Irish community in Waterloo region wants to share culture, not spread stereotypes this St. Patrick's Day

Members of the Irish community in Waterloo region say celebrating St. Patrick's Day is more than drinking to excess.

"It's an unfortunate trope," said Sue Nally, director of the Irish Real Life festival.

The annual festival, which kicked off the week before St. Patrick's Day, celebrates Irish heritage with music, film, dance and theatre with the hope of educating the community at large about the Irish-Canadian experience.

The festival also tries to draw focus away from alcohol. 

"Unfortunately, alcohol was often a response for people when they were disconnected from their culture and not allowed to participate in it in other ways, so it's, it's not something that we like to celebrate," she said. 

Between civil wars and famines an estimated one million Irish people immigrated to Canada between the 1820s and 1970s, said Nally.

Nally says she isn't telling people not to enjoy a pint or two in the spirit of celebration on St. Patrick's Day, but the programming for the Irish Real Life festival came together years ago when Nally struggled to find a place to celebrate beyond the pubs.

In a letter sent to CBC News from The Region of Waterloo Irish Society (ROWIS), president Brian Lawson and director David O'Leary say they find public drunkenness and damaging property offensive associations to Irish identity.

"I don't want to see future generations remember Ireland in its culture for this," Lawson said, also condemning St. Patrick's Day-themed parties run by students from Wilfrid Laurier University and University of Waterloo.

The letter also mentioned the annual party on Ezra Avenue which has drawn in tens of thousands of revellers in years past. 

On St. Patrick's Day, 2019, around 30,000 people gathered on Ezra Avenue for an unsanctioned party. Waterloo Regional Police closed the street to control crowds of students while one officer was injured. Arrests and fines were also issued for damaged property, open alcohol and public intoxication.

According to O'Leary and Lawson, the tradition of partying stems from a ban of the sale of alcohol in Ireland on March 17th by the Catholic Church from 1927 to 1961. 

"It was a real day just kind of to reflect on your Irish culture and your heritage to remember the people who had left the country and you know to reconnect with the land yourself," said O'Leary.

"That's where the party aspect comes from. There was never parades in Ireland. In the beginning, it was something that started in North America and  came back to Ireland with Irish people who had returned to the country," he added.

"We love the pop culture of us. We love that celebration, but we're not fans of what goes on."

Waterloo Regional Police say they will be keeping an eye on the university district, and stepping up road patrols to enforce impaired driving laws.