Bring out your green! St. Patrick’s Day - observed every March 17 - is
packed with parades, good luck charms, and all things green. The event started
as a religious holiday, but over time it’s become a celebration of Irish culture.
CELEBRATED SAINT
St. Patrick might be the patron saint of Ireland - but he didn’t always live in
Ireland. Patrick was born in Britain in the fourth century and didn’t arrive in
Ireland until he was 16 years old, when he was sent to work in the country.
After he arrived in Ireland, Patrick became interested in
Christianity and started teaching others about the religion. He is said to have
converted many of the country’s residents to Christians, and now St. Patrick's
Day is celebrated on the day Patrick supposedly died.
MYTHS BUSTED
St. Patrick was a real person, but some of the traditions associated with
him and the holiday are actually myths. For instance, you’ll often see the
four-leaf clover on St. Patrick’s Day. However, according to legend, Patrick used
a three-leaf clover, or shamrock, as part of his teachings.
Even though it's possible for a shamrock to grow a fourth leaf, a four-leaf
clover is just considered a symbol of good luck.
Another legend says that Patrick chased all the snakes out of
Ireland. The problem? These creatures never actually lived in the country. In
fact many animals found throughout Europe and North America don’t live on the
island of Ireland—the ocean keeps the critters away.
GOING GREEN
The fact that Ireland is an island—as well as green with leafy trees and
grassy hills—means that the nation is sometimes called the Emerald Isle. But
the color that people originally associated with St. Patrick was blue! (Some ancient
Irish flags even sport this color.) Green was finally introduced to St.
Patrick’s Day festivities in the 18th century, when the shamrock (which is, of
course, green) became a national symbol. Because of the shamrock’s popularity
and Ireland’s landscape, the color stuck to the holiday.
