The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade did not take place in Ireland, but in the United States. According to History.com, Irish soldiers serving in the English Army marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the soldiers’ defiance helped reconnect them with their Irish roots, as well as with Irish compatriots serving in the English army.
Today, this parade is the oldest in the civil world and the largest in the United States, with more than 150,000 participants and millions of spectators. From there, they spread throughout the country and the world, including Ireland. Something that we did not know and that we just learned is that, for more than 20 years, the Irish bagpipes have marched through the streets of Moscow, in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.
Even though we do not have a date when the tradition arrived in Lawrence, it seems reasonable to believe that it was produced when thousands of Irish immigrants arrived in this city during the industrial revolution, which made it one of the most colorful events in the city.
Over the years and the closure of the factories, many Irish people were forced to leave the city in search of better jobs, making it difficult for the organizers still residing in the city to carry out the annual celebration.
Fortunately, the city has a group of people who are determined to keep the tradition alive, and on Saturday, March 23, they will be marching through the streets of Lawrence. We are sure that they did not do it on Sunday the 17th, because they didn’t want to tarnish the Boston parade.
