FROM THE ARCHIVES: March 18th, 1910:A HUNDRED years ago the main official event on St Patrick's Day was the "trooping of the colours" by four regiments in Dublin Castle while the inauguration of a new Lord Mayor of Dublin and his procession through the streets was one of the other main events, organised by the city council which was a sort of proxy Irish parliament. These extracts from reports of the day give an indication of what took place and how The Irish Timesviewed them. – JOE JOYCE
YESTERDAY THE festival of our Patron Saint was ushered in with a lowering sky and cold winds, but the arrangements for the day suffered no check on this account.
Excursionists set out on their trips to the country, and the vast crowds of city folk who remained had no reason to complain of lack of variety in the way of amusement. Happily the clouds, if lowering, did not develop into rain until an advanced hour, and, if the temperature was low, there was all the more zest given to physical exercise.
As usual on St Patrick’s Day, the religious aspect of the festival claimed first consideration, and ample provision was made in this respect by the various Churches. Beginning at 7.30 a.m., a series of services were held in the National Cathedral of St Patrick and other Churches were not lacking in their desire to do honour to the occasion. Then came the ceremony of Trooping the Colour in the Upper Castle Yard, and this was followed by that curious spectacle known as the Lord Mayor’s Procession. The popular races at Baldoyle also claimed a large share of attention in the morning hours, and the Zoo, the parks, museums, picture galleries, etc. were crowded all day with holiday makers. Rinking being still at its zenith of popularity, the various rinks came in for a large share of public patronage. In the afternoon matinée performances were given at the Abbey Theatre and the Empire Theatre, and at night the special programmes at the theatres and music halls were augmented by concerts, carnivals, and other forms of amusement.
Throughout the day there was a general wearing of the shamrock, everyone from His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant down to the humblest member of the community sporting a “sprig” of the emblematic plant. Nothing occurred to mar the enjoyment of the holiday. “Patrick’s Pot” was quaffed with hearty good humour and there was very little evidence in the streets of over indulgence.
The time honoured ceremony of trooping the King’s colour was carried out yesterday morning in the Upper Castle Yard in the presence of a crowd which filled every window overlooking the scene of operations, and occupied every inch of pavement space allotted to the public. Outside the gates thousands of people had to be refused admission owing to want of accommodation.
The average Irishman and Irishwoman dearly love a fine military display, and it is rather a pity that this spirit is not fostered by holding the ceremony at some place where the citizens could attend in their thousands, such, for instance, as the Lansdowne Road football grounds, where the spectacle might be supplemented by other attractions, and a small admission fee charged in aid of the military charities.
The Lord Mayor’s inaugural procession was again characterised by two features, for which, in recent years at all events, it has been chiefly remarkable – viz., shabbiness and want of punctuality. Only a small number of people attended in the neighbourhood of the Mansion House to witness the arrival of the City Fathers, but these, for the most part, were induced to linger for some time by reason of the fact that Irish music was being performed in excellent manner by the band of the Artane Industrial School. The Corporators were, as a rule, not prompt in their attendance, and the number who put in an appearance only represented a small section of the Council.
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