The History of St. Patrick's Day

How do people in Ireland celebrate it? Who is Saint Patrick? If you have ever wondered how these festivities made their way to the US, read on!

First thing is first: who is Saint Patrick? His life began back in the third century when he was born in Roman Britain. He got kidnapped at the age of sixteen and brought to Ireland as a slave. He eventually escaped but moved back to Ireland later in life. Historians believe he brought Christianity to Ireland when he returned. There is a legend that he explained the holy trinity (the father, the son, and the holy spirit) to the Irish using three leaves of a shamrock. Saint Patrick’s Day is on the anniversary of his death, March 17.

In Ireland, Saint Patrick’s Day is a Catholic holiday. They have celebrated it for over 1,000 years! It falls in the middle of lent every year (February 22 to April 6). During lent, Catholics are not supposed to eat meat. However, on Saint Patrick's Day, there is an exception to this rule. The Irish celebrate Saint Patrick's Day by going to church in the morning and partying in the afternoon. They dance, drink, and eat the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

Another big part of Saint Patrick's is leprechauns. Leprechauns are traditionally little men or women who choose to use their power for good or evil and are known for being cranky tricksters. They stem from the Celtic belief in fairies and fix the shoes of other fairies in Celtic folktales. Leprechauns have a holiday of their own on May 13, but they are so beloved that people still dress up as them on Saint Patrick's Day.

How did the US gain an Irish population? In 1845, The Great Potato Famine caused Irish Catholics to pour into the US. The difference between the celebration of Saint Patrick's Day in Ireland and the US is that far fewer people go to church in the US because we have less of a Catholic population. We also do not associate the holiday with Irish bacon and cabbage, although you can find the dish at an Irish pub.

The US has more than one hundred Saint Patrick's Day parades every year! The first one started in 1601 in St. Augustine, Florida. These parades started getting more popular in 1772 when homesick Irish soldiers marched in New York City to honor Saint Patrick. This laid the foundation for New York City to have the largest parade with over 150,000 participants every year.

Chicago also created its own Saint Patrick's Day tradition. For the past sixty-one years, Chicago has dyed its river green. At first, they used a dye so strong that it lasted for days, but now they use vegetable dye instead that only lasts about seven hours, which is more environmentally friendly.

Hopefully, I was able to add a little context to the festivities and history of Saint Patrick's Day in the United States. This year you will have the opportunity to impress others with your knowledge of the history and culture of our Irish friends. Happy Saint Patrick's Day and be safe!