Around the world, many different traditions surrounding St. Patrick’s Day take place. St. Patrick’s Day commemorates the life of St. Patrick, a Christian missionary and the patron saint of Ireland. Historically, the day’s traditions consisted of going to church services, wearing shamrocks – which St. Patrick used to symbolize the holy trinity – and allowing a feast amidst the typical practices of fasting during the Lenten season.
Ella Norton, a junior, noted how her family participates in some of these traditional practices and that her “grandmother has her family over for a feast every year to eat Irish soda bread and go on a leprechaun hunt.” Nowadays, popular traditions include going to parades to dyeing rivers green to polar plunging in green costumes.
Starting locally in Boston, “Southie” hosts a famous parade annually. This parade attracts almost 1 million people and is known for its iconic Irish-American pride and energy. The parade is 3.5 miles long, with a loud and lively crowd every turn of the route.
Emelia Magner, a junior at Hingham High School, said, “I love going to the parade! I have gone every year and it is my favorite way to enjoy the celebratory day.”
In Chicago, city officials dye the Chicago River green every year. While some may argue that dyeing a natural river green may not be the best for the environment, Chicago uses non-toxic and vegetable-based powder dye so as not to harm the river’s ecosystem. Huge crowds attend the dyeing as green is symbolic of the Irish nationalists’ achieving independence.
In Dublin, Ireland, citizens celebrate their culture through music, dancing, and theater. Céilithe is a gathering that takes place on St. Patrick’s Day and celebrates with traditional Gaelic music and jigs. Additionally, there are live performances of Irish step dancing throughout the city and pageants to celebrate Irish heritage.
Tokyo, Japan, hosts an “I Love Ireland” festival. The Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce hosts this festival over two days where there is traditional Irish dance, music, food, rugby, and, of course, a parade. The straightforward name of the festival, “I Love Ireland,” derives from its being the largest Irish-affiliated celebration across the continent.
Finally, in Norway, many celebrators dress in green and jump into freezing cold fjords to commemorate the holiday. This practice symbolises the natural and adventurous lifestyles of Norwegians and demonstrates how you can incorporate other traditions like wearing green while also celebrating your own culture. The most important part of celebrating March 17 is commemorating the history of St. Patrick while embracing the colorful and lively traditions.
