Jan. 31, 2008 - Columbus - St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
It's not even February yet... why worry about St. Patrick's Day in January? "Calendar throws St. Patrick's Day for loop" by Meredith Heagney of The Columbus Dispatch... brings up nasty news for some people who celebrate everything Irish... St. Pat's Day is the Monday before Easter and the Columbus Catholic Diocese has asked Central Ohio Catholics to not celebrate. There will be no traditional mass in downtown Columbus on St. Patrick's Day.
The Columbus Bishop asked the Shamrock Club to move the local celebrations up but 'No can do', the Columbus Parade and the Irish Family Reunion at Vet's Memorial will be on Monday March 17, 2008.
The Shamrock Club site says of the Columbus St. Patrick's Day Parade:
"The Parade will form at Nationwide Blvd. and John H. McConnell Blvd., between 10:30am and 11am. It will step off 11:45am and proceed East on Nationwide Blvd. to High St., South on High St. to Broad St., West on Broad St. to Veteran's Memorial, where the Parade will disband at the direction of the Parade Marshals and the Shamrock Club's Annual Irish Family Reunion will begin."
Heagney wrote in the Columbus Dispatch: "The good news for all involved is that St. Patrick's Day doesn't fall during Holy Week often. It last happened in 1940, when the Shamrock Club canceled the Mass and parade according to the wishes of then-Bishop James J. Hartley."
Some US Cities are holding their St. Patrick's Day parades on March 17, 2008, others have moved parades and celebrations up...
I think Dublin Ohio always does their parade on the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day. The Dublin Ohio St. Patrick's Day parade is Saturday March 15, 2008 at 11:00 AM.
I'd love to hear from you if you have a comment on the topic of St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Central Ohio. All comments are moderated so you will not see your comment immediately. Thanks.
Copyright 2008 Discover Columbus and Maureen McCabe
My first thought on seeing your headline was that you people in Ohio must take St Patrick’s Day *very* seriously if you are talking about it in January, but I see your point….
The week between Palm Sunday and Easter is *the* big week for Catholics, of course, but I thought that was focused on the Triduum that starts on Thursday. I just checked an official looking website (http://www.saintpatricksdayparade.com/NYC/newyorkcity.htm ) and New York’s parade will go off on the regular day, with solemn mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral beforehand. I know we take our parade pretty seriously here, as well. I will look out for comments from our Cardinal, but it looks like a ‘go’ here.
The whole idea of celebrating your Irishness one day out of the year, Holy Week or not, has always seems ridiculous to me.
It doesn't matter if you are in Central Ohio, Central Illinois or Grand Central Station, St. Patrick's day is the 17th of March, period. It is my not so humble opinion (all of Maureen's disclaimers apply) that St. Patrick's Day is a day set aside to give all of those who are not Irish an excuse to do mischief. Me personally, I'm Irish 365 days a year and I relish the fact.
Besides, except for matters that call for an accompanying celebration (read: Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation and Marriage) when have The Irish Catholics ever paid attention to the wishes of the Church?
Sandy and Gene can you get into your blog manager?
Sandy I think it is my FCK Editor... I can see your comments but I am wondering if they are published.... I sure hope they are unpublished since I have not approved them.... not that I would not approve them.
I love the parades. I went to Dublin last year... nice parade but it's not the downtown Columbus... parade. Lotsa bagpipes.
I just wish one year it would be warm and not windy on St. Patrick's Day...
I'd looked at the week before Easter and thought it was going to be a bit busy with St. Patrick's Day on Monday but did not have an inkling until reading the Columbus Dispatch that it would change the traditional procession, mass, parade, Irish Family Reunion.
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Originally named "Columbus Best Blog," it was never the best blog in Columbus Ohio. It was a blog about the best in Columbus and Central Ohio! Best restaurants, best real estate company, best schools, best neighborhoods..... written by Maureen McCabe a licensed real estate agent with Columbus Ohio's best real estate company, Real Living HER.
Discover Columbus is just a site about Central Ohio.
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