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This Friday the 17 th of March is St Patricks Day. It’s a day were we wear green and visit the local bar for a pint of Guinness.
It’s a day we celebrate being Irish- even if we may not technically have that much Irish ancestry in our blood.
So here’s everything you need to know about St Patricks day.
So who is St Patrick?
Patrick was believed to be born in Scotland and went to Ireland as a priest. He worked there for the rest of his life to convert the Irish to Catholicism, who at the time practised paganism. The traditional religious feast day of St. Patrick is set on the day he is believed to have died in 460 A.D.
Patrick was never officially canonised, but his followers regarded him as a “saint in heaven” thus receiving a feast day from the Roman Catholic Church and the title of Patron Saint of Ireland.
The snake story is true right?
Sorry, but this one isn’t true. Some believe that Patrick drove the snakes into the sea, but there were no snakes in Ireland to begin with. The term “snakes” may have referred to druids or pagan worshippers that he converted
Why Green and why do I get pinched if I don’t wear it?
There is an urban legend that wearing green would make one invisible to leprechauns, fairy creatures who would pinch anyone they could see. People began pinching those who didn’t wear green as a reminder that the leprechauns could sneak up on them.
Where is it celebrated?
St Patricks Day is a national holiday in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Until the 1970’s it was just a religious celebration in Ireland and all the pubs in the country were closed.
Laws were then passed to open up the pubs, and soon after the country’s leaders decided to market the holiday and highlight Ireland’s culture for tourism purposes.
Today it is widely observed across the globe, especially in the UK, America, Canada and Australia. It’s even been celebrated in outer space!
Why do we celebrate in Australia?
Many Australians remember the Irish settlement on St Patricks Day. The Irish were among the first Europeans to settle in Australia, many escaping famine in their homeland. About 30 percent of Australians are believed to have some Irish ancestry today.
