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It’s ‘Paddy,’ not ‘Patty’ - Irish group clamp down on St. Patrick’s Day error

Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2012 at 05:13 AM

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Through his website ‘Paddy not Patty,’ Marcus Campbell makes clear the important difference between ‘Paddy’ and ‘Patty’ just in time for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day.

When shortening the phrase ‘St. Patrick’s Day,’ many people erroneously turn to ‘Patty’ instead of ‘Paddy’ to replace the Patrick. No more, says Campbell on his website, whose header reads “The provisional government of Paddy, Not Patty to the people of the New World.”

Campbell breaks it down succinctly: “Paddy is derived from the Irish, Pádraig, hence those mysterious, emerald double-Ds. Patty is the diminutive of Patricia, or a burger, and just not something you call a fella. There's not a sinner in Ireland that would call a Patrick, ‘Patty.' It's insulting. It's really as simple as that.”
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Still curious about which shortened version of St. Patrick you should go with?

It's Paddy, not Patty. Ever.
Saint Patrick's Day? Grand.
Paddy's Day? Sure, dead-on.
St. Pat's? Aye, if ye must.
St. Patty? No, ye goat!

For Campbell, opting for ‘Patty’ is purely a ‘Daft Eejit Version.’

In addition, Campbell makes clear that shamrocks have only three leaves, Irish Car Bomb drinks and cupcakes are still considered controversial and shouldn’t be taken lightly, and in certain contexts, the term ‘Paddy’ can be read as ethnic slur.

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Skibberrean | Mar 05, 2012, 11:11 AM EST

Citizen...grow up! it is Paddy for Padraig. St Patrick was male not female. It is a fact. Go into your Sainly Irish history and get an education!

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IrishAncestor | Mar 04, 2012, 05:05 PM EST

It's "Paddy," NEVER "Patty!" But never mind that, I'm still looking support for my move to change the date of St. Patrick's Day from 17th March to 17th June. Let's have the big day at a time of year when there's less chance of perishing in a blizzard or getting lost in a snowdrift! Don't forget to take a look at irishancestry dot biz to see images of the ould sod! (No, not me! Pictures of Ireland!)

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Gaelphoncán | Mar 04, 2012, 07:01 AM EST

Is fearr liom féin an seanleagan Cothriche.

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scronide | Mar 03, 2012, 07:48 PM EST

Come on, if you dour ones really didn't want to belittle the man you would call him PATRICIVS and gripe that folk should really be wearing blue, if anything. I'm not trying to convert the world's population into observant Irish-Catholic historians with this.

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GeorgeDillon | Mar 03, 2012, 02:56 PM EST

Good note, Seanmor. The name is not PADDY. It's not PATTY, despite the nonsense above. It's Patrick, or in Irish, Padraig.

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johnshiel | Mar 03, 2012, 01:33 PM EST

how 'bout the non-cuteness of asking for a "black and tan"???

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eileenkny | Mar 03, 2012, 10:36 AM EST

It is St. Patrick's Day, but if you must shorten, please use Paddy, not Patty! I'd love for all the party favor stores, florists, and t-shirt creators to at least get that right.

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PattyMM | Mar 03, 2012, 10:33 AM EST

You don't have to offend us Patricia's. I am not a burger. :P

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carrickcourt | Mar 03, 2012, 10:27 AM EST

Brush up your Irish and you will be straight with St. Paddy, St Patty be gone.

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mylesie | Mar 03, 2012, 09:55 AM EST

well said Seanmor - pity the "plastic paddy" printing this rubbish didn't think the same way.

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Murph46 | Mar 03, 2012, 09:44 AM EST

Citizen are you a revisionist?

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CitizenWhy | Mar 03, 2012, 09:22 AM EST

How do we know that St. "Patrick" was not really a woman? We don't, so either version is OK.

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Seanmor | Mar 03, 2012, 08:53 AM EST

The name of Ireland's patron saint in Patrick. If anyone who considers himself or herself to be Irish and calles St. Patrick "Paddy" "Patty" or any other belittling name, is a blatant form of self-abasement, and in some cases self-hate. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all.

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