Green Dreams. "The Wearing of the Green: A History of St Patrick's Day", by Mike Cronin and Daryl Adair. [review]

Abstract

Each year, around 17 March, someone asks, ‘What is St Patrick’s Day all about?’ and each year someone gives a different answer. This capacious book is a compendium of all the answers. There is no single answer to the question, because each celebrant has his or her own take on the day. Academics Mike Cronin and Daryl Adair have combined to produce a fact-filled study of how St Patrick’s Day has been celebrated in New York, Dublin, Sydney, Melbourne, and some British and Canadian cities. This is dedicated work, for writers and readers alike, as events, statistics, history, memories, comments and stories compete for attention. The authors achieve a lofty impartiality, allowing readers to make up their mind about what is being read, and not invading the telling of the stories too much. The book will be a trove for journalists who have to write one of those 17 March articles.