Oh, Danny boy, ’tis the time of year when Irish bagpipes are calling in the concrete glens of New York City, across the swooning boughs of Savannah, Georgia, and in the halls of the White House as the U.S. celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with parades, pub crawls and a state visit.
Thousands of tourists and locals alike crowded the oak-shaded squares and downtown sidewalks of Savannah on Friday. The city’s parade, a 199-year-old tradition, is the South’s largest.
Veteran parade watchers arrived before dawn to claim space in the squares for picnic tables and party tents. Bars opened at 7 a.m. to greet customers already thirsty for beer and Bloody Marys.
The annual parade in New York City — which bills itself as the world’s largest and oldest — drew throngs to Fifth Avenue to await bagpipes and bands, and give homage to Ireland’s patron saint.
“When we march up Fifth Avenue,” New York Mayor Eric Adams said during the annual St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast Reception, “it appears as though everything turns to green.”
Irish immigrants have a deep history in helping New York City become what it is today — one of the many groups, the mayor said, “that make up our city and that makes us great.”
Kevin Conway, the parade’s grand marshal, led the way.
“We’re going to march in a celebration of all things Irish, the Irish culture, the Irish people. We’re going to march in tribute to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Peace Agreement,” he said, referring to the peace accord that helped end sectarian violence over the reunification of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.
Bernadette Byrne, who took in the parade while visiting from Ireland, felt right at home.
“The atmosphere is great,” she said. “Everybody’s so friendly.”
Some cities including Chicago, which dyes its river green to commemorate a day when everyone pretends to be Irish, already held their parades last weekend. Other cities, including Boston, will hold parades and other festivities this weekend.
Also flowing green will be the fountain on the South Lawn of the White House as President Joe Biden, who often speaks of his Irish heritage, welcomes Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar for a longstanding meetup between the two heads of state that had been delayed two years by the COVID-19 pandemic.
With temperatures forecast to climb into the mid-70s in Savannah, many parade watchers wore shorts with green T-shirts and strands of green plastic beads. Mike Trout painted his entire face and bald head with green makeup, accented by an orange plastic mustache.
“You got the spirit, brother!” said one passerby tapping Trout on the shoulder as he and wife, Diana, strolled the streets before the parade. The couple from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, traveled to Savannah just to celebrate St. Patrick’s.
“She’s Irish, I’m Irish wannabe,” said Trout.
