St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated annually on March 17, believed to be the date of St. Patrick’s death. Despite being the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick was actually British and came from a wealthy family. At the age of 16, he was captured by Irish raiders and spent six years in captivity in Ireland. After escaping, he claimed to have experienced a divine vision instructing him to walk 200 miles to escape back to Britain. Later, a second vision urged him to return to Ireland as a Christian missionary, where he spent his life spreading the gospel.
Interestingly, St. Patrick was never officially canonized by the Catholic Church, meaning he is not formally recognized as a saint.
The Irish in Louisiana
Irish immigrants began arriving in New Orleans in the late 1700s, with the largest wave occurring during the Irish Potato Famine (1845-1855). Many settled throughout Louisiana, including Baton Rouge, in search of work.
The first recorded Irish resident in Baton Rouge was Father Charles Bourke, brought to the city by King Carlos III of Spain in 1792 to lead the first Catholic church. Father Bourke had studied in Spain and France to communicate effectively with the local population.
By the 1900s, a sizeable Irish-American community had formed in Baton Rouge. Many Irish immigrants adopted French and Spanish surnames to assimilate, including Father Bourke, who became known as Carlos. Despite these changes, Irish traditions remained strong.
A local newspaper article from March 18, 1902, described how St. Patrick’s Day was widely celebrated:
“St. Patrick’s Day was remembered by all sons of Erin and by many whose parents and grandparents were of Irish extraction. The wearing of the green was numerous.”
Celebrations often included formal feasts at local hotels. Initially, Irish community members gathered at the Istrouma Hotel, but after the Heidelberg Hotel opened in 1927, celebrations moved there.
One notable Irish figure was Gen. John McGrath, a Confederate army general and newspaper publisher. His name remains on street signs near the Garden District.
DISCOVERED ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY
The official "discovery" of what would become the city of Baton Rouge was on March 17, 1699 by Pierre Le Moyne Sieur d'Iberville. What he discovered was a pole decorated with the heads of animals and fish. This is believed to be the boundary marker between the Houma and the Bayougoula tribes.
The fact that this discovery happened on St. Patrick's Day was only a coincidence. In fact, the first noted celebration of St. Patrick's Day in the United States did not come until 1737 and it was held in Boston.
Nonetheless, folks in Baton Rouge have two reasons to celebrate on March 17th.
Modern St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
Today, Baton Rouge’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities are best known for the annual "Wearing of the Green" parade, held on the Saturday closest to March 17. This year, it will take place on March 19.
The event began in 1986 with a small walk from City Park to Zee Zee Gardens Pub (now Overpass Merchant). Local weatherman Pat Shingleton pushed his 8-month-old son, Michael, in a stroller at the back of the parade. Michael now works as a news anchor at the same television station where his father was chief forecaster for 45 years.
Shingleton started the parade to mirror the Irish traditions he experienced in Ireland and Pittsburgh, PA. According to his article on the WBRZ website:
“The Mayor of the city and Bishop of the parish or county lead the parade. There is also a Grand Marshal of Irish descent, and other traditions such as pipers and shamrock-painted streets. Families and friends celebrate their heritage along the route while honoring the patron saint of Ireland.”
The 2025 Grand Marshal is Todd Graves, the founder of Raising Cane’s. The festivities now include a Shamrock Run and even a dedicated St. Patrick’s Day magazine. The 2025 parade was moved to Sunday, March 16 due to the threat of severe weather on Saturday.
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