Notre Dame: 5 best athletes named Patrick on St. Patrick’s Day
By Matt Clark
On this St. Patrick’s Day holiday, we examine the five best Notre Dame Irish athletes named Patrick in the University’s sports history.
I am here to remind Notre Dame fans that today is St. Patrick’s Day. Although with the current COVID-19 pandemic causing a global crisis that has effectively ended social gatherings around the world, it is easy to forget that it is a holiday. It will undoubtedly be a memorable St. Patrick’s day, despite the lack of parades, pub gatherings, and other standard Irish holiday festivities.
Sure, those of us who are of Irish descent and even those who are only Irish on St. Patrick’s day can partake in the consumption of our favorite Irish stouts, whiskeys and green beers as well as corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, or Irish bangers and mash from the comfy confines of our homes.
We can crank up our favorite Irish music and dance the Irish jig to the likes of The Irish Rovers, The Dubliners, The Pogues, Flogging Molly or my personal favorite, Dropkick Murphys while we drink a pint and play another hand of euchre in self-quarantine.
Yes, it seems extremely odd compared to what we have experienced from St. Patrick’s Days of years past but it will be okay. It’s in the best interest of society that we keep our social distance and attempt to limit the spread of this incredibly contagious virus.
Even though we are unable to celebrate the holiday in a typical fashion, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t celebrate this great holiday nonetheless. Try to find ways to celebrate the holiday and keep some normalcy in an unusual time in history.
I’ve decided to don my Elmira Ancient Order of Hibernian’s hat and halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Irish Festival shirt, and my Slap the Sign green hooded sweatshirt just like I would have if I had gone out as usual today. I have also decided to construct a list of the five greatest Notre Dame athletes named Patrick to have played sports at the University. Slainte!