Sunday, March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day, one of the biggest days in Ireland and celebrated around the world. Oddly enough he wasn’t even Irish, but any excuse for a party! In Gaelic: Lá ‘le Pádraig, “St. Patrick's Day." or, Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit! “Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!”

Maewyn Succat (Saint Patrick) the dates cannot be fixed with certainty (402 – March 17, 461) is the patron saint of Ireland. He was born in a village in Roman Britain, Wales. When he was 16 years old he was captured and sold into slavery and brought to Ireland as a Shepherd. At the age of 22, he escaped slavery, studied in France, in a monastery returning to Ireland in his 30’s as a Bishop. Saint Patrick came from a Christian family. He was the son of Calpornius, who was a deacon. He brought Christianity to Ireland. He converted many pagans to Christianity. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated every year on March 17th in his honour. St. Patrick is credited with teaching the Irish about the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. He used a three-leafed shamrock as an illustration of "three-in-one".”The Father -The Son and The Holy Spirit”. For this reason, shamrock is a central symbol for St. Patrick’s Day. Patrick died in 461 in Saul, County Down, Ireland. It was here that he had established his first church in a small and simple barn, after arriving nearby at the mouth of the Slaney River. He is buried in the grounds of Down Cathedral in Downpatrick and a memorial stone, made from local Mourne Mountain granite, marks his grave. Croagh Patrick, (764m) is renowned for its Patrician Pilgrimage (1 million annually) in honour of Saint Patrick. For over 5000 years, people take the three and a half hour trek up and down this steep rocky mountain. St. Patrick is said to have completed a forty-day Lenten ritual of fasting and penance here. Patrician Pilgrimage: A journey, especially a long one, made to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion.

Interestingly, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was not held in Ireland at all, but in Boston in the United States in 1737. This was followed by an “official” parade in New York in 1766. Ireland was a little further behind – our first parade was held in Waterford in 1903 and in Dublin in 1931. On St. Patrick's Day, it is customary to wear shamrocks, green clothing or green accessories. Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival.

Apart from the religious side of things, it is a day for “a drop of the Black Stuff” Guinness and the “Craic” (fun). Worldwide13 million pints are normally drunk on this day. Not content with just donning (wearing) green hats, everything from buildings to rivers goes green for St Patrick's Day (a huge source of pride for the Irish at home and across the world). In the past, the Colosseum in Rome, the Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Paris, the London Eye, the Sydney Opera House, the Empire State building, and Christ the Redeemer in Rio have all turned a shade of green on March 17th. In Dublin, buildings and bridges all over the city are illuminated green too. It's a day of parades & festivals, music dancing, drinking Guinness or Whiskey with some drinking green beer. The staple food on this day is corned beef or bacon and cabbage, shepherd's pie, Irish stew and soda bread. Every year since 1952, an Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) goes to the White House to present the President with a bowl of shamrock. At least 22 presidents of the United States have some Irish ancestral origins. Since 1901, a female member of the royal family hands shamrock to the Hounslow-based Infantry Battalion on St Patrick's Day, started by Queen Alexandra. Alexandra of Denmark (1901-1910) was Queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Empress of India as the wife of King Edward VII. She died in 1925. Sprig: A small stem bearing leaves or flowers, taken from a plant.

So wherever you are on Sunday:

If you're Irish come into the parlour,

There's a welcome there for you;

Happy St. Patrick’s Day – Feliz día de San Patricio – Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit!

Until next Tuesday – Be good.

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