I don't drink anymore although I never did on Paddys Day. I uses to help run a big Irish party bar in Times Square and it was the most lucrative and most messed up day of the year.
I have fond "memories" of being a teenager going to McSoreley's and other establishments and getting blotto. NYC did not seem to care about age limits (certainly on on St. Paddy's day). There were lots of people throwing up in the gutters (often died green beer puke, which is extra special).
In the early eighties it was very politico. The parade used to line up in front of my favorite bars O'Lunney's and the Quiet Man around the corner. They always had people over from Belfast raising money for the Cause. I remember there was always a lot of crap about Martin Galvin marching. To this very day.
I am past all of that these days.
A new generation are holding the hair of drunken coeds while they puke in the street. God Bless them.
St. Patrick's Day was an unofficial half day in Chicago if you worked in the Loop. You would leave work just before noon, go to the parade w/ a pint or fifth in your jacket, and not return to work until the next day, hungover as hell after partying all night. But the asshole, dumber than a bag o' hammers, Richie Daley changed that. Downtown employers greased his shanty Irish palm and he changed the the parade to always on the Saturday prior to March 17th. Thankfully after I attended several when I worked downtown.
There is a great St Patrick's Day Parade in Rockville Centre on Long Island. It is a very Irish town with the Cathedral of St Agnes and the headquarters of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.
I enjoyed that parade. Very family oriented. Much less drinking. Very enjoyable.
I've never understood the whole Belfast-Northern Ireland thing. Usually the Brits just run out and abandon any ally to the "natives". But for some reason they stuck around and tried to keep the Ulster Protestants happy instead of just going with a 1 Ireland solution.
Of course, during WW2, they offered to sell out the NI prods if Ireland would declare war on Germany.
But anyway, they were still there during the "troubles" in the 60s/70s and almost lost Maggie to an IRA bombing in the 80s.
In the early eighties it was very politico. The parade used to line up in front of my favorite bars O'Lunney's and the Quiet Man around the corner. They always had people over from Belfast raising money for the Cause. I remember there was always a lot of crap about Martin Galvin marching. To this very day.
I used to call them Barstool Irish.
rcocean said...
I've never understood the whole Belfast-Northern Ireland thing. Usually the Brits just run out and abandon any ally to the "natives". But for some reason they stuck around and tried to keep the Ulster Protestants happy instead of just going with a 1 Ireland solution.
Of course, during WW2, they offered to sell out the NI prods if Ireland would declare war on Germany.
Not sure what that "run out and abandon any ally to the 'natives'" business is about, but Ulster is where the Scotch-Irish came from after a lot of Presbyterian Scots decide they didn't like the idea of their kids marrying Catholics (good riddance).
The Protestants are still the majority in the six counties, so "getting out of Ireland" is a lot of Commie nonsense, but the Micks, being who they are, have no problem keeping the religious wars of the Reformation going.
I've been some great St. Pats day celebration - although I've met very few Irishman at them. I always preferred Whiskey to green beer though.
9 comments:
I have fond "memories" of being a teenager going to McSoreley's and other establishments and getting blotto. NYC did not seem to care about age limits (certainly on on St. Paddy's day). There were lots of people throwing up in the gutters (often died green beer puke, which is extra special).
Good times, good times.
The first St Paddy's Day parade in the world was held in Gotham while the French and Indian War was still on.
To this day, it's probably the only time the professional drunks and the amateurs rub elbows.
Do they still shout "England, get out of Ireland?"
"I don't really like the term 'luck of the Irish,' because, historically speaking, the luck of the Irish has been fucking terrible."
--Jonathan Swift
Yes, that's an actual Swift quote.
In the early eighties it was very politico. The parade used to line up in front of my favorite bars O'Lunney's and the Quiet Man around the corner. They always had people over from Belfast raising money for the Cause. I remember there was always a lot of crap about Martin Galvin marching. To this very day.
I am past all of that these days.
A new generation are holding the hair of drunken coeds while they puke in the street. God Bless them.
St. Patrick's Day was an unofficial half day in Chicago if you worked in the Loop. You would leave work just before noon, go to the parade w/ a pint or fifth in your jacket, and not return to work until the next day, hungover as hell after partying all night. But the asshole, dumber than a bag o' hammers, Richie Daley changed that. Downtown employers greased his shanty Irish palm and he changed the the parade to always on the Saturday prior to March 17th. Thankfully after I attended several when I worked downtown.
There is a great St Patrick's Day Parade in Rockville Centre on Long Island. It is a very Irish town with the Cathedral of St Agnes and the headquarters of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.
I enjoyed that parade. Very family oriented. Much less drinking. Very enjoyable.
I've never understood the whole Belfast-Northern Ireland thing. Usually the Brits just run out and abandon any ally to the "natives". But for some reason they stuck around and tried to keep the Ulster Protestants happy instead of just going with a 1 Ireland solution.
Of course, during WW2, they offered to sell out the NI prods if Ireland would declare war on Germany.
But anyway, they were still there during the "troubles" in the 60s/70s and almost lost Maggie to an IRA bombing in the 80s.
I've been some great St. Pats day celebration - although I've met very few Irishman at them. I always preferred Whiskey to green beer though.
Trooper York said...
In the early eighties it was very politico. The parade used to line up in front of my favorite bars O'Lunney's and the Quiet Man around the corner. They always had people over from Belfast raising money for the Cause. I remember there was always a lot of crap about Martin Galvin marching. To this very day.
I used to call them Barstool Irish.
rcocean said...
I've never understood the whole Belfast-Northern Ireland thing. Usually the Brits just run out and abandon any ally to the "natives". But for some reason they stuck around and tried to keep the Ulster Protestants happy instead of just going with a 1 Ireland solution.
Of course, during WW2, they offered to sell out the NI prods if Ireland would declare war on Germany.
Not sure what that "run out and abandon any ally to the 'natives'" business is about, but Ulster is where the Scotch-Irish came from after a lot of Presbyterian Scots decide they didn't like the idea of their kids marrying Catholics (good riddance).
The Protestants are still the majority in the six counties, so "getting out of Ireland" is a lot of Commie nonsense, but the Micks, being who they are, have no problem keeping the religious wars of the Reformation going.
I've been some great St. Pats day celebration - although I've met very few Irishman at them. I always preferred Whiskey to green beer though.
As I say, the amateur drunks come out.
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