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St Patrick's Day
by Frann Leach
As a Roman Catholic feast, St Patrick's Day almost always falls during Lent, and if on a Friday, the local bishop may allow meat to be eaten (not normally permitted on Fridays during Lent). If it falls on a Sunday, the Church calendar will move it to the Monday (though all but the most religious will probably still celebrate it on the Sunday). If St Patrick's Day falls within Holy Week (the week immediately before Easter Sunday), it may be moved back a week or forward, to follow Easter. In some places in rural Ireland the religious significance of St Patrick’s Day remains more important than the secular celebrations.
St Patrick’s Day is very popular because it has come to be associated with drinking large quentities of Irish whiskey and other alcoholic drinks, and is actively promoted by breweries. It is increasingly celebrated by people and in places with no Irish connections at all - for example Malaysia. Celebrations are generally themed around the four leaf clover (or shamrock), the colour green and any and all things associated with Ireland. Breweries often supply special decorations for bars and restaurants, and free paper hats for customers.
Over half a million people attended the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin in 2006. Since 1996 this has been part of a five St Patrick’s Day Festival to promote Irish culture. But Ireland's parade cannot rival New York for size: New York's St Patrick’s Day Parade is the largest in the world, watched by more than two million people. It dates back to 1762, although the first St Patrick's Day celebration in New York was in 1756. Parades and marches take place across America in such places as Boston and Chicago, where the Chicago River turns green for the celebration! For many Irish Americans, a meal of corned beef and cabbage is traditional.
Around the world, wherever Irish people have settled, there are Irish clubs and St Patrick’s Societies which will make sure that St Patrick's Day is celebrated in the proper manner. Celebrants may wear the shamrock and clothes of green, white and orange (the same colours as the flag of the Republic of Ireland) - although traditionally the colour associated with St Patrick’s Day was blue. These colours and symbols are also used to decorate streets and buildings.
St Patrick the Man
St Patrick was an English or Scottish missionary who converted many pagans to Christianity and a historical figure. However, many of the legends associated with St Patrick have been dismissed, including the one about ridding Ireland of snakes. Apparently it is highly unlikely that there were ever any snakes in Ireland, as it was an isolated island before the end of the Ice Age. It's such a shame that professional debunkers have to go to these lengths. What harm such a belief might have had I have no idea.
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