Like many states, Michigan has a proud Irish heritage, with many immigrants arriving from the Emerald Isle during the Potato Famine years. According to an article on michiganpublic.org, many Irish immigrants moved into Michigan for a little more breathing room from the heavily populated East Coast cities. Detroit was already bustling with trade and had a strong Catholic identity, which was appealing to many Irish. In modern Detroit, we still have Corktown, the historic center of Irish life in the Motor City. Other Irish immigrants traveled north to take part in the fur trade, including on Mackinac Island, and farther north still to the mines of the Upper Peninsula.

In the middle of southern Michigan, we have the region known as the Irish Hills, another popular location for Irish immigrants escaping famine, who found the green, rolling hills reminiscent of their ancestral home.

This March, Michigan is full of revelry, as the high holiday of St. Patrick’s Day arrives on March 17. There are several cities that host parades and festive celebrations, and you don’t need to have a drop of Irish in you, just share a love of Ireland.

Detroit: One of the largest parades in the nation, with up to 100,000 in attendance, Detroit’s St. Patrick’s Day parade takes place in Corktown. There are more than 35 Irish organizations in the city, the conglomeration of which host the parade every year. You’ll see marching bands, listen to the pipe and rum bands, watch color guard units, view floats, and more over the course of two hours.

Grand Rapids: This festive affair takes place downtown, full of music, laughter, and mirth. After the main parade, there’s a Kids’ Party, complete with Irish music, dancing, treats, and more. Of course, St. Patrick makes an appearance because of the local St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and school. The state’s largest music festival takes place in the heart of downtown on Calder Plaza, Irish Off Ionia, which features live music, Irish dancers, and of course, food.

Traverse City: This northern Michigan destination puts on the Leapin’ Leprechaun 5K, with hundreds of runners decked out in festive green and completing a green beer at the completion of the race. Although not a formalized parade, the local chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians puts on a parade through downtown, complete with a celebration at a local brewery or restaurant and Irish music.

Royal Oak: Another suburb of Detroit, Royal Oak’s family friendly parade is full of bikes, wagons, kids, and pets, but it’s also full of bagpipes, drums, and Irish royalty.

Bay City: This parade first took place in 1955 and since then has grown to be a treasured tradition. There’s always a newly named parade marshal and a queen. Over the years the parade has featured various marching bands and pipe bands from around the United States, horses, Irish wolfhounds, and distinguished guests. Who can say what will happen this year? The day before the parade, the Bay City Runners Club puts on the Leprechaun Races.

Kalamazoo: The city’s Irish American Club hosts a parade with more than 25 local groups, schools, and organizations participating including Irish dancers.

Coloma: The parade in downtown Coloma takes place when the sun goes down. The lighted parade is followed by a drone show.

Clare: This city hosts a four-day Irish festival to celebrate its Irish heritage. In addition to the parade, there is a craft show, a bed race, contests, road races, and more.

 

Recipes to Try

Irish Coddle – Courtesy of Pure Savory

Ingredients

  • 4 sausages: Use pork or chicken sausages
  • 4 slices of bacon
  • 4 large potatoes, Russet or Yukon Gold
  • 2 yellow onions
  • 4 cups of chicken or beef broth
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot.
  2. In the same pot, brown the sausages on all sides, allowing them to develop a nice golden color.
  3. Add the sliced onions to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Layer the sliced potatoes over the sausages and onions, creating a comforting bed of flavors.
  5. Pour the broth over the ingredients, ensuring everything is submerged. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender and the flavors meld beautifully.
  7. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley, and enjoy the warmth of this traditional Irish dish!

 

Irish Camp Stew for Two – Courtesy of Bushcraft USA

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon (more the merrier)
  • 1/2 cup beef stock (a bouillon cube and 1/2 cup water)
  • 1 lb. beef or lamb cubes
  • 1 (12oz.) bottle of Guinness
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 potato, cubed
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup cabbage, chopped
  • 3 Tbsp. flour + 1 tsp. each sugar, thyme &
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  1. If it simplifies it for you, cut up the vegetables and place them in a separate bag before you leave, but only if you will be using the vegetables within a day or so. You can also premix the spices and store in a small jar.
  2. Coarsely cut up the bacon into chunks and place it in the bottom of a Mors Pot (1.8 quart). Allow the bacon to cook over the fire until it begins producing a good amount of fat.
  3. Add in the beef or lamp cubes. Allow to cook until browned.
  4. Add in the beef stock and get to a boil.
  5. Add potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, and cabbage.
  6. Add the Guinness (or Irish Stout).
  7. And the spices (a pinch here, a dash there).
  8. Allow to cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

 

Guinness Barbecue Sauce – Courtesy of Irish American Mom

If you’re not much of a fan of stew, but love to grill…

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce butter
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups Guinness Stout
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup yellow mustard
  • ½ cup molasses
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup honey
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté until tender and beginning to caramelize, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  2. Add the Guinness, ketchup, molasses, vinegar, honey, brown sugar and seasonings. Stir well together and bring to a boil.
  3. Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent it sticking.
  4. Turn off the heat and let the sauce come to room temperature. Purée using an immersion blender or transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth.
  5. Transfer to a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid for storage in the refrigerator.

 

Dutch Oven Irish Soda Bread – Courtesy of Camp, Grill, Eat  

Ingredients (Mix your dry ingredients in a resealable plastic bag beforehand)

  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups buttermilk

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) or prepare hot coals or embers in a fire pit.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Pour in 1 ¼ cups of buttermilk and fold to combine. Add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a dough that sticks together, but isn’t wet.
  4. Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper and shape into a round ball.
  5. Transfer the parchment and dough to the Dutch oven and score a deep X on the loaf with a sharp knife.
  6. Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and transfer to the oven or to the fire pit. If cooking in a fire pit, place 9 hot coals or embers underneath the Dutch oven and 18 on top of the lid. (See note below if you are using a small Dutch oven.) If cooking in the oven, bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook until golden brown, about 35 minutes more. If cooking in the fire pit, bake the loaf, replenishing coals as needed, until deep golden brown, about 55 minutes.
  7. Remove from the Dutch oven and let cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

 

Campfire Apple Spice Cake

Ingredients

  • Applesauce
  • Cake mix – spice or carrot works well
  • Eggs (check cake mix directions)
  • Oil (check cake mix directions)
  • Water (check cake mix directions)

Instructions

  1. Pour the applesauce into the foil pans (doubled for strength.)
  2. Mix the cake batter according to the directions on the box. Pour cake batter over the applesauce and gently spread it out.
  3. Cover pan tightly with foil and place in hot coals (no flames).
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on how hot your fire is. Cake should be firm in the center but will be moist on the top.