Saint Patrick's Day

St. Patrick’s Day as people know it is a holiday for wearing green, drinking (green) beer and generally having fun. A loved day and one which has been observed by the Irish for a thousand years. Celebrated amongst the people of Great Britain, Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. St. Patrick’s Day a public holiday for the people in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Montserrat, Newfoundland and Labrador.

St. Patrick himself has a story beginning where he was born in Roman Britain in 387AD.  At age sixteen Saint Patrick was kidnapped by Irish Raiders and made a slave in Ireland. Much to Saint Patrick’s luck, he was able to escape and return to Britain where he joined a church and studied to become a priest.

Saint Patrick eventually went back to Ireland in 432AD where he tried to convert the Irish from Celtic polytheism, using a shamrock (or clover as people prefer to call it) to explain the group known as the Holy Trinity. After nearing thirty years of evangelism Saint Patrick died on March 17th 461AD.

A popular legend of Saint Patrick is that he rid of the snakes in Ireland, however, snakes were never in Ireland in the first place.

The colour in association with Saint Patrick originally was blue but later became green as it is known today. Shamrocks are also popularly seen on Saint Patrick’s Day due to how the very saint is said to have used them. Parades are common on this day along with the dying of water such as with the Chicago River. Religiously, this day is also celebrated in honour of Saint Patrick.

Parties where Irish foods and drinks are common on Saint Patrick’s Day just like parades, with pubs (especially Irish pubs) having Saint Patrick’s Day parties where Irish music tends to be played. Foods that one is likely to see on this day happens to be bacon, cabbage and potatoes.

For me, Saint Patrick’s Day this year is drawing to a close. I may have done little to celebrate this day but for others the day is just beginning. As people would say, may the luck of Irish be with you.