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St. Patrick’s Day, the 17th of March, is the single biggest national day celebrated globally. This lunchtime talk by Professor Mike Cronin will show how St. Patrick’s Day was born in the United States as a visceral demonstration of Irish American ethnic power. It will then explore how the Irish state (and associated business interests) have leveraged St. Patrick’s Day globally to market the state and make Ireland one of the most readily recognized national brands.

Professor Mike Cronin is Academic Director of Boston College in Ireland and a member of the BC Irish Studies faculty. An historian, he has worked extensively on the creation and dissemination of Irishness. His publications include Wearing the Green: A History of St. Patrick’s Day (with Daryl Adair, 2002), The Routledge International Handbook of Irish Studies (with Renée Fox and Brian Ó Conchubhair, 2022) and Revolutionary Times: Ireland 1913-23, The Forging of a Nation (with Mark Duncan, 2024). He has held fellowships across the world and is currently a Visiting Professor at the University of Queensland and at the International Centre for Sports History and Culture in Leicester. 

Before and during the talk, attendees will be invited to enjoy a complimentary buffet lunch featuring traditional St. Patrick’s Day fare and vegetarian options. All are welcome.