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Lá Fhéile Pádraig...
...is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.
And so, how do we co-opt it here in the Modern-day United States?
We hold parades. We wear green. We pinch those who don't wear the green.
And, of course, we drink.
Saint Patrick's Day is one of the leading days for consumption of alcohol in the United States, and is typically one of the busiest days of the year for bars and restaurants.
And pollute our waters.
Chicago dyes its river green and has done so since 1962 when sewer workers used green dye to check for sewer discharges and had the idea to turn the river green for Saint Patrick's Day. Originally 100 pounds of vegetable dye was used to turn the river green for a whole week but now only forty pounds of dye is used and the color only lasts for several hours. Indianapolis also dyes its main canal green. Savannah dyes its downtown city fountains green....Columbia, SC dies its fountain green in the area known as Five Points (a popular collegiate location near the University of South Carolina).
But the banks don't close, the Postal Service still delivers mail, and you still are required to show up at work on time.
Still, there are some religious leaders in Ireland who have concern over the drunken revelry of the day...
Christian leaders in Ireland have expressed concern about the secularisation of St Patrick's Day. Writing in The Word magazine's March 2007 issue, Fr. Vincent Twomey stated that, "it is time to reclaim St Patrick's Day as a church festival". He questioned the need for "mindless alcohol-fuelled revelry" and concluded that, "it is time to bring the piety and the fun together".
...without recognizing that it's their own fault. Remember that snippet of info above?
On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.
Your fault, Church. Your fault. If you didn't want them to get out of control, you probably shouldn't have waived Lenten prohibitions in the first place, no? Seems like the leaders back then knew how to lighten up. Now quit your belly-aching, drink up and be merry. But not too much, please. We really don't need that sort of confessional.
Craig is on vacation this week, so if anyone cares to tune in to your CBS affiliate to watch the show...you will see the show featuring Michael Sheen and Amy Ryan as guests. And tomorrow...the repeat show will be on way late, thanks to the NCAA Basketball Tournament that CBS will use to breathlessly promote The Masters golf tournament, now that it's known that Tiger Woods will play in it.
From CBS/Late Show, 3/18/2009:
And the intro/monologue set from last year's Late Late Show: