St. Patrick’s Day Traditions

St. Patrick’s Day is traditionally celebrated in Ireland with religious services and feasts in honor of Ireland’s most widely-recognized patron saint – St. Patrick. Irish immigrants brought St. Patrick’s Day traditions to the United States, but what we know as St. Patty’s Day today is not at all the same as the “holy day of obligation” for Catholics in Ireland. The United States uses March 17th, which is said to have been the date that St. Patrick died, to don their green and get their eat and drink on! Parties featuring Irish food and green beer are now associated with this day, as are parades, pub crawls, pinching, and kissing. Irish Americans have come to see March 17th as a prideful day where their heritage is celebrated – but how did it evolve into what it is today?

Why do we wear green?

• The colors of the Irish flag have been tied to wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day. The flag is green, white, and orange. It’s been said that the green stripe represents the Catholics of Ireland and orange represents the Protestants. The white in the middle symbolizes peace between the two religions. However, Irish Americans wear green as a reminder of their proud nationalist roots and celebrate their strong culture in Ireland, the Irish language, their music and sports, and above all, their Independence! 

• Ireland’s nickname “The Emerald Isle” could have also started one of the most beloved St. Patrick’s Day traditions of wearing green.

• Last but not least, the shamrock itself. The shamrock holds religious ties to stories of St Patrick’s teachings, this ties into Ireland, and it’s green, so – we wear green.

Why so much eating and drinking?

• One legend passed down, which may or may not be accurate, has to do with the patron saint himself. As the story goes, St. Patrick was served a half-pour of a glass of whiskey he ordered in the pub of an Inn where he was staying one night. St. Patrick told the barkeep that a devil must be living in the Inn’s cellar with the whisky. St. Patrick said the devil was causing the barkeep to be greedy and cheat his patrons out of the drinks for which they paid. St. Patrick told the barkeep that the only way to get the devil’s hands off his whisky bottles and banish him forever was to immediately fill everyone’s cup until it overflowed! The next time the saint returned to the Inn, he discovered that the barkeep had developed a generous spirit and kept every cup full. So it then became custom to drink a “full measure” to celebrate St. Patrick and his lessons on benevolence.  

• Another theory is that St. Patrick’s Day is considered a “Feast Day” in Ireland. A bona fide “Feast Day” allows Catholics in Ireland to set aside the food and alcohol restrictions that they’ve imposed upon themselves for Lent and consume at will in celebratory tradition. This tradition was carried over to the United States and cemented the link between St. Patty’s Day and overindulging.  

• The last explanation has little to do with Irish ancestry and a lot to do with crowd mentality. Simply put – large crowds of people all celebrating the same thing tends to result in too much food and alcohol consumption. The fun vibes of a celebratory crowd coupled with warmer mid-March weather just put folks in the mood to get out and be social!

If you’re inspired to get out and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, here is a list of a few events in and around Cedar Park and Greater Austin:

Please stay responsible if you go out to celebrate the day and don’t depend on the “luck of the Irish” to make it home safely.  Contact Prism Realty today to learn more about how we can guide you home: (512) 609-8098 or info@prismrp.com. Click HERE to request a Complimentary Market Analysis.