St. Patrick, as we all know, is the celebrated patron saint of Ireland who drove the "snakes" off the island. Since Ireland has never had snakes natively, some question whether that's a metaphor for pagans. Nonetheless the holiday has evolved to become a quite secular, Paddy's Day, that celebrates the global Irish diaspora.
As I think about our Irish ancestors, I'm reminded of the long history of resistance to colonial rule. That way of being is reflected in the depth and cleverness of centuries of music and poetry written under occupation. In 1919 when Ireland declared independence, many other countries' leaders were inspired including Ghandi and Ho Chi Minh. That same year the president of (rebel) Ireland Eamonn De Valera received an honorary chiefdom from from the Ojibwe Tribe in northern Wisconsin as "a representative of one oppressed nation to another."
The Kissers have always been about inspiration from Ireland and Irish music more than about imitating. Back in 2005 we released the album Good Fight! which, after we wrote it, we realized was an album of resistance. No War was about the Iraq War, Pictures at an Execution about the unfairness of the death penalty, What They Can about the increasing divide between the rich and the poor.
This year on March 15th we'll be marking the 20th anniversary of that album as well as honoring our Irish ancestors who fought and endured to bring freedom and an end to oppression. And one thing that we will imitate: they always found a way to celebrate with joy and through song.
Sláinte,
Ken