Paddy, not Patty (just in time)

[OC Richard]

Here you can see that from the 1930s to the 1950s Patricia was a top three girl's name here. Here "Patty" is a very common nickname for Patricia. So we have a vast number of middle-aged Pattys running around!

http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/top5names.html

"Paddy" has long been a common term here for Irishmen in general. The police van used to round up drunks and rioters is called a Paddywagon. (How's that for a racial stereotype?)

So anyhow both Patty and Paddy are commonly seen here.

[sailortats]

"Paddy" has long been a common term here for Irishmen in general. The police van used to round up drunks and rioters is called a Paddywagon. (How's that for a racial stereotype?)

I have heard and used the word "Paddywagon" all my life but never once thought to question where the word came from. It certainly is true, "you're never too old to learn"

[McElmurry]

There's the answer then. If someone mentions St Patty's Day just tell them "No, that's on August 5th, March 17th is St Paddy's Day". If nothing else it'll be a good craic, whilst leaving them totally confused!

Sorry for the typo in post #6. Saint Patricia's feast day is August 25th not the 5th.

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=202

[Thomas H]

Wow I never knew this , Thank you so much for clearing it up and sharing that , I will
do better in respecting this hoilday for what it is and no what America has made it out to
Be .

Well done Sir well done

[eagle43172]

I agree with all that's been said. Americans have a knack of making light of serious things.

Cinco de Mayo is another hybrid holiday that we Americans have taken to extremes. It is celebrated in the United States (but only regionally in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla where the holiday is called El Día de la Batalla de Puebla, May 5, 1862). In the United States it is a celebration of Mexican heritage that most think of as Mexican Independence day (which is actually September 16th.)

If those of us of Scottich heritage were smarter, we'd co-opt Saint Andrew's (Staint Andy's?) day and have parades, fly Scots flags, close schools and drink Scotch and put plastic thistles in our tams. Oh, yeah, wear costume kilts! It only seems fair.
Dave

[Wolfhound Jack]

If those of us of Scottich heritage were smarter, we'd co-opt Saint Andrew's (Staint Andy's?) day and have parades, fly Scots flags, close schools and drink Scotch and put plastic thistles in our tams. Oh, yeah, wear costume kilts! It only seems fair.
Dave

So you've seen the pictures from the recent Tartan Day parade in New York, aye?

[neloon]

"Tartan Day" is April 6, the date of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320.
http://www.constitution.org/scot/arbroath.htm

Even in Scotland, nobody pays much attention to St. Andrew's Day - the current Scottish Government usually tries to make people notice it at the expense of being attacked by the opposition parties.

Alan

[imrichmond]

The ubiquitous North-American use of "St. Patty" instead of "St. Paddy" probably arises, at least in large part, from the fact that, in most North-American English dialects, "Patty" and "Paddy" are phonetically identical. In UK and Irish dialects, there is a distinct difference between the spoken forms of these two words, but in most North-American dialects, and certainly in the dominant ones, the intervocalic "t" is pronounced as "d". Thus, in North America, it is often written "Patty", but always pronounced "Paddy".

[Dale Seago]

Never mind, redundant info.

[Skipper1]

Is mise Tadhg in Irish and it bugs me to hear people use it as a slur.