Why Do We Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

Image courtesy of Timothy Dykes via Unsplash

The History and Origins of St. Patrick’s Day 

Since the 10th century, St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated on March 17th, honoring the death of St. Patrick. The Irish have celebrated this holiday for over 1,000 years, spending the day attending church and hosting celebrations to eat, drink, and dance. In 1601, a St. Patrick’s Day parade was held on a Spanish colony that is now what we know as St. Augustine. Over a century later, Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched in a New York City parade. This helped to spread the St. Patrick’s spirit to American cities. But, who was St. Patrick? 

St. Patrick lived as the patron saint of Ireland during the fifth century and is credited for bringing Christianity to the Irish people. One of the most well-known symbols of St. Patrick is the Irish clover, or shamrock, whose three leaves represent the Holy Trinity. 

St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations 

Today, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the world. Irish patriotism grew after the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City in 1772. Parades features bagpipes and symbols of St. Patrick, like the shamrock we often see on St. Patrick’s Day themed decorations. Cities like Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Savannah host parades involving between 10,000 to 20,000 participants each year. 

In Chicago, as Irish immigrants began to travel across the United States, one tradition became dyeing the Chicago river green. In 1962, city pollution control workers used to trace illegal sewage discharge with colored dyes. This practice sparked the idea of dyeing the river green for a week to honor St. Patrick’s Day. Today, the river is still dyed green, but only for a few hours as to minimize environmental damage. 

St. Patrick’s Day Traditions

Aside from the shamrock symbol, another icon of St. Patrick’s Day is the Leprechaun. Originally, the Irish name for these figures was “lobaircin” which translates to “small bodied fellow.” Leprechauns were known for their tricks and protecting treasure, and the belief in them stems from Celtic belief in fairies. While Leprechauns have their own holiday on May 13, many people choose to celebrate them on St. Patrick’s Day by dressing up as a Leprechaun. One tradition that has evolved from this is the idea that a Leprechaun will pinch you on St. Patrick’s Day for not wearing green. 

Timoti’s Seafood Shak

If you’re looking for a great place to enjoy fresh-caught seafood this St. Patrick’s Day, stop by Timoti’s Seafood Shak!! Enjoy poke bowls, tacos, fried favorites, homemade desserts, and refreshing cocktails at our locations in Fernandina and Nocatee.