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St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, died on 17 March 461 AD and the day has been celebrated ever since. St. Patrick spent thirty years building and setting up ministries and places of worship all around Ireland.

Since the earliest centuries of Christianity, it has been a custom to celebrate the anniversary of saints' deaths. This allows believers to honor the saint's accomplishments and celebrate their entry into heaven. A "feast day" is designated for every saint, even when the exact date of death of a saint is not known.

St. Patrick was a fifth-century English (or perhaps Scottish) missionary to Ireland. Scholars agree he is a historical figure and that he converted many of the pagans on the island to Christianity, but dismiss most of the legend that has developed about him over the centuries.

The feast day of St. Patrick has been observed in Ireland on March 17 for hundreds of years. The date falls during the fasting season of Lent, but on St. Patrick's Day the prohibitions against eating meat were lifted, and the Irish would celebrate their patron saint with dancing, drinking, and feasting on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

One of the most widespread of today's St. Patrick's Day celebrations, the St. Patrick's Day parade, began not in Ireland but in America. It consisted of Irish soldiers serving in the English army and took place in New York City on March 17, 1762. The parade helped the soldiers connect with their Irish roots and their fellow Irishmen. In 1848, several Irish Aid societies in New York decided to combine their parades into a single St. Patrick's Day Parade. This parade is the oldest and the largest civilian parade.

Today, Irish expatriates, those of Irish descent, and ever-growing crowds of people with no Irish connections whatsoever celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

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Not surprisingly, the origin of St. Patrick's day has a lot to do with a man named Saint Patrick. He was supposedly born in the late fourth century with the given named Maewen. Until he was sixteen years old, he considered himself a pagan. He was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. While he was a captive, he became closer to God. He escaped after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in a monastery for twelve years. There he came to believe that his calling was to convert pagans to Christianity. He wanted to return to Ireland, but his superiors appointed St. Palladius instead. Two years later, however, he transferred to Scotland. Patrick was then appointed as the second bishop to Ireland. Because he was successful at winning converts, the Celtic Druids arrested him several times, but he escaped anyway. He established monasteries across the country, and set up schools and churches. He described himself as a "humble-minded man, pouring forth a continuous paean of thanks to his Maker for having chosen him as the instrument whereby multitudes who had worshiped idols and unclean things had become the people of God."

There are more legends than facts about him, one of which tells about how he drove the snakes from Ireland. It is true that there are no snakes there, but there probably never were any. In pagan religions, serpent symbols were common and worshiped, so it was most likely symbolic of putting the end to pagan practice. He stayed there for about thirty years. He was the patron saint and the national apostle of Ireland. No one knows for sure how he died. One says that he died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland on March 17, 460 A.D. Another account says he died at Glastonbury, England, and was buried there. The chapel of St. Patrick still exists as part of Glastonbury Abbey. The first St. Patrick's day took place not in Ireland, but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Over the next thirty-five years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished. When they got together to have their parades and parties, newspapers made fun of them, but they soon realized that their numbers gave them power. Political hopefuls began to pay attention to them because of the large numbers of votes they could receive, and they went to St. Patrick's Day parades.

In 1948, President Truman attended New York City's parade. Saint Patrick's Day has become associated with everything Irish, green, gold, shamrocks, and luck. For people who celebrate it for spiritual reasons, it is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries. It is celebrated on March 17th because that is the day that St. Patrick died. The holiday is observed all around the world, but especially, of course, in Ireland. Almost all businesses other than restaurants and pubs close, and many Irish attend mass. In American cities with a large Irish population, they celebrate with parades, wearing green, music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids like crafts, coloring, and games. Some communities even dye rivers or streams green. In some places, if you forget to wear green, other people are allowed to pinch you as a friendly reminder. If someone pinches someone who is wearing green, however, they get to pinch the other person ten times.

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The odds of finding a four-leaf clover are 1/10,000 or 0.01%. So if you're feeling lucky, remember the odds. Never tell me the odds. -Hon Solo

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For the Celtic Druids, three was a religiously mystical number. They regarded the shamrock as a sacred plant because its leaves formed a triad.

An enduring story of St. Patrick holds that the shamrock was used by him, to help illustrate the Holy Trinity. Through its use he was able to increase people's understanding of God and church, and how they were connected. St. Patrick is said to have used the shamrock to symbolize how The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit can be separate but also part of the same entity. However, though the story is persistent, it remains a myth for lack of corroborating evidence or support.

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• It is an ironic phrase. The Irish have been, and are a spectacularly unlucky race. The "luck of the Irish" is BAD luck, as any reading of Irish history will document. When I did my Master's thesis on Irish references in the American language, I found the original and proper use of this irony goes clear back to the Old Country and migrated to America early on. Nowadays many speakers and writers -- even the supposedly erudite ones -- misuse the phrase to imply GOOD luck. Let these misinformed (and misinforming) folks eat only potatoes for a few decades -- if any potatoes can grow in their fields.
• Some trace the origin of the phrase to the US where, during the exploration for gold in the West, there were a high number of Irish people who got lucky, and found their "pot o' gold" in the gold fields of California, or were equally prosperous in silver mining. Luck of the Irish does owe its origin to the U.S.A.. When they arrived, they were very disliked, treated badly, despised and hated. When the Irish had any kind of success most Americans at the time didn't think the Irish were capable such successes, so they called it luck. Hence the term "Luck of the Irish".
• As far as I know, the term comes from the legend of the 'Little People' of the land, or the leprechauns. Finding or catching a leprechaun (who would then give you gold) was a lucky event that could only take place in Ireland.

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"The Wearing of The Green" was written by a Dubliner, Dion Boucicault (1820-1890). After America's revolution, the Irish thought it was time for their own independence. The color greem became a symbol of sympathy for Irish independence and the British actually began executing persons found wearing anything green. See the lyrics to the son on that web site, too. I haven't been able to verify this statement as fact and I can't find a more exact time-line for the writing of the song.

The song Wearing of the Green was made because Irish people would burn the color red because they hated England so British soldiers would shoot peolple wearing the color green.

"The wearing of the green" refers to the Irish green plaid on kilts and other items of clothing. The English considered this a sign of active nationalism or separatism and, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, methods of stopping that were simple. The attitude was, "If you are wearing the green, you are siding with the troublemakers, disturbing the equilibrium of our landowners and governors, ie., you are a terrorist and shall be dealt with".

"The Wearing of the Green" is a song that follows the tune of an O'carolan air, the origins of which are unknown. The lyrics were written to relate the British practice of hanging any Irishman/woman who wore green in a patriotic manner during a certiain Irish rebellion(as to which, I don't know). Many more sets of lyrics were written later on, including "Rising of The Moon", which relates the Rebellion of 1798. The tune was even present in Civil-War America, as "The Army of the Free".

The English would execute any irishman or irishwoman who was caught wearing green, or displaying green as a banner or flag, because the color green was used as a symbol of Irish patriotism, and supporters of the rebellion used it. The time of this was probably in the late 1770's through the mid 1790's. In 1798 the Irish finally rebelled against the English because of the tyranny and opression they faced every day by the hands of the English. .

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• St. Patrick's day was first celebrated in the United States in Boston in 1762. It's not surprising that it reached our shores as there are more Americans of Irish origin than there are Irish in Ireland.
• The man himself, St. Patrick, was born in Wales in 385 AD. His given name was Maewyn. He had an eventful life and was good at converting pagans to Christianity. He was thrown into prison several times and escaped each time from the Celtic druids to continue establishing churches and monasteries all over Ireland, a mission that took him over 30 years.
• St. Patrick died on March 17th, 461 AD and that day has been celebrated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.
• When we think of this holiday, we think of green and yet the color of St. Patrick is actually blue. Actually, he wasn't Irish at all. Green came into the picture and started to be associated with this celebration in the 19th century. The color green in Irish legends was the color worn by fairies and immortals and the color worn by people to encourage crops to grow. Even today, when we think of green, we think of St. Patrick.
• Explosive hippo diarrhoea.
• The original St.Patrick celebrations began as a religious festival. Much of what is known about St.Patrick was written in his own hand and titled' The Confession of St.Patrick 1. I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many, had for father the deacon Calpurnius, son of the late Potitus, a priest, of the settlement [vicus] of Bannavem Taburniae; he had a small villa nearby where I was taken captive. I was at that time about sixteen years of age. St. Patrick was born between 370 and 390 C. E. in the Roman Empire in Britain. His given name Magonus Sucatus and was changed to Patricius either after his baptism or after he became a priest. Colonial New York City hosted the first official St. Patrick's Day parade in 1762, when Irish immigrants in the British colonial army marched down city streets.

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No it's not. The four leaf clover is symbolic of Luck. As it's an uncommon variation of the normal three leaf clover, finding one is considered lucky.

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Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig

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It is celebrated all over the world but it started in Ireland
St Patrick's day is celebrated all over the world but the best craic is always in Ireland.

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• The leprechaun is an old Irish legend. He is like a spirit.
• I don't think there is a direct connection. Leprechauns are based upon Irish luck fairies and the Celtic version of dwarves, which were small slimy gold hunting tricksters. St. Patrick was the person who supposedly drove out the pagan beliefs and imagery of ancient Ireland. It is likely to simply be Disney-ecse cuteness to have some nice creatures to prance around in the parades etc.
• There is no connection, except that they are both Irish.
• Leprechauns and St. Patrick's Day are connected because a leprechaun is an Irish symbol of good luck. Also Saint Patrick had good luck on his escape from the people who captured him.
• Leprechauns have been in Ireland for millions of years.They are not synominus with any other country. St Patrick was born in Wales but came as a boy slave to Ireland around 400A.D. He escaped and came back to Ireland as a man and Christian Bishop.He converted the pagans living in Ireland to Christianity and thus became Pastron Saint of Ireland.He is buried in Downpatrick in Co. Down

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• Actually there's no connection between green and St. Patrick. It's just that Irish connecting green color to fairies, angels, and saints, and any other Holy things.
• Ireland is known as "The Emerald Isle," and emerald = green, so green is the color of Ireland and thus of St. Patrick's Day.
• Now, if we were talking the Anglican Church, rather than the Irish Catholic, orange would be the color of choice. But since St. Patrick is Catholic (... not really, but you know what I mean...) green it is.
• A major misconception is the association of St. Patrick with the color green. The confusion arises from the phrase "the wearing of the green," which means to wear a shamrock. St. Patrick used the three-leaved plant to explain the Trinity of the Christian religion. Actually blue is the color associated with St. Patrick. "St. Patrick's blue" can be seen on ancient Irish flags.
• Green is associated with Saint Patrick's Day because it is the color of spring, Ireland, and the shamrock. Leprechauns are also associated with this holiday, although I'm not sure why. Leprechauns of legend are actually mean little creatures, with the exception of the Lucky Charms guy. They were probably added later on because capitalists needed something cute to put on greeting cards.

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yes. a polygon is a three or more sided figure with connected but not intersecting sides

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you scream, "hey i found a four-leaf clover!" Fold it in the phone book and wait for it to dry, then put it in your wallet. This way you will always feel lucky

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It sounds like an American creation rather than Irish.

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The Celts called their idea of heaven "Green Erin" a nickname eventually given to Ireland. Green is the symbolic color of St. Patrick's Day because of his ministry as the 2nd Bishop to Ireland, also known as the "Emerald Isle" due to the lush ground cover of clover over the entire country, and because of Patrick's creation of the Order of the Green martyrs-those who were missionaries to Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Briton. St. Patrick was also known for being the first to use the Irish 3 leaf clover, also called the Shamrock, or Tri-foil, as an illustration of the doctrine of the Trinity. More information: The Irish don't wear green as such. The colour is used on flags, banners, team colours etc. traditional colour - first Irish flag, represents St. Patrick etc. It seems to be more of a stereo type. In films etc

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• They guard the gold at the end of the rainbow.
• The name leprechaun may have derived from the Irish leath bhrogan (shoemaker), although its origins may lie in luacharma'n (Irish for pygmy). These apparently aged, diminutive men are frequently to be found in an intoxicated state, caused by home-brew poteen. However they never become so drunk that the hand which holds the hammer becomes unsteady and their shoemaker's work affected. Leprechauns have also become self-appointed guardians of ancient treasure (left by the Danes when they marauded through Ireland), burying it in crocks or pots. This may be one reason why leprechauns tend to avoid contact with humans whom they regard as foolish, flighty (and greedy?) creatures. If caught by a mortal, he will promise great wealth if allowed to go free. He carries two leather pouches. In one there is a silver shilling, a magical coin that returns to the purse each time it is paid out. In the other he carries a gold coin which he uses to try and bribe his way out of difficult situations. This coin usually turns to leaves or ashes once the leprechaun has parted with it.However, you must never take your eye off him, for he can vanish in an instant.
• They also do a lot of cereal advertising.