I don't know how to say "happy" in Irish...obviously. Before anyone mentions that fact that my last name is Bossalini, I will say that my grandfather's name is Patrick Sullivan, and my great-grandad was from County Kerry, so we're going to pretend for the next couple days that I'm more Irish than I am. Don't judge; everyone's a pure blood Irishman on St. Paddy's.
Here are a few things I didn't know about the patron saint of Ireland, and his corresponding day of drink and revelry that falls smack in the middle of Lent.
1. Patrick was a slave.
Patrick was actually Romano-British, but was kidnapped and forced into slavery by the Irish. God came to him in a dream, and told him to escape captivity and return to Britain. He escaped back to his native country, and studied to be a priest, then returned to Ireland to bring Christianity to his former captors.
2. Why March 17th?
St. Patrick's Day falls on the 17th and commemorates Patrick's death. He is reportedly buried at Downpatrick in County Down in northern Ireland (not Northern Ireland which is a separate country). Hundreds of people make a pilgrimage to his burial site each St. Paddy's Day.
3. Shamrock Shakes and Green Tees.
According to legend, Patrick used the native shamrock plant to explain the three parts of the Holy Trinity to the Irish. Originally, he was associated with the color blue, but over time that changed to green. In 1798, Irish soldiers dressed all in green to call public attention to their rebellion against the British.
4. Why are there no snakes in Ireland?
Geologists claim that there was a land bridge between England and Ireland 6,500 years ago. When the bridge disintegrated any reptiles interested in making the cross over were trapped in the U.K. Consider that snakes are cold-blooded and the U.K tends to be a little chilly. This made migration slow, and they just never made it across the Irish Sea. St. Patrick's association with snakes comes from his attempts to banish pagan worship from Ireland which often included snakes and other less savory critters. It could also be a metaphor for The Serpent Satan, and the coming of Christianity.
5. A global celebration
The shortest celebration in the world is in Dripsey, Cork. The parade marches 100 feet between the town's two pubs. I'm dead serious.
St. Paddy's is celebrated in Japan, South Korea, Australia, Switzerland, Britain, and North and South America. Censuses have confirmed that there are more Irish people in the U.S.A (in cities like Chicago and Boston) then in the actual country of Ireland. Recent economic trouble in Ireland has led to a second diaspora similar to (but not nearly on the scale of) the mass exodus caused by the Great Famine.
So, how are you celebrating? My cousins are coming in from Boston, so we are heading to our local to catch a favorite band. However you are celebrating, PLEASE be cautious and for the love of Pete don't drive. As someone's who's been on the receiving end of a drunk driver, I can tell you it hurts like the Dickens and is the scariest couple seconds of your life. I still have scars, and my poor knees are forever toast. Call. Cabs. and have fun!
P.S. LOOK WHAT CAME IN THE MAIL!!!!! Oh, it's going to be an amazing summer.
LOVE
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