Corned Beef and Cabbage is Not Irish and Other St. Patrick’s Day Myths
I was doing some research on corned beef and cabbage and I came across some surprising myths about St. Patrick’s day that are definitely worth sharing!
St. Patrick’s Day Myths
- Green is the color of St. Patrick’s Day.
- Not Corned Beef tells us that the color most often associated with Patrick was blue which was also the color of the old Irish flag.
- St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland.
- According to History Network News, Ireland never had any snakes to drive away. “Separated from England (where snakes of all sorts abound) and the Continent thousands of years ago, Ireland emerged from the Ice Age snake-free.
- Corned beef and cabbage is an Irish dish for St. Patrick’s Day.
- In Ireland, the closest traditional dish to corned beef and cabbage is bacon (like Canadian style bacon or ham) and cabbage. According to Irish Cultures and Custums, “The truth is, that for many Irish people, Corned Beef is too ‘poor’ or plain to eat on a holiday: they’d sooner make something more festive.” Eating corned beef and cabbage seems to have been developed when Irish immigrants in the eastern United States used corned beef instead of pork in their traditional dish since beef was cheap and readily available.
A Corned Beef Poem
The site, Not Corned Beef, features a noteworthy poem that reminds people about the Irish preference for pork over beef. Here’s the start of it:
I just want to put something straight
About what should be on your plate,
If it’s corned beef you’re makin’
You’re sadly mistaken,
That isn’t what Irishmen ate.
Will I Still Make Corned Beef and Cabbage?
Do not fear, corned beef and cabbage cupcakes are coming soon. Actually, be very, very scared.
