priest and was sent to Ireland to minister to Christians living there and to convert the Irish.

Because he was familiar with the language and culture, he used the familiar traditions and rituals in his lessons. The Irish used bonfires to honor their gods, so Patrick used them to celebrate Easter. He also superimposed a sun onto a cross, which we know as a Celtic Cross because they used the sun as a powerful symbol and it would become comfortable for them.

To sum it up, St. Patrick was never canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church. They say it's because of the time in which he lived and they didn't do that then. It is believed that after he became a priest and helped to spread Christianity through Ireland, he was proclaimed a saint because of his popularity.

The party started here in the U.S. in St. Augustine, Florida in 1600 with the first parade happening in 1601. It was brought north to the original 13 colonies in 1737 by The Charitable Irish Society of Boston. The CIS is the oldest Irish organization in North America. Its early charitable efforts focused around providing temporary loans and assistance in finding work for Irish immigrants.

The St. Patrick's Day celebration was predominately protestant and the purpose was simply to honor the Irish homeland. During the day of observance, everyone attended a church service and a special dinner. The first New York Parade was in 1766 by Irish soldiers in the British Army. Celebrations took off in Philadelphia in 1771 with celebrations.

George Washington even gon in on the act. It was General George Washington at the time and also a member of the Philadelphia Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, who encouraged Irish Americans to join the Continental Army. In 1780, from the Morristown, New Jersey camp, Washington allowed his troops a holiday on March 17 as an act of solidarity with the Irish in their fight for Independence.

As Irish patriotism grew in NYC the parade there grew. The Irish aid societies joined forces in 1848 and marched in the parades making it the largest in the world.

Did you know that corned beef isn't a traditional Irish dish? It was adopted here in the United States by the new immigrants when they arrived in the 19th century and it stuck around.

Other fun salutes to St. Patrick's Day happen in Seattle where they paint the traffic stripes on their parade route green. In Chicago, they dye the river green a tradition since 1962. This idea was the courtesy of the sewer workers who used green dye to check for leaks in the system. Indianapolis dyes its main canal and Savannah dyes its city fountains. The Chadakoin River in Jamestown, New York is dyed green as well. Columbia, South Carolina also dyes its fountains green in the University of South Carolina area.

In Missouri, the Missouri Univerisity of Science and Technology paints 12 blocks green before the annual parade.

Boston throws a two-day weekend celebration. Originally it was an "Evacuation Day" celebration in Suffolk County commemorating the British departure from Boston, because of the British falling on St. Patrick's Day.

One last fun fact. In the northeastern part of the United States, peas are traditionally planted on St. Patrick's Day. Now I don't associate peas with St. Patrick's Day. I would have thought that potatoes would have been part of the celebration for the Irish, but no one asked me.