Remember Irish history

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but know what it means first

Growing up, I always thought St. Patrick's Day was pretty cool.

McDonald's had those Shamrock Shakes, my high school cafeteria sold green lollipops, and my mom would always make corned beef and cabbage for dinner. When I turned 21, it also meant I cold go out for a Killian's Red with my friends and celebrate our "gift of gab."

Then I moved to Hawai`i.

One of the first things I notice was that there doesn't seem to be quite as many Irish people out here. (You may have notice that one, too.) But you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at people's first names on the class list.

Even now, there's another Bryan in my speech class, but he's Chamorro -- and from Saipan, of all places. My sister's name is Kelly, a name that I have seen in front of some very Japanese last names.

What surprised me even for was the way people didn't even realize Bryan and Kelly are Irish names. It made me wonder how many people know today is a holiday.

After all, what exactly are we celebrating? The propensity for Irish to be alcoholics? Maybe it's the face that two million of Ireland's eight million haole died in its 1848 potato famine, or that we got to use cheap Irish labor to build the Erie Canal.

Maybe it was the way we used Irish soldiers in the Civil War, drafting them because they were poor rather than the sons of the elite, industrial upper class ....

One thing's for sure" there aren't too many folks out there who realize that it's because Ireland doesn't have snakes anymore. (Although it would be an easy things to remember -- O`ahu is an island that doesn't have them either.)

I wonder how many people can even say what century St. Patrick lived in (fifth century A.D.), or what the shamrock represents.

I wonder how many on this campus could give even a brief synopsis of Irish history. There seems to be many who can point out the injustices done to their race, but I find it interesting when a person can point out the injustices committed to a different ethnicity.

The images one conjures up today of the Irish boxer and the policeman strolling down the street have been hard-fought. It wasn't always this way.

No, the Irish used to be in the same situation that many Pacific Islanders are in today: because of economic hardship at home, they were forced to take the jobs that few others wanted.

And if you think colonization hurt Hawai`i -- that these islands are unique because someone stole its people's land, consider this: the Irish were without a free nation for centuries.

It has only been since 1920 the the Irish have been able to govern themselves. Prior to that, they were "represented" by the British Parliament, in the same way Parliament "represented" the thirteen colonies before 1776.

Ever heard the saying "No taxation without representation"? It worked for the United States because it was thousands of miles away. It wasn't as easy for the Irish, who unfortunately were right next door.

Even today, there are still six counties under the control of the United Kingdom, areas that remain a hot spot for religion-based conflict.

So if it's not too much trouble and you're in the mood for some knowledge, try punching in "St. Patrick's Day" on your 'Net browser, and pull up some info on why today is special.