by Elaine Sihera

Created on: January 29, 2010

The greatest and most popular holiday celebration In Ireland is St Patrick's Day, on March 17, his religious feast day, and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century.  For over a thousand years the Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday but it is also a great occasion for Irish merriment, no matter where they are in the world.  The day is celebrated with parades, speeches, festive dinners, and dances.  Yet, for all his popularity, St. Patrick was not born in Ireland.  He was born in England (or Breton, as it was then).  Irish bandits kidnapped him when he was 16 and brought him to Ireland where he was sold as a slave. he remained in bondage for six years before escaping to France.. After having a vision that he would be preaching to the Irish, he returned to Ireland in his 30s where he built churches and spread the Christian faith for the next 30 years.  

On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning, with every youngster proudly wearing a St. Patrick's Cross, and celebrate in the afternoon.  The emphasis was on spirituality and a much needed break from the austerities of Lent.  The consumption of meat was waived and people could then "dance, drink, and feast on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage".  

The Significance of Green

Everyone wears the colour green to honour The Emerald Isle so it is the special colour of the day. If someone forgets to wear green on that day, others are allowed to give the offender a pinch as a reminder.  It seems that green was chosen for five main reasons:

*It is the colour of the shamrock leaf, the national emblem. According to legend, the shamrock was a sacred plant to the Druids of Ireland because its leaves formed a triad, and three was a mystical number in the Celtic religion. The shamrock was also used by St Patrick to illustrate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.  

* The greenness of the Irish landscape, especially the grass on the hills, has earned Ireland the nickname of the "Emerald Isle".

* In the 19th century, the shamrock was a symbol of pride and rebellion for the emerging Nationalist movements and anyone wearing it risked death by hanging. This phrase "the wearin' o' the green" was coined in this period.

* People of Ireland would burn green leaves to spread over their land to make their soil richer.

* Irish folklore holds that green is the

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