What is St Patrick’s Day?

Let's be honest, most of us know St Patrick's Day as a brilliant excuse to stick on a green hat, drink Guinness and insist we're Irish for 24 hours.

But there's much more to March 17th than painting shamrocks on your face and belting out Pogues songs at 2am - though that's certainly part of the fun. 

What is St Patrick's Day? Your Complete Guide to Ireland's Biggest Party

What started out as a humble religious holiday has morphed into a global celebration of Irish culture. It sees everywhere from Tokyo to Toronto turn green for the day.

But who exactly was this Patrick fellow? And how did he become the face of Ireland's biggest cultural export?

Grab a cup of tea - or a pint of Guinness, no judgement here - and let's dive into the fascinating story behind the world's favourite excuse for a mid-March knees-up.

Image by RyedaleWeb from Pixabay

Who Was St Patrick? 

Spolier - he wasn't actually Irish.

Here's a plot twist worthy of your favourite Netflix drama.

St Patrick, Ireland's beloved patron saint, wasn't Irish at all.

Born in Roman Britain around 385 AD, young Patrick's life took a dramatic turn when Irish raiders kidnapped him at 16.

Talk about a gap year gone wrong.

After being held captive for six years in Ireland, Patrick escaped back to Britain.

Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons - Detail of a stained glass window in Saint Patrick Church, Junction City, Ohio, depicting Saint Patrick holding a shamrock. 

But like many who visit Ireland, he simply couldn't stay away.

He returned as a missionary, armed with determination and what would become his signature move - using the three-leaved shamrock to explain Christian teachings.

Now, about those snakes he supposedly banished from Ireland.

Unfortunately, that's about as real as a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

Ireland never had snakes to begin with.

They could never have made it to this part of the world before rising sea levels cut Ireland off from the rest of Europe after the last ice age.

Sorry, snake fans.

From Religious Feast to Global Party - The Evolution of St Patrick's Day

Originally, St Patrick's Day was a serious religious affair in Ireland. 

It was a welcome break from Lent restrictions, meaning you could finally eat that chocolate bar you'd been eyeing up for weeks.

Since then, it's grown to become a worldwide day of celebration and is particularly big in America. 

The first St Patrick's Day parade wasn't even in Ireland.

It was in New York City in 1762, organised by homesick Irish soldiers serving in the British Army.

Fast forward a few hundred years and 17th March has become the world's biggest Irish-themed party. 

Dublin alone welcomes over a million visitors for its St Patrick's Day Festival.

Across the pond, Chicago dumps 40 pounds of environmentally friendly dye into its river annually to turn it greener than a spinach smoothie.

Adobe Free Stock / Chestii Prin Sua/Wirestock Creators

How St Patrick's Day is Celebrated - From Dublin to Dubai

In Ireland, St Patrick's Day is a proper bank holiday. Yes, people get the day off work.

Unless they work in in hospitality. In which case, godspeed.

Expect street parades, live music, traditional cèilidh dances and an all-round party atmosphere.

Dublin hosts the biggest parade in Ireland. It usually features marching bands, flamboyant costumes and plenty of green-clad revellers. 

Adobe Free Stock /  Gabriel

But other cities like Cork, Galway and Belfast also go all out. 

Celebrations typically include the following. 

• Parades that put all others to shame. Usually complete with huge floats, marching bands and more green content than a vegetarian's Insta feed.
• Traditional music sessions in pubs where everyone suddenly remembers all the words to 'Whiskey in the Jar'.
• Cultural events showcasing the best of Irish culture, including traditional Irish dancing, music, sport and art. 

Globally, the celebrations have taken on some brilliant local twists.

iStock / andykazie

• New York's parade is the largest worldwide, with over 150,000 participants marching past about two million spectators.
• Singapore's Clarke Quay turns into a sea of green, while the St Patrick’s Day Parade takes place outside the Victoria Concert Hall.
• Even the International Space Station has celebrated with green clothing and Irish music.

Tips for Celebrating St Patrick's Day in Ireland

If you're planning to experience the real deal in Ireland, here's what you need to know.

Book Early - Really Early  

Hotel prices in Dublin for St Patrick's Day make London rent look reasonable.

Book at least six months ahead, or consider basing yourself in smaller cities like Galway or Cork.
They offer equally brilliant craic with minimal wallet damage.

Where to celebrate St Patrick's Day in Ireland

Dublin

I've already covered Dublin, but it deserves the top spot here as the mothership of St Patrick's Day celebrations.

Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/clickerhappy-324082/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2344400">Rudy and Peter Skitterians</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2344400">Pixabay</a>

Galway

Smaller crowds, bigger heart and possibly the best trad music sessions in the country.

This year's St Patrick's Day Festival is set to be the city's biggest one yet, with the parade marching from University Road, over the Salmon Weir Bridge, to Eglinton Street and finishing up on Prospect Hill.

Adobe Free Stock / mark_gusev

Cork

The rebel county knows how to throw a party.

This year, Cork has chosen 'Building a Better World' as its St Patrick's Day Parade theme.

Adobe Free Stock / David Soanes

Kilkenny

Medieval city, modern party vibes. Kilkenny hosts an eclectic range of cultural events to celebrate music, art and creativity over the St Paddy's Day weekend.

Adobe Free Stock / JUAN CARLOS MUNOZ

Ready to Experience Some Genuine Irish Craic?

Nothing kills a celebration like roaming charges or trying to find Wi-Fi while you're three deep in a parade crowd.

With eSIMs for Ireland from Airalo, you can access data wherever you travel without worrying about extortionate bills or using physical SIM cards.

Just choose your eSIM, install and stay online. Sláinte!