Every St. Patrick's Day every Irishman goes out to find another

Hear, O children of wit and memory, the merry wisdom of Shane Leslie, who once said: “Every St. Patrick’s Day every Irishman goes out to find another Irishman to make a speech to.” Though lighthearted in tone, these words carry within them the essence of the Irish spirit — the union of humor, eloquence, and kinship. Leslie, a diplomat, writer, and descendant of Ireland’s storied lineages, knew his people well. With a wink and a smile, he captured in this jest a profound truth: that for the Irish, celebration is never solitary, and words — spoken with passion and warmth — are the lifeblood of connection.

To understand this saying, one must first understand the soul of St. Patrick’s Day. What began as a sacred feast honoring Ireland’s patron saint has long since grown into a day when the Irish of every land remember who they are. The green banners, the laughter, the music — these are not mere festivity, but expressions of belonging. When Leslie says every Irishman goes out “to find another Irishman,” he speaks of that deep instinct for community that defines his people. No Irishman is content to celebrate alone; the joy of one becomes complete only in the company of another who shares his heritage, his humor, and his heart.

And why does he say they make a speech? Because the Irish, above all, are a nation of talkers — not idle chatterers, but storytellers, poets, orators of the everyday. The Irish tongue has long been their weapon, their instrument, and their art. From the days of the bards and seanchaí, when history was kept in song and tale, to the fiery speeches of patriots and the lyrical prose of poets, words have bound the Irish together through joy and sorrow alike. To “make a speech” on St. Patrick’s Day, even if only over a pint in a crowded pub, is to take part in that ancient tradition — to raise one’s voice and affirm, “We are still here, and we still have something to say.”

In Leslie’s gentle satire there is also wisdom about identity and endurance. The Irish have known centuries of exile, famine, and colonization, yet wherever they have wandered — to America, to Australia, to every corner of the earth — they have found one another. On St. Patrick’s Day, that instinct to gather and to speak rekindles what history tried to scatter. The Irishman abroad becomes Irish anew in the company of his kin. Through speech — through storytelling, song, and shared laughter — they keep alive what neither time nor tyranny could destroy: the Irish heart, forever proud, forever resilient.

Consider the gatherings of the Irish in the early 20th century — in Boston, in New York, in London — where immigrants far from home would come together on St. Patrick’s Day to share memories of the old country. Many of them had little wealth, little comfort, but when they found one another, they found strength. They told stories of County Clare or Cork, sang the songs their mothers taught them, and spoke of freedom and faith. In those moments, they were not strangers in a strange land — they were a people reborn. It is this spirit that Leslie immortalizes with wit: that even in jest, the Irish never forget who they are or where they come from.

Yet, there is a deeper lesson for all peoples within Leslie’s humor. In a world where many drift apart, where loneliness hides behind noise and haste, the Irish remind us of the power of fellowship. To seek another with whom to share your story — that is the root of humanity. To speak from the heart, to listen with warmth, to celebrate one’s roots and one’s kin — these are not mere customs, but acts of remembrance. For when people cease to gather, they forget who they are; and when they forget who they are, they lose the light of their soul.

Thus, let Shane Leslie’s words be cherished not merely as jest, but as counsel: “Every St. Patrick’s Day every Irishman goes out to find another Irishman to make a speech to.” Seek out those who share your history, your dreams, your laughter. Tell your stories. Lift your voice in gratitude for what endures. For in doing so, you honor not only Ireland, but the eternal truth that binds all humankind — that joy shared becomes greater, that identity spoken aloud becomes unbreakable, and that every speech made in fellowship is, in its way, a prayer to keep the light of one’s people alive.