On St. Patrick’s Day, The Tennessee Star‘s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Michael Patrick Leahy argued that Irish Americans – not modern Ireland – are the true stewards of St. Patrick’s legacy, highlighting on his radio show the contrast between the preservation of traditional faith and cultural identity in the U.S. and what he described as Ireland’s abandonment of its historic foundations.
During Tuesday’s edition of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, Leahy began by highlighting the prominence of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations across the U.S., pointing to parades in cities such as New York, Boston, and smaller communities like Erin, Tennessee.
He emphasized the American roots of these festivities, noting, “Just to be clear, the St. Patrick’s Day parade is an Irish American tradition. There were no parades in Ireland.”
Providing historical context, Leahy recounted the life of St. Patrick, underscoring key elements of his journey.
“He was a Briton at the end of the Roman era… and he was captured as a young man and enslaved. He was enslaved in Ireland. He escaped and then went back to England and became a priest, and then decided to become a missionary and obviously went to Ireland,” Leahy said.
He also referenced the enduring religious symbolism associated with St. Patrick’s teachings.
“He explained the Christian concept of the Trinity… using a three leaf clover,” Leahy noted, adding that the missionary’s influence shaped Ireland’s religious identity.
“Clearly he brought Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century. And when he died all of Ireland celebrated the religious day, the religious feast day of St. Patrick,” he stressed.
Leahy played a clip of remarks delivered by Irish President Catherine Connolly, in which she claimed that St. Patrick’s life “serves as a reminder of the resilience and courage of migrants.”
In reaction to Connolly’s remarks, Leahy noted how the Irish leader mentioned “Patrick” four times but “did not call him by his proper name: St. Patrick.”
“It’s St. Patrick. It’s not Patrick’s Day. It’s St. Patrick’s Day. And all this BS about, ‘Oh, migrants coming over and contributing.’ They’re not contributing. They are engaged in violence and they’re stealing your money, from Irish taxpayers, just as they’re doing here in the United States through fraud. That’s the truth of the matter,” he added.
Leahy called the cultural and religious changes he believes have taken place in Ireland in recent decades “beyond disgrace,” specifically pointing to the country’s shift away from its historical foundations.
“The Irish leaders are weak and leftist, just as most European leaders are…[St. Patrick] came as a slave to Ireland and when he went back, when he escaped, he decided to become a missionary and he brought Christianity to Ireland. Right now, Ireland has abandoned the Catholic faith…The churches are empty,” he said.
Leahy concluded the segment by reflecting on the role of Irish Americans in preserving cultural traditions and values associated with Ireland’s past. Invoking Daniel O’Connell, he pointed to a legacy of liberty and identity that he said continues to resonate in the U.S. today.
“If you want to support traditional Irish values of liberty…you can do it here in the United States of America where we Irish Americans are proud of the heritage of liberty that once existed in Ireland and now exists here in the United States, and only in the United States,” he said.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Tune in now to The Michael Patrick Leahy Show – your AMERICA FIRST news talk
– Watch LIVE here on X
– Watch LIVE on Roku
– Listen on Spotify
– Listen on WENO AM760 in Nashville
– Read more at @TheTNStarhttps://t.co/cWmPBrZh1Q— Michael Patrick Leahy (@michaelpleahy) March 17, 2026
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
