In 2009 a would-be attacker killed eight people when he drove his car into crowds watching the queen and other members of the royal family in a national holidayparade.
As a result, the Thanksgiving holiday, particularly in the United States, has become more about football and parade floats than the availability of food.
The call for a Northern Ireland Saint Patrick's Day holiday followed a recent decision by Belfast City Council to refuse funding for a Saint Patrick's parade in Belfast.