In Western New York, there are always several clear signs that spring is on the way. Once winter has started to move out of the region, we see the spring thaw happening around the region with the lakes, rivers, and creeks beginning to lose thier ice and open up for the year. You also see things like field crews getting Sahlen Field ready for spring baseball.
And you also have folks with Irish heritage getting ready to celebrate history and culture all over the nation as St. Patrick’s Day approaches.
Buffalo, like many other cities in the northeast, has a deep connection with Irish heritage thanks to the large number of folks who immigrated from Europe to the United States prior to and during the Great Famine in the 19th century. According to the Library of Congress, more than 4 million Irish landed in America between 1820 and 1930 alone.
Who’s St. Patrick and Why Do We Celebrate Him In America?
While the roots of having a solum feast to honor St. Patrick, along with religious ceremonies, go all the way back to the 9th century in Ireland, the modern-day celebration of St. Patrick really developed as people made a life in the new world. The large parades of people wearing green while celebrating in the streets are truly an American creation…