17/03/2021
It's a Happy Saint Patricks Day to Irish people round the globe as we pass 17th February, the Saints Day for Ireland. Saint Patrick lived in the fourth and fifth centuries and is credited at largely converting pagan Ireland to Christianity during the declining years of the Roman Empire - which never occupied the irish, and March 17th is believed to have been the date of his death in the year 461. Irish parades and similar events take place around the globe. LGBTQ Irish groups are now an essential part of these, in spite of the fact that until relatively recently, gay and trans Irish organisations were prohibited from the parades in New York and Boston. One critcisim levelled at contemporary Americn parades, is that they are more concerend with plastic accoutrements of Irishness than is authentic.
