In some parts of our area, St. Patrick's Day is one of the biggest days of the year, from black tie events to the sister of the vice president.
In Scranton, hundreds came out for a popular Saint Patrick's Day tradition; the 11th annual Society of Irish Women celebration at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel.
"Our mothers, our fathers are Irish and we pay tribute to the Irish. And it's a wonderful tradition that we do every year," said Patty McMyne of Jermyn.
The event also brought back one of Scranton's native daughters, the sister of vice president Joe Biden. Valerie Biden Owens was the guest speaker.
"For us women, because the playing field isn't level, or it's not always level, we have to be smarter," said Biden Owens. "Women are the leaders of the world, the natural leaders of the world. And I want to celebrate the spirit of women and the things that we can do."
At the celebration, Mayor Chris Doherty and the society honored the vice president's mother, Jean Finnegan Biden with a key to the city
"I know today is Saint Patrick's Day but today is Jean Finnegan Biden Day in the city of Scranton," declared the mayor.
Organizers of the event said the celebration is about honoring Saint Patrick as well as the women of Scranton.
"The women of Scranton who have certainly broken the glass ceiling in their profession. (They are) the women that we are proud of," said society co-founder Evie Rafalko McNulty.
Vice president Joe Biden's mother was expected to attend but she is still recovering from hip surgery at a hospital in Philadelphia. Valerie Biden Owens said her mother is not only doing well, she is back to her "feisty" self.
Every year the Irish men of the Scranton area gather as well. Tuesday night was the 104th dinner of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County. About 1,200 men gathered for the black-tie event at Genetti's in Dickson City.
The keynote speaker was Gerard Diver, mayor of the city of Derry in Northern Ireland.
The audience included a long list of area dignitaries.
"But it's a night (when) everybody's Irish. It's a night where we embrace our past, all of us. That's what St. Patrick's Day is all about; smiling and truly being grateful for all God has given us," said Msgr. Joseph Quinn of St. Rose parish in Carbondale.
The Friendly Sons dinner has quite the history in Lackawanna County. Previous speakers have included Robert Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, and Harry Truman.
The celebrations continued into some of the many Irish pubs in the Scranton area. St. Patrick's Day drew big crowds to The Banshee in downtown Scranton.
There was lots of green cheer and lots of beer, and of course, lots of food Ireland is known for, like corned beef and cabbage.
"Nothing is better than the Banshee on St. Patrick's Day," said Tom Hopkins of Scranton. "I've been coming here since they opened up. I'm going to stay here until they wheel me out in a casket."
Partying at the Banshee on St. Patrick's Day is tradition for the Manley family of Scranton.
"Good friends, good food, good drinks, I like to have them all around me all the time," said Kevin Manley. "I'm 100 percent Irish. I celebrate this every year with my son, my wife, my family. This is what we do every year. It's what we look forward to."
"I have beads, I have this crown, we all got them at work and they call me the Irish princess," said Paula Manley.
The St. Patrick's Day celebrations around here continue this weekend. Girardville's annual St. Patrick's Day parade is Saturday. The parade in Stroudsburg follows on Sunday.
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"Our mothers, our fathers are Irish and we pay tribute to the Irish. And it's a wonderful tradition that we do every year," said Patty McMyne of Jermyn.
The event also brought back one of Scranton's native daughters, the sister of vice president Joe Biden. Valerie Biden Owens was the guest speaker.
"For us women, because the playing field isn't level, or it's not always level, we have to be smarter," said Biden Owens. "Women are the leaders of the world, the natural leaders of the world. And I want to celebrate the spirit of women and the things that we can do."
At the celebration, Mayor Chris Doherty and the society honored the vice president's mother, Jean Finnegan Biden with a key to the city
"I know today is Saint Patrick's Day but today is Jean Finnegan Biden Day in the city of Scranton," declared the mayor.
Organizers of the event said the celebration is about honoring Saint Patrick as well as the women of Scranton.
"The women of Scranton who have certainly broken the glass ceiling in their profession. (They are) the women that we are proud of," said society co-founder Evie Rafalko McNulty.
Vice president Joe Biden's mother was expected to attend but she is still recovering from hip surgery at a hospital in Philadelphia. Valerie Biden Owens said her mother is not only doing well, she is back to her "feisty" self.
Every year the Irish men of the Scranton area gather as well. Tuesday night was the 104th dinner of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Lackawanna County. About 1,200 men gathered for the black-tie event at Genetti's in Dickson City.
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The audience included a long list of area dignitaries.
"But it's a night (when) everybody's Irish. It's a night where we embrace our past, all of us. That's what St. Patrick's Day is all about; smiling and truly being grateful for all God has given us," said Msgr. Joseph Quinn of St. Rose parish in Carbondale.
The Friendly Sons dinner has quite the history in Lackawanna County. Previous speakers have included Robert Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, and Harry Truman.
The celebrations continued into some of the many Irish pubs in the Scranton area. St. Patrick's Day drew big crowds to The Banshee in downtown Scranton.
There was lots of green cheer and lots of beer, and of course, lots of food Ireland is known for, like corned beef and cabbage.
"Nothing is better than the Banshee on St. Patrick's Day," said Tom Hopkins of Scranton. "I've been coming here since they opened up. I'm going to stay here until they wheel me out in a casket."
Partying at the Banshee on St. Patrick's Day is tradition for the Manley family of Scranton.
"Good friends, good food, good drinks, I like to have them all around me all the time," said Kevin Manley. "I'm 100 percent Irish. I celebrate this every year with my son, my wife, my family. This is what we do every year. It's what we look forward to."
"I have beads, I have this crown, we all got them at work and they call me the Irish princess," said Paula Manley.
The St. Patrick's Day celebrations around here continue this weekend. Girardville's annual St. Patrick's Day parade is Saturday. The parade in Stroudsburg follows on Sunday.
