It is a well known fact that some of the earliest European settlers in the United States came from Ireland. People of Irish descent are believed to make up at least 12% of the total population of the United States. As big as this is, the Irish community in the United States has had a big impact on this country, including politics and culture. The Irish Diaspora in the United States has given many Presidents to this country. It is very proud to assimilate in the great melting pot of America while still retaining some of its culture and traditions.

Politics apart, the Irish settlers in the United States played a great role in forming musical styles such as American Folk music and Country and Western music. The origins of these musical styles can be very clearly traced to the folk music played by Irish immigrants who were largely employed as farm hands in various parts of the United States. Irish culture and influence spread very easily in the United States because a large proportion of educators in this country were Irish in origin due to that country’s emphasis on education for women.

Even today, the Irish Diaspora in the United States retains its identity with a great deal of pride. The most evident manifestation of this is the annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade that takes place in many cities all over the country. Celebrated on the 17th of March every year, Saint Patrick’s Day is a holiday that honors the patron saint of Ireland. Many cities in the United States have a grand parade on this day that is marked with the wearing of the color green and the consumption of copious amounts of alcohol. The parade is always a lot of fun, which is not surprising considering that a lot of alcohol is drunk, and it is not uncommon to see non Irish people joining in the celebrations.

Some cities do a little extra to celebrate this day. Chicago, for example, dyes its river green in order to mark this day whereas Savannah dyes some of its fountains the same color. However, the Saint Patrick’s Day parade in New York City takes pride of place because it is the largest in the world, pulling in more than 150,000 marchers every day in addition to an assortment of marching bands and decorated floats.

Many baseball teams also celebrate all things Irish on this festival day by wearing green hats or jerseys. Some teams are closely associated with the Irish American community and they wear their themed uniforms to celebrate the holiday.

Irish celebrations in the United States are always a lot of fun to be around. As a matter of fact, alcohol sales peak on Saint Patrick’s Day.

Many people of Irish descent still retain a deep affection for their roots even though their families have lived in the United States for many generations. They are managing to keep a good balance between retaining their culture while assimilating in the multiracial society in the United States.

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Category: Culture
Keywords: Irish, Saint Patrick’s Day, green, Irish descent, Irish community, Irish culture