St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17; be ready for green lights, green hats, and even green beer. Why is Ireland’s national holiday such a global celebration?
A little English girl is lifted up by an Irish policeman in the 1971 movie The Flight of the Doves to watch the local St. Patrick’s Day parade. The policeman tells the girl, “It’s a great day for the Irish.” The girl cries, “I’m not Irish!” to which the policeman responds, “You don’t have to be Irish to be Irish!” Saint Patrick’s Day is Ireland’s national holiday, observed on March 17 by millions of Irish and non-Irish people worldwide.
The man, Patrick
It may surprise you to learn that Saint Patrick was not truly Irish. He is believed to have been from a wealthy Christian family and to have been either Scottish or Welsh. According to old records, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates as a youth and sold into slavery in Ireland. After arriving in his new nation, he started discussing God with the Irish and shared his Christian ideas with them.
The snakes and Patrick
According to old traditions, Saint Patrick used his abilities to drive all of the snakes that were common in Ireland into the sea years ago. Many ancient statues of Saint Patrick, frequently with snakes at his feet, can still be found in Ireland. It seems that this is the reason that there are no native snake species in Ireland, while the majority of scientists believe that this may have more to do with geography.
Global renown
In Ireland, March 17 is a day of great festivities. However, because of their ancestry, many people worldwide identify as partially Irish due to Ireland’s history of emigration. Accordingly, Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations are held everywhere from Boston to Tokyo, Sydney to Buenos Aires. Actually, more nations commemorate Saint Patrick’s Day than any other national holiday.
Large parades
The parades are the most well-known St. Patrick’s Day Day festivities. These are carnival-style gatherings where participants don costumes and perform music or dance while strolling down the street. Large trucks that have been specifically decorated in green are frequently seen in parades. There are huge parades in several of the world’s largest cities. The biggest is in New York, where millions of people watch and 150,000 individuals take part in the parade. Ireland’s capital, Dublin, is home to the second-largest.
Additional’modest’ parades
Ireland itself has few cities and is a small country. But the majority of its villages and towns hold their own “mini” parades. Occasionally, these only consist of a few tractors and the kids from the neighbourhood school. The southern Irish community of Dripsey used to have the shortest parade in history. Between the two bars in the village, the procession was only 23 meters long. But when one of the two pubs tragically shuttered, the Dripsey procession was over!
A day dedicated to green
The colour green is another well-known feature of St. Patrick Day. To commemorate the day, many individuals wear green clothing all throughout the world. Famous worldwide landmarks, like the Colosseum in Rome or the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, are illuminated with green lights in major cities. Thousands of people in Chicago watch as special boats turn the river a vivid green. Miami University students in Ohio, USA, have even been drinking special green ‘Saint Patrick’s’ beer for 70 years!
No matter where you’re from, make sure to celebrate this March 17th by wearing a ridiculous green hat, drinking Irish beer, or watching your local parade. Additionally, remember to greet your friends a happy St. Patrick Day, or “Happy Paddy’s Day,” as it is known in Ireland.
