thus had voting power. They began to court public opinion and became quite a political machine. When Harry S. Truman attended the New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1948, many Irish-Americans knew that they were at last an accepted part of American culture.
In Ireland itself, St. Patrick’s Day was traditionally a religious holiday. In fact, until the mid-1970’s, Irish law dictated that all pubs and bars had to be closed. By 1995; however, the Irish government began to use St. Patrick’s Day as a driver for tourism as people all over the world clamored for all things Irish. St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin now draws over 1 million people in a multi-day celebration with parades, concerts, and fireworks.
In homes throughout the world, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated without alcoholic excess. Many Irish Catholic families celebrate with a day of prayers. Families cook the traditional Irish feast of corned beef (also known as Irish bacon), cabbage, and soda bread. Many of these families end the night with some coffee with Irish crème, and a chocolate pie or cake liberally saturated with mint flavoring. These traditions are passed from generation to generation, and are revered as much as if not more so than the alcoholic debauchery that is known so well.