Earlier in life I was in the parade for various reasons. If you play trumpet and are in a band this is a big deal even though it isn't in the grand scope of things. It was years ago and I remember the buildings and the folks drinking like fish and screaming like idiots and thinking if this is NYC what is Ireland like?
Statistically, those of Irish descent in the US are, well about 36 million or 11% of our population (bet you didn't know that) as opposed to the nearly 5 million who actually live there....so we outnumber them 9 to one. Tell you what, let's have Ireland hold an Uncle Sam's Day next year. Anyway, dance a bit. Drink some green beer. For heaven's sake just because Notre Dame sports calls themselves the fighting Irish doesn't mean that this green and white Michigan State alum has to dislike the Irish per se.