Annually on March 17th, many areas worldwide celebrate a well known holiday known as St. Patrick’s Day. This holiday is celebrated in remembrance of the Saint of Ireland, Patrick, son of Calpurnius. Back in the 4th century when Patrick was born, in his teenage years around 16 he was kidnapped and taken from his home to be enslaved. Although Patrick wasn’t a heavily religious person he came from a strong religious background and when he was taken from his home he thought this was a test of his faith. He prayed everyday whilst in captivity and claimed to have a vision of pagan children reaching out to him. Patrick also dreamt of a voice telling him to escape enslavement and travel back home. This made Patrick board a ship with sailors heading towards France and he was set to traveling back to Ireland to convert the country to Christianity. From 418AD – 432AD Patrick became a deacon and was sent by Pope Celestine to spread the word of God. He did his missionary work through preaching, writing, and even performing baptisms. He founded monasteries and even managed to make Ireland dioceses in his lifetime. St. Patrick passed away in 461AD. We honor his legacy and name today for what he started to accomplish. He alone didn’t convert Ireland into Christianity but Patrick made a big impact alone into the conversion of his people.

Ironically enough some things that we do for St. Patrick’s Day isn’t even native to Ireland. The first St. Patrick’s day parade was held in America along with other American innovations such as corned beef and cabbage. Ham and cabbage were eaten in Ireland but the replacement of corned beef was offered as a cheaper substitute for the English. Americans tried to strip Irish people of their culture and later in history when they tried to take refuge in America during a time of starvation they were looked down upon as full of diseases, unskilled, and a drain on resources. Some things from Irish culture are things like shamrocks. We use shamrocks in celebration of the holiday because the plant is sacred in Ireland and represents the rebirth of spring.

When the English began to colonize Ireland the people wore the shamrock as a symbol of their ethnic pride. Irish music which is often played in the west during St. Patrick’s day is a way the Irish kept their voices heard when they were stripped of their language during colonization. Leprechauns (original Irish name, lobaircin) came from the Celtic belief in fairies, tiny people, or women who could use magic for good or evil. In 1959, Walt Disney released a film called Darby O’Gill and the Little People, which was about an Irish man and his experiences with magical leprechauns. Lobaircin are already so represented by Irish folk that it made sense to include them in their holiday but the release of this movie, especially since it was published in 1959 around the time St. Patrick paradise started to become popular and the mythical creature became a symbol of the holiday. Green is also associated with the holiday as the symbol of Irish rebellion and also the Catholics of Ireland.

There is a little history for you! Hope you enjoyed the article. Happy St. Patrick’s Day Cane!