Why do people wear shamrocks on St. Pat's Day?

Answer 1

One of the reasons that one wears green on St. Patrick's Day is because the Catholic side of Ireland is identified with green, and St. Patrick is a Catholic Saint credited with converting the island to Christianity. Whereas the Protestants are identified with orange, and are often called "Orangemen," as in King William the Orange. The clashes in Ireland between the Catholics and Protestants are often clashes of the green and the orange. The irony is that the Irish flag, is supposed to represent the unity of the two with the white between the two colors representing unity. The traditional pinching of a person who wears orange on St. Patrick's Day is a mild form of the violence that has so often occurred in the past as both factions have had St. Patrick's Day marches/parades. In Ireland, you only wear green if you are Catholic. Protestants all wear orange. The US does not observe this tradition. The day is celebrated with parades, green beer and lots of shamrock decorations. On St. Paddy's day, everyone is Irish.

History: Just before the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland if you wore a shamrock in your hat, it signified your support for the Rebellion. Hence the saying "the wearing of the green." Green was also the colour of "Society of United Irishmen," a republican revoluntionary organisation. This organisation launched the 1798 Rebellion and may I add that the forefathers/founders of this Organisation, despite public misconception were a mixture of Presbyterians, Church of Ireland and Catholics.

Another answer: The wearing of Green stems from the ancient Celtic practice of wearing green during the Vernal Equinox to celebrate the rebirth of the Earth. When Christianity invaded Ireland, many of the Irish traditions were adopted into practice, to make conversion easier. Saint Patrick included using bonfires and adopted the symbol of the sun onto the cross, creating what is now known as the Celtic Cross. Since the local Pagan population was hesitant to give up wearing green, that too was adopted. It should be noted that St. Patrick's original color was blue.
In honor of St. Patrick and his symbol is a clover and clovers are green and if you don't you get pinched unless your birthday is that day. Also because St. Patrick's day kiss the day of luck and green is a lucky color.

The reason the color green is associated with St. Patrick's Day is the origin of the holiday is Ireland. Ireland is a very green place henceforth the green.

Green is the color of Ireland (often called "The Emerald Isle"), the color of shamrocks, the official "Irish" color, as it were.

Answer 2

St Patrick was Welsh, he brought Christianity to ireland, to explain to the people how the father, son and holy ghost were the one he help up a shamrock to show how three parts = one piece. Hence Irish people wear Green as Shamrocks are green

Answer 3

I myself do not wear green nor orange on Saint Patrick's Day because either colour worn on that day would show an allegiance to one side or the other of this stupid rivalry between the Catholics (green) and the Protestants (orange). These two camps have been murdering each other (and innocent bystanders) for hundreds of years. It is totally sick. If you think I am wrong, try wearing the wrong colour at one side or another's parade or football game in Britain.

Wearing green or orange on that day would be like being in Africa and wearing something that identified oneself with either the Hutu or Tutsi tribes in Africa which have been hacking each other to death on and off for decades.

You could wear their colours, but when you know what has been associated with the whole thing, why would you want to? So don't let anybody tell you you have to wear a certain colour.

Answer 4

Green is for Saint Patrick's Day because Saint Patrick used the shamrock to tell people about the God he worshiped, and shamrocks are green.

Answer 5

There are two reasons why people wear green on Saint Patrick's day. One is because green in one of the colors in the Irish flag, the other reason is Ireland is known as the emerald isle.

Answer 6

we have to wear green because its said if you dont you will get pinched and he died in a green suit so it shows respect

Answer 7

St. Patrick taught the people of Ireland about the Trinity with a clover which is green.

Answer 8

Legend tells us that St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Blessed Trinity to the pagans he was converting.

Answer 9

Green is the color associated with St. Patrick's Day. That is because the shamrocks are green and green is Ireland's color.