By Paddy McCarthy
It’s happening! Yes, I do mean that the festivities have already started leading up to the big day that of course is Saint Patrick’s Day on Friday March 17th. But, before we get there we have one of the most romantic days of the year and that is Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, that is celebrated annually on February 14th.
It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. Through later folk traditions, it has become a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.
Saint Valentine’s Day is not a public holiday in any country, although it is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion. The day became associated with romantic love in the 14th and 15th centuries when notions of courtly love flourished, apparently by association with the “lovebirds” of early spring.
In 18th-century England, it grew into an occasion in which couples expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards, known as “valentines”.
Valentine’s Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards
The rise of Internet popularity at the turn of the millennium is creating new traditions. Every year millions of people use digital means of creating and sending Valentine’s Day greeting messages such as e-cards, love coupons or printable greeting cards.
Valentine’s Day is considered by some to be a Hallmark holiday due to its commercialization. Wishing you all a very happy Saint Valentine’s Day and now that you’ve got all that, don’t forget my card, just kidding.
I dropped in to the Pig’n’Whistle on 36th Street just off Seventh Avenue in Manhattan and it was closed for a very good reason and what was it? They were redoing the place, isn’t that great news rather than the negative news we hear all the time? I can tell you this, the owners of this establishment who also have a few more establishments are highly professional in the hospitality business in New York City.
I did mention to you before about the Saint Patrick’s Day Foundation Inc.’s Annual Gala Dinner that you should not miss as they will be honoring the Grand Marshal of the Parade Kevin J. Conway. The mission of the St. Patrick’s Day Foundation is to support the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade and related activities, and to celebrate the contributions of the Irish to American society, with student scholarships, educational initiatives, publications and an ambitious year-round program of social and culture events.
The gala will be held on Wednesday, March 15 at The Sheraton Hotel in Midtown (811 Seventh Avenue at West 53rd Street) with a cocktail hour starting at 6.30 pm. The event will feature a special musical performance by The Eileen Ivers Band. For additional information email Gala@StPatricksDayFoundation.Org.
The Irish Family History Forum is once again hosting a new show–and–tell: “After a pandemic-induced hiatus of three years, our genealogy show-and-tell will return on February 18th. Forum members will display and speak about family heirlooms, artifacts, letters, photos, or other objects of interest. Others will share research stories, genealogical discoveries and famous or infamous ancestors.” The event will be held at Bethpage Public Library (47 Powell Avenue in Bethpage) with the event starting at 10 am.
This just came to me as reminder that The Cork Association’s Annual Dinner Dance will be held at Antun’s (96-43 Springfield Boulevard in Queens Village) on Saturday March 4th This year’s honorees are Cork Man of The Year Jim O’Neill from Oakdale, Long Island, Cork Woman of The Year from Youghal Co Cork, Michelle McCarthy, and the Frank Carvell award will be awarded to Tom Murphy. More details to follow.
I hope to see you all again next week when I am Out&About again.