St. Patrick’s Day - Celebrate the Irish
During the Christian season of lent, Irish families attend church and celebrate in the afternoon. What are they celebrating you may ask? Well history says that on March 17, the anniversary of his death many people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The Irish have observed this religious holiday for thousands of years. During the celebration the Irish sing, dance feast drink and have fun… They have a big party. You were prohibited to eat meat on St. Patrick’s Day but that has been waived and now the Irish sing dance drink and feast. The traditional feast on St Patrick’s Day consists of Irish bacon and cabbage. Because St Patrick’s Day was considered a religious holiday in Ireland it was a law that all pubs be closed on March 17. In 1995 the Irish government decided to use this day as a campaign to show other people the Iris traditions to the rest of the world.
The first St Patrick’s day parade took place on March 17 1962 in New York City. Surprisingly it did not take place in Ireland. There were Irish soldiers serving in the English military so along with the music the parade helped the soldiers connect with their Irish roots.
So what is up with the shamrock and why do we associate it with St Patrick’s Day?
It was believed that he used the shamrock to illustrate the Christian doctrine of the trinity. This was not proven. This story did not appear until a thousand years after he died. The shamrock which is green in color, symbolizes the rebirth of spring. Many Irish wear the shamrock as a symbol of their pride in their heritage and their displeasure with the English rule, which was to make laws against the use of the Irish language and the practice of Catholicism.
Did you ever wonder what leprechauns have to do with St Patrick’s Day? Well they have nothing to do with the celebration. The belief of leprechauns comes from Celtic belief in fairies, tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil. In the old folk tales leprechauns were cranky and known for their trickery and wearing funny green shoes.
There is some music that is traditionally associated with St Patrick’s Day. Irish bands like The Chieftains and the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem are gaining worldwide popularity. The instruments they use are the same ones that have been used for centuries, including the fiddle tin whistle and the bodhran.
There is more information available on the internet, just in case you have more questions like was Patrick a real saint? Or is there really a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow?
To read more about the Irish traditions check out the web for free information.