St. Patrick’s Day is the Christian feast day honoring St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick was a Christian saint who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland (Britannica). Originally from Britain, St. Patrick came to Ireland after being sold into slavery. After several years, he was freed and returned to Britain; however, he eventually came back to Ireland to spread Christianity to the Irish.

St. Patrick’s work spreading Christianity in Ireland led to many stories being told about him, such as how he taught the Irish about the Holy Trinity using a clover or how he banished all of the snakes from Ireland (History.com Editors).  Needless to say, he earned a reputation in Ireland, so much so that his feast day (which is the same day as the anniversary of his death) is a national holiday. Families would attend church and then celebrate with feasts, drinking, and dancing. In the United States, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated a little differently than how it traditionally was in Ireland (Staff). The traditional St. Patrick’s Day parades actually originated in the United States. Corned beef and cabbage, another United States staple, is a slight deviation from Ireland’s preferred meal of bacon and cabbage.

​

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, check out our sources to find out more about the history of St. Patrick’s Day!

​

​

Sources:

​

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Saint Patrick's Day". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Jan. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saint-Patricks-Day. Accessed 8 March 2021.

​

History.com Editors. “History of St. Patrick's Day.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 27 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/history-of-st-patricks-day. 

​

Staff, IrishCentral. “American St. Patrick's Day Traditions That Aren't Irish at All.” IrishCentral.com, IrishCentral, 6 Mar. 2020, www.irishcentral.com/culture/craic/american-st-patricks-day-traditions. 

​