I dislike St Patrick’s Day parades with a passion that should have received specialist treatment long ago. It’s not just St Patrick’s Day parades, it’s any parade. I’m a self-confessed parade pooper. So, sometime late last summer, when I first heard about the idea of staging a St Paddy’s Day parade in Budapest, I cringed. I heard it twice from two people I both like and admire so for once, I kept my mouth shut; I held my counsel. For the past few months I’ve been silent on the subject, keeping my distance. Other than haranguing the organisers about missing apostrophes and unnecessary full-stops, I have said nothing, and done even less.
I even went so far to arrange to be out of the country for St Patrick’s Day itself, but I was out-paddied. The parade was scheduled for the 19th and I arrived back in town a day too soon. Today, Saturday, was a miserable day – damp, drizzly, and grey – typical parade weather. Tempting as it was to stay home and clean my floors and windows, sort my socks and alphabetise my spices, I couldn’t not go. I’m Irish for God’s sake. I had to go. I had no excuse, at least none that would hold water. So off I toddled to Szabadság tér for the grand gathering, with every intention of showing my face, saying my quick hellos, faster goodbyes, and then beating a hasty retreat.
When I got there, I saw a sea of green in the top corner of the square. The weather was doing little to dampen the enthusiasm of those who were first to arrive. Had Johnny Cash risen from the dead and launched into 40 shades of green, it wouldn’t have surprised me. I doubt the wearin’ of the green has ever been taken so seriously. The IHBC lads were togged out in style with St Patrick and the Leprechaun playing their parts a little too convincingly. From toddlers in prams and pushchairs to those who have seen more than a few parades in their lifetimes, the crowd slowly grew.
When the pipers arrived and opened with Amazing Grace, something inside me switched on. I finally got what it was the lads were on about, the gap they wanted to fill and suddenly a St Patrick’s Day parade didn’t seem like such a bad idea after all. It’s not often that the Irish in Budapest get to gather in one place for one reason and it quite surprised me to see so many there. And I know they weren’t all Irish Irish – which is even better still. James Michener, in his 1957 book, The Bridge at Andau, describes the Hungarians as the Irish of Eastern Europe. There is a huge affinity here for all things Irish – and while that can be said of many places, to see such a friendly, fun, high-spirited parade in Budapest that served little other purpose than to underscore the importance of having the craic, was probably an attraction in itself.
Today was a work day in Hungary but that didn’t stop those in their offices along the route stopping for a minute to wave and wonder. The bemused faces on the passersby, or the faces of drivers stopped in traffic to let the parade were priceless. For many, seeing St Patrick standing on the steps of the Basilica with a Leprechaun by his side, both dispensing blessings on the crowd below, must have seemed a little surreal. As the sea of green marched onwards towards its final resting place – the Guinness House – more and more people joined in. I stopped once to count and at a rough estimate I’d say 546 people took part, give or take a couple of balloons. Not a bad showing at all for a first attempt at rallying the troops.
If you’d told me a few months ago, or even last week, that I’d have marched in a Paddy’s Day parade of my own volition, I’d have said you were mad. If you’d told me that not alone would I have marched, but that I’d have enjoyed it, I’d have said you were off your rocker. But sometimes it’s not a bad idea to remind myself from whence I’ve come and to take a little pride in the fact that St Patrick’s Day is billed, worldwide, as the friendliest day of the year.
So kudos to Messrs Downey and Griffin and Harron, the IHBC, and parade volunteers for pulling this one off. Impressive stuff. Today was a good day to be Irish in Budapest. And, you never know, next year I might even wear a hat!
18 responses
As far as I can see, this was primarily an excellent marketing effort by Becketts and the Guinness House, continuing the long tradition that in order to be a true Irishman you have to hang around a pub, and ideally get drunk. Fair play to you for going Mary, but you wouldn’t catch me dead mincing around like a leprechaun or wearing a Guinness Hat. Or hanging round an Irish pub getting drunk, when there are much more interesting things in the world to do.
Agree with you totally about there being more interesting things in the world to do than hang around an Irish pub getting drunk, Barney. My drink of choice that day was cranberry and soda. Getting drunk was not a requirement; neither was the leprechaun gear nor the Guinness hat. It was a come-as-you-are-and-do-as-you-please sort of day primarily organised by the IHBC. Methinks you missed the point of it all. I enjoy having a jar and hate to think that in doing so I therefore become ‘stereotypically Irish’.
Great Mary unlike you I always go to Parades actually anything Irish in Budapest gets my attention and the blood running, but I never read articles even books. I must say as I started to read this one it brought me alive with the true feelings you were witnesing at the Parade. It is great to hear such remarks and well done for the honesty and enjoyment of the article. Keep up the good work Mary, great to be Irish what about a St Mary,s day in the Guinness House later this year we could invite all the Irish Mary’s we know , Mary from Dungloe, Mary Robinson, Mary McAlese, Mary Hannifin, Mary Black and Mary Murphy and any other Mary that will come to join in. Keep up the good work Mary.
You’re on, Pat… am sure I can rustle up a few more Mary’s!