In most communities, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated about as much as National Pork Week. But here in O'Neill, the Irish Capital of Nebraska, St. Patricks Day is almost bigger than Christmas. Were else can you sit in a bar, and enjoy a drink with a green horse.

Peple come to O'Neill from all over to celebrate St. Patrick's day. The first attraction is the giant shamrock at the main intersection, that lasts for months. There is always, of course the parade, but there is much more that goes on. O'Neill's own, Irish Dancers dance on the shamrock, and you can eat at the Mulligan Stew Feed, held in St. Patrick's Parish Hall. For the excercise lover, there is the fun run in the morning. There are also exhibits durring this festive day. Or if you'd like you could just stand outside Saints 'n Shillelaghs, and listen to the butiful Irish music.

Times have changed since General O'Neill first founded this Irish colony, near the Elkhorn river, but O'Neill still is proud to be the Irish Capital of Nebraska.

Kevin Heitz