Recently updated on October 4th, 2022 at 10:23 am
Dust off your shamrock bowler – it’s St. Patrick’s Day next month!
The 17th March has been a good excuse for a shindig for centuries. And it’s all in honour of the Patron Saint of Ireland, who’s credited for bringing Christianity to the country and who died on this day back in the year 493 AD.
Legend has it that St. Patrick rid Ireland of snakes, though this is seen as purely symbolic of his efforts to drive out Paganism. Ireland’s been snake-free since the last ice age, apparently!
Since the 1970s, St. Patrick’s Day has become more of a celebration of Irish culture – and we think it’s definitely an occasion worth raising a glass to.
Ireland’s largest St. Patrick’s Day festivities take place in Dublin. Celebrations span over four days and include a food and beer market, street performances, mass Irish street dancing and a treasure hunt, all culminating in a colourful parade through the city.
Thousands line Dublin’s streets early to secure the best spots, ready for a stream of marching bands, flying creatures, musicians, actors depicting Ireland’s medieval history, and, of course, Irish dancers, who jig their way through the city.
Throughout the procession, you’ll also see Sikh bhangra and West African dancers, Lithuanian musicians and American patriots. This is recognition of the many people from around the world who have chosen Ireland as their home.
Thanks to the Irish, who’ve also moved about a bit, the Guinness-fuelled craic extends to cities like London, Sydney, Toronto, Auckland and Buenos Aires, with the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade taking place over 3,100 miles from Ireland – in New York!
But in our humble opinion, you can’t beat celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the place it was born. That’s because outside the four days of fun, Ireland has so much more to offer.
Take beautiful Galway Bay, with its colourful cottages and fishing-village charm, or the rugged, storm-bashed coast of the Ring of Kerry.
Then there are the imposing castles of Blarney, Kilkenny, Bunratty and Limerick – some of Ireland’s best-kept historical sights.
If we’ve whet your appetite for more than a pint of Guinness, there are still places on our March 16 departure of Irish Highlights – a 7-day trip that takes in Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.