Honestly, despite all the hoopla over the riots last weekend in advance of the Albany St. Patrick’s Day parade, the holiday still snuck up on me.

What used to be anticipated as a day of revelry and celebration for me has instead become a reminder of past embarrassments, shortfailings, and anxiety [...]]]>

Cover of The Quiet Man (Collector's Edition)

It’s St. Patrick’s Day.

Honestly, despite all the hoopla over the riots last weekend in advance of the Albany St. Patrick’s Day parade, the holiday still snuck up on me.

What used to be anticipated as a day of revelry and celebration for me has instead become a reminder of past embarrassments, shortfailings, and anxiety over what I’m bound to encounter staggering around in my neighborhood. In other words, a truly Irish holiday.

These days, without the need to call in to work so I can start drinking at 7:00am and stop sometime around 6:00am the next day, the holiday doesn’t hold much appeal to me. My mother always had a strong cultural attachment to the holiday and that would extend to her children, but she’s down in Virginia living it up in the Sun. Plus, my sisters are busy and/or have work that prevents them from even having a sit-down dinner.

So, no corned beef and cabbage for me, no drunken revelry, no parade, no awkward social encounters, and no music that you have to be drunk to be able to tolerate (because seriously people it’s awful).

Instead I’ll take the day to reflect on how much of my culture I’ve retained, watch “The Quiet Man,” and try to forget all those other things that have tarnished what in earlier years was always an anticipated family event.

Erin go bragh, or something.

SEE ALSO:

• Last year’s blog posts –  St. Patrick’s Day: A Shameful History & St. Patrick’s Day Recipes!
• Celebrate these great Irish locals – William Kennedy & Jack McEneny