St Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day is a celebration held on 17th March, the traditional date of the death of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Since the early 17th century it has commemorated St Patrick converting the Irish pagans to Christianity and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish. This includes public parades and festivals, traditional Irish music, the wearing of green clothing or shamrocks and the lifting of Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol. St Patrick's Day is a public holiday in Northern Ireland and is the most widely celebrated national festival in the world.