Discover the Rich History Behind St. Patrick's Day Celebrations

Monday, March 17, marks the festive occasion dedicated to all things Irish, celebrating St. Patrick, the revered patron saint of Ireland.

Cities throughout the United States will embrace the spirit with vibrant parades featuring green decorations, traditional Irish cuisine, and lively themed bar crawls.

Surprisingly, St. Patrick’s Day wasn’t always synonymous with revelry. Here’s what you should know about this day honoring Irish heritage.

St. Patrick is renowned for bringing Christianity to Ireland during the 5th century.

However, the man behind this legendary Irish celebration wasn’t Irish by birth. According to the History Channel, he hailed from Roman Britain and was captured and taken to Ireland as a slave at age 16. Patrick managed to escape but later returned to Ireland.

Legend says Patrick passed away on March 17.

Observed as a feast day in Ireland from as early as the ninth or tenth centuries, the tradition of parades began in America, according to the History Channel.

The first official New York City parade took place on March 17, 1766, as noted by the Library of Congress.

Initially, St. Patrick’s Day was a solemn religious observance.

Experts in Irish culture and heritage have previously explained to USA TODAY that the day was once reverently religious, gaining its more raucous reputation from American celebrations.

Though not a federal holiday in the U.S., it is recognized as a bank holiday and a celebrated event in Ireland. Leaders often leverage this day to forge global partnerships across various sectors.

A wealth of Americans have reasons to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, as highlighted by a U.S. Census Bureau news release:

• 30.5 million Americans claimed Irish ancestry in 2023.
• Cook County, Illinois—home to Chicago—boasts the largest Irish-American population in the U.S., with a count of 434,081 in 2023.
• 117,219 U.S. residents were born in Ireland, as recorded in 2023.