St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching and once again we will endure the controversy. No I’m not talking about whether green beer is overrated or not, there is no controversy there, it is overrated. Though I will admit, it has an interesting history.
Today’s St. Patrick’s Day controversy is whether it’s St. Paddy’s or St. Patty’s?
Most insist that Paddy’s is the proper nickname for the holiday.
It all goes back to the translation behind the original name. Patrick is the English version of the Irish Gaelic name Pádraig.
Many Irish words, terms or names translated into English emerge quite different on the other side. Pádraig is no exception.
So if you wish to give the Irish their due say St. Paddy’s, never St.Patty’s,
Back to green beer.
Generally, the drink is credited to Dr. Thomas H. Curtin who made green beer for his clubhouse in New York. Curtin’s green beer was made in 1914, but other green beers appeared around that time and earlier. Cutin’s was a real green beer though, both in color and taste. Others may have been made but his was the best. This was before the days of simply picking up some food coloring at the local Winn Dixie, so what did the good doctor use?
Wash Blue. Wash Blue was an iron powder solution embedded with a dye and was once used to make dingy whites bright again. Sounds like that could have been a little dangerous. It’s a good thing that Curtin was a doctor. Did I mention what kind of doctor?
Dr. Curtin was a coroner’s physician and eye surgeon. As you can see, all who drank his first green beer were in good hands.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!