Rich shades of GREEN is/are my favorite color(s). Which may help explain why i’ve been mildly mesmerized & slightly enchanted with St. Patrick’s Day since childhood….
Psyched to have also recently learned a fascinating multiculti connection to the holiday — apparently the it has deep ties to places within African and Caribbean diasporas — notably in Montserrat, but also here in the United States — and if we were to travel to 18th-century Ireland we’d see some insights there too!
Montserrat: The “Other Emerald Isle”:
Montserrat’s a Caribbean island known as the “Emerald Isle of the Caribbean,” and boasts a St. Patrick’s Day celebration that honors not only Irish heritage but also the African enslaved people who rebelled against colonial rule on March 17, 1768….
Many of the island’s Irish Catholic settlers then arrived as indentured servants, intermingled with the African population and created a unique Afro-Irish culture. Today, Montserrat’s the only place outside Ireland where St. Patrick’s Day is an official public holiday, blending Irish and African traditions in its festivities. Wow! Now I gotta know:
WHAT’S ON THE MONTSERRAT St. Patrick’s Day MENU?! …
[FYI I shed more light on that along with all the historical background info + pics of dishes in the Patreon version of this post so pls become part of that for free or at a paid level in support of my work as an independent scholar & content creator — + you get much more scoop there!…].
So When We Time Travel in Irish History…
In 18th- and 19th-century Ireland, there was a small but notable Black presence, including sailors, soldiers, and musicians. Additionally, the solidarity between Irish nationalists and Black liberation movements—particularly in the U.S.—has historical roots. Frederick Douglass found refuge for a while abroad in Ireland in the 1840s as a self-emancipated fugitive, escaping a hypocritical and punitive American injustice system while advocating for abolition and forging solidarity with Irish allies.
Later, Irish immigrants in America played complex roles in race relations, with some allying with Black activists while others sadly assimilated into white supremacist structures…
St. Patrick’s Day’s Celebrated by ErriBody in the U.S. Today:
In major cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago, St. Patrick’s Day parades have evolved to become more diverse. Over time, even more inclusive representation has emerged, from LGBTQ+ groups seeking and securing inclusion in the parade as well as non-Irish immigrant communities who have embraced the holiday’s spirit….
So, while St. Patrick’s Day is often seen as an Irish holiday, its true history—and its global celebrations—showcase a much richer, more diverse, and interconnected story.
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Speaking of cross-cultural connections and camaraderies, here are a few FOOD & DRINK highlights from fab St. Patrick’s Day parties, parades, brunches & such with my Irish-American play-cousins/ neighbors/ friends ⬇️…
As for Corned Beef and Cabbage Day and in keeping a Caribbean accent on this otherwise Irish-American Holiday :
Here’s the link to a flavorful corned beef dish (& demo!) called Jamaican “bully beef” aka “Jamaican corned beef”
… where I show up as the food history expert to share a lil bit a history behind the dish in support of a full on COOKING DEMO & Delish RECIPE from Chef Millie Peartree in FOOD 52’s “Behind The Recipe with Millie Peartree”
➡️You’ll Find & Can WATCH THE FULL 9-MIN EPISODE HERE⬅️
PS. And as You Can See Here Below I’ve found even MORE St. Paddy’s Stuff …so I can send ya’ll off with a few ideas to TOAST with today…
📸👇🏾Highlights of St. Paddy’s Day posts ‘past’ that I did for Good Wine over the years — with the intent to provide all kindsa options for wine lovers who’d like to have some good options beyond green beer for this day 💚… [for wine deets or more info click onto each image below 👇🏾]
And lastly for now, a few Irish Whiskey “beauty shots” (literally) that I took from a single-malt tasting I did once up on a time…
Cheers to St. Patrick’s Day!
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