Spring Break
St. Patrick's Day: Livin' it up
Adam McDermott and Tara Maroney
Issue date: 3/17/05 Section: Focus
At UConn, celebrations will vary.
"Just a hot date with some Guinness," said Joe Zielinski, an 8th-semester engineering major.
But some students won't have time for celebrations.
"Sadly, I'll be studying since my Friday is jam packed with stuff," said Alyson Clarke, a 2nd-semester engineering major. "If I wasn't studying I'd be getting all dressed up in green and having a couple green apple martinis or green beer."
On a national level, this year's St. Patrick's Day celebration comes on the coattails of dramatic political events in Ireland. Just before Christmas this year, a group believed to be affiliated with the IRA staged the biggest cash robbery in British history. The heist put 26.5 million pounds into the possession of the IRA which, according to peace talks, is supposed to be disbanding. The robbery raises the question: what does the IRA need the money for?
As a result, the Bush administration has broken tradition and barred representatives of Sein Fein, the accepted political figurehead of the IRA, from St. Patrick's Day dinner at the White House.
"That's seen as a slap in the face by the American administration to Sein Fein in Northern Ireland," Burke said.
But Irish politics and the backlash of a British bank robbery however, were not on the minds of those celebrating Celtic Night in the Rome Ballroom Wednesday evening.
Sponsored by the Celtic Club, an organization intending to promote and celebrate the Celtic culture, Celtic Night included traditional Irish dancing, bagpipe performances, Gaelic poetry and storytelling.
Erin Wenzler, president of the Celtic Club, was pleased with the turnout for the club's main event of the year.
"St. Pat's day is a fun time, even if you're not Irish, there's nothing you can't like about it. It has something for everyone," she said.
Rob Kelly, associate director of the Celtic Learning Project, a non-profit group seeking to educate the general public on the historical significance of the iron-age Celts, was excited about participating in the event.
"It's wonderful so far, we've got a good turnout it seems," Kelly said. "It's nice the way the variation and the entertainment they have."
Rather than engaging in the typical revelry associated with St. Patrick's Day, Kelly said he gets more satisfaction reflecting on the impact the saint had on Irish and Gaelic history.
"With the return of Patrick after he escaped and returned came about the change of Irish culture. When one changes religion, culture changes," he said. "He represents the complete change of who the Gael were from the iron age Celts to a Christian community."
"Just a hot date with some Guinness," said Joe Zielinski, an 8th-semester engineering major.
But some students won't have time for celebrations.
"Sadly, I'll be studying since my Friday is jam packed with stuff," said Alyson Clarke, a 2nd-semester engineering major. "If I wasn't studying I'd be getting all dressed up in green and having a couple green apple martinis or green beer."
On a national level, this year's St. Patrick's Day celebration comes on the coattails of dramatic political events in Ireland. Just before Christmas this year, a group believed to be affiliated with the IRA staged the biggest cash robbery in British history. The heist put 26.5 million pounds into the possession of the IRA which, according to peace talks, is supposed to be disbanding. The robbery raises the question: what does the IRA need the money for?
As a result, the Bush administration has broken tradition and barred representatives of Sein Fein, the accepted political figurehead of the IRA, from St. Patrick's Day dinner at the White House.
"That's seen as a slap in the face by the American administration to Sein Fein in Northern Ireland," Burke said.
But Irish politics and the backlash of a British bank robbery however, were not on the minds of those celebrating Celtic Night in the Rome Ballroom Wednesday evening.
Sponsored by the Celtic Club, an organization intending to promote and celebrate the Celtic culture, Celtic Night included traditional Irish dancing, bagpipe performances, Gaelic poetry and storytelling.
Erin Wenzler, president of the Celtic Club, was pleased with the turnout for the club's main event of the year.
"St. Pat's day is a fun time, even if you're not Irish, there's nothing you can't like about it. It has something for everyone," she said.
Rob Kelly, associate director of the Celtic Learning Project, a non-profit group seeking to educate the general public on the historical significance of the iron-age Celts, was excited about participating in the event.
"It's wonderful so far, we've got a good turnout it seems," Kelly said. "It's nice the way the variation and the entertainment they have."
Rather than engaging in the typical revelry associated with St. Patrick's Day, Kelly said he gets more satisfaction reflecting on the impact the saint had on Irish and Gaelic history.
"With the return of Patrick after he escaped and returned came about the change of Irish culture. When one changes religion, culture changes," he said. "He represents the complete change of who the Gael were from the iron age Celts to a Christian community."