BY KAYA DWYER

The Irish are coming! No, but really. They are. 

As St. Patrick’s day arrives every year, elementary schools have celebrations with cookies and mysterious green liquid﹘but the Irish celebration was never much of a celebration at all. 

The creation of the holiday began with a patron saint by the name of something unknown, going by Patrick. He became one of Christianity’s widely known figures and despite leading the Irish church, he was actually from Britain. The actual praise for Patrick originates within his fleet of Irish grounds, of which he was captured upon, back to Britain, and then back to Ireland where he believed he was destined to become a missionary. Pádraig, by the Irish name, has a lot of skepticism around his origin or why he is the “saint” we celebrate﹘but we can be certain about why  we celebrate this holiday. 

Besides the excuses to pinch your enemies, or finally wear that leprechaun hat you’ve been hiding from your peers, St. Patrick’s day can be remembered differently from the Irish and the American perspective. In American culture, which features many elements derived from Irish culture, there are parades larger than life, dying various liquids green, and many more suspicious activities. Whilst in Ireland, it varies between areas. In Dublin, there are similar American celebrations with more rural parades and the greening of home decor and with the things we ingest. However, “down the country” of Ireland, Gaeltacht (or Irish speaking) areas celebrate with traditional music, dancing, horse racing, and shared feasts. 

Although the southern Irish residents tend to celebrate the holiday primordially compared to those up north, or in America, the Irish tradition of celebration and gathering of friends will always be the true reason to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!