ST PATRICK AND THE IRISH

St Patrick's Day continues to thrive even as institutionalised religion and nationalism, the two influences which sustained the…

St Patrick's Day continues to thrive even as institutionalised religion and nationalism, the two influences which sustained the festival for so long, go through difficult processes of decline, adjustment or renewal. St Patrick is a continuing symbol of peace and unity as Irishness is redefined in a more inclusive way here and throughout the communities around the world which identify in some way with it.

Secularisation of Irish society has changed the framework within which St Patrick's heritage has to be evaluated. It can no longer be assumed that his message is the property of one church over another, much less of one cultural tradition. Indeed, a pamphlet from the Orange Order by Nelson McCausland argues that St Patrick has been falsely appropriated by the Catholic Church and Irish nationalism from the British-Northern, proto-Protestant identity that he more properly represents.

That there is sufficient ambiguity about the historical record to sustain such an account is a tribute to the robust nature of the Patrician tradition. The very paucity of accurate historical information about the saint, aside from his own writings, is recognised now by the scholars; but from the seventh century onward that dearth of hard fact has never inhibited speculative and partisan accounts of his life and significance.

Traditional Irish nationalism, too, must come to terms with another such intrusion, the welcome participation of many Irish unionists in the celebrations in Washington that have in recent years assumed such political importance. It is a reminder that national identity and territorial nationalism are now separable. This is an essential condition for reaching a settlement of the conflict in Northern Ireland; today's gathering in Washington reminds us of several others: an IRA ceasefire and a readiness by the new British and Irish governments, shortly to be elected, to engage in inclusive talks as soon as it is credibly in place.

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The energy released from such a settlement could draw on the goodwill and co-operation of the 70 million people around the world who identify their roots in Ireland. Going into a new millennium in which international society will loom larger in everyone's life, this diaspora will come to be seen as an extraordinary resource, which gives this small island a distinct competitive, as well as a cultural advantage. That there is a particular focus on North America is to be expected, given the weight of numbers and the reawakening of Irish identity there in recent years.

But this day is also celebrated in many other countries where Irish people are gathered, from Britain to Australia, South Africa, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Russia and dozens more. A sample of the activity involved may be read on this newspaper's World Wide Web site, which captures the geographical and social spread of the Irish community around the world and symbolises its modernity as well as its continuing Christian identity. The same spirit animates the weekend celebrations in Dublin, culminating in today's reinvented parade. The reinvention of Irishness as a more inclusive, diverse and tolerant identity is a central element in reaching agreement in Northern Ireland. The modern St Patrick's Day is a useful symbol of that potential.