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Once upon a time in the Emerald Isle, Good Friday and St Patrick's Day were the only two days of the year when you couldn't get a drink in an Irish pub! They were sacred, religious holidays! But far away in other lands, other ideas evolved. International peer pressure turned St Patrick's Day into "Irish Day". A day of religious significance, celebrating the official advent of Christianity in Ireland in the 5th century persona of St Patrick, was high-jacked for ribald merriment!

Perhaps the humble shamrock, Ireland's unofficial icon, has one answer for this change. From the 17th century to Queen Victoria's 19th century, the phrase "wearing the green" used to refer to pinning a shamrock onto your lapel as a protection against malevolent spirits (including English landlords). But during the immigrations from the Emerald Isle to the New World, superstitions about malevolent Irish spirits seemed misplaced and English landlords were irrelevant. The tradition shifted to mean wearing the colour green on St Patrick's Day. Ironically, this change ousted St Patrick's traditional colour of blue. Irish immigration gave Ireland an international colour celebrated on St Patrick's Day.

But this doesn't completely answer why St Patrick's Day has become a celebration of all things Irish internationally. People of Irish lineage seem to use St Patrick's Day to remember their Irish heritage. St Patrick's Day is of greatest significance in places where Irish emigration has been most pronounced, namely the United States, Canada, and Australia. To do this, iconic symbols of Ireland are displayed leprechauns, pots of gold and rainbows. A pint of Guinness or some Irish whiskey may be enjoyed. Street parades are a highlight. It's like a day of bonding combining some nostalgia (remembering the old country) with a celebration of freedom in the new.

At times, there has been a little help from high, administrative places to achieve this "Irish Day". In 1810, the Governor of NSW, Lachlan Macquarie, formerly recognised St Patrick's Day. He saw an opportunity to generate peace among the convicts and settlers in the fledgling Australian colony. He wanted to unite Irish Catholics and Protestants in a common cause of being Irish. He saw a means of putting aside old Irish religious feuds.

But not all countries set aside this day just for Ireland. Singapore's 2009 entertainment lists seem more like an opportunity to celebrate cultural diversity. The list includes the Singapore Police Force Band and Ladies Pipe and drum band, U.S.A. Girl Guides, Malay and Irish dancers and musicians, a Chinese dragon troupe and a Star Wars group.

For awhile, back in Ireland, such as the Dubliners were highly bemused by the international fuss. But in 1995, Dubliners had other ideas. They joined the festival spirit and now St Patrick's Day in Dublin is a five day celebration with a parade that now attracts one million revellers. Of course, other areas of Ireland have followed Dublin's lead.

Perhaps the original reasons for St Patrick's Day celebrations outside Ireland related to the Irish immigrants. But big parades, music and lots of colour rarely gets overlooked by the passerby. It's fun to try Irish worlds for a day!

Bibliography
St. Patrick's Day http://www.dublinhotelguides.c om/scripts/go.php?page=St-Patr icks-Day
St Patrick's Day Parades 2009 http://www.altiusdirectory.com /Society/st.-patricks-day-para de-events.html#2

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