SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — In honor of St. Patrick’s Day Weekend, the Saratoga Ancient Order of Hibernians recently donated new Irish tricolor flags to fly over the Parting Glass Irish Pub.
“The Parting Glass has always been a part of the Hibernian family, they’ve always been very good to us and we want to be good back to the family,” Current President John Neeley said.
The organization donated two new Irish tricolor flags to the Irish Pub. Thanking the the Irish communities in Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County and the Capital District for their continued support as well as thanking Mike Meier — also known as 518 Mr. Paint — for climbing the latter and being the one to install one of the flags.
Neeley explained the colors on the tricolor flag represent different things, with the green representing the Catholics of the Republic of Ireland, the Orange representing the Protestants and the White representing the peace and Unity between the two. Neeley made sure to highlight this is something that the Hibernians also stand for, represent and Promote.
The Saratoga Ancient Order of Hibernians works to promote pride in Irish Culture and heritage and Neeley shared a really important thing to the organization is ensuring that people are looking at those things in a positive light as well as in the light. He also explained they espouse any stereotypes, caricatures or cartoonish images of the Irish because it is not right and unfair.
“The Ancient Order of Hibernians was originally founded to prevent violence towards the catholic clergy in America and we did that,” Neeley said. “Our mission has now changed – we feed the homeless, we feed the hungry and these are important missions of ours because if it wasn’t for starvation or famine most Irish Americans wouldn’t have come here, and most Irish Americans wouldn’t be here.
Neeley relates these missions to Ireland’s Great Famine when an estimated one million were killed by either starvation or hunger-related disease as well as caused between one to two million more Irish individuals to emigrate out of Ireland.
“If you have an opportunity to reach back across the generations to your family through your heritage and your ancestry you’d wish you could help them,” Neeley said. “This is our opportunity through the Hibernians to reach back through the generations, take their hand and look them in the eyes.”
Along with donating this flag to the Parting Glass, Neeley shared that the Saratoga Ancient Order of Hibernians held a luncheon on Friday to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as well as many members ventured down to Albany on Saturday to march with the Albany Hibernians in a St. Patrick’s Day parade.
On St. Patrick’s Day itself, the Saratoga Ancient Order of Hibernians will be taking part in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in East Durham. This will be the first time the parade has been put on in 32 years and the Saratoga Ancient Order of Hibernians will be supporting the effort of the Greene County Hibernians.
The Parting Glass was very grateful to be honored by the Saratoga Ancient Order of Hibernians and truly appreciated the gift of the tri-colored flag.
“It really raises our spirits, makes us happy and gets us excited for the holiday,” Linda Diblasio of the Parting Glass said. “It’s really special to be acknowledged.”
According to their website, the Parting Glass opened on Saint Patrick’s Day in 1981 and it is said to be the oldest continuously run bar & restaurant in Saratoga Springs. This Sunday will mark this Irish pub’s 43rd St. Patrick’s Day, with celebrations starting earlier in the week and culminating on the holiday itself.
On Sunday, the Irish pub will open at 11 a.m. and put on live music all day in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Along with corned beef and cabbage available to order, there are other things of note going on like Irish step dancers at noon, Kevin Mckrell at 2 p.m., Wandering Monsters at 4 p.m. and Maggies Clan at 6 p.m.
“Every year we are amazed,” Diblasio said. “We have so many people and we never have an issue. Everyone is always in such great spirits. This Holiday really cheers people up and it’s amazing every year.”
More information on The Saratoga Ancient Order of Hibernians is available at http://www.saratogaaoh.com/. More information about the Parting Glass is available at https://www.partingglasspub.com/.
![HOOSICK FALLS, N.Y. — Folks lined the streets Saturday in Hoosick Falls waiting and peeking around street corners for the floats from the village’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. In its 33rd year, co-organizer Kevin O’Malley, who is also on the Village Board of Trustees, said this is the most floats they’ve had — around 40 […]](https://www.saratogian.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_8046.jpg?w=467 "HOOSICK FALLS, N.Y. — Folks lined the streets Saturday in Hoosick Falls waiting and peeking around street corners for the floats from the village’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. In its 33rd year, co-organizer Kevin O’Malley, who is also on the Village Board of Trustees, said this is the most floats they’ve had — around 40 […]")
