St. Patrick’s Day17th March

• St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.

• St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on the 17th March every year.

• It is celebrated throughout the Republic of Ireland, and also in other parts of the world such as Europe and America, by Irish people who have moved there.

• St. Patrick’s Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland.

• However, the first public celebration of St Patrick’s Day was not actually in Ireland – it was by Irish immigrants living in Boston, North America!

• Although it is rooted in Christianity, St. Patrick’s Day is now just as much a celebration of Irish culture and heritage.

• Celebrations often involve feasting and parades through the towns.

• People wear shamrocks and wear green, because the shamrock is associated with St. Patrick, as he used it to explain the idea of the Holy Trinity.

So, who was Saint Patrick?

• Saint Patrick was born in Britain in the 4th century.

• He was kidnapped and enslaved by Irish raiders when he was young.

• 6 years later he escaped and went back to Britain, but he later chose to return to Ireland as a missionary.

• He died and was buried in Ireland in 461.