As part of its Adult Class schedule, the Oneida County Library will be hosting a night of information and fun next Wednesday on the topic of “Irish Folklore.”  Trained folklorist and local librarian Elizabeth Kent will be speaking with the audience about a range of topics related to the deep and wide- ranging field of folklore from the Emerald Isle, in observation of St. Patrick’s Day.

According to Kent, the discussion will involve “some of the more well known aspects of Irish folklore, like the Blarney Stone, banshees, leprechauns, and the fairy folk.”  She also plans to engage in a deeper discussion of the political split in Ireland that has divided the country in the Protestant North Ireland and Catholic Republic of Ireland.  Many of the legends and myths of Ireland are shared between the two factions, which have entered into a stable peace ever since the Peace Accords of the late 90s, though obviously some tensions still exist.

In both parts of the island, St. Patrick is a venerated figure.  Kent plans to discuss the “true role of St. Patrick, and how he is celebrated in Ireland.”  While Americans primarily think of St. Patrick’s Day (St. Paedrag in Irish) in conjunction with excessive conviviality, his veneration in Ireland is much more devotional.  In fact, the day is generally composed of religious services, parades, and even the closing of bars.  This is especially appropriate, considering his nickname on the island is “the Peacemaker.”

St. Patrick’s Day as an American tradition is largely derived from Irish immigrants to the colonies celebrating their homeland in the 1730s.  The first parades were held by Irish members of the British army in 1766.  After the revolution, the day was seen as a dual celebration of the freedom of the new United States from British rule, as well as a political statement about the desire to free Ireland itself from that rule.  In the middle of the 19th century, Irish civic and community organizations in Boston, Chicago and New York began publicly parading to celebrate Irish identity during a time when prejudice against immigrants from Europe was peaking.  (This is also the origin of the American celebration of Columbus Day.)  By the middle of the 20th century, Irish-American identity was widely embraced, and the celebration had become a national day of genealogical pride for the millions of Americans with Irish roots.

The library is offering adult classes on the fourth Wednesday of every month throughout the year.  The last class, “Instant Pots and Air Fryers,” taught by Kathy Williams and Carrie Jensen, was a huge success.  Next month’s class will be on the subject of Zero Scaping and other gardening related issues, and taught Richard Anderson.  A full calendar of events is available at the library, so be sure to check for dates and times.