St Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the world — even in Mexico.
“Every St Patrick’s Day, the first toast that I make is in honor of the San Patricios,” says Martin Paredes, a Mexican blogger based in the US.
A group of Irishmen came to the defense of Mexico, and many of them died in defense of Mexico. That has to be lauded as one of the greatest honors ever, because they were fighting for an adopted nation — and they died for an adopted nation.
The story is pretty complex and goes back to the Mexican-American War, from 1846 to 1848.
Paredes has written extensively on the San Patricio Battalion: "a military unit that was composed mainly of Irish soldiers that were serving in the US Army when the US was invading Mexico," he explains. "These were US soldiers that left US lines and joined Mexican lines and fought for Mexico against the United States.”
Many were recent immigrants, fleeing the Great Famine in Ireland, who had joined the US Army for the promise of land and an enlistment bounty.
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