The Irish core of the Big Apple 
MALcolm rogers considers the pros and cons of spending your
St. Patrick’s Day in busy New York City. And there’s still time to book!
Q Ugh! St. Patrick’s Day in New York! Surely it’s all green lager, green bagels, and dyeing the what’s-it’s-name river green?
A The Hudson River. And yes, the New Yorkers can be somewhat patriotic, to the point that might make a garden leprechaun salesman blush. In fact — and this will make you chortle — they even have a Halfway To St. Patrick’s Day held on September 17th.
QNo, I’m afraid it doesn’t make me chortle at all. Why on earth would I want to go there? Could I not just go to Downpatrick? Nice, prim Georgian town, where the Apostle himself is buried. The sea just down the road; no Oirish theme bars.
St. Patrick’s Day is rather a proper affair there. That’s the sort of thing I like.
AAhah, well! You see, although Downpatrick may be able to claim the remains of St Patrick, Armagh City also claims that his remains lie there. Bones of contention, so to speak. But the USA can boast of something that nowhere in Ireland can lay claim to.
QGo on then, what’s that?
AThe world’s first St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
QWhich was when, exactly?
AIn Boston, 1737, since you ask.
QSo why aren’t you advising me to head for Boston?
AWell, Boston would be mighty fine — as they say Stateside — but New York boasts the world’s biggest Patrick’s Parade. And this year they’ll be celebrating the 243rd consecutive year, which is a world record, they say. Boston apparently allowed their unbroken run to lapse. The first parade in New York City was organised by Irish soldiers, by the way, in the service of the British king.
QSo it’s good, er, craic, to adopt the vernacular?
ASure is, buddy. Today the event is a cross between Mardi Gras and a fleadh. There’s a large drinking element, certainly, but there’s also a religious feel to proceedings. As befits a town where the main cathedral is dedicated to St. Patrick.
QAlright then, I’m hooked. Which wa is the parade?
AWell, it starts at 44th Street & 5th Avenue, in Manhattan. Basically, you take any subway to the Midtown area between 42nd and 86th Street and walk to 5th Avenue.
It’s customary for the Archbishop of New York to review the parade in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, so that’s a good vantage point — but tends to get quite crowded. Still, that’s half
the fun.
QSo is it really all it’s, ahem, craiced up to be then?
AIndeed, yes. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the few remaining parades where no cars, floats, buses, trucks or other vehicles are allowed. People just march, march, march up 5th Avenue, led by members of the 165th Infantry (originally the Irish 69th Regiment of Fighting Irish fame).
Q So can anyone march on the parade?
AWell, not in the official part of the parade. It’s sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, who have strict rules on who is eligible. Most years there’s a row over which organisations can take part. A long-running dispute with gay organisations at one time blighted the event. There’s a been the odd row too about the choice of Chief Marshal — the guy who heads the parade.
QBut a few people are passed fit to march?
AYou betcha. More than 150,000 marchers, members of various Irish societies from New York and around the country make the trek. Also, many Ireland and London-based societies fly 3,000 miles across the Atlantic to stroll the two miles uptown. A fair smattering of Irish politicians from both sides of the border — and indeed both sides of the political divide — also fetch up in NYC. And any American politician within a 200-mile radius of New York standing for public office also makes the trek.
QSo it’s a grand day out, altogether?
APrecisely. You can enjoy the parade, but for many the fun really begins in the Irish pubs later on. The place is exquisitely designed for a night on the tiles.
QAnd after the drinking is there much else to see in New York?
AAre you kidding? This is probably just about the most exciting city in the world. The place is divided into five boroughs: Manhattan (where most of the traditional sights are), the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. To get a good feel for the city you could do worse than go on a walking tour, such as one of the ones run by Big Onion Walking Tours. (www.bigonion.com)
QSounds good. But I might have done enough walking. Maybe you can suggest something a bit more relaxed?
AWell, you could do exactly what most New Yorkers do for their exercise — stroll, jog, skate-board or power-walk through Central Park. Astonishingly enough, Central Park was modelled on Birkenhead Park (in England) although there’s a persistent rumour that the original blueprint was St. Stephen’s Green. Having never had the pleasure of visiting Birkenhead Park, I can’t pass comment on that claim — but it certainly does have a passing resemblance to St. Stephen’s Green.
QSo why did so many Irish people — or indeed Liverpool people — head for New York?
AWell, after the Potato Famine, there wasn’t much chance of work at home. Many tried, but they didn’t get a sausage, not a sniff. So many of them headed for the Big Apple, looking for another bite of the cherry, looking for the big cheese, the top banana.
QOK, OK, I get the picture. But could you not wax a bit lyrical, seeing as how we’re coming to the end of the article?
AOh, alright then. Somebody once described New York as being like a beautiful woman smoking. Myself, I think the place is like a femme fatale — irresistibly compelling.
For the last couple of centuries every generation has brought a new wave of unhappy campers to the city from the Old World: the Irish, the Jews, the Italians, the Afro Caribbeans, the Hispanics. The city has attracted the drifters of the world, the small town escapees, the ambitious, the arty, the greedy, the bored.
Few have not been entranced — and you’re unlikely not to be, no matter when you visit. Just don’t blame me if the rest of the world looks a little colourless after your sojourn.
QThank you very much. See you in Times Square.
AIt’s been a pleasure. See you there, probably. QOh, one last thing. How much is it likely to cost me to travel out to the Big Apple?
AWell, you could try visiting these sites: www.jetsave.co.uk
or www.skydeals.co.uk . Both are currently advertising return flights from around the £230 mark.
Happy travels and have a nice day!
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