Elms College history professors Laura McNeil and Damien Murray appeared as guests on the local community access program, “Holyoke Media Presents” to discuss the truths and myths behind the historical figure known as St. Patrick, and what would become his impact on Irish culture, both in Ireland and around the world.
In addition to their teaching duties, McNeil is director of the Elms Honors Program, and Murray is director of Faculty Development.
Each spoke of the life of Patrick and the symbolic relationship with the costumes, traditions, and celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day, both in Ireland and in the United States. They also gave a historical overview of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the United States, dating back to the very first one in a Spanish outpost in what is now St. Augustine, Florida, in 1601.
Holyoke, of course, is home to one of the larger St. Patrick celebrations in the northeast each year, with a parade, road race, and other festivities that attract several hundreds of thousands of spectators each year.
Their interview is available over the Holyoke Media Presents channel on Youtube.