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A taste for Ireland
A Damien teacher debunks
some myths about how the
Irish mark St. Patrick's Day
Corned beef and cabbage is on the St. Patrick's Day menu around town today, and the Christian Brothers' dining room is no exception.
WEARING OF THE GREEN
St. Patrick's Day events:
» St. Patrick's Day Parade, noon, Waikiki. Parade travels along Kalakaua Avenue from Saratoga Road to Monsarrat Avenue. » St. Patrick's Day Block Party sponsored by Murphy's Bar & Grill, 2 Merchant St., 6 to 11 p.m. Nuuanu Avenue from King Street to Nimitz Highway, Merchant Street from Nuuanu to Bethel Street and Marin Lane are closed. Curb lanes will be closed from 3 p.m. for setup. » Celebration at Aloha Tower, 5 p.m. Free. Live entertainment including Scottish folk dancers, bagpipers and music by James McCarthy and the band Celtic Wave.
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Most of the members of the religious order that operates Damien Memorial High School are of Irish ancestry, but the actual Irishmen in the house are Nolan, who is from County Kildare, and Brother Patrick O'Hare, from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Nolan, 66, who came from Ireland seven years ago to teach chemistry at the Kalihi school, debunked some of the stereotypes that are playing out today in restaurants, pubs and street parties in Hawaii and the mainland.
"It's a church holiday and a secular holiday. The banks and the schools are closed; I can't get used to the idea of it being an ordinary working day. It's a day to take in a football (soccer) game. Most people would celebrate in their own homes."
» "You won't find corned beef in Irish restaurants," he said. That seems to be a tradition generated among Irish immigrants. The salted pork loin that the Irish call bacon is meatier than its American namesake, and American palates find it closer to ham.
"When he cooks breakfast, everybody shows up," said Brother Greg O'Donnell, Damien president.
The household of brothers benefits daily from another Nolan specialty. He bakes two varieties of Irish soda bread, wheat and raisin, twice a week. "It was a matter of necessity," said the baker. "American bread has no taste, no substance."
Last year, he made a couple dozen loaves for the country store at Damien's April fund-raising luau. The bread disappeared quickly, said O'Donnell.
The Damien ROTC and band always march in the St. Patrick's parade through Waikiki, and that is a custom shared with the old country. Nolan said there would be bands and marching units, many of them church groups, as well as commercial floats competing for prizes.
O'Donnell is from Chicago, where the large population of Irish descent stages one of the country's biggest parades. "It's a very big thing, celebrating their heritage. Coming as the very poorest of immigrants, the Irish have made it in America. They're in Congress, on the Fortune 500 list. They're very proud of that and want to show it."
Nolan got a standing ovation from students and faculty last year when, at a celebration of his 50th anniversary as a Christian Brother, he recited the sign of the cross in Hawaiian.
The school president also revealed that whatever is to be said about authentic Irish cooking, Nolan is known to be a huge fan of chicken katsu.
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