SYRACUSE, NY -- Some traditions can’t be shut down, not even by the coronavirus.

Despite an “official” announcement Monday cancelling the annual painting of the shamrock on Tipperary Hill to mark the start of St. Patrick’s Day, it was painted anyway.

The crowd may have been smaller for the midnight ritual, and some onlookers may have stayed in their cars, but this morning you’ll find the bright green symbol of Ireland underneath the green-over-red traffic light at the corner of Milton Avenue and Tompkins Street.

That’s the location where, local legend has it, young Irish kids used to throw rocks or stones at the light when it was still red (for the British) over green (for the Irish). They eventually persuaded officials to turn the light upside-down, making it perhaps the most famous traffic signal in the country.

The spirit of the “Stone Throwers” seemed to live on among the folks gathered at midnight under the light.

A video of the painting was posted by Maureen Moriarty to the Facebook page of Jeffrey “Coz” Costello, one of the organizers of the official event. He had notified folks of the cancellation Monday. Though the traditional event organizers did not initiate the gathering today, some did show up when they heard about it.

This is what’s left of the shamrock painted overnight under the green-on-top stoplight on Tipperary Hill.Charlie Miller | cmiller@syracuse.com

How many were there? According to Moriarty, the attendance stayed under the new limit of 50 people per gathering.

"I was one of the 49 but stayed safe in the vehicle.☘️🤷🏼‍♀️ " Moriarty said in her post. “Btw the only reason the painting ended up happening is because tradition was about to be broken and we would NOT let that happen by anyone so the true painters came through!!!💪🏼💪🏼☘️☘️#nocrowdsover50 ☘️”

The midnight event traditionally includes the artistic application of a gallon of green paint, some piping and drumming, the reading of the names of Tipp Hill residents and friends who passed on in the previous year and the singing of “Danny Boy." It’s usually over in 15 minutes or so.

Though St. Patrick’s Day in Syracuse gots its traditional start, it will be different the rest of the day. The state has ordered the closing of all bars and restaurants in an effort to contain the coronavirus.

Last call was 8 p.m. Monday.

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Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.