Saint Patrick's Day

Beer, music and dancing. Here in 3 words what could sum up the St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland. Every March 17th, Irish national day, the Irish people take the opportunity to party, sing, dance, drink, and loudly proclaim their Irish belonging, and prove how much they are “Proud to Be Irish”. An exceptional moment, which is now celebrated all over the world, but more particularly in Ireland, the United States and Canada, and which puts Ireland and its cultural heritage in the spotlight!

A celebration for the Irish and the Irish at heart!

Saint Patrick’s Day: origin of this national holiday

St. Patrick’s Day is a popular festival of Irish origin that allows Irish people to celebrate their history and culture. It takes place on the 17th of March each year. Declared a public holiday since 1903, this day is above all a festive and patriotic event, which celebrates Ireland through all its facets.

It takes its name “St. Patrick’s Day” from a Scotsman named Maewyn Succat, who would later be known as “St. Patrick’s Day”. This 5th century man is known to have converted the island of Ireland to Christianity. A tour de force for the time, and one that has truly shaped the Ireland of today (the country is now predominantly Catholic).

Legend has it that he used the 3-leaf Irish clover to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity to the Lords of the Kingdom of Ireland in order to convert them (that’s why the clover is a symbol dear to Ireland!).

Conviviality and simplicity: all together to celebrate the pride of being Irish !

Organised every March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day is nowadays mainly held in the streets and Irish Pubs, places where you can toast in the company of warm and festive Irish people.

On the program, parades, concerts, traditional music sessions in the streets, tastings of good Irish food, and pints of Guinness or other Irish beers galore (to be drunk in moderation of course)! Possibility of course to dance, sing, and party, painted in green, disguised as leprechaun, or simply disguised as Saint Patrick! Here, nobody judges, the Irish don’t take themselves seriously, and that’s good!

A whole program that demonstrates the simplicity and festive warmth of the Irish, who are always very attached to their country!

Above all, don’t miss a Saint Patrick’s Day at Dublin : that’s where it all happens ! And everything is great there! Don’t miss the Temple Bar district, attend the Great Parade on O’Connell Street… You will be amazed by so many debaucheries of means!

Don’t worry: you don’t need to be Irish to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day! In Ireland, the inhabitants adopt the Irish “by heart” without any problem! So don’t hesitate to join the party: they will be all the more proud! Especially since a Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated outside Ireland will be much blander than in Dublin or anywhere else in Ireland!

The United States, which has a huge Irish population following the immigration of the Great Famine, is also celebrating! Notably the cities of Boston and Chicago. The latter does not hesitate to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day by dyeing its river (the Chicago River) a bright green !

When in New York, it is where the party takes on impressive dimensions ! The party takes place mainly on the Fifth Avenue. This is where several hundred thousand New Yorkers gather, all of them coming to attend the Grand St. Patrick’s Day Parade! Tanks, bagads, parades of all kinds: the event is one of the most eagerly awaited moments each year by thousands of Americans!

As for France, many Pubs are celebrating the event! Some concerts are also scheduled by some towns and cities: the opportunity to take part in the party without being in Ireland.

Don’t hesitate to ask for more information: you can’t miss it!