St. Patrick's Day commemorates St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It has evolved from a religious holiday to a worldwide celebration. Traditions include attending church, celebrating with food and drink, and wearing green. Symbols of Ireland like the shamrock and Celtic cross are prominent. The Chicago River is dyed green each year on March 17th.

1. St. Patrick’s Day History and Traditions

4. St. Patrick’s Day Symbols The Celtic Cross – a sun (from the Celts) super-imposed on a cross (from the Christians) The shamrock , or “seamroy,” symbolizes the rebirth of spring. It was later adopted as a symbol of Irish nationalism. The leprechaun , or “lobaircin” was a cranky, “small-bodied fellow” of Celtic folklore, given its “cute” features and popularized in the United States by Walt Disney.

5. St. Patrick’s Day Symbols Music has always been an important part of Irish life. Irish music is produced with instruments like the fiddle, the uilleann pipes, the tin whistle, and the bodhran. St. Patrick never drove snakes from Ireland; the story is a metaphor for driving paganism from the island. The traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage has been modified in the United States. Irish bacon has been replaced with corned beef for the annual feast.

8. Bulletin Board submitted by: Mike Hillman, Resident Assistant Elizabethtown College