When is St. Patrick's Day in 2017? | The Old Farmers Almanac Rate this Article: Average: 3.9 (41 votes) When is St. Patrick’s Day in 2017? Who is St. Patrick? Why do we wear shamrocks? Did he drink green beer? Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day history, legend, and lore! Who Was Saint Patrick? St. Patrick was the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. March 17 is widely accepted as the date of St. Patrick’s death in A.D. 461. Was there really a St. Patrick? Definitely. Did he really drive the snakes out of Ireland? Probably not. At age 16 (around A.D. 400), Patrick was kidnapped from his home on the west coast of England and carried off to Ireland. After six years, he escaped; upon returning home, he received his call (in a dream) to preach the Gospel. He spent the next 15 or so years in a monastery, preparing for his missionary work.

Although some Christians lived in Ireland at the time, it was Patrick who spread Christianity throughout the land and brought an organized church into existence. We wear a shamrock on St. Patrick’s Day because Patrick used its three leaves to explain the Trinity. But, as far as we know, he never drank green beer! Long before the shamrock became associated with St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), the four-leaf clover was regarded by ancient Celts as a charm against evil spirits. In the early 1900s, O. H. Benson, an Iowa school superintendent, came up with the idea of using a clover as the emblem for a newly founded agricultural club for children in his area. In 1911, the four-leaf clover was chosen as the emblem for the national club program, later named 4-H. St. Patrick’s Day of the Week 2017 * See note below. St. Patrick's Day Home Calendar Holidays St. Patrick's Day St. Patrick's Day St Patrick’s Day is a global celebration of Irish culture on or around March 17.

It particularly remembers St Patrick, one of Ireland’s patron saints, who ministered Christianity in Ireland during the fifth century. St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in countries with people of Irish decent. St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in countries with people of Irish decent. ©bigstockphoto.com/Stu99 What Do People Do? St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many parts of the world, especially by Irish communities and organizations. Many people wear an item of green clothing on the day. Parties featuring Irish food and drinks that are dyed in green food color are part of this celebration. It is a time when children can indulge in sweets and adults can enjoy a “pint” of beer at a local pub. Many restaurants and pubs offer Irish food or drink, which include: Irish brown bread. Irish potato champ, also known as poundies, cally or pandy. Irish stew. Irish potato soup. Some people plan a pilgrimage to St Patrick’s Purgatory, which is commonly associated with penance and spiritual healing since the early 13th century.

It is on Station Island in Lough Derg in County Donegal where St Patrick had a vision promising that all who came to the sanctuary in penitence and faith would receive a pardon for their sins. Public Life St Patrick's Day is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland ( United Kingdom ) and the Republic of Ireland . St Patrick’s Day is also a festive occasion in some parts of the world where it is not a public holiday. Therefore traffic and parking may be temporarily affected in streets and public areas where parades are held in towns and cities. Background St Patrick is one of the patron saints of Ireland. He is said to have died on March 17 in or around the year 493. He grew up in Roman Britain, but was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland as a slave when he was a young adult. After some years he returned to his family and entered the church, like his father and grandfather before him. He later returned to Ireland as a missionary and worked in the north and west of the country. According to popular legend, St Patrick rid Ireland of snakes. However, it is thought that there have been no snakes in Ireland since the last ice age.

The "snakes" that St Patrick banished from Ireland, may refer to the druids or pagan worshipers of snake or serpent gods. He is said to be buried under Down Cathedral in Downpatrick, Ireland. Ireland’s other patron saints are St Brigid and St Columba. Luke Wadding, a Franciscan scholar born in 1588 in Waterford, on the south coast of Ireland, was influential in ensuring that the anniversary of St Patrick's death became a feast day in the Catholic Church. Many Catholic churches traditionally move St Patrick's Day to another date if March 17 falls during Holy Week. Many immigrants from Ireland fled to other parts of the world, including Australia , Canada , the United Kingdom and the United States , in the 19th and 20th centuries. Many Irish customs, including the St Patrick’s Day celebrations, became quite popular in these countries. However, much of the interest in the St Patrick’s Day events is largely commercially driven in the 21st century. Symbols The most common St Patrick's Day symbol is the shamrock. The shamrock is the leaf of the clover plant and a symbol of the Holy Trinity.

Many people choose to wear the color green and the flag of the Republic of Ireland is often seen in St Patrick’s Day parades around the world. Irish brands of drinks are popular at St Patrick’s Day events. Religious symbols include snakes and serpents, as well as the Celtic cross. Some say that Saint Patrick added the Sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross. Other Irish-related symbols seen on St Patrick’s Day include the harp, which was used in Ireland for centuries, as well as a mythological creature known as the leprechaun and a pot of gold that the leprechaun keeps hidden. Quick Facts St Patrick’s Day celebrates Irish culture and commemorates one of Ireland’s patron saints, St Patrick, on or around March 17. St. Patrick's Day 2017 St. Patrick's Day | 2017 | Holidays Calendar 2022 Thursday, March 17 As children thoroughly enjoy many of the holidays throughout the year, St. Patrick's Day may very well be the adults' favorite. It is also a great time to learn about the mysterious and somewhat magical culture of Ireland.

Read below to find out what makes St. Patrick's Day a favorite holiday of so many. History Around the year of 387 A.D., a baby was born in Scotland and was named Maewyn Succat. His parents were of Roman heritage living in Britain which at that time was under the rule of the Roman Empire. When Maewyn was about 16 years old, the village he lived in was invaded by Irish raiders. Maewyn was captured by these Irish raiders and sold into slavery. He was given the job of herding sheep throughout the woods and mountains of Ireland. It was during his sheep herding years that Maewyn began intensely praying to God on a daily basis. He recited hundreds of prayers each day while wandering through Ireland and built an inner relationship with God. It was about six years after his captivity when he had a dream which he believed was from God. In the dream, he was directed to leave Ireland by way of the coast. Maewyn did escape and fled to Gaul. Maewyn became a member of the church and studied many years to become a priest. After twelve years of instruction under St. Germain, Maewyn became a priest in the Roman Catholic Church.

While studying and working in the church, Maewyn became known as Patrick. It was also during this time in which Patrick felt an inner desire to return to Ireland and convert the people to Christianity. It was many years later, after Patrick was ordained a bishop, that his desire was fulfilled. He was sent to Ireland to preach the Gospel where he converted many souls to Christianity. But not all people were excited about Bishop Patrick's teachings. Many opposed him and on several occasions, the opposition sent Bishop Patrick to prison. Each time of his imprisonment, he somehow escaped. Stories and myths were spread over the land about Bishop Patrick, his teachings and his escapades. As a result, his popularity grew. Bishop Patrick built many schools, churches and monasteries throughout Ireland which aided in the conversion of the Irish people to Christianity. It is told that Bishop Patrick used a three leaf shamrock to teach the Holy Trinity to those in Ireland. Each leaf on the shamrock was a representation of the Holy Trinity with one leaf as the Father, one leaf as the Son, and one leaf as the Holy Spirit. His use of the shamrock was to show how the Holy Trinity could exist separately but yet be as one.

Bishop Patrick taught in Ireland for about 30 years when he died on March 17th, 461 A. D. During his life, he lived in poverty while traveling humbly, teaching the Irish about Christianity. Today, Bishop Patrick is known as St. Patrick and March 17th is celebrated worldwide as St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick is the patron saint of engineers, Ireland and Nigeria. Green is the color used today in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. The association of the green color and St. Patrick 's Day can be traced as far back as the 17th century where green shamrocks were worn in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. The first St. Patrick's Day celebration in the United States took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 1737. Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated across the United States with parades and other activities. A few of the United States activities include Chicago, Illinois, where the city dyes its river green; Savannah, Georgia, where the city dyes its fountains green; and Hot Springs, Arkansas, where the shortest St. Patrick's Day parade is held. Countries all across the globe enjoy the festivities of St.

Patrick's Day. The first St. Patrick's Day parade in Tokyo was in 1992 and has been celebrated each year since then. In Australia, all of March is a festival month with many days incorporating the St. Patrick's Day theme. Canada, Brazil, Italy, wherever one finds a wee bit of Irish, one will find a St. Patrick's Day celebration. Celebrations Today Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade - On St. Patrick's Day, the Chicago River turns a brilliant Irish Green. Some might attribute this to the magic of a leprechaun! This event can best be viewed from Columbus Drive to Lake Shore Drive. The World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade - Located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, this annual event has hosted numerous celebrities as the Grand Marshal including Bo Derek, John Corbett, Mike Rowe and George Wendt. The claim of the event is that Bridge Street, the street that the parade travels over, is the shortest street in the World. The parade is officially only 98 feet in length! South Boston Irish Parade and Pub Crawl - It would be difficult to discuss Irish culture without mentioning Boston. As one of the United States' largest St.

Patrick's Day parades, this parade will be viewed annually by 600,000 - 1,000,000 people. Afterwards, celebrateurs can visit various Irish attractions around the city, or find Fish and Chips and a glass of Guiness at one of Boston's many authentic Irish pubs. Dublin St. Patrick's Day Festival - Started in 1995, Dublin's St. Patrick's Festival was initiated by the government with the goal of becoming one of the largest St. Patty's festivals in the world. The event is actually a multi-day event, and features fireworks, Irish music, rides, great Irish food and drink and more! When is St. Patrick's Day? St. Patrick's Day is not a floating holiday, as it always falls on March 17. History of St. Patrick’s Day - St. Patrick’s Day - HISTORY.com History of St. Patrick’s Day History of St. Patrick’s Day Author History of St. Patrick’s Day URL A+E Networks Introduction St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17, the saint’s religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century.

The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. On St. Patrick’s Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast–on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. Google St. Patrick and the First St. Patrick’s Day Parade Saint Patrick, who lived during the fifth century, is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. Born in Roman Britain, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. He later escaped, but returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its people. In the centuries following Patrick’s death (believed to have been on March 17, 461), the mythology surrounding his life became ever more ingrained in the Irish culture: Perhaps the most well known legend is that he explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of a native Irish clover, the shamrock. Did You Know? More than 100 St.

Patrick's Day parades are held across the United States; New York City and Boston are home to the largest celebrations. Since around the ninth or 10th century, people in Ireland have been observing the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Patrick on March 17. Interestingly, however, the first parade held to honor St. Patrick’s Day took place not in Ireland but in the United States. On March 17, 1762, Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as with fellow Irishmen serving in the English army. Growth of St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations Over the next 35 years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished, prompting the rise of so-called “Irish Aid” societies like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and the Hibernian Society. Each group would hold annual parades featuring bagpipes (which actually first became popular in the Scottish and British armies) and drums. In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one official New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Today, that parade is the world ‘s oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants. Each year, nearly 3 million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. Boston, Chicago , Philadelphia and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades involving between 10,000 and 20,000 participants each. St. Patrick’s Day, No Irish Need Apply and the “Green Machine” Up until the mid-19th century, most Irish immigrants in America were members of the Protestant middle class. When the Great Potato Famine hit Ireland in 1845, close to 1 million poor and uneducated Irish Catholics began pouring into America to escape starvation. Despised for their alien religious beliefs and unfamiliar accents by the American Protestant majority, the immigrants had trouble finding even menial jobs. When Irish Americans in the country’s cities took to the streets on St. Patrick’s Day to celebrate their heritage, newspapers portrayed them in cartoons as drunk, violent monkeys.

The American Irish soon began to realize, however, that their large and growing numbers endowed them with a political power that had yet to be exploited. They started to organize, and their voting block, known as the “green machine,” became an important swing vote for political hopefuls. Suddenly, annual St. Patrick’s Day parades became a show of strength for Irish Americans, as well as a must-attend event for a slew of political candidates. In 1948, President Harry S. Truman attended New York City ‘s St. Patrick’s Day parade, a proud moment for the many Irish Americans whose ancestors had to fight stereotypes and racial prejudice to find acceptance in the New World. The Chicago River on St. Patrick’s Day As Irish immigrants spread out over the United States, other cities developed their own traditions. One of these is Chicago’s annual dyeing of the Chicago River green. The practice started in 1962, when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the green dye might provide a unique way to celebrate the holiday. That year, they released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river–enough to keep it green for a week!

Today, in order to minimize environmental damage, only 40 pounds of dye are used, and the river turns green for only several hours. Although Chicago historians claim their city’s idea for a river of green was original, some natives of Savannah, Georgia (whose St. Patrick’s Day parade, the oldest in the nation, dates back to 1813) believe the idea originated in their town. They point out that, in 1961, a hotel restaurant manager named Tom Woolley convinced city officials to dye Savannah’s river green. The experiment didn’t exactly work as planned, and the water only took on a slight greenish hue. Savannah never attempted to dye its river again, but Woolley maintains (though others refute the claim) that he personally suggested the idea to Chicago’s Mayor Richard J. Daley. St. Patrick’s Day Around the World Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, especially throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore and Russia. In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day was traditionally been a religious occasion.

In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use interest in St. Patrick’s Day to drive tourism and showcase Ireland and Irish culture to the rest of the world. Today, approximately 1 million people annually take part in Ireland ‘s St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows. Tags Public holidays Public holidays Further information Introduction There are 9 public holidays in Ireland each year. Public holidays may commemorate a special day or other event, for example, St Patrick's Day (17 March) or Christmas Day (25 December). On a public holiday, sometimes called a bank holiday, most businesses and schools close. Other services, for example, public transport still operate but often with restricted schedules. The list of public holidays each year is as follows: New Year's Day (1 January) St. Patrick's Day (17 March) Easter Monday First Monday in May, June, August Last Monday in October Christmas Day (25 December) St.

Stephen's Day (26 December) Good Friday is not a public holiday. While some schools and businesses close on that day, you have no automatic entitlement to time off work on that day. How is the date of Easter Monday determined each year? Easter Monday is the only public holiday that can vary significantly from year to year. The date of Easter moves every year within the international calendar for civil use. Broadly speaking, Easter should be the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after 21 March. This means that the earliest possible date for Easter Sunday in any year is 22 March, the latest is 25 April. Easter Monday will fall on the following dates between 2017 and 2020: 17 April 2017, 2 April 2018, 22 April 2019, 13 April 2020. Rules Your entitlement to public holidays is set out in the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 . Most employees are entitled to paid leave on public holidays.

One exception is part-time employees who have not worked for their employer at least 40 hours in total in the 5 weeks before the public holiday. Employees who qualify for public holiday benefit will be entitled to one of the following: A paid day off on the public holiday An additional day of annual leave An additional day's pay A paid day off within a month of the public holiday The Organisation of Working Time Act provides that you may ask your employer at least 21 days before a public holiday, which of the alternatives will apply. If your employer fails to respond at least 14 days before the public holiday, you are entitled to take the actual public holiday as a paid day off. The Organisation of Working Time (Determination of Pay For Holidays) Regulations (SI 475/1997) set out the appropriate rate of daily pay. Part-time employees If you have worked for your employer at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks before the public holiday and the public holiday falls on a day you normally work you are entitled to a day's pay for the public holiday. If you are required to work that day you are entitled to an additional day's pay.

If you do not normally work on that particular day you should receive one-fifth of your weekly pay. Even if you may never be rostered to work on a public holiday you are entitled to one-fifth of your weekly pay as compensation for the public holiday. If you do not have normal daily or weekly working hours, under SI 475/1997 , an average of your day’s pay or the fifth of your weekly pay is calculated over the 13 weeks you worked before the public holiday. In all of the above situations your employer may choose to give you paid time off instead of pay for the public holiday. Sick leave on a public holiday If you are a full time worker on sick leave during a public holiday, you are entitled to benefit for the public holiday you missed, as described above. If you are a part-time worker on sick leave during a public holiday, you would be entitled to benefit for the public holiday, provided you had worked for your employer for at least 40 hours in the previous five-week period - see 'Part-time employees' above.

However, if you have been off work for more than 26 consecutive weeks due to illness or accident, or for more than 52 weeks due to an occupational accident and you are absent from work immediately before the public holiday because of this, you are not entitled to the public holiday. Absence from work and public holiday entitlement You are entitled to leave for any public holidays that occur while you are on maternity leave , parental leave or adoptive leave . These rights are set down in law in the Maternity Protection Acts 1994 and 2004 , the Parental Leave Acts 1998 and 2006, and the Adoptive Leave Acts 1995 and 2005 respectively. You are not entitled to public holiday benefits if you have been absent from work immediately before the public holiday and your absence is: Over 13 weeks, due to lay off or some other reason and authorised by your employer.

Due to a strike After the first 13 weeks of carer's leave Losing your job If your employment finishes during the week ending on the day before a public holiday and you have worked for your employer for the previous 4 weeks, you should receive an additional day's pay for the public holiday. This also applies to part-time employees who have established a right to the public holiday by working at least 40 hours in the previous 5 weeks. You can read more about this in 'Further information' below. Public holidays falling on a weekend Where a public holiday falls on a weekend, you do not have any automatic legal entitlement to have the next working day off work. This occurred in 2016/2017 when Christmas Day (25 December) and New Year's Day (1 January) fell on a Sunday. You can find out more about your public holiday entitlement for your individual working arrangement in this explanatory booklet on holidays and public holidays (pdf) . How to apply You can find out more about public holidays in this explanatory booklet on holidays and public holidays (pdf) or from the Workplace Relations Commission's Information and Customer Service - see 'Where to apply' below.

If you are not getting your public holiday entitlement you may make a complaint under the Organisation of Working Time Act within 6 months of the dispute or complaint occurring. You must use the online complaint form available on workplacerelations.ie . The time limit may be extended for up to a further 6 months, but only where there is a reasonable cause which prevented the complaint being brought within the normal time limit. Where to apply 'Tis the month for corned beef 'Tis the month for corned beef Matt Molli prepares corned beef sandwiches at McBob's Pub & Grill in Milwaukee. Corned-beef consumption goes through the roof in March. The Reuben sandwich from Jake's Deli is more popular in March than at other times of year. Stubby's Gastropub Executive Chef Brad Clark holds up the Overachiever Reuben Sandwich. The Milwaukee restaurant’s version of the classic includes pulled and braised corned beef, sauerkraut, and Munster cheese on marble rye bread with homemade dressing. By Kristine M. Kierzek, Special to the Journal Sentinel March 12, 2013 Corned beef is simple to make at home While we're celebrating all things Irish for St.

Patrick's Day, Americans are also eating more corned beef than at any other time of the year. Whether you're Irish going back generations or just for St. Patrick's Day, chances are you'll see corned beef on the menu this month. Oddly enough, corned beef and cabbage may be associated with all things Irish here, but back in Ireland you won't find it on many menus these days. Irish chef and restaurateur Clodagh McKenna, host of the PBS television series "Irish Food Trails," doesn't remember ever serving corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day. And she's never seen canned corned beef on grocery shelves in Ireland. "Spring lamb is in season, and most Irish households will do lamb or fish," said McKenna. Somehow that doesn't stop the American masses from guzzling green beer and indulging in this meaty tradition every March. "To be honest, none of it makes much sense," said Christine McRoberts, co-owner of McBob's Pub and Grill, 4919 W. North Ave. "Irish people don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day quite the same in Ireland. It's really more of an American celebration.

Anyone can be Irish on that day and enjoy themselves." "Corned beef and cabbage, we only do that for Irish Fest and St. Pat's Day and a couple days in March," said McRoberts. "People say they really love it, but when I have it on the menu a lot of people don't order it." Making an exception to its usual hours, Jake's Deli at 1634 W. North Ave. will be open this St. Patrick's Day, which falls on a Sunday. "St. Patrick's Day is probably the busiest day of the year for us," said marketing director Rob Frost, noting that they recently added online ordering ( jakes-deli.com ) and new locations in the Grand Avenue Mall and Bradley Center. "We're going to cook over 7,000 pounds of corned beef that weekend. In a normal weekend we do about 1,000 to 2,000 pounds." Each week, McBob's goes through about 1,500 pounds of corned beef, said McRoberts, whose family has run the pub since 1986. "We do a lot of corned beef.

We have a Reuben (sandwich), a farmer's dinner with corned beef, Irish spring rolls, a Reuben roll and a corned beef hash. In March, I don't even want to think about the numbers. It goes through the roof." More than 10,000 pounds of corned beef is consumed annually at Irish Fest, which takes place Aug. 15 to 18 this year. Eight varieties are served by various vendors: corned beef sandwiches, corned beef with cabbage and colcannon potatoes, Reuben rolls, Irish Reuben pizza, corned beef hash, Reuben sandwich, Irish Philly cheesesteak (corned beef replaces the steak), and corned beef sub sandwich. Gretta Comiskey, a former teacher and 82-year-old volunteer with the Irish Cultural Center, said she is "Irish on both sides" but that she had never eaten corned beef until she moved to Milwaukee in 1949. "Ireland doesn't have corned beef like we know it," she said.

"They call it 'silverside of beef.' What they call bacon is more like our ham." Over the years, she adopted the tradition and has served her share of corned beef. "We served it at the Holiday Folk Fair as sandwiches, and we always saved some of the juice so it wouldn't get dry," she reminisced. "We'd also sprinkle 'shamrock dust' on it. Nothing but parsley! "I'll usually make corned beef and cabbage around St. Patty's Day, especially if I'm having company," she said. "I've made it in the crockpot. I usually used the beef brisket rounds; they seem to be less fat and easier to work with than the flat ones." 'Kernels' of salt So what exactly is corned beef, and how did it come to be associated with the Irish? Corned beef takes its name from the preservation process, which these days essentially involves a wet brine that takes tough cuts of meat and turns them tender and tasty. Originally, this salting process was known as corning and used large kernels of salt.

Oxford English Dictionary online suggests one of the first references to "corned" in relation to meat cured or preserved with salt comes in 1621. Going back to the 17th century, corned beef was a major export in Ireland, particularly in Cork. Irish chef Darina Allen runs Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork. Writing in her 2009 book, "The Forgotten Skills of Cooking," she notes that during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century, the region supplied corned beef to the British Army. Today, though it isn't as popular with locals, corned beef is still served for Sunday lunch at the family's Ballymaloe Inn. "Ireland had a lot of dairy cattle, and one byproduct of that was beef, since the male calf who wouldn't be raised for producing milk was either castrated and raised as a plow animal or to be beef," said Martha Carlin, professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

"Farmers couldn't eat much beef - it was more valuable to sell than eat." Perhaps that forged the path for corned beef making its way not only to the states, but also to some Caribbean islands, where even today canned corned beef is considered a pantry staple for hurricane season. "Those Irish who went into the British Navy or merchant marines, they would've eaten a lot of tinned beef," said Carlin. "Salt beef could be bottled or canned in the 19th century, and so that made it very suitable for long voyages, army use and so on. In the past, they also consumed a lot of salt beef, but it was packed in barrels and it wasn't as good of a preservation method." All corned beef starts with beef brisket, rump or round, which is typically cheaper than other cuts of beef or pork. To get to the corned beef stage, the brisket is soaked in a salt brine for anywhere from three to 10 days. Salt helps break down tough muscle. Somewhere along its path to America, possibly starting on the East Coast with Irish immigrants and Jewish butchers, those budget cuts of meat gave way to tradition.

"Boston, which is very Irish, had boiled dinners," said Carlin. "It is possible there that the two merged and that corned beef and cabbage became a classic Irish-American meal." Cook long and slow Because it is such a tough cut of meat, brisket should be cooked long and slow with lots of moisture to produce a tender meal. Boiling was a simple cooking technique that most any home cook could master. "You can do it in the oven, or in a Nesco-type pan; just be sure the meat is covered in water," said McRoberts. "If you do it on the top of your stove, that's when you have something like a grate in the pan so it is not touching the bottom. You don't want the flame so high it boils. . . . At Irish Fest we get pie tins and put them on the bottom, so the corned beef never sits on the bottom of the pan." Brad Clark, chef at Stubby's Gastropub, 2060 N. Humboldt Blvd., not only brines his brisket in-house, but he also refuses to boil it. "I love braising.

It is one of my favorite ways to cook, from pork belly to brisket to tongue, whatever. We go through a lot of pork belly here, so that's the braising liquid here," said Clark. "I don't boil it. I don't know why everyone boils corned beef. I haven't figured that out yet. I roast the whole thing off in the oven." Whatever method you choose, expect some shrinkage after cooking. "When cooked, the meat loses around 20% of its weight in moisture, but this loss is counterbalanced by the brine absorbed so the moisture loss is effectively cut in half," writes Harold McGee in "On Food and Cooking." Variation on Reuben While corned beef and cabbage gets all the attention on St. Patrick's Day, Reubens just may be the world's favorite way with corned beef. Traditionally, Reubens include a pile of corned beef along with Thousand Island dressing, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on rye or marble rye. A few local kitchen technicians have other ideas. "We know a lot of people like to do the Thousand Island dressing.

Our own personal taste, we don't," said McRoberts, who has been serving up corned beef at McBob's since 1986. They found their own way to make the Reuben, using a specific horseradish mustard, "and that's how we like it. "I've had people ask for Thousand Island, and we will not put it on. They don't need that sweetness to make it taste good." Before Clark could put a Reuben on his menu at Stubby's, he had to like it himself. "I'd never been a huge fan, so I started turning it into a sandwich that I like. I love Munster. It's creamy, one of my favorite everyday cheeses. Instead of pungent Swiss, I use that. We use marble rye, which has pumpernickel swirled, and then Frank's sauerkraut." And they slice the bread ¾ inch thick. "There's nothing worse than a soggy sandwich, when your fingers come through the bread," said Clark. "People don't like to see it on Wonder Bread," agreed McRoberts. "It needs to be a rye bread with a curve to it.

That's what makes people happy; then they feel like they're getting a 'real' corned beef sandwich." *** SERVING TIPS When slicing corned beef, cut across the grain. If you prefer to shred the beef, rather than cut it, ask the butcher for "deckle off." Deckle is the top part of the brisket, containing sinew and fat, said Brad Clark, chef at Stubby's Gastropub. "The brisket itself is so grainy, it's like a knot you can't slice." The meat as he makes it "falls apart; we scrape off whatever fat is left and then just peel it." By peeling, he means shredding in the manner of pulled pork. Keep the corned beef in water or its juices until you serve it; otherwise the meat dries out and becomes tough. *** Recipes Already-corned brisket, such as the ones called for in this recipe and the next, is available at grocery stores such as Sendik's and specialty markets including Bunzel's and Groppi's.

Sharing this recipe in "Forgotten Skills of Cooking" (Kyle Books, 2009), Darina Allen notes that corned beef goes back to the 17th century in Cork. Allen notes that while it may have gone out of favor, this dish is still served for Sunday lunch at the family's Ballymaloe inn. Serve with boiled potatoes and English mustard. Corned Beef and Cabbage Makes 6 to 8 servings 4 pounds beef brisket, corned 4 large carrots, cut into large chunks 8 small onions, peeled but left whole 1 teaspoon dry English mustard 6 whole black peppercorns Bouquet garni of fresh thyme and parsley stalks 1 large or 2 small cabbages Put corned beef in a deep saucepan with the carrots, onions, mustard, peppercorns and the bouquet garni. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently 2 hours. Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut the head into quarters and add to the pot. Cook another 1 to 2 hours, or until meat and vegetables are soft and tender. Serve the corned beef cut into slices and surrounded by the vegetables.

----- Corned beef is one of the most popular slow cooker meals, according to the authors of "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook" ($16.95, Harvard Common Press). This recipe gives the meat extra flavor with a blend of spices and a sweet glaze. Serve with roasted potatoes and carrots. Corned Beef with Molasses-Bourbon Glaze Makes 6 to 8 servings 1 corned beef brisket (3 to 4 pounds) with seasoning packet, rinsed 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds 2 dried chiles de arbol Glaze: 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon dry mustard or Dijon mustard ¼ cup light molasses 1/3 cup bourbon Place the corned beef in a medium oval or large round or oval slow cooker.If the meat is too big to lie flat, cut it in half and stack the pieces one atop the other. Add water to just cover the brisket. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice, cinnamon, mustard seeds and chiles. Cover and cook on low 9 to 11 hours.

Meanwhile, make the glaze by mixing together the brown sugar, mustard, molasses and bourbon in a medium-size bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed. When the brisket is tender, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; coat with oil. Lift the brisket out of its cooking liquid and transfer to the baking sheet. Spoon the glaze over the beef to coat the entire surface on both sides. Bake in preheated oven, basting with any leftover glaze, for 15 minutes to set the glaze. ----- Chef Brad Clark didn't love the traditional Reuben sandwich, so he deconstructed the process to make one that he does. Starting with brisket, he prepares it in brine, followed by a low and slow braise to get a tender corned beef. Replacing Swiss cheese with three slices of Munster cheese and his own homemade Thousand Island dressing, Clark's version is loaded with corned beef and served on thickly cut marble rye at Stubby's Gastropub.

The Corniest Corn Beef (Brining) 1 ½ cups sugar 2 ounces pink salt (sodium nitrate) 1 quart warm water 5 to 6 pounds beef brisket, deckle removed 1 cup whole garlic cloves ½ cup pickling spices 1 heaping tablespoon chile de arbol 2 cinnamon sticks 2 large onions, roughly chopped 3 ribs celery, roughly chopped 4 carrots, roughly chopped Dissolve sugar and salts in 1 quart warm water. Place brisket in large sealable container. Add the rest of the ingredients and cover with cold water. Seal. Let brine 3 days before cooking. ----- 5 to 6 pounds corned beef brisket 1 quart chopped carrots 1 cup roughly chopped garlic gloves 1 quart apple cider 3 quarts water Fresh thyme, rosemary and parsley To prepare corned beef for serving, preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove brisket from brine and rinse. Place brisket in a deep, ovenproof pan in preheated oven until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Add carrots, celery, onions and garlic to pan with brisket.

Add cider, water and a handful of fresh thyme, rosemary and parsley. Wrap container in aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven 6 hours. Do not open or peek; keep sealed. Remove and let cool slightly before serving; meat should pull apart easily using two forks worked in opposite directions. Refrigerate any leftovers in the juices until ready to serve. ----- Clark created his own version of Thousand Island dressing to top his corned beef sandwiches. Brad Clark's Reuben Dressing Makes 6 to 8 servings 1 red pepper, roasted, peeled and deseeded 1 teaspoon roasted garlic 1 ½ teaspoons diced pickles 1 tablespoon diced shallots 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar Salt to taste (optional) Puree pepper in blender. Remove from blender, then in a medium bowl fold in remaining ingredients. Taste, add salt if desired. ----- A good way to use leftover corned beef, Reuben rolls are typically enclosed in deep-fried wontons. This baked variation is from Pillsbury.com.

Simple Reuben Rolls 1 can (8-count size) refrigerated crescent rolls 3 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing 8 ounces sliced corned beef ½ cup well-drained sauerkraut ½ cup shredded Swiss cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate crescent rolls into triangles and place on a baking sheet. Spread dressing on each triangle, then top with a slice of corned beef, a sprinkle of cheese (up to a tablespoon) and up to a tablespoon of sauerkraut. Roll up the dough, as directed on can, sealing ingredients inside. Bake in preheated oven 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Kristine M. Kierzek is a Milwaukee-based freelance writer. She regularly writes Chef Chat and Fork. Spoon. Life. columns for Fresh. © 2016 , Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved. St. Patrick's Day in the United States Home Calendar Holidays the United States St. Patrick's Day St. Patrick's Day in the United States St Patrick's Day, on March 17, remembers one of Ireland’s patron saints, St Patrick. It largely celebrates Irish-American culture in the United States. The annual St.

Patrick's Day Parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The annual St. Patrick's Day Parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City. ©bigstockphoto.com/Stu99 Celebrate St Patrick's Day Celebrations concentrate on Irish themed parties, drinks and food. Many people get into the spirit by dressing in green clothing and eating green colored food. Irish clubs and pubs often hold parties or have special deals. Large street parades mark St Patrick's Day in places like: Savannah New Orleans Seattle Water is dyed green in public places in some towns. The most notable body of water that was dyed green was the Chicago River in 2005. What's Open or Closed? St Patrick's Day is not a federal holiday in the United States. Schools, businesses and organizations are open as usual. Public transport systems run on their regular schedules. There may be some local disruption to traffic due to St Patrick's Day parades. This is particularly true in cities with a large Irish-American population, including New York, New Orleans and Seattle. The parades may be on or around March 17, so it is a good idea to check local sources for the exact location, date and time.

About St Patrick's Day St Patrick is one of Ireland's patron saints and many Americans with Irish ancestry remember him on March 17. Patrick's Day is fixed on March 17, but may occasionally be moved by Catholic Church authorities. This happened in 1940, so that the celebrations would not fall on Palm Sunday, and in 2008 to avoid Holy Monday, the last Monday before Easter Sunday. Symbols The most common St Patrick's Day symbol is the shamrock. The shamrock is the leaf of the clover plant and a symbol of the Holy Trinity. Other symbols include: Almost anything green. The green, orange and white flag of the Republic of Ireland. Brands of beer associated with Irish culture. Religious symbols include snakes and serpents. Other symbols seen on St Patrick’s Day include the harp, which was used in Ireland for centuries, as well as the leprechaun and a pot of gold that it hides. About St. Patrick's Day in other countries

Question: St Patrick’s Day falls during which month of the year?
Answer: March