“Oh were ye drunk, or were ye blind,
To leave your two fine legs behind?
It wasn’t from walking upon the sea
Took your legs from the ground to the knee…”
“Oh I wasn’t drunk and I wasn’t blind
To leave my two fine legs behind;
'Twas a cannonball on the Fifth of May
Took my two fine legs away…”
My we all have better luck today than the guy in the song did. 
–James
Let it not be soon forgotten that our North American brethren overcame the French invaders at the Battle of Puebla. ¡Viva el Cinco de Mayo!
Couple of hundred years before the Battle of Puebla, the slaughter there, Puebla, was more…personal shall we say.
I’m going to make New Mexico Green Chile Stew 
What’s this about a fifth of mayonnaise? 
Redwolf
Yeah, the ship that was carrying it was sunk by a cannonball…
and that’s why we celebrate Sinko da Mayo!
/me runs away to hide…
–James
Seems to be a California-only celebration - even the Mexicans don’t celebrate it. A party by any other name … 
djm
I wouldn’t say “California-only.” It was quite widely celebrated in North Carolina when we lived there, and even when we were still in college in Spokane, WA, Mexican restaurants and bars were starting to encourage Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Any excuse for a party! And, of course, the manufacturers of such products as Corona have gone to great lengths to turn it into a Mexican St. Patrick’s Day.
What surprises me, however, is the number of people who seem to think it’s Mexican independence day.
Redwolf
Sorry, I should have said “originally a Californian celebration” now spread to other states, as you said.
djm
Mexico had a St. Patrick?
They very nearly had a St Denis.
djm
Se. “The San Patricios,” a notable arm of the Mexican Army during the Mexican War of American Aggression, 1846-1848
So to speak:
http://vivasancarlos.com/patrick.html
There’s a local Irish-type bar that celebrates Cinco de Mayo. I call it “Cinco de Maigh Eo”.
So it’s not Contae de Maigh Eo?
Not today.
My dad always said he appreciated Mexico celebrating his birthday. He never did have an answer for how they found out about it since he was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. (His sister and thus my aunt always said it was Regina but I like the name Moose Jaw better.)
Anyway, it was always a great party. 
And it usually was in California.
Sandy
There you are now! I learned something today. 