St. Patrick’s Day: The Celebration of the Patron Saint of Ireland
Written by Béline Chan (Opinion Editor)
It does not matter what your nationality or religious identity is, St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday that everyone can celebrate, and it is a positive and entertaining event that is celebrated by those all around the country. There are multiple parades held all around the country, music, costumes and events, and it is celebrated on the 17th of March because it is the anniversary of St. Patrick’s death (the Patron Saint of Ireland). It is also a religious holiday which falls during Lent. Even though millions of us celebrate this holiday each year, we do not all know the exact story behind St. Patrick himself. St. Patrick is said to have brought Christianity to Ireland, but before his arrival, he was a Roman citizen of Britain, and at the age of 16, he was captured by pirates and taken to Ireland. He was held captive for over 6 years, and according to his writing, he believed to have heard God’s voice in a dream, telling him to leave Ireland. When he eventually escaped back to Britain, he became ordained as a Bishop, and it was then that he relocated to Ireland as a Christian missionary, influencing the laws, culture and literacy of the country. Even though St. Patrick was not the first Christian or missionary to arrive in Ireland, he undoubtedly influenced its spread and popularised the religion on the island. Although it is not officially clear, it has been said that St. Patrick combined the Christian cross with the pagan sun to make this idea of the Celtic Cross seem natural to the people. He founded Christian monasteries in Ireland, which were the heart for learning and literacy. St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh, Ulster, is one of the most famous cathedrals in the entire world, and it is said that he built this stone church at around 445AD, and also baptised his new followers there. As St. Patrick’s Day is a Christian celebration, it is still important to understand the religious aspects that people all over Ireland take part in. Many will attend church for mass in the morning and then celebrate afterwards, whether that is by having a roast meal or by attending the parade and festivities. The shamrock symbol is also something people wear, as it links St. Patrick to Christianity and the concept of the Holy Trinity.
Some interesting facts about St. Patrick and St. Patrick’s Day that you might not have known:
• St, Patrick is also one of the three patron saints of Ireland alongside St. Columbia and St. Brigid.
• America was the first place to celebrate with a St. Patrick’s Day Parade (not Ireland), as records show that St. Patrick’s Day was first celebrated in 1601. There are Spanish Colonial documents consisting of entries describing the celebrations that took place in St. Augustine at this time.
St. Patrick’s Day became an official holiday in Ireland in 1903.
St. Patrick’s real name is Maewyn Succat.
The colour of St. Patrick is actually a light shade of blue (known as ‘St Patrick’s Blue’), not green, and you can still see this light blue colour in the ancient flag of Ireland.
According to Abarta Heritage, there are over 70 million people who celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and claim Irish heritage.
According to Ireland’s Hidden Gems, there are an estimated 500,000 people coming to Dublin for the parade this year.
St. Patrick did not banish snakes from Ireland contrary to the Irish lore, and there has never been any evidence of snakes existing in Ireland.
According to the World Population Review, over 200 countries celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, including the United States, Japan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the United Kingdom.
Birmingham is known for holding the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Britain. The festival is characterised by a city centre parade covering over a two-mile route. Organisers label it the world's third-largest Saint Patrick's Day parade after Dublin and New York.
The ‘Global Greening’ has over 600 iconic landmark buildings around the world which will be lit up in green to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.
St. Patrick is said to be buried at Down Cathedral which stands on the site of a Benedictine Monastery, built in 1183.
Ireland’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in Waterford in 1903.
There are going to be plenty of events around the country to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, such as parades in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Killarney. There will be a St. Patrick’s Day and Night event at the Festival Quarter in Dublin, where there will be numerous bands, dance performances, céilís, food and a mini fair (all for free). The event is from midday to 10:30pm, so there is plenty of time for families and children to attend this event. There is also the 16th Annual Aware Harbour Walk taking place in Dublin, where there will be over 2,000 walkers attending. This is a great event that is not only fun but also raises awareness and donations for an important cause (supporting bipolar and depression disorder). The walk can be started from either Howth Harbour or Dun Laoghaire Harbour and will be taking place alongside the scenic route.
Let’s take an insight to how other countries celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in comparison to how it is celebrated in Ireland@
Japan: St. Patrick’s Day in Tokyo is celebrated every year with the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade that takes place along Omotesando Avenue. The celebration starts off with an Irish cultural event which takes place at Yoyogi Park Events Square. The event will have traditional music and dance performances, Irish sports (such as hurling), and an Irish gourmet booth where you can try Irish foods such as stew, and steamed oysters (as well as stout). Then, the parade starts from Omotesando and circles around to end there. In the past, there have been marching bands, Irish dancers, musicians, and Irish Wolfhounds.
Australia: St. Patrick’s Day parades are held around Australia such as Brisbane and Sydney. These parades feature people clad in traditional Irish costumes or dressed in green, traditional Irish foods, floats and Irish music. Irish bars all around the country also have music, food and costumes to celebrate the evening, and nearly 1,500 people take part in the Sydney parade each year. Despite all the celebrations that take place in Australia, it is not actually a public holiday. Many Irish associations and historical societies hold events that give people the chance to learn about the history of Irish immigration and settlement in Australia. These celebrations are a way of preserving Irish traditions and customs outside of Ireland.
Netherlands: St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year in the Netherlands and is also a national holiday. One of the biggest celebrations takes place at Grote Markt in The Hague where there are plenty of Irish bands, dancers, music and entertainment. There are also Irish markets where Irish food and beverages as well as products are available. Well known Irish performers such as Sharon Shannon, the Kilkenny School of Irish Dancing and The King of Connaught will also be performing at The Hague. There are also many Irish pubs all over the country such as the Aran Irish Pub, Folkclub Twente, O’Sheas Irish Pub and O’Reilly’s as a few examples, which will have live Irish music all weekend.
St. Patrick is often linked to the banishing of snakes, based on the story that he banished the snakes, causing them to drown, after he was attacked by them on a hilltop during a 40-day fast. There are many other tales related to St. Patrick such as the well-known story about St. Patrick and the Shamrock. It is said that he used the Shamrock to symbolise the Holy Trinity, (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit), to the Irish pagans. Or the story behind the term ‘St. Patrick’s Pot (or ‘Pota Phádraig’), where St. Patrick was served a shot of whiskey which he felt was too small. In order to teach the innkeeper a lesson, he said that there was a devil in the cellar who would feed on the innkeeper’s dishonesty and to banish the devil, he had to change his selfish ways. When St. Patrick returned the innkeeper was generous with his servings, so St. Patrick and the innkeeper went to the cellar, and it is said that St. Patrick banished the devil.
Whether you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day by going to a parade, having a meal after mass, or whether you are reading folktales or enjoying the live music, St. Patrick’s Day is a wonderful celebration that brings everyone together regardless of background and celebrates Irish culture in the most colourful and joyful way.
