First things first - parades on Saint Patrick's day are not originally Irish, they are an American invention. And far from being a celebration of ethnic and religious inclusiveness, as they are in most places today, they started as manifestations of WASP culture.
Saint Patrick's Parades in Colonial Times
Ever since a papal decision (in the mid-17th century) established March 17th as the Feast of Patrick died, Ireland's patron saint is venerated on this day. But real popularity only set in during the 18th century. And while Saint Patrick's Day was celebrated in traditional fashion in Ireland, the colonies took a more outgoing approach.
The first parade on Saint Patrick's Day was organized in 1737 by the "Charitable Society of Boston", New York held its first parade in 1766. Make no mistake - these were parades under the control of Colonial WASPdom. The movers and shakers were certainly white and Protestant, most of them also conscious of their Anglo-Saxon (cultural) heritage. And the parades were events for the British community, celebrating their Irish fraction. British troops raised in Ireland paraded, the health of the king was toasted. A far cry from later parades - and a sign of the times when 75% of the Irish living in America were Protestants.
Catholic Immigration Redefines Saint Patrick's Day Parades
Only during the 19th century did mass immigration of Irish Catholics change the structure of the community. Driven from their native land by hunger and social disadvantages, the new immigrants tended to be regarded as ranking just barely above Native Americans and Negro slaves. They were "known" to be drunkards, ruffians, layabouts, unable to speak English, uneducated, without discipline or any other redeeming feature. Barely human.
In response to these prejudices the "Ancient Order of Hibernians" (AOH) was founded in New York in 1836 - mainly by Ulstermen. They wanted the parades on Saint Patrick's Day to send out an internal as well as an external Message. The internal message to the Irish-American community was the possibility of becoming and recognized and respected group, a force to be reckoned with. The external message was simply that the Irish-American community could organize, stay sober and conduct serious business. Both messages combined created what we today know as "the Irish vote".
Saint Patrick's Day Parades March Globally
Ever since the AOH re-modeled the parades into demonstrations of Irish identity and pride they became popular all over the United States. New York and Boston traditionally being the best-known. But even places like Savannah in Georgia celebrated Saint Patrick's Day as early as 1824! During the 19th century US-style parades became popular in Argentina, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. Anywhere where Irish communities were established, by choice or deportation. The Caribbean island of Montserrat even declared Saint Patrick's Day a national holiday, a reflection of the large number of Irish exiles settling there.
And around 1975 the development came full circle - US-style parades were for the first time ever organized in Ireland. Today they are in integral part of the Irish festival scene. With most locals and visitors not realizing that this "tradition" is less than thirty years old in most places!
