St.-Patrick's-Day

On March 17th in Butte Montana, everyone is Irish. Even those of us who don’t have a drop of Emerald Isle blood running through our veins.

Prepping for St. Patrick's Day festivities is down to the wire! Ready or not, it's game time for enthusiasts everywhere, including the very Irish community of Anaconda, Montana. The blessing of mass in the morning, followed by the traditional St. Patrick's Day parade at 2 p.m. in downtown Anaconda always sets the tone for a heartfelt celebration of Irish Heritage. Add to that the honorary grand marshals, and you have the making of a genuinely nostalgic event! That's because the grand marshals chosen for the St. Patrick's Day Parade are deeply rooted descendants of Ireland. Duo grand marshalls who bear the surname Gallagher will grace this year's parade; Anaconda natives Pat Gallagher and Kathleen "Cait" (Gallagher) Francisco. Yes, two Gallaghers from different walks of life with ancestors from distinct parts of Ireland.

St. Patrick's Day wouldn't be the same without the many festivities and traditions planned around it. From the Ceilidh to the Shelieigh Shindig and everything in between, events in honor of St. Patrick's Day have been going strong in the surrounding area for decades! Performers like The Pipes and Drums Band of the Edmonton Police Service, the Anaconda Pipes & Drum Corps, the Tiernan Irish Dancers of Butte and Helena, Anaconda's Irish Dancers and many more have wowed us for years with their incredible talent.

St. Patrick's Day 2023 in Butte, America, the Richest Can-Do Hill of Champions. The long winter is almost over, and this year St. Patrick's Day is on a Friday. Friday St. Patrick's Days, let's just say, can get a little crazy. Should you find yourself in Uptown Butte, as many of you will, here are a couple watering holes you need to visit.

Here are a few tips to help you enjoy your St. Patrick's Day in Butte, America.

Events to honor Irish heritage in the area just keep coming, and we haven't even made it to St. Patrick's Day yet! So far, loyal enthusiasts have enjoyed the Shillelagh Shindig at the Carpenter's Union Hall that took place last Friday in Butte, the AOH St. Patrick's Day Race in Anaconda this past Saturday, and yesterday's Ceilidh (celebration of Irish music and friendly gatherings) at the AOH Hall in Anaconda. The latter event was one my family and I had the honor of enjoying! The consensus following our time at Anaconda's AOH Ceilidh yesterday was a a predictable thumbs up! We were in great company with members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians who welcomed us from the get go. At Ceilidh, many in attendance engaged in conversation with family and friends, while enjoying beverages and delicious homemade corned beef with all the trimmings at the "Hall" (Dan Tocher & crew did an immense job! Yum!). Some even had to elbow a few people to get their share of Tipperary squares (white frosted mini cakes rolled in chopped nuts), but other than that it was a friendly outing. Lol! (Continued...)

Hangovers (plural) are going to be an issue. I would assume that everyone has their own tried and true, family secret, “63% of the time it works every time”, hangover cure. But just in case yours doesn’t work Friday morning I thought I would do some digging and come up with a few of the more… interesting suggestions.

Another event to check out if you're feeling mighty green is the Ceilidh in Anaconda this Sunday (March 12th) at the Anaconda AOH Hall (321-323 E Commercial) beginning at 3 pm. Ceilidh is Gaelic for the "celebration of Irish music and friendly gatherings". This event is sponsored by the AOH and the Ladies' Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Hats off to the tireless organizations that work hard to create the many events planned for St. Patrick's Day throughout Butte and Anaconda! From the parade in historic uptown Butte and downtown Anaconda to the many festivities outlined at bars, breweries, and other facilities throughout the area, planning for the big day is well thought out by the fantastic crews behind the scenes. The same applies to Anaconda's Ancient Order of Hibernians Pipes and Drum Corp! These men and women of the corps spend a great deal of time practicing for scheduled performances that occur not only on St. Patrick's Day but throughout the week leading up to the big day!

As we near St. Patrick's Day, it's time for corned beef lovers to prepare for a delicious platter of goodness. Now, maybe you prefer to have your corned beef served from a restaurant or while out and about on St. Patrick's Day. However, if you're accustom to cooking your own or would like to give it a try for the first time, here are some options: First thing, and depending on how many mouths you plan to feed, head to the store to pick out an adequate amount of red potatoes, baby carrots, cabbage and a few flat and point briskets of corned beef (brown/hot mustard & barbeque sauce - optional). There are many ways to go about cooking corned beef; either in a large pot on a stove top; baked in a casserole dish in the oven; or by way of a slow cooker.