St. Patrick's Day in the City: Dept 56 "Christmas in the City" Tribute

Dept 56, Snow Village,

"Lucky's Irish Souvenirs," 56.55157

We have a lot to thank St. Patrick for.  First, he ran the snakes out of Ireland, so when you bike on those narrow, lorry-ridden roads, you don’t have to worry about running over a rattler.  St. Patrick also made famous the Shamrock.  This modest bit of clover has been put to good use by the Irish.  First, St. Patrick used it to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagans.  Then it was used as a symbol of emerging Irish rebellion against the English rule.  And now promotors use it to label souvenirs as authentically "Irish," regardless of where in the world they are made! 

Pres. Obama Presenting the Medal of Freedom 

to Celtics Legend Bill Russell

(Photo by Ben Golliver)

It may even be said that St. Patrick is responsible for making the Boston Celtics great….. well, sometimes great….. and thrilling us with the likes of Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, Larry Bird, and  (bagpipe flourish, please.....) Bill Russell,  all of whom are undeniably Irish.  And, who is to question if Chicago is 100% Irish, when... under the watchful eye of St. Patrick... every year their river miraculously runs green in mid-March? 

For all that St. Patrick has done, his greatest miracle is that every March 17, every man, woman and child, regardless of their race or creed, may become Irish for a day. Indeed, some decide to remain Irish forever.

Irish Pubs  The Irish in America have been repeatedly celebrated by Department 56.  A great piece is the 1999 introduction of “Molly O’Brien’s Irish Pub” in the Christmas in the City series.    Though Mollie O'Brien's is meant to depict a New York building, the pub, as an institution, is deeply rooted in Ireland's culture.  The word “pub” itself derived from “public house,” which refered to an establishment that did not require private membership.  In contrast to the wealthy, who could afford to join a private club, the working class frequented pubs.  

Dept 56, Christmas in the City

"Molly O'Brien's Irish Pub," 56.58952

Irish pub landlords fell into a long tradition of “hospitallers,” who ensured visitors experienced, “..a never-dry cauldron, a dwelling on a public road and a welcome to every face.”  Pubs were places for neighbors to gather, relax, gossip, even foment rebellion. A pub was also extremely important to the village because it sold 95% of all foodstuffs  before supermarkets were introduced.  And pubs were open every day of the year, except Christmas, Good Friday, and……. St. Patrick’s Day!!  In fact, it was not until after 1960 that Irish pubs opened on the feast day of their patron saint.

Dept 56, Snow Village

"McGuire's Irish Pub," 56.55066

Frequently, pubs were named after their owners:  McGillin's, O'Doul's, McSorley's, or Maguire's.  Dept 56 celebrated the family pubs with its Snow Village piece, "McGuire's Irish Pub," introduced in 2001.  

The most famous McGuire’s Pub in the US is in Pensacola, Florida.  The Gator's McGuire's is known for its food, ale, ambiance, and the fact that approximately 250,000 $1 bills have been stapled to its ceiling!!  A highly-reviewed cookbook celebrating McGuire's pub fare was published in 1998.

Irish Immigration to the US  In 1790 there were about 400,000 Irishmen in the US, half of whom had immigrated from Ulster.  These were descendants of Protestant Scottish and English tenant farmers, who made their way to America's colonial frontiers to settle .  Called Scots-Irish, they formed a distinct cultural group, and fought in the American Revolution.  Scots-Irish were also  among those who worked on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  

The Great Irish Migration really began in 1845-46, however, when a blight hit the Eire’s potato crop.  Since many poor Catholic Irish survived largely on potatoes, the crop's destruction proved disastrous.  Starvation and typhus claimed over 350,000 victims.  The Irish began to flee for their very lives, and by 1854 nearly 2 million Irish, a quarter of their population, had immigrated to the U.S.

Dept 56, Snow Village

"St. Patrick's Day Parade

56.55207

St. Patrick's Day Parade  In 1737 it has been reported that a small number of Irish colonists took to the streets in Boston to celebrate their patron saint.  In 1766, St. Patrick's Day was celebrated in New York City by Irish recruits in the British Army, who called themselves the Society of the Friendly Brothers of St. Patrick.  They marched with "...fifes and drums, which produced a very agreeable harmony."  (www.history1800s.about.com)  

Through the 19th century, Irish Aid societies, such as the Hibernian Society, sprang up to help the immigrant poor, widows, orphans, and invalids, and to provide information on citizenship and education.  In 1848, a number of these societies joined forces for a combined St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City.  Now  the annual parade attracts over 2 million spectators, who line the streets of Manhattan to cheer on the 150,000 participants.  Savannah, Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia are among the other cities that host huge celebrations, all created to honor the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick Himself.