MAHANOY CITY - In addition to wearing green and enjoying a pint of their favorite libations, many across Schuylkill County also eat traditional Irish dishes for Saint Patrick's Day.
The most common dishes are corned beef and cabbage and ham and cabbage, served with potatoes.
The Humane Fire Company No. 1 sponsored a ham or corned beef and cabbage dinner Sunday at the firehouse in celebration of Saint Patrick's Day today.
Patrons had the option of eating at the firehall or taking meals - which included potatoes, green beans and a dessert - out.
Fire company President Conor Kelly said that he knows a lot of people of Irish descent who still enjoy the mean for the holiday.
"We haven't had one for years, but this year we thought about bringing it back and so far the turnout has been great," Kelly said. "A lot of people told us that they still make it, so a lot of people are coming here."
Kathy Wall, the company's fundraising chairwoman, said that while many believe corned beef and cabbage to be a traditional Irish dish, it isn't.
"Actually the corned beef is not really an Irish tradition, it's an American-Irish tradition, from what I understand," Wall said. "The ham (and cabbage) is more traditional."
The traditional meal, usually referred to as "boiled bacon and cabbage," uses back bacon, similar to ham or Canadian bacon.
"We just thought it would be a good idea because we're an Irish fire company," Wall said. "They did it a long time ago but we just regrouped the new fundraising committee so we have a lot of things coming up."
Eve Alshon, Frackville, enjoyed a ham and cabbage dinner Sunday at the fire company and said she knows many people follow that tradition.
"I'm not Irish, but I like to follow the people that do support the tradition," she said. "I like to support anybody that has anything going on, the churches, the fire companies, the Scouts, anybody, because they work hard and it's good, too."
Humane Fire Company No. 1 wasn't the only place in the county carrying on the traditional meal this year as there were several other venues.
On Saturday, St. John's Episcopal Church, 13th and Market Streets, Pottsville, held a ham and corned beef and cabbage sale, while the Salvation Army, 400 Sanderson St., Pottsville, also held a corned beef and cabbage sale.