St. Patrick's Day, A Reason For Celebration

After growing up in the O'Neill community, and being of Irish decent myself, one day in March has become particularly important to me, as to other in O'Neill. The day I'm talking about is St. Patrick's day on March 17. In O'Neill, the Chamber of Commerce and the O'Neill Jaycees have helped make O'Neill the Irish Capital of Nebraska.

In 1967, the O'Neill Jaycee's sponsored the first St. Patrick's day celebration in O'Neill. The events of this first St. Patrick's day included a kangaroo court, beard contest, parade, and a banquet for Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy. This celebration sparked further, and bigger, celebrations of St. Patrick's day in O'Neill. On March 17, 1969, the governor of Nebraska officially proclaimed O'Neill the Irish Capital of Nebraska.

Since then, the St. Patrick's celebration has become a spectacular event. Additions like the Irish Dancers, the shamrock painted on the street, the mulligan stew feed, the fun run, and kraft shows attract people from out of town and out of state, to share in the activities and enjoyment of St. Patrick's day.

-Russ Berg