Why is St. Patrick’s Day one of the biggest celebrations for Irish People?

BY J. FERNANDES

Saint Patrick’s Day is a festival celebrated annually on 17th March, marking the day when Catholic Religion was first brought to Ireland by the most commonly of the Patron Saints of Ireland, St. Patrick. This festival consists of many parades and events around the country and outside of the country by Irish people and Irish descendants and increasingly by many of non Irish descent. It is a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland and a bank holiday in Northern Ireland.

St. Patrick's Parade by A. Inharjanto

Saint Patrick was a missionary in the 5th century who is said to have converted Ireland to Christianity. That is why this day is considered an important religious celebration. This day is celebrated by a lot of people in many other countries, including the USA, Canada, Argentina, Japan, South Korea, and the UK. In the island of Ireland, numerous cities, towns and villages like Galway, Limerick, Cork etc. have each one their own parades and festivals. However, the biggest celebration takes place in Ireland outside of Dublin in Down Patrick, Northern Ireland. 

Many Irish people enjoy their traditional meal including boiled potatoes with butter, roast spring lamb, Irish stew that is full of green parsley, beef and Guinness casserole. Children are allowed to get some candies, but there are much more, such as music and dance performances. Girls and boys play Irish folk music, which include concert, outdoor theatre performances and fireworks. The event is considered as one of Ireland’s biggest annual celebrations.

How does St. Patrick become very popular for Irish people?  A biographical story of St. Patrick as written here is commonly told. Many years ago the Roman ruled most of Britain. A boy was born in Roman Britain and grew up to be St Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland. That time there were a lot of young people being captured by raiders and sold as slaves. Patrick was just sixteen years old when he was seized by wicked men and brought to Ireland, there were no Christians in Ireland in those days. In Ireland he was a shepherd. He spent long days on the wild hills of Antrim minding sheep and talking (praying) to God.

A young reveller by J. Fernandes

Sometime when he was in Ireland for six years he had a dream. In his dream an angel told him he must escape, therefore he ran away, found a ship and abandoned Ireland behind. After a while he settled in France. He became a priest and spent several years studying a book called the Bible. There he had another dream, but this time he was told that he must come back to Ireland and teach the people about God. Patrick set off with a band of faithful followers.

The High King at Tara was the most powerful person in Ireland. He feared that Patrick’s Christian religion would teach people to be God followers instead of obeying the High King rules. Patrick convinced him that people could believe in God and also obey the High King. A plant called a shamrock grew all over Ireland, and one day Patrick picked it from the ground. He showed the High King at Tara that only one stem existed on the plant, but each stem contained three leaves. Patrick explained the Trinity of God. The High King became very impressed by Patrick and his story. He realized that Patrick did not want to take away his power, but simply to spread God message, so that the High King at Tara allowed Patrick and his followers to travel all over Ireland, converting the people to Christianity.

Nowadays, some people believe that St. Patrick banished the snakes from Ireland. Perhaps it is because heathens, who are people who don’t believe in God, are sometimes thought to be snakes. Perhaps, when the Irish become believers in God and were no heathens anymore, the snakes left Ireland.

On the way back from the parade by J. Fernandes

The popular St. Patrick Day tradition is wearing green clothing, which is the national colour that symbolizes the island’s lush landscape, the main symbol associated with this Irish popular day is Shamrock, a small three-leafed clover. The Shamrock became the national emblem of Ireland. Many Irish people wear sprigs of real Shamrock and greet each other in Irish Language using the words: ‘’Beannachatai na Feile Padraig oraibh’’, or in English language: ‘’May the blessing of St. Patrick be with you’’. On this day of celebration, there is opportunity and incentive for people of Irish descent and for those who wish they were Irish, also to attend and join in creative imaginative and expressive celebrations.

As I mentioned above all over the world, people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the same date which is 17th March. A lot of cities and towns of Ireland have special celebrations and parties. In Dublin city centre there is always a very large colourful parade through its main streets with a lot of carnival floats, marching bands, clowns and stilt walkers to remember St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland.  

Lastly, the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day for Irish people is equivalent to national celebrations in some countries around the world, for example the celebration of Angola’s and Poland’s independence day on 11th November, the celebration of the Bastille Day in France in 14th July, in Greece 25th March, in Hungary 4th April, or in Denmark 16th April.