They'll be no drinkin on St. Patrick's Day because all pubs will be closed. That was the law of the land in Ireland until 1970.

March 17 is celebrated as Saint Patrick's Day because that is the anniversary of his death in the fifth century and was designated his religious feast day. It is one of the longest celebrated holidays in the world -- honored by the Irish for over 1,000 years.

It also usually falls during the period of Lent. For that reason Irish Catholic families traditionally have attended church in the morning and done their celebrating in the afternoon and evening. That celebrating usually includes dancing, drinks and feasting on Irish bacon and cabbage.

Here we have transformed the traditional St. Pat's celebratory meal to cornbeef, cabbage and potatoes. The choice of libation is optional.

Since the beginning of March, which is officially "Irish American Month," parades have dotted the landscape across the nation with the first being held each year in Alexandria, Virginia, under the auspices of The Ballyshaners, a local Irish/American philanthropic organization whose Gallic name means "Oldtowners." It is staged each year on the first Saturday in March.

However, the oldest and largest St. Patrick's Day Parade is held each March 17 in New York City. Initiated on March 17, 1762, it was the first parade honoring Ireland's patron saint to be held anywhere in the world.

On that day, Irish soldiers, who were members of the British military, marched through the streets of the Big Apple to the sounds of traditional Irish music. That act gave rise to the establishment of various Irish aid organizations such as the Hibernian Society.

After holding individual marches throughout the next 80 plus years, the various aid societies decided to combine their efforts and put on one large parade in Manhattan. Thus, in 1848, the now world famous New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade became a reality.

Today it is the longest running and largest civilian parade in the nation with over 150,000 participants in the line of march and literally millions lining the parade route that takes five hours to cover. Many of those observers have trouble focusing on the last units to pass due to liquid vision.
Parades are also held in such heavily Irish populated cities as Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago.