Apparently America, It's Not Patty's, It's PADDY'S

Have I seriously been wrong saying “St. Patty’s Day” all of these years?

Apparently so.

When you head out to Montauk this Sunday and party like it’s 1999, all in the name of Saint Patrick, remember this one little tidbit of info, you don’t call a guy named Patrick “Patty” for short, you call him “Paddy.” It’s true.

I found this open letter online on reddit.com today written by an Irish national.

Dear Yanks,

It’s very flattering that ye all seem to want to be Irish and it’s kind of cool for us that St. Patrick’s Day is such a big deal over there (also Halloween, that’s Irish/Scottish too). But there is one major problem for Irish people on this holy day: It is not “St. Patty’s Day.” That phrase is like nails on a chalkboard to many an Irish ear (any grammar Nazis out there know a similar feeling).

You see Patty is short for Patricia over here, not Patrick. The diminutive for Patrick is Paddy! That might seem odd but it’s because the Irish for Patrick is Pádraig (pronounced Paw-Drig) which is where the Ds come from. If you want to embrace Irish-ness please use the correct terms that won’t drive your Irish cousins up the walls.