Every year on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide, with many people wearing green, shamrocks and leprechaun inspired outfits.
“My favorite tradition on St Patrick’s Day is to hve my annual family brunch, and see all my family wear their green pride to celebrate this holiday,” sophomore Olivia Maver told The Fanscotian.
This holiday honors the Patron Saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick, who brought and spread Christianity across Ireland. Despite beliefs that he used the four leaf clover for his teachings about the Holy Trinity of Christianity, he actually used a three-leaf clover. In modern days, the four leaf clover is simply a symbol for good fortune.
St. Patrick’s Day began in Ireland, around the ninth or 10th century, celebrating the anniversary of Saint Patrick’s death. This holiday originally began as a religious holiday, but later became a globally celebrated holiday for Irish culture.
Today, St. Patrick’s Day is recognized as a lively cultural festival, with large cities such as Boston, Chicago or New York hosting parades. These parades feature bagpipe bands, dancers, marching bands, floats and exciting music. Specifically in Chicago, they dye the Chicago River bright green.
Each year, people often wear green clothing or accessories, the color coming from the Irish identity (“The Emerald Isle”). According to the myth, if you wear green, it helps you avoid being pinched by the leprechaun. Historically, this holiday was associated with the color blue, but eventually green became the primary color.
St. Patrick’s Day is surrounded by many myths and fictional figures. For instance, popular ones include that St. Patrick banished the snakes from Ireland or that St. Patrick was Irish, when he actually came from Britain. To add, another well-known figure is the leprechaun. Leprechauns were not always tied to St. Patrick’s Day, known for their mischievous tricks and hiding their pots of gold.
“Irish folklore, rich with medieval accounts of dark fairies and goblins, portrayed the mythical humanoids always described as no more than 2 or 3 feet tall as fearsome beings,” according to History.com writer Leslie Kennedy. “The leprechaun’s image has since evolved, blending ancient Celtic mythology with modern cultural charm.”
In Scotch Plains, Darby Road, the Irish soccer pub, hosts a massive festival across five days, bringing in pony rides, tents, DJs, Irish dancers and bag pipers.
Whether celebrated in major cities or local festivals, St. Patricks carries on Irish heritage and tradition by bringing communities together to honor the legacy of Saint Patrick.
