How Saint Patrick’s Day Became the Brew-Ha-Holiday It Is Today

• by Matthew McNairy, March 12, 2011

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St. Patrick’s Day brings parades, green-dyed rivers and canals, green beers, and celebration all around the world.  It calls out the Irish in those who can’t track the slightest bit of Irish heritage in their family lineage.  St. Patrick’s Day started as a feast day to honor the man who brought Christianity to Ireland and drove pagans off the Emerald Isle.  March 17th marks the death of St. Patrick and became recognized as a holy day of obligation in the Roman Catholic Church.  It falls annually during the Catholic Lenten season, a period of sacrifice of creature comforts leading up to Easter.

The church members would close work each March 17th to attend church services to honor Ireland’s most famous patron saint.  Then when mass was over, church members took a “free” day during this time of penance to kick back a few pints and celebrate.  In the mid-1700’s, Irish immigrants to the United States used this day to parade the streets of Boston and New York City to express their political frustrations with the lack of work for their people.  New York City’s parade remains the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the world.

The pints and parades go on bigger and greener than ever. Indianapolis’s Saint Patrick’s Day celebration lines up along the parade with a tent party complete with a beer garden and live music.  Here are a few highlight events to join in the Irish cheer in the Circle City on March 17th:

• Greening of the Canal – 6:00 a.m. at the Canal Walk near Ohio and West Streets
• 31st Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade – 11:30 a.m. Be sure to check the parade route to find your best viewing spot.
• Maybe hit a Roman Catholic mass – Check with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for a list of parishes and masses.

Pint Time! Top 5 GroundFloor Suggestions:

• Claddagh Irish Pub Downtown – Check them out on Facebook.
• Northside Claddagh Irish Pub – Pub opens at 10:00 a.m.
• St. Patrick’s Day Tent Party @ Connors Pub (Broad Ripple) 3:00 p.m.-2:30 a.m.
• The Golden Ace – 33 E. Washington St.
• Pat Flynn’s at 52nd and Allisonville for a more laid-back celebration

Sources: History.com and Wikipedia.com

Here is a 3-minute video from History.com on St. Patrick’s Day.

Big 10 Tourney Time

• by Matthew McNairy, March 12, 2011

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Ahhh, March! Time for some basketball madness and it all starts with Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament March 10-13, 2011 here in Indianapolis.  This is the seventh year for Indianapolis to host the tournament and it will back again in 2012, according to Indiana Sports Corp.  This is the seventh year that both the Men’s and Women’s tournaments have converged in Indianapolis. The city posts street signs with the on the corners of downtown streets that surround Conseco Field House to welcome each school in the Men’s and Women’s tournaments.  Thirty thousand people are expected to visit Indianapolis over the course of both tournaments, according to Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association Spokesperson, Chris Gahl.  He said that the economic impact is expected to be $10 million left behind in local restaurants, hotels, and attractions.

Visit the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association’s website to find the bar/restaurant hosting your team’s fans for the weekend.   Click here to find tickets to this weekend’s games.