Another year of St Patrick’s Day celebration, tomfoolery and thoughtless antics has passed.  Why, we ask, can offensive comments aimed at any other ethnic group be termed racist when we Irish are held up to ridicule with no reaction.  It just goes to emphasize that we have a lot more work to do to convince America that we are, in fact, the best!  To those who enjoyed celebrating respectfully, isn’t it great to be Irish!

Speaking of great, congratulations are due to the Beltway Bulldogs, Mac and O.  I know there is a musical team called Mac and O, but our Mac and O are John McInerney and Jack O’Brien.  I call them the Beltway Bulldogs because once they get their teeth into something, they never let go until it’s finished.  As if successfully contributing to getting the last monument on the Antietam Battlefield to the memory of the Irish Brigade were not contribution enough, this dynamic duo has been the impetus behind the restoration of Commodore Barry’s original commission, established the main pedestrian gate to Annapolis as the Barry Gate, and now has been granted permission for a memorial to Commodore Barry within that gate.  That’s taking care of history.  Let’s all mark our calendars and bring up a contribution to that memorial at our State Conventions this year as our way of saying thanks.

Our Deputy National Chaplain had quite an experience when he ran to the aid of a parishioner who accidentally set himself on fire lighting a candle.  Father Reid’s quick thinking to get a fire extinguisher and rush to the 89-year old man’s aid was heroic at the least, but unfortunately the man died two days later from his burns.  Father Reid typically asked for prayers for the man he tried so hard to save, but after talking to him, I suggest that we offer a few prayers for our Deputy National Chaplain.  He was understandably upset about the incident and saddened by the outcome.

I received several calls and e-mails during the hallowed month of March to explain the tradition behind Corned Beef and Cabbage as an Irish dish when it was virtually unknown in Ireland.  I should have anticipated the request and had it in the last issue of the Digest, but I give it here and you can tuck it away until next year, or until you’ve finished with the leftovers – it’s always better a day or two after.  As you know, in the 19^th century, the Irish tenant farmer relied on potatoes as a main food; on special occasions one might enjoy a bit of bacon and cabbage with the potatoes, but potatoes were the staple.  When blight hit the potato in 1845, it caused a major deficiency in the dietary staple and an apathetic government forced many to emigrate to survive, but that’s another story.

Upon arrival in America without resources, they were generally forced to settle in the least desirable parts of the cities where they landed.  In New York this was the slums of the lower east side around the notorious Five Points.  Unskilled and unschooled, they tried to scratch out a living and send a few pennies back to those they were forced to leave behind.  Personal gain eluded them as prejudice and No Irish Need Apply signs hindered their climb to economic stability, yet they persevered and eventually succeeded against incredible odds.

Among the hardships families had to endure in a slum environment was the lack of nourishing food.  It was generally up to the mother to prepare a healthy meal for her family and in this situation, her ingenuity left us a tradition.

In the mid-19th century, New York was a major port in the China tea trade.  From 1841 through 1860, clipper ships dominated that trade.  They were built to be the fastest sailing ships in the world.  When fully rigged and riding a trade wind, they could reach speeds of more than 16 knots which meant that the trip to China and back would only take about nine months, depending on the route taken.  However, an unlucky ship could spend an additional three weeks crossing due to Doldrums – a part of the ocean where they might encounter calms, squalls, and shifting winds.

The ships were originally provisioned before leaving New York with enough fresh water, flat bread, oats, coffee, rum, and salted beef to last until they reached China. After gastric complaints about re-provisioning in China for the trip home, many began to carry double provisions for the round trip.  These always included a bit extra in the event of doldrums.  Upon arrival back in New York, the excess provisions were generally dumped in the harbor for what else could one do with 6-month old lumps of beef that had been soaking in brine for all that time.

It was then that coincidence and circumstance collided and the Irish mothers seeking nourishment for their families spotted the floating beef in the river and fished it out.  Fortunately it was before the age of power boats spewing engine oil into the river.  They took it home and soon developed a method of preparing it so that their diet would have meat at least once a week – or at least when the ships came in.  They would boil the beef to remove the salt, discard the water and boil it again.  They found that repeating that process three times – once each for the Father, Son and Holy Ghost – would remove enough salt to make it palatable, however, while the salt was gone, so was the flavor!  That’s when a head of cabbage was added.  The last time the beef was boiled, it was boiled in water that had boiled a head of cabbage and a flavor was introduced to the meat.  It didn’t take long for ship’s crews to realize there was a market for the old brined beef and returning ships soon saw women lining up for the leftover salted beef which was now sold at a penny a pound.  It was a far cry from the bacon and cabbage they might have enjoyed in Ireland, but still it was a welcome dish.  In later years, the dish became a traditional favorite for it brought back memories of a mother’s love, especially since the modern dish was far more palatable than the one mom dragged out of the river.

On Saint Patrick’s Day, many people enjoy corned beef and cabbage and they believe it to be an Irish dish.  In a manner of speaking it is, but it should not remind us of Ireland.  Rather it should remind us of the ingenuity of Irish mothers, their dedication to their families and their determination to overcome any obstacles put in their path.  It should also remind us of the hardships endured by our immigrant ancestors who persevered and overcame the difficulties imposed on them in a tenement slum; perseverance that brought us to a better life so that we could enjoy a dish of corned beef and cabbage today in pleasant company and surroundings.

Until next time, don’t forget to check out AOH.COM and NYAOH.COM for recent histories and keep the tradition alive.