Other emerging issues in the Respiratory Diseases topic area include: 1  Assessing the impact of climate change (temperature extremes, the increased geographic span of allergens, and air quality) on asthma causation and exacerbations.
St. Patrick's Day became an official public holiday in Ireland in 1903 with the passing of the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903, which was introduced by Irish MP James O'Mara. In 1927, O'Mara introduced the law that banned the sale of alcohol on St. Patrick's Day to prevent drinking on a religious holiday. The law was changed in 1961 to permit legal drinking, but only at the Royal Dublin Society Dog show.
Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Patrickâs Day, especially throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrickâs Day is celebrated in many other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore and Russia. In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrickâs Day was traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use interest in St. Patrickâs Day to drive tourism and showcase Ireland and Irish culture to the rest of the world.