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Saint Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick depicted in a stained-glass window at Saint Benin’s Church, Ireland
Official name	Saint Patrick’s Day
Also called	Feast of Saint Patrick Lá Fhéile Pádraig Patrick’s Day (St) Paddy’s Day (St) Patty’s Day (chiefly North America)[1][2][3][4]
Observed by	Irish people and people of Irish descent Catholic Church (see calendar) Anglican Communion (see calendars) Eastern Orthodox Church (see calendar) Lutheran Church (see calendar)
Type	Ethnic, national, Christian
Significance	Feast day of Saint Patrick, commemoration of the arrival of Christianity in Ireland[5][6]
Celebrations	Attending parades and a céilí Wearing green and shamrocks Drinking Irish beer and Irish whiskey
Observances	Christian processions; attending Mass or service
Date	17 March
Next time	17 March 2023
Frequency	Annual

Saint Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, lit. ‘the Day of the Festival of Patrick’), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. 385 – c. 461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland.

Saint Patrick’s Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early 17th century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland),^[7] the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran Church. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general.^[5][8] Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, céilithe, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks.^[9] Christians who belong to liturgical denominations also attend church services^[8][10] and historically the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol were lifted for the day, which has encouraged and propagated the holiday’s tradition of alcohol consumption.^{[8][9][11][12]}

Saint Patrick’s Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland,^[13] Northern Ireland,^[14] the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador (for provincial government employees), and the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat. It is also widely celebrated in the United Kingdom,^[15] Canada, United States, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand, especially amongst Irish diaspora. Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival.^[16] Modern celebrations have been greatly influenced by those of the Irish diaspora, particularly those that developed in North America. However, there has been criticism of Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations for having become too commercialised and for fostering negative stereotypes of the Irish people.^[17]

Saint Patrick[edit]

Saint Patrick was a 5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary and Bishop in Ireland. Much of what is known about Saint Patrick comes from the Declaration, which was allegedly written by Patrick himself. It is believed that he was born in Roman Britain in the fourth century, into a wealthy Romano-British family. His father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest in the Christian church. According to the Declaration, at the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Gaelic Ireland.^[18] It says that he spent six years there working as a shepherd and that during this time he found God. The Declaration says that God told Patrick to flee to the coast, where a ship would be waiting to take him home. After making his way home, Patrick went on to become a priest.^[19]

According to tradition, Patrick returned to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. The Declaration says that he spent many years evangelising in the northern half of Ireland and converted thousands.

Patrick’s efforts were eventually turned into an allegory in which he drove «snakes» out of Ireland, despite the fact that snakes were not known to inhabit the region.^[20]

Tradition holds that he died on 17 March and was buried at Downpatrick. Over the following centuries, many legends grew up around Patrick and he became Ireland’s foremost saint.

Celebration and traditions[edit]

Today’s Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations have been greatly influenced by those that developed among the Irish diaspora, especially in North America. Until the late 20th century, Saint Patrick’s Day was often a bigger celebration among the diaspora than it was in Ireland.^[16]

Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, Irish traditional music sessions (céilithe), and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks.^[9] There are also formal gatherings such as banquets and dances, although these were more common in the past. Saint Patrick’s Day parades began in North America in the 18th century but did not spread to Ireland until the 20th century.^[21] The participants generally include marching bands, the military, fire brigades, cultural organisations, charitable organisations, voluntary associations, youth groups, fraternities, and so on. However, over time, many of the parades have become more akin to a carnival. More effort is made to use the Irish language, especially in Ireland, where 1 March to St Patrick’s Day on 17 March is Seachtain na Gaeilge («Irish language week»).^[22]

Since 2010, famous landmarks have been lit up in green on Saint Patrick’s Day as part of Tourism Ireland’s «Global Greening Initiative» or «Going Green for St Patrick’s Day».^[23][24] The Sydney Opera House and the Sky Tower in Auckland were the first landmarks to participate and since then over 300 landmarks in fifty countries across the globe have gone green for Saint Patricks day.^[25][26]

Christians may also attend church services,^[8][10] and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day. Perhaps because of this, drinking alcohol – particularly Irish whiskey, beer, or cider – has become an integral part of the celebrations.^{[8][9][11][12]} The Saint Patrick’s Day custom of «drowning the shamrock» or «wetting the shamrock» was historically popular. At the end of the celebrations, especially in Ireland, a shamrock is put into the bottom of a cup, which is then filled with whiskey, beer, or cider. It is then drunk as a toast to Saint Patrick, Ireland, or those present. The shamrock would either be swallowed with the drink or taken out and tossed over the shoulder for good luck. ^[27][28][29]

Irish Government Ministers travel abroad on official visits to various countries around the globe to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day and promote Ireland.^[30][31] The most prominent of these is the visit of the Irish Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) with the U.S. President which happens on or around Saint Patrick’s Day.^[32][33] Traditionally the Taoiseach presents the U.S. President a Waterford Crystal bowl filled with shamrocks.^[34] This tradition began when in 1952, Irish Ambassador to the U.S. John Hearne sent a box of shamrocks to President Harry S. Truman. From then on it became an annual tradition of the Irish ambassador to the U.S. to present the Saint Patrick’s Day shamrock to an official in the U.S. President’s administration, although on some occasions the shamrock presentation was made by the Irish Taoiseach or Irish President to the U.S. President personally in Washington, such as when President Dwight D. Eisenhower met Taoiseach John A. Costello in 1956 and President Seán T. O’Kelly in 1959 or when President Ronald Reagan met Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald in 1986 and Taoiseach Charles Haughey in 1987.^[32][34] However it was only after the meeting between Taoiseach Albert Reynolds and President Bill Clinton in 1994 that the presenting of the shamrock ceremony became an annual event for the leaders of both countries for Saint Patrick’s Day.^[32][35] The presenting of the Shamrock ceremony was cancelled in 2020 due to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[36][37]

Wearing green[edit]

On Saint Patrick’s Day, it is customary to wear shamrocks, green clothing or green accessories. Saint Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish.^[38][39] This story first appears in writing in 1726, though it may be older. In pagan Ireland, three was a significant number and the Irish had many triple deities, which may have aided St Patrick in his evangelisation efforts.^[40][41] Roger Homan writes, «We can perhaps see St Patrick drawing upon the visual concept of the triskele when he uses the shamrock to explain the Trinity».^[42] Patricia Monaghan says there is no evidence the shamrock was sacred to the pagan Irish.^[40] Jack Santino speculates that it may have represented the regenerative powers of nature, and was recast in a Christian context‍—‌icons of St Patrick often depict the saint «with a cross in one hand and a sprig of shamrocks in the other».^[43]

The first association of the colour green with Ireland is from a legend in the 11th century Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of the Taking of Ireland). It tells of Goídel Glas (Goídel the green), the eponymous ancestor of the Gaels and creator of the Goidelic languages (Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Manx).^[44][45] Goídel is bitten by a venomous snake but saved from death by Moses placing his staff on the snakebite, leaving him with a green mark. His descendants settle in Ireland, a land free of snakes.^[46] One of these, Íth, climbs the Tower of Hercules and is so captivated by the sight of a beautiful green island in the distance that he must set sail immediately.^[44][45][46]

The colour green was further associated with Ireland from the 1640s, when the green harp flag was used by the Irish Catholic Confederation. Later, James Connolly described this flag as representing «the sacred emblem of Ireland’s unconquered soul».^[47] Green ribbons and shamrocks have been worn on St Patrick’s Day since at least the 1680s.^[48] Since then, the colour green and its association with St Patrick’s Day have grown.^[49] The Friendly Brothers of St Patrick, an Irish fraternity founded in about 1750,^[50] adopted green as its colour.^[51] The Order of St Patrick, an Anglo-Irish chivalric order founded in 1783, instead adopted blue as its colour, which led to blue being associated with St Patrick. In the 1790s, the colour green was adopted by the United Irishmen. This was a republican organisation—led mostly by Protestants but with many Catholic members—who launched a rebellion in 1798 against British rule. Ireland was first called «the Emerald Isle» in «When Erin First Rose» (1795), a poem by a co-founder of the United Irishmen, William Drennan, which stresses the historical importance of green to the Irish.^{[52][53][54][55]} The phrase «wearing of the green» comes from a song of the same name about United Irishmen being persecuted for wearing green. The flags of the 1916 Easter Rising featured green, such as the Starry Plough banner and the Proclamation Flag of the Irish Republic. When the Irish Free State was founded in 1922, the government ordered all post boxes be painted green, under the slogan «green paint for a green people»;^[56][57] in 1924, the government introduced a green Irish passport.^[58][59][60]

The wearing of the ‘St Patrick’s Day Cross’ was also a popular custom in Ireland until the early 20th century. These were a Celtic Christian cross made of paper that was «covered with silk or ribbon of different colours, and a bunch or rosette of green silk in the centre».^[61]

Ireland[edit]

Saint Patrick’s feast day, as a kind of national day, was already being celebrated by the Irish in Europe in the ninth and tenth centuries. In later times, he became more and more widely seen as the patron of Ireland.^[62] Saint Patrick’s feast day was finally placed on the universal liturgical calendar in the Catholic Church due to the influence of Waterford-born Franciscan scholar Luke Wadding^[63] in the early 1600s. Saint Patrick’s Day thus became a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland. It is also a feast day in the Church of Ireland, which is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church calendar avoids the observance of saints’ feasts during certain solemnities, moving the saint’s day to a time outside those periods. St Patrick’s Day is occasionally affected by this requirement, when 17 March falls during Holy Week. This happened in 1940, when Saint Patrick’s Day was observed on 3 April to avoid it coinciding with Palm Sunday, and again in 2008, where it was officially observed on 15 March.^[64] St Patrick’s Day will not fall within Holy Week again until 2160.^[65][66] However, the popular festivities may still be held on 17 March or on a weekend near to the feast day.^[67]

In 1903, St Patrick’s Day became an official public holiday in Ireland. This was thanks to the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903, an act of the United Kingdom Parliament introduced by Irish Member of Parliament James O’Mara.^[68]

The first St Patrick’s Day parade in Ireland was held in Waterford in 1903. The week of St Patrick’s Day 1903 had been declared Irish Language Week by the Gaelic League and in Waterford they opted to have a procession on Sunday 15 March. The procession comprised the Mayor and members of Waterford Corporation, the Trades Hall, the various trade unions and bands who included the ‘Barrack St Band’ and the ‘Thomas Francis Meagher Band’.^[69] The parade began at the premises of the Gaelic League in George’s St and finished in the Peoples Park, where the public were addressed by the Mayor and other dignitaries.^[70][71] On Tuesday 17 March, most Waterford businesses—including public houses—were closed and marching bands paraded as they had two days previously.^[72] The Waterford Trades Hall had been emphatic that the National Holiday be observed.^[70]

On St Patrick’s Day 1916, the Irish Volunteers—an Irish nationalist paramilitary organisation—held parades throughout Ireland. The authorities recorded 38 St Patrick’s Day parades, involving 6,000 marchers, almost half of whom were said to be armed.^[73] The following month, the Irish Volunteers launched the Easter Rising against British rule. This marked the beginning of the Irish revolutionary period and led to the Irish War of Independence and Civil War. During this time, St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Ireland were muted, although the day was sometimes chosen to hold large political rallies.^[74] The celebrations remained low-key after the creation of the Irish Free State; the only state-organized observance was a military procession and trooping of the colours, and an Irish-language mass attended by government ministers.^[75] In 1927, the Irish Free State government banned the selling of alcohol on St Patrick’s Day, although it remained legal in Northern Ireland. The ban was not repealed until 1961.^[76]

The first official, state-sponsored St Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin took place in 1931.^[77] On three occasions, parades across the Republic of Ireland have been cancelled from taking place on St Patrick’s Day, with all years involving health and safety reasons.^[78][79] In 2001, as a precaution to the foot-and-mouth outbreak, St Patrick’s Day celebrations were postponed to May^[80][81][82] and in 2020 and 2021, as a consequence to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, the St Patrick’s Day Parade was cancelled outright.^{[83][84][85][86]} Organisers of the St Patrick’s Day Festival 2021 will instead host virtual events around Ireland on their SPF TV online channel.^[87][88][89]

In Northern Ireland, the celebration of St Patrick’s Day was affected by sectarian divisions.^[90] A majority of the population were Protestant Ulster unionists who saw themselves as British, while a substantial minority were Catholic Irish nationalists who saw themselves as Irish. Although it was a public holiday, Northern Ireland’s unionist government did not officially observe St Patrick’s Day.^[90] During the conflict known as the Troubles (late 1960s–late 1990s), public St Patrick’s Day celebrations were rare and tended to be associated with the Catholic community.^[90] In 1976, loyalists detonated a car bomb outside a pub crowded with Catholics celebrating St Patrick’s Day in Dungannon; four civilians were killed and many injured. However, some Protestant unionists attempted to ‘re-claim’ the festival, and in 1985 the Orange Order held its own St Patrick’s Day parade.^[90] Since the end of the conflict in 1998 there have been cross-community St Patrick’s Day parades in towns throughout Northern Ireland, which have attracted thousands of spectators.^[90]

In the mid-1990s the government of the Republic of Ireland began a campaign to use St Patrick’s Day to showcase Ireland and its culture.^[91] The government set up a group called St Patrick’s Festival, with the aims:

• To offer a national festival that ranks amongst all of the greatest celebrations in the world
• To create energy and excitement throughout Ireland via innovation, creativity, grassroots involvement, and marketing activity
• To provide the opportunity and motivation for people of Irish descent (and those who sometimes wish they were Irish) to attend and join in the imaginative and expressive celebrations
• To project, internationally, an accurate image of Ireland as a creative, professional and sophisticated country with wide appeal.^[92]

The first St Patrick’s Festival was held on 17 March 1996. In 1997, it became a three-day event, and by 2000 it was a four-day event. By 2006, the festival was five days long; more than 675,000 people attended the 2009 parade. Overall 2009’s five-day festival saw almost 1 million visitors, who took part in festivities that included concerts, outdoor theatre performances, and fireworks.^[93] The Skyfest which ran from 2006 to 2012 formed the centrepiece of the St Patrick’s festival.^[94][95]

The topic of the 2004 St Patrick’s Symposium was «Talking Irish», during which the nature of Irish identity, economic success, and the future were discussed. Since 1996, there has been a greater emphasis on celebrating and projecting a fluid and inclusive notion of «Irishness» rather than an identity based around traditional religious or ethnic allegiance. The week around St Patrick’s Day usually involves Irish language speakers using more Irish during Seachtain na Gaeilge («Irish Language Week»).^[96]

Christian leaders in Ireland have expressed concern about the secularisation of St Patrick’s Day. In The Word magazine’s March 2007 issue, Fr Vincent Twomey wrote, «It is time to reclaim St Patrick’s Day as a church festival». He questioned the need for «mindless alcohol-fuelled revelry» and concluded that «it is time to bring the piety and the fun together».^[97]

The biggest celebrations outside the cities are in Downpatrick, County Down, where Saint Patrick is said to be buried. The shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world formerly took place in Dripsey, County Cork. The parade lasted just 23.4 metres and traveled between the village’s two pubs. The annual event began in 1999, but ceased after five years when one of the two pubs closed.^[98]

Celebrations elsewhere[edit]

Europe[edit]

England[edit]

In England, the British Royals traditionally present bowls of shamrock to members of the Irish Guards, a regiment in the British Army, following Queen Alexandra introducing the tradition in 1901.^[99][100] Since 2012 the Duchess of Cambridge has presented the bowls of shamrock to the Irish Guards. While female royals are often tasked with presenting the bowls of shamrock, male royals have also undertaken the role, such as King George VI in 1950 to mark the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Irish Guards, and in 2016 the Duke of Cambridge in place of his wife.^[101][102] Fresh Shamrocks are presented to the Irish Guards, regardless of where they are stationed, and are flown in from Ireland.^[103]

While some Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations could be conducted openly in Britain pre 1960s, this would change following the commencement by the IRA’s bombing campaign on mainland Britain and as a consequence this resulted in a suspicion of all things Irish and those who supported them which led to people of Irish descent wearing a sprig of shamrock on Saint Patrick’s day in private or attending specific events.^[104] Today after many years following the Good Friday Agreement, people of Irish descent openly wear a sprig of shamrock to celebrate their Irishness.^[104]

Christian denominations in Great Britain observing his feast day include The Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church.^[105]

Birmingham holds the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Britain with a city centre parade^[106] over a two-mile (3 km) route through the city centre. The organisers describe it as the third biggest parade in the world after Dublin and New York.^[107]

London, since 2002, has had an annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade which takes place on weekends around the 17th, usually in Trafalgar Square. In 2008 the water in the Trafalgar Square fountains was dyed green. In 2020 the Parade was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^{[citation needed]}

Liverpool has the highest proportion of residents with Irish ancestry of any English city.^[108] This has led to a long-standing celebration on St Patrick’s Day in terms of music, cultural events and the parade.^{[citation needed]}

Manchester hosts a two-week Irish festival in the weeks prior to Saint Patrick’s Day. The festival includes an Irish Market based at the city’s town hall which flies the Irish tricolour opposite the Union Flag, a large parade as well as a large number of cultural and learning events throughout the two-week period.^[109]

Malta[edit]

The first Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations in Malta took place in the early 20th century by soldiers of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers who were stationed in Floriana. Celebrations were held in the Balzunetta area of the town, which contained a number of bars and was located close to the barracks. The Irish diaspora in Malta continued to celebrate the feast annually.^[110]

Today, Saint Patrick’s Day is mainly celebrated in Spinola Bay and Paceville areas of St Julian’s,^[111] although other celebrations still occur at Floriana^[110] and other locations.^[112][113] Thousands of Maltese attend the celebrations, «which are more associated with drinking beer than traditional Irish culture.»^[114][115]

Norway[edit]

Norway has had a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Oslo since 2000, first organized by Irish expatriates living in Norway, and partially coordinated with the Irish embassy in Oslo.^[116]

Russia[edit]

The first Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Russia took place in 1992.^[117] Since 1999, there has been a yearly «Saint Patrick’s Day» festival in Moscow and other Russian cities.^[118] The official part of the Moscow parade is a military-style parade and is held in collaboration with the Moscow government and the Irish embassy in Moscow. The unofficial parade is held by volunteers and resembles a carnival. In 2014, Moscow Irish Week was celebrated from 12 to 23 March, which includes Saint Patrick’s Day on 17 March. Over 70 events celebrating Irish culture in Moscow, St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Voronezh, and Volgograd were sponsored by the Irish Embassy, the Moscow City Government, and other organisations.^[119]

In 2017, the Russian Orthodox Church added the feast day of Saint Patrick to its liturgical calendar, to be celebrated on 30 March [O.S. 17 March].^[120]

Bosnia and Herzegovina[edit]

Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a large Irish expatriate community.^[121][122] The community established the Sarajevo Irish Festival in 2015, which is held for three days around and including Saint Patrick’s Day. The festival organizes an annual a parade, hosts Irish theatre companies, screens Irish films and organizes concerts of Irish folk musicians. The festival has hosted numerous Irish artists, filmmakers, theatre directors and musicians such as Conor Horgan, Ailis Ni Riain, Dermot Dunne, Mick Moloney, Chloë Agnew and others.^{[123][124][125]}

Scotland[edit]

The Scottish town of Coatbridge, where the majority of the town’s population are of Irish descent,^[126][127] also has a Saint Patrick’s Day Festival which includes celebrations and parades in the town centre.^[127][128]

Glasgow has a considerably large Irish population; due, for the most part, to the Irish immigration during the 19th century. This immigration was the main cause in raising the population of Glasgow by over 100,000 people.^[129] Due to this large Irish population, there are many Irish-themed pubs and Irish interest groups who hold yearly celebrations on Saint Patrick’s day in Glasgow. Glasgow has held a yearly Saint Patrick’s Day parade and festival since 2007.^[130]

Switzerland[edit]

While Saint Patrick’s Day in Switzerland is commonly celebrated on 17 March with festivities similar to those in neighbouring central European countries, it is not unusual for Swiss students to organise celebrations in their own living spaces on Saint Patrick’s Eve. Most popular are usually those in Zurich’s Kreis 4. Traditionally, guests also contribute with beverages and dress in green.^[131]

Lithuania[edit]

Although it is not a national holiday in Lithuania, the Vilnia River is dyed green every year on the Saint Patrick’s Day in the capital Vilnius.^[132]

Americas[edit]

Canada[edit]

One of the longest-running and largest Saint Patrick’s Day (French: le jour de la Saint-Patrick) parades in North America occurs each year in Montreal,^[133] whose city flag includes a shamrock in its lower-right quadrant. The yearly celebration has been organised by the United Irish Societies of Montreal since 1929. The parade has been held yearly without interruption since 1824. St Patrick’s Day itself, however, has been celebrated in Montreal since as far back as 1759 by Irish soldiers in the Montreal Garrison following the British conquest of New France.

In Saint John, New Brunswick Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated as a week-long celebration. Shortly after the JP Collins Celtic Festival is an Irish festival celebrating Saint John’s Irish heritage. The festival is named for a young Irish doctor James Patrick Collins who worked on Partridge Island (Saint John County) quarantine station tending to sick Irish immigrants before he died there himself.

In Manitoba, the Irish Association of Manitoba runs a yearly three-day festival of music and culture based around St Patrick’s Day.^[134]

In 2004, the CelticFest Vancouver Society organised its first yearly festival in downtown Vancouver to celebrate the Celtic Nations and their cultures. This event, which includes a parade, occurs each year during the weekend nearest St Patrick’s Day.^[135]

In Quebec City, there was a parade from 1837 to 1926. The Quebec City St-Patrick Parade returned in 2010 after more than 84 years. For the occasion, a portion of the New York Police Department Pipes and Drums were present as special guests.

There has been a parade held in Toronto since at least 1863.^[136]

The Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team was known as the Toronto St. Patricks from 1919 to 1927, and wore green jerseys. In 1999, when the Maple Leafs played on St Patrick’s Day, they wore green St Patrick’s retro uniforms.^{[citation needed]}

Some groups, notably Guinness, have lobbied to make Saint Patrick’s Day a national holiday.^[137]

In March 2009, the Calgary Tower changed its top exterior lights to new green CFL bulbs just in time for St Patrick’s Day. Part of an environmental non-profit organisation’s campaign (Project Porchlight), the green represented environmental concerns. Approximately 210 lights were changed in time for Saint Patrick’s Day, and resembled a Leprechaun’s hat. After a week, white CFLs took their place. The change was estimated to save the Calgary Tower some $12,000 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 104 tonnes.^[138]

United States[edit]

Saint Patrick’s Day, while not a legal holiday in the United States, is nonetheless widely recognised and observed throughout the country as a celebration of Irish and Irish-American culture. Celebrations include prominent displays of the colour green, religious observances, numerous parades, and copious consumption of alcohol.^[11] The holiday has been celebrated in what is now the U.S since 1601.^[140]

In 2020, for the first time in over 250 years, the parade in New York City, the largest in the world, was postponed due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.^[141]

Mexico[edit]

The Saint Patrick’s Battalion is honored in Mexico on Saint Patrick’s Day.^[142]

Argentina[edit]

In Buenos Aires, a party is held in the downtown street of Reconquista, where there are several Irish pubs;^[143][144] in 2006, there were 50,000 people in this street and the pubs nearby.^[145] Neither the Catholic Church nor the Irish community, the fifth largest in the world outside Ireland,^[146] take part in the organisation of the parties.

Montserrat[edit]

The island of Montserrat is known as the «Emerald Island of the Caribbean» because of its founding by Irish refugees from Saint Kitts and Nevis. Montserrat is one of three places where Saint Patrick’s Day is a public holiday, along with Ireland and the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The holiday in Montserrat also commemorates a failed slave uprising that occurred on 17 March 1768.^[147]

Oceania[edit]

Australia[edit]

St Patrick’s Day is not a national holiday in Australia, although it is celebrated each year across the country’s states and territories.^{[148][149][150]} Festivals and parades are often held on weekends around 17 March in cities such as Sydney,^[151] Brisbane,^[152] Adelaide,^[153] and Melbourne.^[154] On occasion, festivals and parades are cancelled. For instance, Melbourne’s 2006 and 2007 St Patrick’s Day festivals and parades were cancelled due to sporting events (Commonwealth Games and Australian Grand Prix) being booked on and around the planned St Patrick’s Day festivals and parades in the city.^[155] In Sydney the parade and family day was cancelled in 2016 due to financial problems.^[156][157] However, Brisbane’s St Patrick’s Day parade, which was cancelled at the outbreak of World War II and wasn’t revived until 1990,^[158] was not called off in 2020 as precaution for the COVID-19 pandemic, in contrast to many other St Patrick’s Day parades around the world.^[159]

The first mention of St Patrick’s Day being celebrated in Australia was in 1795, when Irish convicts and administrators, Catholic and Protestant, in the penal colony came together to celebrate the day as a national holiday, despite a ban against assemblies being in place at the time.^[160] This unified day of Irish nationalist observance would soon dissipate over time, with celebrations on St Patrick’s Day becoming divisive between religions and social classes, representative more of Australianness than of Irishness and held intermittingly throughout the years.^{[160][161][162]} Historian Patrick O’Farrell credits the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin and Archbishop Daniel Mannix of Melbourne for re-igniting St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Australia and reviving the sense of Irishness amongst those with Irish heritage.^[160] The organisers of the St Patrick’s festivities in the past were, more often than not, the Catholic clergy^[163] which often courted controversy.^[164][165] Bishop Patrick Phelan of Sale described in 1921 how the authorities in Victoria had ordered that a Union Jack be flown at the front of the St Patrick’s Day parade and following the refusal by Irishmen and Irish-Australians to do so, the authorities paid for an individual to carry the flag at the head of the parade.^[166][167] This individual was later assaulted by two men who were later fined in court.^[168][169]

New Zealand[edit]

From 1878 to 1955, St Patrick’s Day was recognised as a public holiday in New Zealand, together with St George’s Day (England) and St Andrew’s Day (Scotland).^{[170][171][172]} Auckland attracted many Irish migrants in the 1850s and 1860s, and it was here where some of the earliest St Patrick’s Day celebrations took place, which often entailed the hosting of community picnics.^[173] However, this rapidly evolved from the late 1860s onwards to include holding parades with pipe bands and marching children wearing green, sporting events, concerts, balls and other social events, where people displayed their Irishness with pride.^[173] While St Patrick’s Day is no longer recognised as a public holiday, it continues to be celebrated across New Zealand with festivals and parades at weekends on or around 17 March.^[174][175]

Asia[edit]

Saint Patrick’s parades are now held in many locations across Japan.^[176] The first parade, in Tokyo, was organised by The Irish Network Japan (INJ) in 1992.

The Irish Association of Korea has celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day since 1976 in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea. The place of the parade and festival has been moved from Itaewon and Daehangno to Cheonggyecheon.^[177]

In Malaysia, the St Patrick’s Society of Selangor, founded in 1925, organises a yearly St Patrick’s Ball, described as the biggest Saint Patrick’s Day celebration in Asia. Guinness Anchor Berhad also organises 36 parties across the country in places like the Klang Valley, Penang, Johor Bahru, Malacca, Ipoh, Kuantan, Kota Kinabalu, Miri and Kuching.

International Space Station[edit]

Astronauts on board the International Space Station have celebrated the festival in different ways. Irish-American Catherine Coleman played a hundred-year-old flute belonging to Matt Molloy and a tin whistle belonging to Paddy Moloney, both members of the Irish music group The Chieftains, while floating weightless in the space station on Saint Patrick’s Day in 2011.^{[178][179][180]} Her performance was later included in a track called «The Chieftains in Orbit» on the group’s 2012 album, Voice of Ages.^[181]

Chris Hadfield took photographs of Ireland from Earth orbit, and a picture of himself wearing green clothing in the space station, and posted them online on Saint Patrick’s Day in 2013. He also posted online a recording of himself singing «Danny Boy» in space.^[182][183]

Criticism[edit]

Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations have been criticised, particularly for their association with public drunkenness and disorderly conduct. Some argue that the festivities have become too commercialised and tacky,^[184][185] and have strayed from their original purpose of honouring St Patrick and Irish heritage.^{[186][187][184]} Irish American journalist Niall O’Dowd has criticised attempts to recast Saint Patrick’s Day as a celebration of multiculturalism rather than a celebration of Irishness.^[188]

Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations have also been criticised for fostering demeaning stereotypes of Ireland and Irish people.^[184] An example is the wearing of ‘leprechaun outfits’,^[189] which are based on derogatory 19th century caricatures of the Irish.^[190] In the run up to St Patrick’s Day 2014, the Ancient Order of Hibernians successfully campaigned to stop major American retailers from selling novelty merchandise that promoted negative Irish stereotypes.^[191]

Some^[who?] have described Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations outside Ireland as displays of «Plastic Paddyness»; where foreigners appropriate and misrepresent Irish culture, claim Irish identity, and enact Irish stereotypes.^[192]

LGBT groups in the US were long banned from marching in Saint Patrick’s Day parades in New York City and Boston, resulting in the landmark Supreme Court decision of Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Group of Boston. In New York City, the ban was lifted in 2014,^[193] but LGBT groups still find that barriers to participation exist.^[194] In Boston, the ban on LGBT group participation was lifted in 2015.^[195]

Sports events[edit]

• Traditionally the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship and All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship were held on Saint Patrick’s Day in Croke Park, Dublin, but since 2020 these now take place in January. The Interprovincial Championship was previously held on 17 March but this was switched to games being played in Autumn.
• The Leinster Schools Rugby Senior Cup, Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup and Ulster Schools Senior Cup are held on Saint Patrick’s Day. The Connacht Schools Rugby Senior Cup is held on the weekend before Saint Patrick’s Day.
• Horse racing at the Cheltenham Festival attracts large numbers of Irish people, both residents of Britain and many who travel from Ireland, and usually coincides with Saint Patrick’s Day.^[196]
• The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby Union tournament competed by England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales and reaches its climax on or around Saint Patrick’s Day.^[197][198] On St Patrick’s Day 2018, Ireland defeated England 24–15 at Twickenham, London to claim the third Grand Slam in their history.^[199][200]
• The Saint Patrick’s Day Test is an international rugby league tournament that is played between the US and Ireland. The competition was first started in 1995 and continued in 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2011, and 2012. Ireland won the first two tests as well as the one in 2011, with the US winning the remaining 5. The game is usually held on or around 17 March to coincide with Saint Patrick’s Day.^[201]
• The major professional sports leagues of the United States and Canada that play during March often wear special third jerseys to acknowledge the holiday. Examples include the Buffalo Sabres (who have worn special Irish-themed practice jerseys), Toronto Maple Leafs (who wear Toronto St. Patricks throwbacks), New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, and most Major League Baseball teams. The New Jersey Devils have worn their green-and-red throwback jerseys on or around Saint Patrick’s Day in recent years.^[202]

See also[edit]

• Gaelic calendar, also known as Irish calendar
• «It’s a Great Day for the Irish»
• Order of St. Patrick
• Saint Patrick’s Breastplate
• St. Patrick’s Day Snowstorm of 1892
• Saint Urho

References[edit]

• Cronin, Mike; Adair, Daryl (2002). The Wearing of the Green: A History of St. Patrick’s Day. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-18004-7.

External links[edit]

• Saint Patrick’s Day at Curlie
• Saint Patrick’s Day History – slideshow by The Huffington Post
• [3] St Patrick’s Day History And Traditions

St. Patrick’s Day — День Святого Патрика 17 марта

Before reading the story, enjoy the Irish music

St. Patrick’s Day has its origin in ancient times. Legend tells us that a young boy named Patrick lived in the British Isles. Аt the age of 16  Patrick was captured by Irish people, who often raided the territory of the British Isles. They brought him to Ireland. At that time Ireland was a pagan country. It was inhabited by Celts and their priests were druids.

Patrick lived there for several years. He was a shepherd. Being a religious boy,  every day he prayed that he would be able to return to his homeland. According to a legend, one night while he was praying, a voice told him to go to the seaside and find a ship that was waiting for him in a harbour. Patrick did what he was told, got aboard the ship and managed to sail to Great Britain.

But in the year of 423 Patrick returned to Ireland as a missionary. He travelled from village to village and talked about the Christ. He believed that he was called by God to perform this important mission and covert the Celtic people to the Christian religion. But they didn’t understand him and didn’t believe in the Holy Trinity.

One day Patrick picked up one of the plentiful shamrocks, growing wild in Ireland. It struck him how to explain. «Here are there leaves», he said to the people «but yet one plant. Imagine the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit as each of three leaves. Here they are and they are the one.» He used the familiar object and the tribesmen understood him. From that time on, the shamrock has become the symbol of Ireland.

St. Patrick is revered as a patron saint of Ireland. The stories of his miracles reached far and wide. There is a legend that he  got rid of all the snakes in Ireland.

St. Patrick died on the 17th of March. First, it was a day of mourning but then it turned to commemoration of him and his deeds.  But the 17th of March is not only St. Patrick’s celebration. It is an Ireland’s national holiday. On that  day Irish people  all over the world put on green clothes and go out to the streets. As you probably know, green colour is a national colour of the country. So, people wear green hats, shirts, ties and hair ribbons and green stirpes are painted on the streets.

История происхождения праздника День Святого Патрика (перевод текста на русский язык)

Легенда о святом Патрике имеет древнее происхождение. Она рассказывает о мальчике по имени Патрик, который жил на Британских островах. В возрасте 16 лет его похитили ирландцы, которые в то время часто совершали набеги на остров Великобританию. Они привезли его в Ирландию, где он прожил несколько лет. В то время Ирландия была языческой страной, ее населяли кельты и правили там друиды. Патрик был пастухом. Каждый день он молился о возвращении на родину. Согласно легенде, однажды ночью он услышал голос, который велел ему иди на берег моря и сесть на корабль. Так он и сделал, и корабль привез его на Родину.

Но уже в 423 году Патрик вернулся в Ирландию как миссионер. Он путешествовал по всей стране и говорил о Христе. Он полагал, что он призван богом выполнить важную миссию, а именно обратить кельтские племена в Христианство. Но люди не понимали его и не верили в Святую Троицу. Однажды Патрик обратил внимание на растение, которое в изобилии росло повсюду. И его осенило. «Вот три листа,»- сказал он людям, — «но это одно растение. Представьте, что Бог отец, сын и святой дух — это каждый из этих листьев. Их трое, но они едины. » Так объясняя, Патрик использовал знакомый предмет и люди поняли его. С тех пор, трилистник стал символом Ирландии.

Святого Патрика почитают как святого покровителя Ирландии. Истории о совершенных им чудесах известны по всей стране. Существует легенда, что он избавил Ирландию от змей.

Святой Патрик умер 17 марта. Сначала это был день траура, но потом превратился в день почитания святого. И не только. 17 марта — это национальный день Ирландии. В этот день ирландцы во всем мире надевают на себя зеленую одежду и выходят на улицы. Зеленый считается национальным цветом Ирландии. И люди надевают зеленые шляпы, рубашки, галстуки и бантики, а улицы украшают зелеными лентами.

Песня про Святого Патрика (история происхождения праздника в стихах) — The Story of St. Patrick’s Day

The story of St Patrick’s Day
Began so long ago
The lyrics in this song
Will tell you
All you need to know

The seventeenth of March
Is when this joyous holiday
Is celebrated happily
With colorful parades

Dee Lai Dee Dai Dee
Dai Dee Dai Dee
Lai Dee Dai Dee Dai
Hummm…Hummm…

Patrick was only sixteen when
The pirates captured him
They sold him to slavery
And took him to Ireland

He kept the faith
And made his escape
When he was twenty-two
And made it back to Britain
‘Twas the only home he knew

Patrick had a vision
To return to Ireland
And vowed to teach Christianity
Until the bitter end

Legend says that Patrick used
The shamrock to explain
That the Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Are all and one the same

On this day the Irish dress
In many shades of green
And some are feeling lucky
With the leprechauns they’ve seen

It’s music and fun for everyone
We’ll party and we’ll play
Come one, come all
Come join along
On this St. Paddy’s Day!

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated annually on March 17, the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. St. Patrick’s Day 2022 will take place on Thursday, March 17. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. On St. Patrick’s Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast–on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

WATCH: Saint Patrick: The Man, The Myth on HISTORY Vault

Who Was St. Patrick?

Saint Patrick, who lived during the fifth century, is the patron saint of Ireland and its national apostle. Born in Roman Britain, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at 16. He later escaped, but returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its people.

In the centuries following Patrick’s death (believed to have been on March 17, 461), the mythology surrounding his life became ever more ingrained in the Irish culture: Perhaps the most well-known legend of St. Patrick is that he explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of a native Irish clover, the shamrock.

When Was the First St. Patrick’s Day Celebrated?

Since around the ninth or 10th century, people in Ireland have been observing the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Patrick on March 17. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place not in Ireland but in America. Records show that a St. Patrick’s Day parade was held on March 17, 1601 in a Spanish colony in what is now St. Augustine, Florida. The parade, and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration a year earlier were organized by the Spanish Colony’s Irish vicar Ricardo Artur. 

More than a century later, homesick Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched in New York City on March 17, 1772 to honor the Irish patron saint. Enthusiasm for the St. Patrick’s Day parades in New York City, Boston and other early American cities only grew from there.

Growth of St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations

Over the next 35 years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished, prompting the rise of so-called “Irish Aid” societies like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and the Hibernian Society. Each group would hold annual parades featuring bagpipes (which actually first became popular in the Scottish and British armies) and drums.

In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one official New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Today, that parade is the world‘s oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants. Each year, nearly 3 million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades involving between 10,000 and 20,000 participants each. In 2020, the New York City parade was one of the first major city events to be canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; it was again canceled in 2021. The parade in New York and others around the country returned in 2022. 

The Irish in America

Up until the mid-19th century, most Irish immigrants in America were members of the Protestant middle class. When the Great Potato Famine hit Ireland in 1845, close to 1 million poor and uneducated Irish Catholics began pouring into America to escape starvation. 

Despised for their alien religious beliefs and unfamiliar accents by the American Protestant majority, the immigrants had trouble finding even menial jobs. When Irish Americans in the country’s cities took to the streets on St. Patrick’s Day to celebrate their heritage, newspapers portrayed them in cartoons as drunk, violent monkeys.

The American Irish soon began to realize, however, that their large and growing numbers endowed them with a political power that had yet to be exploited. They started to organize, and their voting bloc, known as the “green machine,” became an important swing vote for political hopefuls. Suddenly, annual St. Patrick’s Day parades became a show of strength for Irish Americans, as well as a must-attend event for a slew of political candidates.

In 1948, President Harry S. Truman attended New York City‘s St. Patrick’s Day parade, a proud moment for the many Irish Americans whose ancestors had to fight stereotypes and racial prejudice to find acceptance in the New World.

READ MORE: When America Despised the Irish

The Chicago River Dyed Green

As Irish immigrants spread out over the United States, other cities developed their own traditions. One of these is Chicago’s annual dyeing of the Chicago River green. The practice started in 1962, when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the green dye might provide a unique way to celebrate the holiday. That year, they released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river–enough to keep it green for a week. Today, in order to minimize environmental damage, only 40 pounds of dye are used, and the river turns green for only several hours.

Although Chicago historians claim their city’s idea for a river of green was original, some natives of Savannah, Georgia (whose St. Patrick’s Day parade, the oldest in the nation, dates back to 1813) believe the idea originated in their town. They point out that, in 1961, a hotel restaurant manager named Tom Woolley convinced city officials to dye Savannah’s river green. The experiment didn’t exactly work as planned, and the water only took on a slight greenish hue. Savannah never attempted to dye its river again, but Woolley maintains (though others refute the claim) that he personally suggested the idea to Chicago’s Mayor Richard J. Daley.

READ MORE: St. Patrick’s Day Traditions

St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations Around the World

Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, especially throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the world in locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore and Russia. Popular St. Patrick’s Day recipes include Irish soda bread, corned beef and cabbage and champ. In the United States, people often wear green on St. Patrick’s Day.

In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day has traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use interest in St. Patrick’s Day to drive tourism and showcase Ireland and Irish culture to the rest of the world. 

What Do Leprechauns Have to Do With St. Patrick’s Day?

One icon of the Irish holiday is the Leprechaun. The original Irish name for these figures of folklore is “lobaircin,” meaning “small-bodied fellow.” Belief in leprechauns probably stems from Celtic belief in fairies, tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. 

Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore, leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure. Leprechauns have their own holiday on May 13 but are also celebrated on St. Patrick’s, with many dressing up as the wily fairies.

WATCH: Are Leprechauns Real?

By Dave Collett

Английское произношение:

St. Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. He was born in the fourth century and is famous for bringing Christianity into Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day is a very well-known Irish national holiday, which is celebrated not only in Ireland but all around the world. It falls on the 17th of March.

Святой Патрик – это святой покровитель и апостол Ирландии. Он родился в четвёртом веке и известен распространением христианства в Ирландии. День Святого Патрика – это очень популярный национальный праздник, который отмечают не только в Ирландии, но и по всему миру. Он приходится на 17-е марта.

History of St. Patrick
Жизнь Святого Патрика

St. Patrick was born to wealthy parents in the late fourth century. Until the age of 16, he thought of himself as a pagan. He was kidnapped and sold as a slave at this age by Irish marauders. It was during this capture that he turned to God.

Святой Патрик родился в конце четвёртого века в богатой семье. До 16 лет он считался язычником. В этом возрасте он был похищен и продан в рабство ирландскими разбойниками. Будучи в неволе, он уверовал в Бога.

He managed to escape after being a slave for six years and then studied in a monastery in Gaul for 12 years. This was when he knew that his ‘calling’ was to try and convert all the pagans in Ireland to Christianity.

После шести лет рабства ему удалось сбежать и следующие 12 лет он изучал религию в монастыре в Галлии. Именно тогда он понял, что его «призванием» было обращение ирландских язычников в христианство.

St. Patrick went around Ireland founding monasteries and successfully converting people to Christianity. The Celtic Druids were very unhappy with him and tried to arrest him several times but he always managed to escape.

Святой Патрик обошёл всю Ирландию, основывая монастыри и успешно обращая людей в христианство. Кельтские друиды были возмущены и пытались его поймать, но он уходил от них каждый раз.

After 30 years of being a missionary in Ireland, he finally settled down in a place called County Down. He died on the 17th of March, AD 461.

После 30 лет миссионерской деятельности в Ирландии, он осел в месте под названием Даун (County Down – графство Даун). Он умер 17-го марта 461 года н.э.

Legend and Folklore
Легенды и фольклор

Shamrocks, leprechauns and the blarney stone are associated with St. Patrick’s Day. Shamrocks are three-leaved clovers found growing in patches on grass. You are thought to be lucky if you find a four-leaved clover, so do keep it if you ever come across one!

Трилистник, лепреконы и бларнийский камень ассоциируются с днем Святого Патрика. Трилистник – это клевер с тремя лепестками, растущий кустиками в траве. Считается, что клевер с четырьмя лепестками приносит удачу, так что если найдёте такой, берегите его!

Leprechauns are little Irish fairies, and they are thought to work as shoe-makers for other fairies. The Irish say that if a leprechaun is caught by a human, he will reveal where he hides his pot of gold. On this day, pictures of shamrocks and leprechauns are hung everywhere. Some people even dress up as leprechauns complete with their big green hats!

Лепреконы – это маленькие ирландские эльфы, которые, как считается, делают ботинки для других существ. Ирландцы говорят, что если человеку поймать лепрекона, то он расскажет, где прячет свой горшочек с золотом. В день Святого Патрика повсюду развешивают изображения трилистников и лепреконов. Кто-то даже наряжается в костюм лепрекона с большой зелёной шляпой!

The village of Blarney is situated northwest of the Irish city of Cork. Blarney comes from the Irish word ‘An blarna’, meaning the plain. Blarney Castle is a very famous castle in this village and is 90 feet tall. The world famous Blarney Stone is on the top story. It is said that if one kisses this stone, one will be given the gift of eloquence, meaning to have beautiful speaking abilities. Nowadays, the word blarney means the ability to influence and coax with fair words and soft speech without offending.

Деревня Бларни расположена к северо-западу от ирландского города Корк. «Бларни» происходит от ирландского слова «An blarna», что означает равнину. В этой деревне находится знаменитый замок Бларни, высотой 90 футов. На самом верху хранится всемирно известный камень Бларни. Говорят, что если поцеловать этот камень, он одарит вас красноречием, то есть умением красиво говорить. В наше время слово «blarney» (лесть) означает умение убеждать и влиять на других красивыми словами и вкрадчивой речью, не вызывая неприязни.

Legend also says that St. Patrick could raise people from the dead. He is well-known for driving the snakes out of Ireland, although many people dispute how true this is! Another great story was how he used the shamrock, with its three leaves, to explain the Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost) to his followers.

Легенды также утверждают, что Святой Патрик мог воскрешать мертвых. Его помнят за изгнание змей из Ирландии, хоть многие и сомневаются в этом! В ещё одной истории говорится, как он использовал трилистник с его тремя лепестками для того, чтобы рассказать о святой троице (Отце, Сыне и Святом Духе) своим последователям.

What Do People Do on St. Patrick’s Day?
Как отмечают день Святого Патрика?

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated world-wide with people dancing and singing in Irish pubs, watching the St. Patrick’s Day parade, drinking ‘green’ beer, wearing green clothes and just generally having a good time. Children in Ireland have a tradition of pinching their friends who don’t wear green on this day!

В день Святого Патрика люди по всему миру поют и танцуют в ирландских пабах, ходят на праздничный парад, пьют «зелёное» пиво, наряжаются в зелёную одежду и в общем отлично проводят время. У детей в Ирландии принято щипать своих друзей, которые не надели ничего зелёного!

Traditional Food and Drink on St. Patrick’s Day
Праздничные блюда и напитки в день Святого Патрика

Bacon and cabbage is what most people have on this day. Another popular dish is Irish soda bread and potato pancakes. Irish pub owners go crazy on this day, putting green food colouring into their beers and traditional Irish Guinness Stout is a sell out in all Irish pubs! People also drink lots of Irish coffee, which is made with warm whiskey, sugar, coffee and topped off with cream. Sounds delicious? It is!

В этот день ирландцы обычно едят свинину и капусту. Другие популярные блюда – традиционный ирландский хлеб и картофельные оладьи. Владельцы пабов добавляют в пиво зелёный краситель, а традиционный ирландский стаут Гиннесс – настоящий хит во всех пабах! Ещё один напиток – ирландский кофе, состоящий из теплого виски, сахара, кофе и взбитых сливок. Хорошо звучит? А на вкус – ещё лучше!

Irish Proverbs
Ирландские поговорки

The Irish have many proverbs but here are some favourites.

У ирландцев есть много поговорок, но вот самые лучшие.

• Better the coldness of a friend than the sweetness of an enemy. — Лучше пощёчина от друга, чем хлеб от врага.
• Be nice to them on the way up. You might meet them all on the way down. — Будь добр с людьми, которых ты встречаешь на пути вверх, потому что ты встретишься с ними, когда будешь спускаться вниз.
• Let your anger set with the sun and not rise again with it. — Утро вечера мудренее.

Irish Humour
Ирландский юмор

The Irish are famous for their jokes and good nature. Here’s an example:

Ирландцы славятся своими шутками и добрым нравом. Вот пример:

Definition of an Irish husband: He hasn’t kissed his wife in 20 years but he will kill any man who does!

Типичный муж-ирландец – не целовал жену уже 20 лет, но убьёт любого, кто попробует это сделать!

Now that you know almost everything about St. Patrick’s Day, go out on March the 17th and enjoy yourselves! Why not try and spot a leprechaun or two to find your pot of gold…?

Теперь, когда знаете почти всё о дне Святого Патрика, вы можете повеселиться от души 17-го марта! Почему бы не отыскать лепрекона или парочку и их горшочки с золотом?

Whatever it may be, don’t forget to wear green on this special day!

И что бы то ни было, не забудьте в этот день одеться в зелёное!

Парад в день Святого Патрика в Дублине (Ирландия)