Barkeeper Nicky Purcell reflects on St. Patrick’s Day back home in Ireland

by AnnGardner Eubank

As the “luck of the Irish” would have it, Nicky Purcell found his way to White Stone about four years ago.

As he celebrates another St. Patrick’s Day in the states, Nicky is gearing up for all of the holiday festivities to come, despite several differences in how the holiday is celebrated around the world.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated each March 17 to honor the late Saint Patrick of Great Britain. He is remembered as being the one to introduce Christianity to Ireland, hence the religious emphasis when celebrated in Ireland.

According to Nicky, that’s one of the major differences between authentic St. Patty’s celebrations  in his homeland and elsewhere. While the Irish definitely indulge in pints of beers with their lads at local pubs, the origin of the holiday is not lost throughout their culture and is still a primary portion of the holiday.

Back home, the day begins with church services, followed by meals with families and watching or participating in holiday parades, and later topped off with celebrations at hometown pubs with friends typically watching a rugby match, said Nicky…