Section A·Page 8
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, March 17, 1999
St. Patrick's Day
Commentary
An Irish woman in Kansas. An interesting concept at any time, but when March 17 rolls around, strange thoughts surface. I've become used to the unusual questions — the seemingly naive inquiries.
"So do you have a Leprechaun?"
"Do you grown your own potatoes?"
"So do you have a Leprechaun?"
As any self-respecting person knows, if you take a Leprechaun outside Ireland, it shrivels up and dies.
Then, of course, there is the strange movement today in American youth to desperately claim some kind of heritage. If I had a dollar for every time someone said 'Oh, I'm Irish,' I would have roughly a hundred bucks. No matter how slim the association — "My mother's second-
cousin-twice-
removed'aunts'
adopted sister-in-
law came from x, y
or z."I haven't met
any American
peers who aren't
eager to pronounce
themselves to be something other than red, white and blue.
Back in the "homeland," we have enjoyed many laughs at th
Erin McElhiney Kansan photographer
many laughs at the United States'
expense watching U.S. citizens dye a whole river green, parade elaborate floats down closed main streets and wave to the TV screens as they check to make sure that their green pantaloons, suspenders and hats are in place.
To the Irish I know it seems a confounded waste of energy and time time that could be better spent down the pub. Why waste an hour painting your face like a shamrock when the Guinness is going to wash it off anyway? (And believe me, if you are in Ireland and doing it properly, your face should be awash by the end of the night).
As for the practice of dyeing the holy drink itself the color of a fraternity toilet after a Saturday night, such sacrilege merely makes us shake our heads.
"Ah, those Yanks," is pityingly sighed in smoky rooms throughout the Emerald Isle. "They just don't get it. So whose round is next?"
Despite all my grumbling, however, I am looking forward to March 17th. I consider it my role — nay, my duty — to test the Guinness pumps of all reputable, and some not-so-reputable, drinking establishments of Lawrence. It's a hard job, but somebody's got to do it.
McElhinney is from Derry, Ireland.
Downtown holiday celebration to offer prizes, drink specials
Leprechauns, good luck charms expected to give festival-goers taste of Ireland in Lawrence
By Anne Robertson Special to the Kansan
Traditional green beer, parade fans lining the streets, prize giveaways and quirky expressions seem to be the theme for this year's St. Patrick's Day celebration in downtown Lawrence — along with some great drink specials.
The big question for most students, though, is where to go for all this fun and what the best drink prices are.
Several establishments will have bands with an Irish flare, while others will give away prizes and other sorts of oddities such as leprechauns or luck charms.
Nick Vandeven, St. Louis, Mo., junior, said that where he went would have to depend on the drink options.
"Since there will be plenty of green beer floating around, my friends and I will probably go drink at the Red Lyon because they have the best selection of stouts," he said.
Some people are catching the spirit as well, opting for apparel or paraphernalia that could be considered off beat.
"I have this button that says 'Irish Whiskey makes me frisky,'" Casey Adams, Raytown, Mo., junior said. "I got the button when my high school senior class skipped and went to the downtown Kansas City parade by Bartle Hall. I think it's kind of funny, and it's been sitting in my drawer all of this time, and I've never really had an occasion to wear it. So, I thought I'd bring it out."
— Edited by Duane Waaler
Jazzhaus bartender Tom Dolan pours a green drink in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Some Irish drinks will be on special tonight at the Jazzhaus, 926 1/2 Massachusetts St. The Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band also will play dydeca music. Photo by Ruben Noguera/KANSAN
ST. PATRICK'S SPECIALS
Here are specials that some downtown bars will offer in honor of St. Patrick's Day:
■ Red Lyon Tavern will have lamb stew, bagpipes, give away and beer specials. It will be open until 2 a.m.
■ Fatso's will have $2 Irish Ale Bottles, $2 Green Beer
Quinton's will have $2 23-ounce Boulevard Irish Ales
and $1.75 Achilleans Red Battles.
Jazzhaus will have $2.50 Guinness and Harp, $1.50 Irish Whiskey, and a band from Louisiana will play: Chubby Carrier and the Bovou Swamp Band.
- Free State Brewing Company will have Irish Stew, home-made corn beef and cabbage and $2.25 Grace O'Mally's Irish Ale.
Wearing of the green rooted in superstition
Colorful tradition now more common here than in Emerald Isle
By Kate Williams Special to the Kansan
Chances are that every kid who has gone through elementary school in the United States knows the consequence of not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day: black and blue arms.
While the avoidance of frenzied pinching is the motivation for many who wear green on March 17, the superstitions associated with the color and the holiday go much deeper.
Legend has it that St. Patrick had a hard time convincing the people in Ireland of the existence of the
Holy Trinity, according to http://www.canoe.ca/StPatricks/patrick.html. To prove his point, he plucked a shamrock from the ground and pointed to its three leaves. Since then, green has come to be associated with St. Patrick's Day because it is the color of the shamrock, the color symbolizing the start of spring and a national color of Ireland.
Wearing green serves as a way for the Irish and those of Irish descent to show their unity and bring themselves good luck. The tradition of pinching those who do not take part was most likely invented by creative schoolchildren looking for another way to torment their classmates.
St. Patrick's Day, in the American holiday tradition, is celebrated enthusiastically and flamboyantly, and the lavishey use of green is a sign
of this. In Chicago, the Chicago River is dyed green. In New York, the center stripe down Fifth Avenue is painted green for the annual parade.
Jenna Brill, Kansas City, Mo. freshman, said she remembered going all out in the past.
i used to wear green everything — boxers with shamrocks on them and green tights underneath and then green sparkles in my hair," she said.
This year though, Brill said, she might not be so elaborate.
"I'll probably just wear a green sweatshirt or something," she said.
"It seems like it was just a bigger deal when you were little."
In Ireland, the home of St. Patrick, wearing so much green is not so traditional. Aine Francis, Columbia, Mo., graduate student who is originally from an area near
Dublin, noted the difference between the way the two cultures celebrated.
"In Ireland, it is common for people to wear a real shamrock pinned onto their lapel," she said. "I think it is kind of crazy the way Americans celebrate, but it's neat that they are proud of their heritage."
Beate Gandrud, Munich, Germany, freshman, had not heard of the holiday before she came to the United States.
"I think the whole green thing is funny, but I'll probably wear it anyway, just for the fun of it," Gandrud said.
"You'll get pinched if you don't," warned Lindsey Killiany, Kansas City, Mo., freshman.
"Oh, yes, then," Gandrud said.
"I'll definitely wear it."
- Edited by Steph Brewer
Commentary
St. Paddy's Day green and beer mean 'disgust' for one student
There's one question I must answer just about every time I open my mouth to talk and people hear my accent. Every person I meet asks where I'm from.
Maybe the fact I'm from Northern Ireland makes my nationality harder for people to place. Nobody here seems to know much about my country — let alone recognize its accent.
When I say I live near Belfast, people immediately ask, 'Aren't you all communists over there?' Or, 'Oh, isn't that where they all fight?'
I explain how I've never seen a bomb explode or a
I explain how I've never seen a gun shot and that I feel much safer on the streets back home than I do here.
Next, people want me to be the stereotypical "Irish" person. They'll ask if I like horses, if I live on a farm, if it's difficult for me speaking English and if I know any Lenechauns.
People can't believe I don't like Guinness Beer, and they are astounded when I inform them that I don't even drink beer. Apparently this is an outrageous sin for an "Irish" person.
Rachel Orr
Kansan
photographer
When they find out my favorite
color is yellow, I'm often asked why it's not green. Am I looking forward to the St. Patrick's Day celebrations?
Quite frankly, no.
In Northern Ireland, I never have celebrated the holiday.
I'll be spending the day as if it were any other typical Wednesday. And if anyone bothers to wish me "Happy Saint Patrick's Day," I'll probably stare them in the face with a look of disgust.
Please don't misunderstand my lack of enthusiasm for the American celebration of St. Patrick. It is not an indication of my lack of respect for the good man himself. Truthfully, I've got a lot of appreciation for St. Patrick. He brought Christianity to my homeland, and for that I admit we owe him thanks. However, I have my suspicions that the dear old Saint may not have approved of his namesake holiday being turned into a "National Public Pub Day," in Ireland or the United States.
I know I may sound a bit touchy, but after almost seven months in this country, my tolerance level is wearing a wee bit thin. I hate this bitter, cynical feeling I have toward each of you who claim to have Irish roots.
But trust me, my cynicism didn't come to me merely by a lucky charm. Most people I quiz don't even know whether their great great great ancestors came from Northern or Southern Ireland. And yet they say, "Oh, I'm Irish too, you know."
Really, I'm only a misunderstood, shy little Irish girl, feeling lost in the middle of America somewhere. I can barely comprehend that the state of Kansas has a third more people than my entire country.
Being in the United States, I've been able to see past the stereotypes we place on Americans — the portrayals of Americans as loud, obnoxious and shallow.
If only you'd see beyond my "interesting" accent and smiling Irish eyes. Don't claim to be Irish and attempt to celebrate a holiday in honor of our patron Saint if you think we're all green-clothed, country-bumpkin beer-drinkers.
If you want to learn more, ask us, don't tell us, who we are. Search for the pot of gold, and you'll find the rainbow.
Orr is a Carrickfegus, Northern Ireland, junior majoring in film and media studies and English literature.
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