Why Spanish Harlem Celebrates St. Patrick's Day by Rafael Merino Cortés

On St. Patrick's Day, everyone's Irish. Even Latinos put aside their Medallas, Dos Equis and Presidentes for a pint of Guinness.

However, our commemoration to the shamrock and salute to the Emerald Isle has a more interesting foundation than the excuse to consume Irish stout (as if we needed an excuse).

In fact, we can trace our connection to the folks of Éire to before Christianity – and before Latin America became "Latin" or "America."

Rafael Merino Cortés is editor of the New York Latino Journal.

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