Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Block Club in 2019 and DNAinfo Chicago in 2015.
CHICAGO — If you’ve made St. Patty’s Day plans, you’ve jumped the gun by several months.
If, on the other hand, you’re meeting up with friends for a St. Paddy’s Day pint or four, you’re in luck.
What’s the difference? Allow Marcus Campbell to enlighten.
In 2010, Campbell, who was born in Northern Ireland and now lives in Canada, had had it up to HERE with American eejits (that’s Irish for “idiot”) shortening St. Patrick’s Day to St. Patty’s.
He created the website paddynotpatty.com, which spells out the distinction between the two.
“Paddy is derived from the Irish ‘Pádraig’: the source of those mysterious, emerald double-Ds. Patty is the diminutive of Patricia, or a burger, and just not something you call a fella.”
Lest you think the Paddy vs. Patty debate is the creation of just one man, keep in mind that the Dublin Airport made news in 2014 with a Facebook post that declared:
“March 17 is Saint Patrick’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Patrick’s Day, St. Paddy’s Day or Paddy’s Day. It is not St. Patty’s Day or Patty’s Day. Not this year, not last year. Not ever.”
For those particularly attached to St. Patty’s Day (see byline above), take heart.
There is a St. Patricia, a noble woman who became a nun, gave away all her money and died at age 21.
Her feast day is Aug. 25, the date when a vial of her 1,300-year-old blood reportedly liquefies. If that doesn’t scream par-tay, we don’t know what does. #pattynotpaddy
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