24 Photos of What St. Patty's Day Looked Like in the 1970s and 1980s

Daniel Bonfiglio Published Yesterday in ftw

You might only know St. Patrick's day as a time for parades, drinking, and wearing green, but it's an important holiday for celebrating Irish culture around the world.

What began as a religious festival morphed into a cultural one in the 1700s, with the custom spreading around the world as many Irish citizens emigrated.

Here's how the iconic holiday was celebrated around the world in the '70s and '80s.

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1. Baton Twirler's
Atlanta's parade, 1977.
2. A Parade Member
Tony Marciante

New York, 1974.
3. The Dublin Parade
Packed in 1978.
4. Support the IRA
Tony Marciante

Raising funds in New York.
5. Citizens of the World
Donncha Mac Niallais

A parade in Ireland.
6. A Mayoral Aide
Tony Marciante

The New York parade, 1974.
7. The New York City Parade
Partiers in 1989.
8. The Parade
Galway, Ireland, 1980.
9. Upstairs, Downstairs
Donncha Mac Niallais

Sligo, Ireland. 1970s.
10. Glen, New Hampshire
The 1978 parade.
11. A Family in Milwakee
Ready for the day, Wisconsin, 1984.
12. New York Police
Tony Marciante

The parade in the 1970s.
13. St. Patrick Cathoilic High School
Chicago, 1986.
14. The Fire Department in the Parade
Clonmel, Tipperary, 1980s.
15. Family Celebrations
Glen New Hampshire, 1970s.
16. A Grandmother With Her Grandkids
Boston, 1978.
17. Slingo Community Games
Donncha Mac Niallais

The Slingo parade in the 1970s.
18. A Charriot Float
Donncha Mac Niallais

Wrapped in green, the 1970s.
19. Irish Dancers
Tony Marciante

New York in 1974.
20. A Packed Alley
Donncha Mac Niallais

Slingo in the 1970s.
21. McDonald's Shamrock Shake
Advertisement in the 1970s.
22. Mrs. Murphy's Irish Stew
The New Orleans parade, 1977
23. A Flag Bearer
Tony Marciante

New York parade, 1974.
24. Slingo Boxing Club
Donncha Mac Niallais

A tough truck in this 1970s parade.