Across the world, St. Patrick's Day has become a celebration of Irish heritage. But do you know why we celebrate it?
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 the age of 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. (History.com)
While the roots of the holiday are definitely associated with Catholicism, the celebration has gone beyond its origins.
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 was 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. (History.com)
So, now that you know a little more about St. Patrick's day, what are you doing to celebrate it?
- Listen to Irish poetry
by W.B. Yeats, Seamus Heaney, and Samuel Beckett on Spotify.
- Listen to a 3-hour compilation of some of the best Irish music here.
- Learn some Irish dancing, here are plenty of to teach you, so you can learn from the comfort of your own home.
- Search your yard or local park for 4-leaf clovers.
- Print off some color pages from scribblefun.com
- Educational worksheets from education.com
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