St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching, and everyone will once again have the chance to dress in green, share in the luck of the Irish, and indeed become Irish for the day thanks to a number of local celebrations.
The traditional Irish holiday will take place on Sunday, Mar. 17 this year. It’s a tradition going back to 1631 when the Catholic Church established a feast day in honour of St. Patrick, who had died 12 centuries earlier at the time.
To celebrate the long-standing symbol of Irish independence and identity, the local band Desperate for Haggis will be performing live entertainment at three separate venues on the weekend leading up to St. Patrick’s Day.
Desperate for Haggis will perform at Bobby’s Place Olde World Tavern in the late afternoon on Saturday, Mar. 16, and again on Sunday, Mar. 17. One of the band members, Don Mitchell, said he’s not certain of the exact start times as the band will follow an earlier performance, but said to expect it to run from 5 – 7 p.m. on each consecutive date.
Additionally, Desperate for Haggis will perform at the Victoria Towers in time for supper, with the performance scheduled to begin Saturday, Mar. 16 at 6:30 p.m.
On Sunday, Mar. 17, the band will perform at Atria West Park Crossing starting at 2 p.m. before holding their final performance later that day at Bobby’s Place once again.
“It’s become such a long-standing tradition, especially as the Irish spread through immigration to other (regions around the world) including… Canada and the U.S.,” explained Don Mitchell, a member of Desperate for Haggis.
It was primarily working-class Irish immigrants who moved to large industrial centres like New York and Chicago and became a major part of the workforce. Between 1820 and 1930, an estimated 4.5 million individuals of Irish descent migrated to the United States alone.
“(The Irish) getting together and celebrating became major events in those cities,” Mitchell said.
By the mid 1800s, this demographic represented over one third of all new migrants to the United States and the situation was comparable in Canada. In 1867, the Irish made up the second largest ethnic group in Canada after the French and comprised 24 per cent of the population at the time.
The historical celebration includes a major noteworthy parade in New York and other key centres around the world. Moose Jaw has celebrated the occasion for almost as long as anyone can remember.
St. Patrick himself was a major historical figure and is remembered for introducing the Catholic faith in Ireland.
“(St. Patrick) has been chosen as the symbol of Irish holidays, and especially their struggle for independence (which) is another thing that’s acknowledged on St. Patrick’s (Day),” Mitchell explained.
“It’s both political and religious in terms of its historic significance.”
To honour this significance, Desperate for Haggis will be playing its normal mixture of Irish, Scottish, and Canadian folk music with a Celtic touch.
“We will be emphasizing all the Irish classics on St. Patrick’s Day,” Mitchell confirmed. The selection will include such well-known titles as The Wild Rover, Cockles and Mussels (Molly Malone), and more.
“It’s a lot more than (just) the Irish that show up,” he said. “People become Irish for the day and dress up in green to be part of it, whether they’re of Irish origin or not.”
Regardless of individual backgrounds, the celebration has played a major role in shaping the Irish culture and has been celebrated by the Irish diaspora the world over for centuries.
“It was a day for them to come together and toast their culture and their history, and to celebrate.”
Bobby's Place Olde World Tavern is located at 63 High Street East and can be reached at 306-692-3058.
Victoria Towers is located at 123 Fairford Street East and Aspira West Park Crossing Retirement Living is located at 1801 Meier Drive.
For more information on this year’s keynote band, search ‘Desperate for Haggis’ on Facebook.
