We’re All Irish On St. Patrick’s Day
By Steffen Klenk
March 17th is the most important day on the Irish calendar. While this day resembles luck and fortune, wearing anything with the color green and drinking your favorite pint of beer, it also has a very significant meaning.
St. Patrick’s Day is regarded as one of the most important holidays in Ireland and throughout Irish culture. Celebrated every year on March 17th, this day honors the life of Saint Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland. Born in Scotland, he was credited for bringing Christianity to Ireland during the 5th century. He learned about the various customs, traditions and language before teaching religion and becoming a bishop. Patrick died on March 17th, 461.
The earliest celebrations of St. Patrick’s life date back to the ninth century, but it wasn’t until the early 1600’s when a more formal holiday was adopted. March 17th has since been considered a holy day, and is marked by many celebrations worldwide. In Ireland, the day begins with a traditional church service, followed by a day of parades and food. Last year’s celebrations in Dublin drew an attendance of over 100,000 visitors from around the world.
Originating in 1771, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Philadelphia is one of the oldest parades in the country, and takes place the Sunday before March 17th. Festival goers and onlookers will line the Benjamin Franklin Parkway as the parade makes its way to Penn’s Landing. More than 120 bands and 150,000 marchers will take part in New York’s annual parade, a tradition that dates back to 1762. This year’s Atlantic City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, taking place on Saturday, March 10th, is expected to draw big crowds to the boardwalk. Grand Marshalls Sharon Essl and Joe Crilley will lead the procession from Garden Pier to Albany Avenue.
The city of Chicago has taken a unique twist to the holiday. Every year, the Chicago River is decorated with over 40 lbs. of green dye. This process takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. Tens and thousands of people will flock to Chicago for this year’s festivities.
Many commonly mistake leprechauns as bringing good luck or fortune. In folklore, the leprechaun is a small fairy with a beard. Short in stature, these mischievous creatures would end up playing tricks, deceive people.
Shamrocks, or three-leaf clovers, are common symbols for the Holy Trinity, but Americans commonly get this confused to the four-leaf clover. Four-leaf clovers stand for faith, hope, love and luck. Legend believes that finding one is a symbol of good fortune, but your odds of looking over one are slim. Only 1 in 5,000 clovers have four leaves, making them exceptionally rare.
Traditional foods such as pink bacon, savory roast chicken and potatoes are about as Irish as you can get. Corned beef and cabbage is a popular dish enjoyed by Irish Americans. Irish potatoes are another treat that becomes popular around this time of year, but don’t be deceived by its name. While they may look like potatoes, these sweet treats originated in the Philadelphia region and are actually made of coconut and cinnamon.
Traditional Irish music is often comprised of ballads, drinking songs and laments performed in an accompaniment of instruments such as the flue, fiddle and bagpipes. are performed for audiences far and wide. Many of today’s modern bands have been influenced by traditional Irish songs, bringing a new twist to the Celtic sound such as Celtic fusion. The Coors, Gaelic Storm and Lunasa have acclaimed success worldwide for their unique sound.
Nearly forty percent of Americans will take part in a day of celebration on March 17th. On this day, many will attend church to honor the Patron Saint Patrick. Party goers will enjoy a round of Guinness and attend social gatherings; others may decorate their homes and plan a special meal with their family and friends. Whether you are of Irish decent or not, St. Patrick’s Day has become a worldwide celebration of Irish history and culture that will continue to be celebrate for generations to come.
