The month of March is a busy season for Irish and Irish Americans in the United States as it is officially regarded as national Irish American Heritage Month. The US Census Bureau has released some figures that highlight the span of the Irish influence in America today, which fit in accordingly with the month long recognition of Irish American culture.
MarketWatch reports on the various statistics of all things Irish and Irish-related in the US. The very first St. Patrick’s Day parade, now a worldwide tradition, took place in New York in 1762. This year’s New York City festivities mark the 251st marching of the parade down Fifth Avenue, past St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
The Parade originated in 1762, before the United States had even declared independence from Britain, and featured Irish soldiers who were serving in the British military.
The 2010 Census reported that there are an astounding 34.7 million people in the United States who claim some sort of Irish ancestry, which is more than seven times the population of Ireland itself. Also reported in 2010 was the figure of 144,588 naturalized Irish born citizens living as residents in the US.
Along with other population statistics, the report offers several colorful places where you may choose to spend your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Locations such as Dublin, Ohio, Emerald Isle, North Carolina, and Shamrock, Texas, may be appropriate choices.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Seanmor | Feb 29, 2012, 10:49 PM EST
Yes, March is obviously the month for Irish America. One aspect of the Ireland - America connection that few seem to be aware of is the spread of Irishness by the U.S. military to the far corners of the earth. Probably this has never been done in a significant manner, but in early March, 1964, on my way back to Calif. from the U.S. naval base at Subic Bay, Philippines, I happened to spend a day at Clark Air Base, where I visited a huge shopping center. Inside a large window of a wowem's clothing store was an 'army' of mannequins dressed in green, as part of sea of greenery on display in connection with St. Patrick's Day.
joycean | Feb 28, 2012, 07:52 AM EST
snakehips,You have expressed my thoughts exactly. I think most Irish Americans are very proud of their parents and grandparents (not Granny's sister, but Granny, GrandDad, or Mom and Dad) who left everything they knew and loved for a long voyage and an unpredictable future. Remembering their sacrifices and bravery are what March means to me. Xenophobia" is exactly right.
NOLAN651 | Feb 27, 2012, 06:54 PM EST
Thank you snakehips for expressing my sentiments.
snakehips | Feb 27, 2012, 04:44 PM EST
Dear ciaradexy, I am learning a great deal about Irish- born xenophobia today. I do know quite a few Irish people some of whose blood runs through my veins, I was, however, struck by the passive agressive anger of Ireland1970, who obviously has contempt for we Americans who have and inherent pride and love for our Irish Heritage. We can relish the Irish American moniker, but it doesn't diminish what we feel about the greatest priviledge on earth and that is our American citizenship.Maybe his Granny's Sister should come over and experience what our Irish ancestors accomplished so that he could have a "better life" in America.
ciaradexy | Feb 27, 2012, 04:08 PM EST
Snakehips, if you actually knew any Irish people then you'd know we are quite a cheerful bunch who don't do wallowing. We may b1tch and moan but we get on with things.
snakehips | Feb 27, 2012, 04:01 PM EST
Dear Ireland1970, Yes, we are American and proud of it. But unlike you;an angry "human being wanna be", we are proud of the people who came over and carved out a life so that we can appreciate our birthright as Americans. We laugh at the abysmal state of existence where you live, because you will never reach the pinnacle of greatness in your nation that we have achieved in ours,albeit our "Great Grannies Sister moved to America 100 years ago. So laugh and wallow in your Island of misery.
IRELAND1970 | Feb 27, 2012, 09:22 AM EST
BE HAPPY TO BE AMERICAN FOR GODS SAKE... JUST BECAUSE YOUR GREAT GRANNIES SISTER MOVED TO AMERICA A 100 YEARS AGO... DOESNT MAKE YOU IRISH ... IM IRISH LIVE AND BELIEVE ME ALOT OF IRISH LAUGH AT IRISH AMERICAN WANNA BE'S ...IF YE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE IRISH ITS ITALIAN .... OVER HERE WE JSUT LAUGH AT YOU ......BE HAPPY AND PROUD TO BE AMERICAN CAUSE YOUR ARE NOT IRISH ...CHEERS
IrelandNorth | Feb 27, 2012, 08:51 AM EST
Like the generic term 'American', it's equally important to qualify the term 'British', i.e. English-British/Welsh-British/Scottish-British and/or Ulster/Northern-Irish-British. And why does the Union flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain (i.e. England/Wales/Scotland) & Northern Ireland retain the Saint Patrick's emblem (i.e. red diagonalised cross against white background) after partition, since northern protestant/unionist/loyalists identify with the St. George's cross (i.e. horizontalised red cross proper against white background).
citizen69 | Feb 26, 2012, 07:36 AM EST
The Friendly Sons Of St. Patrick didn't exist until 1771. Most (if not all) of it's original members were Protestant Irish, mostly of Scottish & English stock. The first New York parade was an impromptu march by Irish members of the British military. There was an even earilier St. Patrick's Day Parade held in Boston in 1737, organized by the Charitable Irish Society, which was an Ulster-Scots (Scots-Irish) organisation at the time.
pounder | Feb 25, 2012, 03:49 PM EST
Two parades in Yonkers,double your pleasure,double your fun.
Rebelforce | Feb 25, 2012, 12:57 PM EST
35 million Americans claim Irish ancestry? The figure used to be 43 million Irish-Americans? What happened to those 8 million people from the past census, they all died?
carrickcourt | Feb 25, 2012, 12:51 PM EST
How about 'can't we just along friends'?
slainte9 | Feb 25, 2012, 10:40 AM EST
My grandfather was a member of the Friendly Sons in NYC: its news to me that they were a Protestant organization.
slainte9 | Feb 25, 2012, 10:39 AM EST
34.7 million? That's just the one's who'll admit to it or pay attention to the Census Bureau. When they asked me if I was Hispanic, they phrased the question so broadly I had to say yes.
CitizenWhy | Feb 25, 2012, 09:45 AM EST
It would have been nice to mention that the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick was a Protestant organization. It might also have been nice to mention when the parade in NYC was transferred from the sponsorship of the Friendly Sons to the Clare Society and finally to the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
CitizenWhy | Feb 25, 2012, 09:42 AM EST
This is so weirdly inaccurate: "This year’s New York City festivities mark the 251st marching of the parade down Fifth Avenue, past St. Patrick’s Cathedral." The way this sentence is written means that New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral existed in 1762. The current site of St. Patrick's would not even even have been on the 1762 route. Even the site of Old St. Patrick's, which would not have existed in 1762, would most likely not have be on the original route.