MANSFIELD, Ohio–Whether you’re Irish or simply Irish at heart, many people can be spotted wearing green today to avoid a painful pinch. However, the origins of St. Patrick’s Day and the Irish roots of Richland County residents extend far beyond the emerald shade.
According to The History Channel, there are 34.7 million U.S. residents with Irish ancestry, with Irish being the nation’s second most frequently reported ancestry, ranking behind German. The same statistic holds true in Richland County – the community census website ePodunk estimates approximately 11 percent of Richland County residents have Irish roots, second only to German with 29 percent.
A Mansfield news article from March 21, 1920 quotes local resident John C. Burns as he recited the names of local Irish families who came early to Mansfield and its vicinity almost 100 years ago at the time.
According to Burns, local Irishmen were quite accomplished in Mansfield: the Bartleys, father and son, were both lawyers, both governors of the state, and one a judge on Ohio’s supreme bench; the Fairs, particularly Isaac, who was once high sheriff of Richland County; and the Mitchells, who were famous physicians and reliable farmers.
“But apart from this aggregation of Irishmen, there formerly came periodically and silently unannounced in the midst and happy quiet content of this little old-fashioned county seat, sojourned for a while and then as silently went away, a unique and select company of itinerant Irishmen,” said Burns.
“Bright of wit, sweet with the blarney, suave and polished of manner, quick of perception, persuasive, agreeable and polite, but withal a reserved and impenetrable deportment marked them with that poise which charmed and held you.”
Dance
For more than 1,000 years the Irish have commemorated St. Patrick’s Day in honor of the day’s namesake, the patron saint of Ireland. What began as a religious feast day eventually grew to an international celebration of Irish culture with parades, traditional foods, and everyone making their best attempt at dancing an Irish jig.
The origins of Irish dancing are unclear, but traveling dancing masters taught all over Ireland as late as the 18th and early 19th centuries. During this time places for competitions and fairs were always small, so dancing styles were very contained: hands rigid at the sides, and a lack of arm movement and traveling across the stage.
It is often said that when the British soldiers banned dancing across the land, the Irish would shut the bottom of their doors and continue to dance only using their feet – with their arms rigid by their sides.
The traditional Irish step dances would not be complete without Irish music, an important part of Irish life dating back to times when the people turned to music to help them remember important events and hold on to their heritage and history.
Another popular St. Patrick’s Day character includes the leprechauns of Celtic folklore, known for their trickery that they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure. And the day would not be complete without the shamrock, a sacred plant in ancient Ireland symbolizing the rebirth of spring.
“May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow. And may trouble avoid you wherever you go.” An Irish blessing
