Can you believe it’s March already? The year is flying by, and already the red hearts of Valentine’s Day have been replaced by the green shamrocks of the Irish.
Yes, St. Patrick’s Day is here – Thursday, 17 March, to be exact. Unfortunately, the Butterfield Irish Jog will not be happening this year, due to government COVID protocols, but a great craic can still be had at venues on the island that celebrate Guinness, dancing, and just plain socialising.
Of course, when it comes to recognising this special date in Cayman, one has to look to Fidel Murphy’s Pub in Queen’s Court Plaza. Live music is promised from noon, with a touch of the Riverdance around 1:30pm, pints of the black stuff flowing from the taps, and The Busker Irish Whiskey shots for anyone who fancies looking for leprechauns by the late afternoon. The Neverines are on the ticket as well as Dave Hennessy playing his soulful tunes. Try to pace yourself, or you’ll never make it through ’til evening. No cover charge at all – save your money for the beer.
On Friday, 18 March, the Green Tie Gala takes place at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. This much-anticipated event had been previously postponed due to the pandemic, but now it is happily moving ahead and raising money for the Alex Panton Foundation.
By all accounts, the gala is sold out, but if you haven’t scored a ticket, fear not. You can head to karaoke at Fidel Murphy’s, starting at 9:30pm, where no doubt attendees will be going after a great night out. It will also be a Rugby Club fundraiser at the pub that night, so expect a lively crowd.
Facts about St. Patrick’s Day
■ St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish national holiday with banks, stores, and businesses closing for the day.
■ The first St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the United States was held in Boston (1737).
■ The shamrock is the national symbol of Ireland.
■ The colour of St. Patrick’s Day was originally blue.
■ Wearing green has become a staple of St. Patrick’s Day, but the holiday was originally associated with the colour blue. It’s thought that the shift to green happened because of Ireland’s nickname ‘The Emerald Isle’, the green in the Irish flag and the shamrock, or clover. Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn as early as the 17th century.
■ Beer is one of the most widely consumed beverages on St. Patrick’s Day.
■ 1962 marked the first time Chicago dyed their river green for St Patrick’s Day.
■ There are 34.7 million U.S. residents with Irish ancestry. This number is more than seven times the population of Ireland itself.
■ The real St. Patrick wasn’t Irish. He was born in Britain around A.D. 390 to an aristocratic Christian family.
■ Our odds of finding a four-leaf clover are about one in 10,000.
■ The world’s shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade is held in an Irish village. It lasts only 100 yards, between the village’s two pubs.
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