They say that “Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.” I could not agree more given the constant visuals of red-haired wigs, or green plastic Irish caps as well as shamrocks painted on the cheeks of so many festivity-watching children. But what is more prevalent, well, at least in 2025 if I had to guess, is what this day means to New York City and her residents; tourism and revenue with a side order of unity and peace. And why that side order is so important to all humankind.
Every March 17th, over two million people descend onto Fifth Avenue between 44th and 79th Streets to watch the sights and listen to the sounds of the Emerald Isle. Over 150,000 people, in celebration of Irish pride and culture, honoring our history, march past some of the most important landmarks in the United States like St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Grand Army Plaza and the gateways to Central Park. And most of this not only to the benefit of my fellow Irish Americans, but to the greatest city in the world, New York.
Yes, in that feeling, our fair city is home to humanity’s longest continually running parade, while it is also the oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world. That alone brings in millions of celebrants with “gold” in their pockets, debit and credit cards. But with those millions of people also comes the spirit of unity, of comradery and friendship making this day so special. And, yes, of course, the celebrations across the city swimming in a sea of whiskies and stouts doesn’t hurt either.
Around this glorious celebration of St. Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland, the coffers of city businesses are filled with tens of millions of dollars in revenue as tourists and residents alike spend money on everything from street trinkets commemorating the day to hot dogs and pretzels from street vendors to horse carriage rides in Central Park. It truly is the end of the rainbow, so to speak.
Then there are businesses across various neighborhoods that consider St. Patrick’s Day their “Black Friday.” Yes, of course, mostly pubs, bars, and restaurants are the recipients of this “pot of gold.” And don’t even get me started on the money the MTA will receive this year from the ever controversial, corrupt and ridiculous congestion pricing racket that fewer and fewer can afford.
But money and tourism aside, from this New York native’s POV, the joy that it brings so many is even more valuable – especially right now.
In 2025, for the most absurd of reasons, politics, there is even more division in our country, state and city. We are the United States for a reason. And on a day when “everyone is Irish,” I am hoping we can all find that moment of unity in being Irish so as to remind us of what that feeling is like as a culture.
If history has taught us anything, it is that any empire or dominant nation, or culture, can fall at any time. Look at the eras of Rome, the United Kingdom, or Babylon. Over the last 20 years, I have watched as the greatest of them, The United States of America, has been divided by the one thing that has made it great, our political ideology, “For The People and By The People.” The few, our modern politicians (on both sides), have bastardized it to the detriment of the many, The People. Shame on us for allowing that to happen, all for their greed and power-hungry ways.
THE FINAL WORD
We now have the opportunity to reverse course before it’s too late. And all thanks to a simple notion March 17th embodies, “we are all Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.” That is no different than the sentiments expressed by Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan about our nation – we are unified by one thing; we are all American. In this case, we are all New Yorkers. Maybe it is time to rise up, and reclaim our birthright: unity, peace and prosperity for all in our fair city.
Slainte and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!