Saturday, March 12, 2011

The Greening of Savannah




It is official: The Saint Patrick's Day festivities in Savannah, Georgia, have begun. Most everyone is wearing green and the sounds of Irish music fills the air. The people here take their Irish heritage very seriously, and have been celebrating St. Patrick's Day for over a century. Many others miraculously become Irish this time of year.


Following is just a few of the many pre-St. Patrick's Day events.

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Leprechauns used to turn the fountains green for St. Patrick's Day, but now the city has taken over that honor. On Friday, March 11, a huge crowd gathered to see the ritual celebration and to watch Grand Marshal Walter Crawford pour the dye into the famous Forsyth Fountain.


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Savannah loves its traditions and on Saturday the Tara Feis was held with live performances of music and dance, food, art activities, crafts and games all served up with Irish ceremony. This is a family oriented festival.



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Celtic Cross Mass and ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 13.

Mass will be at 11:30 a.m. at Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, and the ceremony at 1 p.m. at Emmet Park. A reception will follow the ceremony at the Charles Morris Center.

This Irish Limestone Celtic Cross was crafted in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is located in Emmet Park which is named after Robert Emmet, the famed Irish orator and patriot. This cross was erected in 1983 to commemorate Americans of Irish descent.

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The big Saint Patrick's Day parade will be Thursday, March 17.





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photo credits:
1.http://www.keytosavannah.com/blog/tagged/fountains
2.http://www.savannahga.gov
3.http://savannahnow.com
4.http://www.waymarking.com
5.http://www.pagebiz.com/claddagh/
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14 comments:

  1. Shanae BranhamMarch 13, 2011 at 12:14 AM

    I love this post! Wow! There is more than snow somewhere in the world! Thank you for supporting Coreen. You are so right about the power of words. I also appreciated your story of the bully.

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  2. A Tale of Two CitiesMarch 13, 2011 at 4:26 AM

    I never knew of the connection between Savannah and Ireland. That's really neat. I'm headed to Trafalgar Square in London today where a St. Patrick's Day parade is scheduled. Bet it's a party!!

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  3. MiseMarch 13, 2011 at 6:01 AM

    Goodness, that's absolute showbiz and puts Ireland itself to shame. 'Savannah' even sounds a bit Irish with its soft vowels. Please have a green gin for me, Mya!

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  4. LindyLouMacMarch 13, 2011 at 7:49 AM

    I had no idea St Patrick's Day was taken so seriously around the world, once again blogging is teaching me new things.

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  5. DonnieMarch 13, 2011 at 8:03 AM

    Looks like Savannah has a good time for St Patrick's Day. Great photos.

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  6. Francie...The Scented Cottage StudioMarch 13, 2011 at 12:35 PM

    Lots of Irish in Georgia! We don't live too far from Dublin which also celebrates in a BIG way. I think everyone should visit Savannah if they can. always love your posts Mya.
    (())

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  7. RajeshMarch 13, 2011 at 1:41 PM

    Some cheer amidst the sheer destruction elsewhere. Great photos too. Wish I were there :)

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  8. It's Just DottieMarch 13, 2011 at 3:54 PM

    There are hardly any St. Patrick
    celebrations in the town I live in .It is Rodeo Time in Houston and Spring Break in Galveston. My Dad's name was Patrick Gordan and he loved St. Patrick's Day. With a son named John Patrick Chaddock who loves corned beef and cabbage we will be celebrating at my house . Maybe Dax and Petra can catch a leprechaun!!!

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  9. HeatherMarch 13, 2011 at 5:41 PM

    I am part Irish so I love St. Patricks Day. Love the pictures!

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  10. TaleiMarch 14, 2011 at 11:43 AM

    I love that fountain pic! Happy St Pats day! We had a number of guys and gals walking around in green costumes this weekend, maybe because of the rugby but definitely the start of St Pats celebration. Have a lovely week!

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  11. VetsyMarch 16, 2011 at 9:15 PM

    I would have loved an event like this. I bet they had a lot of fun! Especially around the Forsyth fountain.

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  12. sandyMarch 16, 2011 at 9:57 PM

    Whoa, they really getting into St Pat's day there! The best I usually do is to whip up some corned beef and cabbage and wear a bit o the green.

    My daughter was born on St Pat's Day and her Grandmother O'Banion was happy about that!

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  13. sandyMarch 16, 2011 at 10:00 PM

    oops! I made a typo. That SHOULD have said " they really GET into..."

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  14. Natasha in OzMarch 16, 2011 at 11:21 PM

    I wish we had these kinds of fun celebrations here in Australia! It's just another normal day here.

    Thanks for joining in with Sunday Song Mya. This was fun!

    Hope you enjoy the rest of the week and Happy St Patrick's day!

    Best wishes,
    Natasha.
    xo

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