St Patrick's Day

Get Your Green On!

by Helen McIver

A good way to celebrate any holiday is with a good book! Stop into the Friends Bookstore for a wide selection of Celtic books.


St Patrick (born c. 387 in Wales - d 17 March, 493) was a Romano-Briton, brought Christianity to Ireland, and is recognized as a patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland. Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints.


St. Patrick's Day is the feast day of the man who brought Christianity to Ireland. It is celebrated both in and outside of Ireland, as both a solemn church holiday and especially outside of Ireland, as a celebration of Ireland itself. There will be parades and celebrations in cities all across the world, but the holiday has always been most popular in the United States, especially in cities with large Irish-American populations.In Chicago, they dye the Chicago River green every year. And in New York City, there's a huge parade that goes up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street, past St. Patrick's Cathedral.


Saint Patrick (Latin: Patricius; Primitive Irish: Qatrikias; Old Irish: Cothraige or Coithrige; Middle Irish: Pátraic; Irish: Pádraig;British: *Patrikios; Old Welsh: Patric; Middle Welsh: Padric; Welsh: Padrig; Old English: Patric; ) (St Paddy, if you must use a diminuitive, but never St Patty!)