*Ø* Blogmanac | Will y’ be wearin’ the green on St Patrick’s Day?
Will you be wearin’ the green on March 17?
And will ye be drownin’ the shamrock as well? For ’tis St Patrick’s Day, one of the most widely celebrated national and religious feasts in the world.
St Patrick's day is celebrated around the world, but you won't be finding the Irish in their native land drinking green-coloured beer, wearing enormous shamrocks, or dressing in green from head to toe. They might be marching in a parade, having a night out, or taking the opportunity to get away for a long weekend.
Elsewhere, however, this is the day of days for those with even the slightest claim to Irish blood (and even for some of those without), a day when all can revel in the pride of association with that remarkable race of people which has contributed so much to world culture.
Celebration of this saint’s day reaches its highest fervour in several parts of the United States, where St Patrick’s Day Parades have long been a part of the multicultural calendar. Irish immigrants made up a large segment of American society by the nineteenth century, particularly after the disastrous Irish potato famine of 1845-47, during which time emigration and death reduced the population of the small island by two million souls. Even during the preceding century, the homesick Irish naturally gathered in their adopted countries, such as America and Australia, on the day of their national patron saint to celebrate their Irishness.
Today the annual St Patrick’s Day parade in New York draws hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators. Dating back to 1762, this event is a parade of international fame and significance, in which Irish-Americans and Irish "wannabes" let their hair down. The parade in Boston reaches back even further in time, having first been celebrated in 1737.
America’s oldest Irish society, the Hibernian Society, was founded in 1812 in Savannah, Georgia. The next year they held their first private procession, the forerunner of Savannah’s famous annual St Patrick’s Day parade. In Savannah, as in other parts of the States, you can close your eyes and hold your nose to partake in some of the ubiquitous green-dyed beer and green donuts.
Saint Patrick was an historical character who was born in an unknown place called Bannavem, probably in England or South Wales, about 389 CE. His father, Calpurnius, was a Roman official and deacon of the Christian Church.
At the age of 16, Patrick was captured by Celtic raiders and spent six years as a slave swineherd on an Irish farm, where he learned the Irish language, until he escaped to Europe. There he studied theology and was sent by Pope Celestine I back to Ireland to teach the natives about Christianity.
Landing at Wicklow in 432, he soon established religious communities and churches, despite the relentless opposition of the established religion of the pagan Druids – a religion that in succeeding centuries was fiercely suppressed.
Showing great courage, Patrick even preached the Gospel to the High King of Tara, and eventually the faith which he had brought to the Emerald Isle won over almost completely, as is evidenced even today. (Of course, there were many other Christian proselytisers who did the work besides Patrick, as well as many potentates and preachers who felt it their duty to destroy the indigenous religions.)
Patrick’s life story, as it has been passed down over the centuries, is delightfully replete with miraculous events and adventures. As every schoolchild knows, it was he who was responsible for the fact that there are no snakes or similar vermin in Ireland even yet.
Several versions exist to tell how he performed this miracle. One relates how the good saint beat a drum whenever he entered a town. On one occasion, he beat his drum on Mount Croagh Patrick (later named after him, in County Mayo), and, proclaiming his intention to rid Ireland of snakes, beat the drum so hard as to punch a hole in it. When simultaneously a huge black serpent appeared, the locals thought Patrick’s faith was insufficient for the task. Suddenly, however, an angel of the Lord appeared and mended his drum, and as Patrick beat his instrument the snakes vanished from the land ...
This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date when you're there.
Will you be wearin’ the green on March 17?
And will ye be drownin’ the shamrock as well? For ’tis St Patrick’s Day, one of the most widely celebrated national and religious feasts in the world.
St Patrick's day is celebrated around the world, but you won't be finding the Irish in their native land drinking green-coloured beer, wearing enormous shamrocks, or dressing in green from head to toe. They might be marching in a parade, having a night out, or taking the opportunity to get away for a long weekend.
Elsewhere, however, this is the day of days for those with even the slightest claim to Irish blood (and even for some of those without), a day when all can revel in the pride of association with that remarkable race of people which has contributed so much to world culture.
Celebration of this saint’s day reaches its highest fervour in several parts of the United States, where St Patrick’s Day Parades have long been a part of the multicultural calendar. Irish immigrants made up a large segment of American society by the nineteenth century, particularly after the disastrous Irish potato famine of 1845-47, during which time emigration and death reduced the population of the small island by two million souls. Even during the preceding century, the homesick Irish naturally gathered in their adopted countries, such as America and Australia, on the day of their national patron saint to celebrate their Irishness.
Today the annual St Patrick’s Day parade in New York draws hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators. Dating back to 1762, this event is a parade of international fame and significance, in which Irish-Americans and Irish "wannabes" let their hair down. The parade in Boston reaches back even further in time, having first been celebrated in 1737.
America’s oldest Irish society, the Hibernian Society, was founded in 1812 in Savannah, Georgia. The next year they held their first private procession, the forerunner of Savannah’s famous annual St Patrick’s Day parade. In Savannah, as in other parts of the States, you can close your eyes and hold your nose to partake in some of the ubiquitous green-dyed beer and green donuts.
Saint Patrick was an historical character who was born in an unknown place called Bannavem, probably in England or South Wales, about 389 CE. His father, Calpurnius, was a Roman official and deacon of the Christian Church.
At the age of 16, Patrick was captured by Celtic raiders and spent six years as a slave swineherd on an Irish farm, where he learned the Irish language, until he escaped to Europe. There he studied theology and was sent by Pope Celestine I back to Ireland to teach the natives about Christianity.
Landing at Wicklow in 432, he soon established religious communities and churches, despite the relentless opposition of the established religion of the pagan Druids – a religion that in succeeding centuries was fiercely suppressed.
Showing great courage, Patrick even preached the Gospel to the High King of Tara, and eventually the faith which he had brought to the Emerald Isle won over almost completely, as is evidenced even today. (Of course, there were many other Christian proselytisers who did the work besides Patrick, as well as many potentates and preachers who felt it their duty to destroy the indigenous religions.)
Patrick’s life story, as it has been passed down over the centuries, is delightfully replete with miraculous events and adventures. As every schoolchild knows, it was he who was responsible for the fact that there are no snakes or similar vermin in Ireland even yet.
Several versions exist to tell how he performed this miracle. One relates how the good saint beat a drum whenever he entered a town. On one occasion, he beat his drum on Mount Croagh Patrick (later named after him, in County Mayo), and, proclaiming his intention to rid Ireland of snakes, beat the drum so hard as to punch a hole in it. When simultaneously a huge black serpent appeared, the locals thought Patrick’s faith was insufficient for the task. Suddenly, however, an angel of the Lord appeared and mended his drum, and as Patrick beat his instrument the snakes vanished from the land ...
This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date when you're there.
Pip Wilson posted item above at 1:52 PM | Permalink
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