March is Irish American Heritage Month

Wednesday, 24 Feb 2021

County News & Features

Since St. Patrick's Day falls in March, it is likely that is why Congress designated March as Irish American Heritage Month in 1991. All presidents since then have issued proclamations designating the month to recognize all things Irish.

Irish American Heritage Month in the United States is held to recognize the contributions Irish Americans have made to the country.

On March 17, 1762, New York city hosted the first St. Patrick's Day Parade to honor St. Patrick, who introduced Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century. Irish soldiers, who served in the English military, marched in the parade. The parade became an annual event and in 1942, President Harry S. Truman attended, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In usual times, St. Patrick's Day parades are held around the world.

In addition to seeing bagpipes and men in kilts, parade goers who attend St. Patrick's Day parades see people sporting shamrocks over plaid clothing and others dressed as leprechauns.

Three traditional dishes prepared on St. Patrick's Day include corned beef and cabbage, shepherd's pie and Irish soda bread.

According to the 2019 American Community Survey, 30.4 million U.S. residents claim Irish ancestry. The number of foreign-born residents who reported Ireland as their birthplace stands at 111,886. Cook County, in Illinois, is home to the largest population of people who claim Irish ancestry.

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