History of St. Patrick’s Day

Did you know that the original color associated with St. Patrick’s Day is blue, not green?

 This is just one of the many things most people who celebrate this holiday in the United States don’t know.

The tradition of wearing green actually comes from the expression, “wearing the green,” which referred to wearing a shamrock on your clothes. Shamrocks have long been a symbol of St. Patrick’s Day, mainly known as bringing good luck. This was, in fact, the way that St. Patrick explained the holy trinity to the pagans he was trying to convert to Catholicism. As Ireland has long been a religious country, the shamrock also came to represent Irish nationalism. Hundred’s of years later, this holiday has come to be a Hallmark holiday, far removed from its Christian roots. In the United States a large part of the drinking during St. Patrick’s Day stems from the identification of bootleg whisky with the Irish mob. As a result, most people believe that drinking and St. Patrick’s Day go hand in hand. The real significance of the holiday should be remembered and celebrated appropriately.

Sarah Montrowl

October 10th, 2008 by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | (0)