Chicago launches petition to name city as official headquarters for St Patrick’s Day in US

Um...some of you Chicago experts...it's Daley not Daly. Really?

I'm from Chicago and this is a stupid discussion. Why does there have to be any headquarters? Each city has their own unique Irish history. I will sat that Chicago would be a fine "headquarters" if there has to be one. There is a huge Irish population (you know actual Irish people here from the actual country of Ireland) and the Irish entertainment scene in Chicago is second to none. But if you have to have a headquarters, just give it NY since they have to be #1 in everything and Chicago doesn't feel the need to be in the spotlight. Savannah?...Whatever!

Wounded Knee, your geographical knowledge is crimped by an eastern perspective--tumbleweeds never rolled over the area that is now Chicago. Tumbleweeds "grow" on the plains not the prairie. The choice of Chicago for the HQ (note that the committee is NOT claiming sole position) makes so much sense: 1. A transportation hub, O'Hare is a palace compared to LaGuadia or Logan. 2. Enthusiasm, as others have pointed out the city dyes its river kelley green and there is so much spirit that there are not one, but two parades. 3. Sure, Chicago is the current murder capital, but let those who feel nostalgic for "The Troubles" enjoy the atmosphere. 4. Harp579 feels that other Chicagoans dislike Irish, but that's not true, on St Patrick's Day EVERYONE tries to be Irish in Chicago!

All right then,how about Butte,Montana?!

NYC had the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in 1762 and Savannah, GA was in 1813, Chicago, IL started in 1843. There are others with longer running parades than Savannah but theirs is considered 2nd largest and most spectacular by most.

Are they kidding? It would have to be my city of New York or that other city north and east of us who lives in our reflected glory. Savannah I'd concede is right on our heels.

The obvious candidate is Savannah GA. Savannah had a hundred years of Irish heritage when Chicago was still a frozen clump of tumbleweed on the prairie.

Domer: You are quite wrong in your claim that the Dublin parade goes back only to the early 1980s. It is much older than that.

The cheek of them thinking they could claim the day here in the United States.

Rando573, "If Irish - Catholic Americans are not liked in Chicago then how would you explain multiple generations of Mayors named Daly?" I've lived there. Mayors with Irish names were selected as they were less feared overall than other nationalities, not because they were liked. To the contrary, they were disrespected the most and therefore presented the lesser threat to the majority of voters. . . . At times they've lost the overall white vote but won because blacks and other minorities feared the alternatives more. . . . BTW I say this as a life-long Democrat whose parents were both Irish-Catholic who were born and raised in Ireland.

Are you kidding ME? It must be a slow-news day or an attempt to ? ? ? ?

If Irish - Catholic Americans are not liked in Chicago then how would you explain multiple generations of Mayors named Daly? Also if that actually were the case, then the city government would probably not allow the river to be dyed green. Although I have no actual documentation, I have heard that the second largest St Patrick's Day parade in the US is actually in Savannah, Georgia and the second largest St Patrick's Day parade in North America is in Montreal, Canada. Being from New York, I'm sure the Ancient Order of Hibernians which in effect runs NY's St Patrick's day parade would have an issue with the selection of Chicago.

St. Patrick day parades are counter productive for Americana with an Irish heritage as it marginalizes them/us. It relegates us to a second class citizenship and engenders hostility from those who see us as trying to separate from the larger American culture. Chicago Irish Americans are particularly stupid in this regard (or manipulated by the professional "Irish" more likely) as they have two big St. Patrick day parades and even dye the river green. And Americans with Irish-Catholic heritage are not liked in Chicago. Not a coincidence.

Great idea - make the murder capitalk of the US the official St. Patrick's Day city. The theme could be: "Shoot me, I'm Irish".