UNCW Irish history professor shares origin of St. Patrick’s Day

When Irish immigrants brought St. Patrick's Day traditions to the United States, American's adopted the celebration to honor Irish culture.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday that the Irish have observed for centuries.   

Saint Patrick advanced Christianity throughout Ireland and is believed to have died on March 17th. 

When Irish immigrants brought St. Patrick’s Day traditions to the United States, American’s adopted the celebration to honor Irish culture. 

However, locations around the world still manage to celebrate in similar ways. 

Paul Townend, a professor of Irish history at UNCW, said, “It’s been marked in a lot of different ways over that time but there’s always been parades, there’s always been feasting, there’s always been eating, drinking, family, church – all of the things people kind of connect with Saint Patrick’s Day and probably for just about as long – beer.” 

Townend is a proud owner of his personal ties to his Irish heritage. He said that Wilmington is one of the ports in the south that many Irish immigrants arrived at long ago. 

He said that although this happened many years ago, it played a vital role in Irish culture becoming rich in areas all over the globe. 

Townend said, “It’s a global thing of being connected to this tiny little island that’s smaller than North Carolina. So, it’s kind of amazing to think about not just Ireland itself but “Irishness” all over the world and as we live in a world that get’s more connected, and people get used to moving around. There’s a lot to learn from the Irish experience.” 

Townend is a part of “the Wilmington Ancient Order of Hibernians.” The Irish-Catholic organization preserves and promotes Irish heritage. 

Townend said he enjoys connecting with other’s of Irish heritage and the place he comes from through dinner’s and dance’s that the organization hosts. 

The UNCW professor will be travelling to Ireland in the coming months with several UNCW students. He said these students are most excited to experience Irish culture in the place it originated from.