Leprechauns, parades and all things green — every March, countries around the world become flooded with celebrations of Irish pride.
But how did the observance of Irish heritage begin? Here’s what to know about the holiday’s history:
What does St. Patrick’s Day celebrate?
Originally, the Irish holiday was meant to honor the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. Now, the day has become a celebration of Irish culture.
Who was Saint Patrick?
Born in Great Britain, Saint Patrick was a fifth-century bishop and missionary. Though he wasn’t the first Catholic minster to visit Ireland, he is credited with bringing Christianity to the country.
As a teenager, Patrick was abducted by a group of Irish raiders and sold into slavery, according to the History Channel. After six years, he fled his captors and returned home. Soon after, he began studying to become a priest.
Shortly following his ordination as a priest, Patrick returned to Ireland to spread Catholicism.
Why is St. Patrick’s Day celebrated on March 17?
March 17 marks the supposed anniversary of Saint Patrick’s death, according to the Library of Congress.
When did people start celebrating St. Patrick’s Day?
People in Ireland have been celebrating St. Patrick with special churches services and feasts since around the ninth or 10th century.
The first St. Patrick’s Day parade, however, is believed to have been held in the United States in 1601. Over a century later, in 1762, homesick Irish soldiers serving in the British military organized a march in honor of the patron saint in New York City, igniting a longstanding parade tradition in the United States.
Why is the shamrock a symbol of St. Patrick’s Day?
Legend has it that Saint Patrick used a three-leaved shamrock to explain the concept of Christianity’s Holy Trinity to the people of Ireland; however, according to National Geographic, historians largely agree the story is fabled.
The mythical plant, along with the color green, later became a symbol of Ireland’s push for independence from British rule. It has since come to represent the country as a whole.
Why do people eat corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day?
Though people in the United States associate corned beef and cabbage with March 17, Irish people historically ate little beef, which was only accessible to the richest citizens. Eventually, however, the Irish began exporting beef to wealthier England, with the meat becoming Ireland’s biggest export by the 1600s.
Then, in the mid-1600s, England stopped importing the Irish beef due to supposed competition with their own beef production industry. As a result, Ireland shifted its focus from production to preservation, using cheap salt with grains the size of corn to keep the beef fresh for longer — hence the name ‘corned beef.’
When the Irish began to immigrate to the United States in the mid-19th century, they brought the dish with them, creating an Irish American symbol for Irish heritage.
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