Saint Patrick's Day usually just slips right by me but this year I took notice simply because my grandson, Dylan had his DNA test done and he is about 30% Irish. No big surprise since he looks like a leprechaun.
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| Dylan Micah Ethridge |
Then I read a little-known chapter in US-Mexican history. In a nutshell, there were hundreds of immigrants, mostly of Irish descent, who deserted the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War (1846–1848) to fight alongside Mexico. They deserted the U.S. army due to shared religious faith, better pay, and opposition to U.S. aggression. They fought bravely as an elite artillery unit called Batallón de San Patricio. They were brutally executed or branded as traitors by the U.S. This military unit was composed mostly of Catholic Irish immigrants. This really surprised me. Something you would never read in our school history books.
Led by John Riley, they were remembered as heroes who defended Mexico out of religious affinity and due to unfair treatment within the U.S. ranks. The Saint Patrick's Battalion or Batallón de San Patricio consisted of several hundred mostly Irish Catholics but there were also German, French, English, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Swiss and Canadians who were Catholic. The San Patricios participated in many of the bloodiest battles during the American invasion of Mexico.
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| The San Patricios are revered and honored in Mexico and Ireland. Fifty-one of them were executed by the U.S. in San Jacinto Square. |
Because of this, in Mexico, St. Patrick’s Day symbolizes something very different. There, St. Patrick’s Day is a day to commemorate the San Patricios battalion.
Pop culture tributes include a recent commemorative album by The Chieftains, an Irish folk band: It includes traditional Mexican folkloric music performed with a fusion of Irish and Mexican instrumentation.
The Chieftains featuring Ry Cooder - San Patricio
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK’S DAY 