The History of St. Patrick’s Day

How does a kidnapped teenager who came to Ireland as a slave become the Saint of that country?

St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain in the 5th century. He was kidnapped as a teenager and brought to Ireland as a slave.

He escaped but later returned as a missionary, becoming the primary figure responsible for converting the Irish to Christianity.

March 17^th is St. Patrick’s Day, and is traditionally observed as the anniversary of St. Patrick’s death.

Now, why the Shamrock?

According to legend, Saint Patrick used the three-leaf clover to explain the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) to Irish pagans.

Although St. Paddy’s Day is associated with green. Green only became popular in the 18th century, but blue was historically associated with St. Patrick.

The first recorded St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in Boston in 1737, not in Ireland. It was driven by Irish immigrants in America. New York City followed in 1762.

Originally, the day was a quiet religious holiday in Ireland. It was Irish immigrants, particularly in the United States, who transformed it into a large celebration of Irish heritage and political power, known as the green machine.

If you are celebrating today, then I hope you are eating traditional corned beef and cabbage. We do that in Newfoundland every week anyway. Drinking a Guinness and wearing green to avoid being pinched, according to folklore.

The reason you should avoid getting pinched on St. Patrick’s Day is that, according to American Irish tradition and folklore, not wearing green makes you visible to those mischievous leprechauns who will pinch anyone they can see. Wearing green serves as a protective, invisible shield, while pinching serves as a playful reminder to "wear the green."

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone, and cheers.