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Everything you need to know about St Patrick’s Day
St Patrick’s Day is an opportunity for tens of millions of people with Irish heritage around the world – and many more friends of Ireland beyond that – to join in a celebration of Ireland and the literature, music, culture, history and outlook on life that have shaped our island.
This year St Patrick's Day, falls on a Monday, 17 March. In all, 38 representatives of the State will bring Ireland’s message to more than 90 cities in 40 countries throughout this year.
What is St Patrick's Day?
What was once a religious holiday has become an international celebration of Ireland, our culture and our history. Find out more about the history of our national day and how it is celebrated at home and around the world.
How is St Patrick’s Day celebrated in Ireland?
The biggest celebration is in Dublin, with a three-day festival that includes the St Patrick’s Day Parade. This parade welcomes over 500,000 attendees each year, and the participants include marching bands, charities, cultural organisations and youth groups. Other major festivals occur in Cork, where Irish folk music, dancing and storytelling are enjoyed at “An Céilí Mór”, and in Galway, Limerick, Kilkenny and Dingle.
Those with enough “luck of the Irish” to experience St Patrick’s Day on the Emerald Isle can expect to enjoy live performances of Irish folk music featuring instruments like the tin whistle, fiddle, bodhrán and harp – accompanied by Irish dancing such as the step dance, the sean-nós dance or the céilí dance!
In Ireland, St Patrick’s Day is a national public holiday, meaning banks, government offices and many businesses close. Many shops, pubs and tourist attractions remain open, especially in major cities.
Wearing green on St Patrick’s Day
In Ireland, it is considered bad luck not to wear the colour green on St Patrick’s Day! Superstition dictates that leprechauns will pinch those who go without green clothes.
The colour green has political and religious connotations in Ireland: it is one of three colours that make up the national flag, along with white and orange, symbolising Catholicism.
Of course, it is also associated with the three-leaf shamrock and Ireland’s lush landscapes.
St Patrick’s Day around the world
St Patrick’s Day is widely recognised throughout the United States as a celebration of Irish and Irish-American culture.
The biggest St Patrick’s Day parade in the world is in New York City. Elsewhere in the States, the Chicago River is dyed green with an eco-friendly powder, an event that dates back to 1962. Large celebrations are also found in cities such as Boston, Philadelphia and Savannah – in the latter, St Patrick’s Day is a legal holiday!
How do you say “Happy St Patrick’s Day” in Irish?
St Patrick’s Day falls during Seachtain na Gaeilge, the biggest Irish language festival in the world, celebrating Gaeilge through music, culture and community events.
To wish someone a happy St Patrick’s Day in Irish, or as Gaeilge, say: “Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit!” To propose a St Patrick’s Day toast, lift your glass and say: “Sláinte!”
