A Saint Patrick’s Day headquarters?
The city of Chicago may dye the Chicago River green each year, but does that give it the right to claim itself the “US headquarters for Saint Patrick’s Day?”
The ShamROCK Chicago Council launched an online and Facebook campaign to encourage Chicagoans to show city and Irish pride. A signed petition will be submitted to Aidan Cronin, consul general of Ireland, on March 17, said a ShamROCK Council news release.
“While other cities might claim older traditions or greater Irish populations, we can say with confidence that nobody outside of Dublin celebrates Saint Patrick’s Day quite like Chicago does,” said Blair Ciecko, director of public relations at Celtic Chicago Inc., in an e-mail.
Challenge accepted.
Here’s a look at how Boston stacks up against Chicago in Saint Paddy’s Day revelry and general Irishness.
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