When is it?

Saint Patrick’s Day is a global celebration of Irish culture on or around March 17. It particularly remembers St Patrick, one of Ireland’s patron saints, who ministered Christianity in Ireland during the fifth century.

The principal aim of St. Patrick’s Festival, since its inauguration, is to develop a major annual international festival around the national holiday over which the ‘owners’ of the festival, the Irish people, would stand proud. It sets out to reflect the talents and achievements of Irish people on many national and world stages, and it acts as an exciting showcase for the manifold skills of the people of Ireland, of every age and social background.

Ireland Flag and a Clover

As the one national holiday that is celebrated in more countries around the world than any other, St. Patrick’s Day is the day when everyone wants to be Irish.

"Every year on March 17, the Irish and the Irish-at-heart across the globe observe St. Patrick’s Day. What began as a religious feast day for the patron saint of Ireland has become an international festival celebrating Irish culture with parades, dancing, special foods and a whole lot of green."

How do people celebrate it?

"During the festivities, the city is dressed in green and the streets are flooded in music and dancing. One of the most important attractions of San Patricio is the parade, that takes place in the streets of Dublin. In it, allegorical carriages and costumes are the protagonists".
 

The clothing is also a key point. If you're going to celebrate St. Patrick you can't stop wear Green clothing and use a clover in your lapel. Why? It is said that Maewyn Succat, popularly known as St. Patrick, who was a priest of Scottish origin, used to place a clover on his clothes as a metaphor to explain the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Then his parishioners adopted this custom and began to use the clubs during their religious services. Green, on the other hand represents spring and joy"

The main attraction of the St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

• The St. Patrick Day parade is an import from the USA, where St. Patrick's Day parades have been held since 1947.
• Since the 1960s, Ireland too has known parades.
• From mid-morning on March 17th, across the country, the familiar drumbeats begin in towns in villages across the country, from Skibbereen to Sligo, from Clane to Kiltimagh.
• Somewhere between 50 and 100 parades are held before the day ends.
• The largest parade in the country is held in Dublin, where around half a million people line the streets.

What should people see?

The symbols that people should see are:

The color green:
Believe it or not, the color of St. Patrick was not actually green, but blue! In the 19th century, however, green became used as a symbol for Ireland. In Ireland, there is plentiful rain and mist, so the 'Emerald Isle' really is green all year-round. The beautiful green landscape was probably the inspiration for the national color.Wearing the color green is considered an act of paying tribute to Ireland. It is said that it also brings good luck, especially when worn on St. Patrick's Day.





The Shamrock:
"Shamrock" is the common name for several different kinds of three-leafed clovers native to Ireland.The shamrock was chosen Ireland's national emblem because of the legend that St. Patrick had used it to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity. The Trinity is the idea that God is really three-in-one: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.

Leprechaun:
A leprechaun is an Irish fairy who looks like a small, old man about 2 feet tall. He is often dressed like a shoemaker, with a crooked hat and a leather apron.According to legend, leprechauns are aloof and unfriendly. They live alone, and pass the time making shoes. They also have a hidden pot of gold!

What should people do?

 Learn a little of the history of St Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day has been observed as a religious festival in Ireland for over a thousand years, though it was only recognized as a celebration of Irish culture and heritage in the 1970s.
The day is named in honor of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who has been credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.



Go green
The great thing about this holiday is you are free to go as subtle or as wild as you like. St. Patrick's Day t-shirts have been a common article of clothing to wear proudly.






Learn to Irish Dance
Irish dancing is a form of step dancing which is popular both in Ireland and all over the world. Not only will it impress everyone you know, but it's also a fun way to increase flexibility and burn calories!

Contrast with "Fiesta de la Tirana"

When is it ? 
The La Tirana Festival is like Chile in a nutshell; an eclectic and unique blend of indigenous culture and Catholic traditions, with a side helping of late-night dancing and round-the-clock food.The celebration takes place on July 16 in honor of the Virgen del Carmen.

How do people celebrate it ? 
There are also masked dancers performing the dance called Diablada or "Danza de los Diablos" (in English Dance of the Devils). The dance is performed by squads that are family based or include members of some dance society.
What should people see ? 
There are many different groups of dancers that you might see throughout the festival, with dances inspired by both indigenous and imported traditions.
 La Tirana is the biggest geographically localized religious festivity in Chile and attracts between 200,000 and 250,000 visitors during the week of celebrations
What should people do?
these days pilgrims and visitors from around the world converge on the village on the 15th of July, celebrating throughout the night until the skies flare with a blaze of fireworks as the clock strikes twelve.