Tradition and change are well represented in the story of St Patrick and the way he is celebrated on Ireland's national holiday. At home and abroad he is a powerful symbol of Irishness. But that identity is undergoing a transformation under the influence of the peace process in Northern Ireland, the growing diversity of Irish society and its relations with the Irish abroad. It is a tribute to the strength of the Patrician tradition that it can accommodate these changing realities without losing its religious significance.
In the last 15 years traditional celebrations of the national holiday have changed more and more rapidly in this State. Institutionalised religion has gone through a prolonged crisis as secularisation has taken its toll. In the process St Patrick's Day has become a less ecclesiastical occasion, as well as a more commercial one. But the loosening of those bonds has allowed for a more inclusive understanding of the relationship between St Patrick and all the churches in Ireland which claim him as part of their tradition. That can only be good for the country's spiritual and moral health.
Nationalism too has been transformed over these years in such a way as to escape from the exclusive identification of St Patrick with one political tradition. Nationhood and territory were redefined in this process, culminating in the Belfast Agreement. The more inclusive approach it has sanctioned is fully compatible with a new attitude towards Ireland's patron saint, symbolised by the presence of all concerned in the peace process in Washington today. Despite the gloomy outlook of most leaders involved it is important that they have available such a valued symbol to bring them together.
It would likewise be a mistake to bemoan the commercialisation of the national holiday without taking full account of the energy and commitment which has made the parade in Dublin such an arresting and accessible spectacle. Certainly this has been influenced by the international exposure of the festival, including more exuberant American traditions of celebrating the day. That too reflects the growing importance of the Irish abroad. Over the last decade we have become accustomed to describe that diverse community as the Irish Diaspora. St Patrick's Day is a vital link between those communities. This is now recognised in the presence of political representatives all over the world today to mark the relationship with Ireland. This is a good opportunity to consider how it could be strengthened by the creation of more institutionalised links, which other states throughout Europe have made much more progress than we have in doing.
St Patrick was of course an immigrant to Ireland, whose Christian message was welcomed to these shores after many tribulations and trials over the course of an eventful life. His day should be an occasion to reflect deeply on the many ways newcomers to our shores can enrich our culture, society and economy - in sharp contrast to the deplorably negative attitudes displayed in the Taoiseach's suggestion that illegal immigrants might be held in detention camps while their cases are being considered. It is a sign of vitality indeed that the Patrician tradition can be directly associated with such contemporary concerns.