Every year on March 17, all the leprechauns come out of their secret hiding places and search for shiny pots of gold to celebrate the notorious Irish holiday St. Patrick’s Day. I remember being in elementary school trying to create the trap that would finally capture one of those pesky creatures, only to be disappointed by a cheap chocolate coin the next day. When the leprechaun lore faded, St. Patrick’s Day became like every other day, for the typical shenanigans include the large consumption of alcohol, and I am underage. The celebration of St. Patrick’s Day certainly evolves with age, but what exactly is being celebrated, and why is it important?    

St. Patrick’s Day celebrates the death of the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. According to History.com, Saint Patrick is said to have brought the Christian religion to Ireland from Britain and has been a significant figure in Irish culture ever since. The most famous story of Saint Patrick claims that he “explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of a native Irish clover, the shamrock.” The first Saint Patrick’s Day was recognized around the ninth or tenth century in Ireland, with the first parade actually taking place in America in 1601. After “homesick Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched in New York City on March 17, 1772, to honor the Irish patron saint,” celebrations and parades became more anticipated. The parades were also a way for Irish Americans and immigrants to display pride in their heritage. They had faced unfair discrimination from Americans after arriving in the United States to survive the Great Potato Famine, and Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations enabled them to find strength and fight this. 

Despite originating in Ireland, Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide, including in the United States, Canada, Australia, and even Japan. Festivities are especially prominent in America with events such as the New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and the dyeing of the Chicago River green. History.com details how the New York City parade is “the world’s oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants.”

In 2020, Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations were among the first to be canceled due to COVID-19, but that does not discredit this holiday’s significance, particularly for the Irish. If only we could have Saint Patrick’s Day off school and work like they do in Ireland.