Crimson Goes Green

While U2 rocked at Boston Garden last night and green beer flowed in profusion, at least one Harvard professor born on the Emerald Isle could only laugh at the "Irish" festivities that have become a part of the American version of St. Patrick's Day.

Such time-honored traditions as St. Patrick's Day parades, dressing in green and consuming large quantities of green alcohol are "more Irish-American than Irish-Irish" in their roots, said Brendan A. Maher, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Maher, who was raised in Ireland, said he is amused at how Americans celebrate the Irish national holiday.

"Frankly, it's all rather silly, but since it's done in good humor, I suppose it's all right," he said.

Maher said he saw his first St. Patrick's Day parade in Buffalo, New York. "It was really quite astonishing to me at the time. It was funny, because St. Patrick's Day isn't celebrated much at all in Ireland," he said.

Maher pointed out that because St. Patrick's Day is an official feast day on the Roman Catholic calendar, the holiday "is much more religious in Ireland."

Even so, Maher did not completely ignore American St. Patrick's Day traditions yesterday. "I'm wearing a green shirt and a green jacket, and I plan to have a good meal tonight," Maher said.

And Harvard students, Irish or not, were determined to keep the spirit Irish as well.

Richard E. Desmond `93, president of the Harvard Irish Cultural and Historical Society, said that many of the club's members planned to celebrate the holiday by attending the U2 concert, throwing small parties, or going to see local bands perform.

But this year's festivities may not get as wild on the Harvard campus as usual. "It's a good bit more tame this year because of midterms," said Desmond.

Some students, however, said they would not miss out on the holiday parties. "I'm going to U2, and then I'm going to try and find some green beer," said John R. Connoly `95.

Desmond offered his own analysis of why St. Patrick's Day is popular among people of all ethnic backgrounds. "Everybody could use a time to celebrate around this time of year. That's why so many non-Irish get into it," he said.

Local celebrations yesterday were by no means limited to the University. In Harvard Square, Jennifer M. Easterday, a student at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass., stood playing the bagpipes.

Though the bagpipes are a distinctly Scottish instrument, Easterday said she found them equally appropriate on an Irish holiday.

"For some reason, the cultures of Scotland and Ireland are linked in mostpeople's minds," said Easterday.

"I definitely came [to Boston] because it wasSt. Pat's," she added. "It's a good time to playbecause people generally give me lots of money,although today it's not been brilliant at all.

"I definitely came [to Boston] because it wasSt. Pat's," she added. "It's a good time to playbecause people generally give me lots of money,although today it's not been brilliant at all.