If you live in the Binghamton area, you already know St. Patrick’s Day isn’t just a one-day celebration around here. It’s practically a whole season.
Every March, Irish flags start appearing on lampposts across town, restaurants roll out menus full of corned beef and cabbage and bangers and mash, and the city gets ready for one of our most loved traditions, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Even the famous Mummers from Philadelphia make the trip to join in on our festivities. It’s the kind of celebration that makes you feel like the entire community is leaning into its Irish roots.
Binghamton’s Irish Pride Versus Reality
With all that Irish pride on display, you might assume Binghamton would top the list for Irish heritage in New York State. Surprisingly, we don’t.
According to research highlighted by Irish Central, that title actually belongs to Pearl River in Rockland County. More than half of the people who live there, about 52 percent, claim Irish ancestry, making it the most Irish community in New York.
Irish Population Centers Cluster Near NYC
When Irish Central looked at towns across New York with populations of at least 100,000 people, the results revealed something interesting. Every one of the top six places with the highest percentage of Irish ancestry was located in the New York City metro area.
That means while Upstate communities like Binghamton clearly celebrate our Irish heritage loudly and proudly, the highest concentrations of Irish ancestry in the state are actually found much farther downstate.
Albany Leads U.S. Cities in Irish Ancestry
Another study from Shane Co. took a different approach. Instead of focusing only on New York towns, it examined the 100 most populous cities in the United States to see where Irish heritage is most evident.
That list placed Albany, New York, at the very top. About 21 percent of Albany residents report Irish ancestry, making the Capital Region city the largest city with the highest percentage nationwide.
Binghamton’s Deep-Rooted Irish Community
Even though Binghamton doesn’t top either list, the city still has a deep connection to Irish heritage. In fact, about 18.1 percent of Binghamton residents identify as having Irish ancestry. That translates to more than 44,000 people in the area with Irish roots.
So while another town might technically hold the title, it’s pretty clear that Irish culture and traditions are still a big part of what makes the Binghamton community feel like home, especially every March when the city turns a little greener than usual.
Most Americans Don’t Know These Irish Slang Drinking Words
It’s not even Irish Gaelic, but Hiberno-English can also be difficult to understand. Here’s a list of drinking-related slang terms commonly used on the Emerald Isle.
Gallery Credit: Kate Robinson
The Ultimate Guide to 32 Of the Best Upstate New York Irish Pubs
There is nothing quite like a visit to an Irish pub on St. Patrick’s Day. Here are 32 of Upstate’s “greenest” pubs!
There are all kinds of bars. Lounges, sports bars, dance club bars, etc. But there is something so warm and friendly, so old-timey, so “Cheers-like” about an Irish pub. Back in the day the denizens of these friendly places were usually blue collar working men and women who stopped at their neighborhood Irish bar to chat and visit after getting out of the local factory. On weekends the pub was crowded with happy people, our parents and grandparents, enjoying a sip, Bing Crosby on the jukebox, and a bowl of Irish stew.
Today, you are more than likely to find the demographics of an Irish pub a whole lot younger. And that is a good thing.
This gallery looks at 32 of the best Irish pubs in Upstate New York.
See you at one of them for St. Paddy’s Day!
Gallery Credit: Chuck D’Imperio
