It’s here and it’s more than just green beer.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Altough it’s said that everyone is a little bit Irish today, what is the story with the celerbrations? According to Wikipedia, Present day Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations have been greatly influenced by those that developed among the Irish diaspora, especially in North America. Until the late 20th century, Saint Patrick’s Day was often a bigger celebration among the diaspora than it was in Ireland.
Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, Irish traditional music sessions (céilithe), and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks.[9] There are also formal gatherings such as banquets and dances, although these were more common in the past. Saint Patrick’s Day parades began in North America in the 18th century but did not spread to Ireland until the 20th century.[21] The participants generally include marching bands, the military, fire brigades, cultural organisations, charitable organisations, voluntary associations, youth groups, fraternities, and so on. However, over time, many of the parades have become more akin to a carnival. More effort is made to use the Irish language, especially in Ireland, where 1 March to St Patrick’s Day on 17 March is Seachtain na Gaeilge (“Irish language week“).[22]
Since 2010, famous landmarks have been lit up in green on Saint Patrick’s Day as part of Tourism Ireland‘s “Global Greening Initiative” or “Going Green for St Patrick’s Day”.[23][24] The Sydney Opera House and the Sky Tower in Auckland were the first landmarks to participate and since then over 300 landmarks in fifty countries across the globe have gone green for Saint Patrick’s Day.[25][26]
Many Irish people also attend church services with their families,[8][10] and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day. Perhaps because of this, drinking alcohol – particularly Irish whiskey, beer, or cider – has become an integral part of the celebrations.[8][9][11][12] In Ireland, this relaxation of fasting rules is notably marked by the consumption of stout, a dark ale beer that is a key part of the celebration, with breweries preparing months in advance for the demand.[27] The Saint Patrick’s Day custom of “drowning the shamrock” or “wetting the shamrock” was historically popular. At the end of the celebrations, especially in Ireland, a shamrock is put into the bottom of a cup, which is then filled with whiskey, beer, or cider. It is then drunk as a toast to Saint Patrick, Ireland, or those present. The shamrock would either be swallowed with the drink or taken out and tossed over the shoulder for good luck.[28][29][30]
Irish Government ministers travel abroad on official visits to various countries around Saint Patrick’s Day to promote Ireland.[31][32]
With St. Patrick’s day parties today, triple-a wants drivers across Wisconsin to have a backup plan. The auto club’s ‘tow to go’ program offers a free tow and ride home for anyone who doesn’t have a sober driver. triple-a spokesperson Nick Jarmusz says the program is offered because too many lives are lost every year in drug and alcohol‑related crashes. The service is open to everyone, not just triple-a members, and runs through tomorrow morning. The organization says the best plan is still to line up a sober driver before you start celebrating.
