This Friday, March 17th, is St. Patrick’s Day. It’s an annual celebration of Irish pride with a long history dating back to the many Irish Catholics who came to the U.S. during the potato famine. In Ireland, it’s primarily a Catholic feast day celebrating the life of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Legend has it that he was captured and enslaved in Ireland. Though he eventually escaped, he returned to the island as a Priest to convert the Irish and support the growing Christian community.
It’s believed that St. Patrick was alive in the fifth century, and his story became mythologized over time. He’s associated with driving the snakes out of Ireland, though there is little evidence that they were ever there. And he used the Shamrock as a trinity symbol to teach the concept to the Irish.
But they began to morph when the traditions came to America with the Irish in the 17 and 1800s. And today, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as a day of Irish pride with food, parades, and much drinking.
Food and Drink
These are two of my favorite things, and St. Patrick’s Day is perfect for celebrating with libations and feasting. I have Irish ancestry, though it’s by way of Canada, and we never really felt part of the Irish American immigration story. But that doesn’t mean I don’t bust out the crock pot to make corned beef and cabbage. Or colcannon. Or a Guinness cake with Bailey’s frosting.
While you can drink green beer if you want to, there are better choices. Guinness stout is available everywhere. Or, if you prefer liquor, have some Jameson Irish whiskey on the rocks or in a cocktail like an Irish Mule or a take on an Old Fashioned.
Now for Something Completely Different: LGBTQ+ Rights
As I wrote this blog post, it all seemed ridiculous, considering the nationwide attack on human rights. Just like we wrote about abortion access last year when Roe V. Wade was overturned, it feels wrong not to use our platform to speak out against anti-trans and drag performance bills being passed in places all over the country.
We support the trans community. And we support drag performances. Drag is a vital art form that has been around for a long time, not just in this country but throughout history. It is a place for LGBTQ+ people to be themselves, and the rest of us benefit from a more equitable society.
Let’s not just celebrate one thing this month by going out and drinking green beer. Attend a local drag show. Support Trans Rights organizations. Do whatever you can to say “Gay” and inform our leaders that LGBTQ+ rights are human rights.
dpeg Marketing Company supports the Drag Community. If you need help with social media or marketing for upcoming events, we would love to be a resource for you and your drag shows. If you’re local to Asheville, we can discuss more ways to support you. Contact us for more information.
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