In a proud tradition dating back to 1762, Irish Americans will once again be cheered by thousands as they march, bands playing and bagpipes skirling, past St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City to be greeted by Cardinal Dolan, before heading up Fifth Avenue to mark the Feast Day of Saint Patrick, patron saint of Ireland.
Similar celebrations will take place throughout the US during this weekend. This year, because Saint Patrick's Day fell on a Sunday, the New York parade happened on 16 March, the day before the saint's feast day. Despite clerical scandals, growing secularisation and the assimilation familiar to all segments of society, the US’s sense of Irish identity remains strong.
