St.
Patrick's Day in New York
Spring is almost here and though the grass may not yet be green, New York will be awash in a sea of green as the annual St. Patrick's Day parade returns once again to usher in springtime. St. Patrick's Day in New York is highlighted by the 244th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade; a fact that makes this parade older than the United States herself. New York's parade is the grand daddy of them all, and is unique in the fact that it is one of the few parades you'll ever see in New York where absolutely no vehicles or floats are allowed. The parade features just people, and lots of them; last year's St. Patrick's Day parade in New York had over 150,000 participants from all over the world representing their individual Irish societies. This is a wonderful event to take the children to considering the gregarious nature of the parade itself. The parade really has no specific location in which to best view it, anywhere along the route is just fine, though St. Patrick's Cathedral is the obvious favorite of many.
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The annual celebration of St. Patrick's Day in New York provides the opportunity
to consider many family oriented points of interest that can be both fun and
educational in and around the city. Most Americans regardless of ethnicity can
trace their ancestor's arrival through
Ellis Island.
Certainly a large part of this immigration was made up of Irish immigrants
escaping the poverty and famine of Ireland for the opportunity and promise of
America. One of the most interesting facts of the Irish descendants can
be found in the 2000 U.S. census report that notes that 30,500,000 Americans
claim Irish heritage, this accounts for 10% of today's US population.
Approximately 12 million people immigrated to the United States during the
period of 1892-1954 through
Ellis Island,
of this 12 million people; the Irish descendants accounted for 40%. New York
State has the second largest population of Irish Americans in the U.S. at
2,451,042, a fact that is sure to be noticed when visiting during St. Patrick's
Day in New York. |
The Ellis Island tour is a must for anyone who really wants to understand the American immigration experience. The tour also includes the Statue of Liberty National Monument, another national treasure, though you may want to call to reserve tickets in advance due to security restrictions at the statue. This trip makes for an interesting and educational experience for the young ones and getting there is half the fun, as the island is only accessible by ferry from either New Jersey or New York. Other prominent places of interest for both young an old alike would be St. Patrick's Cathedral, one of the most magnificent cathedrals in the world, not to mention one of New York's cultural treasures. If the weather isn’t cooperating or you just need to take a break for a while, the parade route runs close to several children oriented points of interest. The parade’s route travels up 5th Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street, so with a bit of careful planning you can also have a back up plan if the kids become cold or bored. The Children’s Museum of Manhattan is perfectly located so that you may do both. Located uptown near the end of the parade route at 83rd street, this museum offers just the right mix of learning and fun. The museum boasts five floors of hands on activities for the little ones to interact with, not to mention the museum serves as a nice warm pit-stop if the weather isn’t cooperating.
Quite possibly the parade may not be enough for some of you and you'll be looking for a wee bit more of the Irish, luckily for you and your family there are no shortage of Irish pubs to really experience St. Patrick's Day in New York. Sticking to a less raucous and probably tamer family environment, Bennigan’s on 8th Avenue would be a nice stop for either lunch or dinner offering a fun atmosphere, good food, and a children’s menu too. Of course there are always the purist’s who’ll want their fish n’ chips served with vinegar in a more traditional pub setting, New York does not disappoint in this department. Offering literally hundreds of pubs in every corner of the city, New York’s Irish will come alive the 17th. Connelly’s Pub and Restaurants are a family owned and operated with four locations with which to choose, and an extensive menu including traditional Irish dishes. The pubs also feature live Irish music every weekend and are the official home of Black 47 at the 121 West 45th Street location. If you find yourself more towards uptown, then be sure to stop in PD O’Hurley’s, Irish owned and operated by Paul Hurley, this restaurant features delicious continental as well as traditional Irish dishes. The menu is varied, the prices are fair, and the environment is family friendly. O’Hurley’s also features 17 different beers on tap, including obviously, Guinness.
Though St. Patrick’s Day is actually a religious celebration, through the years
it has come to symbolize the contributions of the many generations of Irish
Americans to this great country of ours. In many ways we all have a bit of the
Irish in us, as we’ve all come from someplace else to be a part of this great
country. It’s in this spirit that we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in New York and
become Irish for a day through the wearing of the green, and the celebration of
the spirit of those generations who have marched through New York for 243 years
before us.
ERIN GO BRAUGH! (IRELAND FOREVER)
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