My family and I were planning to meet a dear friend and her husband for dinner this Sunday. She gave me a heads up: If we were to go to an Irish restaurant, there was a possibility that it might be too crowded because of the great day.
Now what is this special Irish day?
March 17 is a national holiday in Ireland, and the country observes the death of the patron saint St. Patrick. Born in Roman Britain, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave when he was sixteen. He escaped but returned to Ireland to spread Christianity among the pagan Irish people.
Starting initially as a religious holiday, it has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture and heritage with music, dancing, drinking, eating special foods, and parades adorning the streets.
The traditional Irish meal
Corned beef and cabbage is recognized as the signature St. Patrick’s day dish. Other variations include lamb or bacon and cabbage. Also popular are Irish soda bread, colcannon (mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage), and Irish stew.
The predominance of the color green in the festivities.
Several stories prevail. Traditionally, it was the color blue and not green that was associated with St. Patrick, who used to dress in blue robes. Green was actually linked with Irish culture mainly because of the greenness of the landscape. However, the green shamrocks that St. Patrick used to explain the Holy Trinity while preaching Christianity became a symbol of Irish Catholic identity. Shamrocks are supposed to be associated with good luck, and wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day is thought to be lucky for the wearer.
During the United Irish uprising in 1798, the country took the popular connection of a national saint with the wearing of green, applied it politically, and translated it to garments. So the uniform of soldiers was green. In the United States, wearing green was seen as showing identification with Ireland.
The legend of the leprechaun
As believed in Irish folklore and mythology, leprechauns are tiny fairies about two feet tall, believed to be hiding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. The tiny leprechauns, who are mischief mongers, are hard to catch. But if anyone ever caught them, they granted three wishes in return for being set free.
Leprechauns have been associated with Irish culture for centuries, even before the first celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Hence come their ties with this holiday which honors the culture of the nation. It is a common sight to see people dressed like leprechauns in parades.
Wear green or get pinched!
According to folklore, wearing green makes one invisible to the mischievous leprechauns. So it is just a fun activity when people sometimes pinch each other for not wearing green.
A Global Celebration
What is intriguing is that St. Patrick’s Day, in spite of being an Irish holiday, has become a secular celebration and is celebrated internationally. With an Irish diaspora that upholds its culture in the countries in which they reside, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa are among other nations that celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
It is interesting to learn that it was not Ireland but America who organized the first St. Patrick’s Day parade in St. Augustine, Florida, a Spanish colony at the time. Subsequently, Boston and New York followed suit. NYC now prides itself on holding the largest annual parade, with close to two million spectators and 250,000 participants.
One of the most amazing celebrations is Chicago’s river dyeing ceremony. You get to see a bright green Chicago river, dyed with non toxic and vegetable-based ingredients.
To mark the event, the Global Greening initiative was launched by Tourism Ireland in 2009, and it met with active participation from countries all over the world. Landmark attractions and iconic buildings were illuminated in green on March 17.
As of 2019, there were 425 sites in 53 countries that participated in the program. Those on the list included the Sydney Opera House, the Empire State Building in New York, Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, the London Eye, and the Pyramids of Giza.
Image Source: YouTube
India too joined the group in 2013, with the Gateway to India in Mumbai turning green for the first time on St. Patrick’s Day. In that connection, it needs to be mentioned that beginning with Chennai in 1875, St. Patrick was introduced to India by the Patrician Brothers, and since then, the country has churches in the name of the revered saint.
Sadly though, the Global Greening initiative, after being paused in 2022 and 2023, has been officially canceled due to the worldwide energy crisis.
Tolerance and respect in the midst of diversity
With differences and similarities, the world stage presents a colorful array of customs, festivals, and traditions that are unique in their own ways. Learning about the ways of life of different communities and nations expands our horizons and makes us cognizant of the rich diversity that surrounds us. And it is by accepting and appreciating the beauty of cultures beyond our own that we lay the foundation for a unified human race.
A Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all those who celebrate!
rashmi writes 