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Discover the origins and traditions of St. Patrick's Day, including the captivating history of St. Patrick himself, the symbolism of the shamrock, and the luck of the Irish. Learn about the famous Blarney Stone and how wearing green became a popular tradition.
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ST PATRICK’S DAY St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, as a religious feast day and the anniversary of the saint’s death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.
History of St Patrick • Patrick was born in Britain in the year 387. His real name is Maewyn Succat. The name St. Patrick was given to him later in life by Pope Celestine. His parents, Calphurnius and Conchessa belonged to a high ranking Roman family. When he was 16, he was captured by pagan Irish raiders and sold into slavery to a chieftain named Meliuc in Antrim , Ireland. He spent his teen years and time alone as a shepherd to tend to his master's sheep. During this time, his spirituality awakened and his belief in God became strong.
After 6 years being in slavery, he returned to his family and home. He became a priest and, in 432, he was made a bishop by Pope Celestine, who sent him on a mission back to Ireland. He suffered many trials as a missionary in Ireland. Patrick was imprisoned by the Druids but managed to escape. • Later on, he won favour with the local kings. He spent the next 28 years travelling across the countryside to spread the word of God. He could do this easily as he was fluent with the Celtic language. He succeeded in converting almost the entire population of the island. • Although Patrick was born British, he considered himself Irish because it was in Ireland that he discovered God. St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin
Legend has it that St. Patrick would use the shamrock to explain the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The word "shamrock" comes from the Gaelic word "seamrog“ meaning "trefoil" (three leafed) or "little clover". • The shamrock was also a sacred plant among the Druids. Shamrock is the national flower of Ireland. Many Irish people wear a shamrock on St. Patrick's Day. • It was through the retelling of the Trinity story that the shamrock became associated with St. Patrick and Ireland's conversion to Christianity. As a result, the shamrock is a widely used to commemorate Saint Patrick's Day, and in modern times has been appropriated by secular institutions as a symbol for the Irish. • However, the shamrock is not the official Irish national emblem, the harp having that honour
Another legend Patrick is most known for is driving the snakes from Ireland. Some tales tell that he stood on a hill and used a wooden staff to drive the snakes into the sea and banished them forever from Ireland. Another legend says that one snake resisted. Patrick then tricked it into entering a small box and cast it into the sea. It is true that Ireland has no snakes. • However, the snake as a celtic symbol does exist, representing the process of creation, rebirth, fertility and healing, that is, the cyclical nature of life
THE LUCK OF THE IRISH • If you want to have the luck of the Irish this St. Patrick's Day, follow this advice: • 1. Find a four-leaf clover. • 2. Wear green (so you don't get pinched!!). • 3. Kiss the blarney stone. • 4. Catch a Leprechaun if you can.
1. A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER • Although clovers are most often found in nature with three leaves, rare four-leaf clovers do exist. Finding one is thought to bring someone extreme luck. The folklore for four-leaf clovers differs from that of the Shamrock due to the fact that it has no religious allusions associated with it. It is believed that each leaf of a four-leaf clover represents something different: first is hope, the second is faith, the third is love, and the fourth is happiness.
2. WEAR GREEN • So why do we all wear green? • Probably because you'll be pinched if you don't! School children started this tradition. Green is also the color of spring, the shamrock, and is connected with hope and nature. Historically, green has been a color used in the flags of several revolutionary groups in Ireland and as a result it appears in the official tri-color country flag, adopted in 1919. • In addition to that, Ireland is often called the "Emerald Isle" due to the lush natural greenery found on the island. One of the things that strikes people all the time is how Ireland is incredibly green--it's very far north, but it doesn't get frozen. When people say that 'Ireland has 40 shades of green,' they are right!
3. KISS THE BLARNEY STONE • The Blarney Stone is a block of bluestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle, Blarney about 8 km from Cork, Ireland. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of the gab (great eloquence or skill at flattery). The stone was set into a tower of the castle in 1446. The castle is a popular tourist site in Ireland, attracting visitors from all over the world to kiss the Stone and tour the castle and its gardens. • The word blarney has come to mean clever, flattering, or coaxing talk.
4. CATCH A LEPRECHAUN • Just what does a mythical leprechaun look like and why are they so special? A leprechaun looks like a little old man and dresses like a shoemaker with a cocked hat and leather apron. A Leprechaun's personality is described as aloof and unfriendly. They live alone and pass the time by mending the shoes of Irish fairies. • Pronunciation: • /’lep-rə-kän, kȯn/
The legend is that the fairies pay the leprechauns for their work with golden coins, which the "little people" collect in large pots--the famous "pots of gold" often associated with leprechauns. • If you listen closely for the sound of their hammer you might be able to capture one. If you do you can force him (with the threat of bodily violence) to reveal where he's hidden his treasure. Be careful! Do not take your eyes off him for if you do he will surely vanish and your hopes of finding his treasure will vanish with him.
Among the most popular of beliefs about leprechauns is that they are extremely wealthy and like to hide their gold in secret locations, which can only be revealed if a person were to actually capture and interrogate a leprechaun for its money. Another popular belief is that you may find a leprechaun and his pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. • Some of the Leprechauns mythical power's include magical control over the intricate workings of the Earth and the materials that reside there i.e. gold, silver... In several Irish myths Leprechauns have a power of hypnotism or trickery that confuses their target either allowing the Leprechaun to escape or just to play tricks on unsuspecting victims.
LET’S ALL BE IRISH FOR ONE DAY • Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated worldwide by Irish people and increasingly by non-Irish people (usually in Australia and North America). Celebrations are generally themed around all things Irish and, by association, the colour green. • The St. Patrick's Day parade was first held in Boston in 1761. • Today, the New York parade is the largest, typically drawing two million spectators and 150,000 marchers. • As the saying goes: EVERYONE’S IRISH ON ST PATRICK’S DAY!!! The Chicago River is dyed green on St Patrick’s Day
Happy St Patrick's Day! Let’s paint this year the school green on the happiest day it has ever seen
Happy St Patrick's Day Happy St Patrick's Day
