San Patricio - Melaque in the Mexican state of Jalisco

Jalisco

Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...

 is a busy community located 4+ kilometers northwest of Barra de Navidad

Barra de Navidad

Barra de Navidad is a small town located on the western coast-line of the Mexican state of Jalisco.The town of Barra de Navidad with a population of 7000+ is a small farming and fishing community located on the east end of the Bahía de Navidad, 60 km north of Manzanillo...

 on Bahia de Navidad. It was named for a unit of 175 mainly Irish immigrants, Saint Patrick's Battalion

Saint Patrick's Battalion

The Saint Patrick's Battalion , formed and led by Jon Riley, was a unit of 175 to several hundred immigrants and expatriates of European descent who fought as part of the Mexican Army against the United States in the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848. Most of the battalion's members had...

, that fought with the Mexican Army against the US during the Mexican-American War (1846-48). The area comprises three beachfront villages: San Patricio, Villa Obregon and Melaque—all generally referred to as "Melaque." The small village of Melaque has been a vacation retreat for Mexicans for generations. San Patricio is a kilometer strip in the middle of the three villages that contains a colorful town square and retail shops. Villa Obregon, to the east, is much more residential. The three "municipios" form the largest community along the coast between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo. Playa Melaque is the main beach in the area.