Saint Patrick’s Day

Taylor Matherly

Saint Patrick’s Day• March 17th – The day Saint Patrick died in year

461• Lá Fhéile Pádraig • Christain feast day since the

1600s• Celebrates the arrival of

Christianity to Ireland and Irish culture in general

Leprechaun

Saint Patrick

• Patron saint of Ireland• Born in Britain around 385 • Was kidnapped when he was 16 by Irish

pirates and was made a slave

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin

Saint Patrick

• Escaped slavery in Ireland after 6 years• He became a priest in Britain and returned to

Ireland years later and converted the Irish to Christianity (the Irish were Pagan)

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York

• Also said that he banished all of the snakes from Ireland (myth, although there really aren´t snakes in Ireland)

Traditions• Attending mass• Parades• Festivals• Wearing green• Drinking Irish beer,whiskey

and liqour (Guinness, Jameson and Baileys are typical)

• A break from Lent – People are allowed to eat and

drink whatever they want on this one day

Shamrocks

• A symbol used for Irish identity (as well as the color green)– Was used by pro-Irish independence

groups• The 3 leaves represent the Holy

Trinity– Father, Son and Holy Spirit– This is how Saint Patrick taught the

Irish

Celebrations in IrelandDownpatrick (Northern Ireland)

Cork

Dublin

Belfast (Northern Ireland) Omagh (Northern Ireland)

Celebrations Around the WorldSydney Chicago Moscow

Washington DCLondon

Quebec

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgGAzBDE454 (Riverdance)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q356P316yX8 (Irish dancing)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqihczSsLKA (Irish music)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuaAGewaXeY (Parade in Dublin)