Why does the world celebrate St Patrick's Day, but not St George's Day?

Question

After all more americans etc came from England than Ireland?

Heck in England St Patrick's Day is bigger than St George's!

Or is it just an excuse for a big party.

Answer 1

It's just so festive. Even non-drinkers can get behind wearing green and being Irish for a day. We all loved it as little children, and it is a holiday that reminds us of our youth. We can't pinch our co-workers, but we can wear our green blazers and shamrock socks one day a year!

Answer 2

I would love to be able to celebrate St Georges day and become a proud country again. Just the way the Irish do! But unfortunately we are not allowed to because we have enough bank holidays and and other celebrations in the year - and we wouldn't want to offend anyone - would we? Even though St George is the Saint of England that doesn't seem to matter any more.

Answer 3

The other quotes do sound right and I think the Irish just seem a bit more interested in remembering the day (possibly because of the Guiness). It depends on each individual person, St Davids day is celebrated in Wales on the 1st March but again not as much as St Patricks day.

The other thing I was suprised to hear was that St George wasn't English and may have never even set foot on English soil. This may also have some bearing on why people do not celebrate the day as much.

Answer 4

i don't know, prob because St Paddys day has been celebrated for years and years, its also a bank holiday, with a 4 day festival (well in Ireland anyway). When mass emigration occurred in the 19th century, the Irish stuck together and built up communities, like the Italians, Greeks etc, whereas the British did not for some reason. So its natural in a foreign land that large ethnic communities would keep their traditions alive more so than others. And they wouldn't let St Pats go without a good drinking session. Its also religious, and our good Catholic education does not let us forget the fact he brought Christianity to Ireland.

Maybe given time St Georges day might be as big a celebration ,but there are other days in the year and other traditions that are typically British that are celebrated, like!!!! I don't know, royal occasions etc. I'm sure you could think of more

Answer 5

Same goes for St David for Wales,but I have read that descendants of welsh settlers celebrate St.David's day around the world.. but did you know that

St Patrick was a Welshman
St.Andrew was an Englishman
St George was a Greek

St David was the only patron saint that was a native to his own country.

Wales also has the oldest language in the world it's older than Latin,also Wales has the smallest city.

Answer 6

Saints days are a traditional Catholic celebration. Many Irish are catholics. St George's day is celebrated by some other nations such as the Turks for example.
Also many Americans often see the Irish as lovable drunks (an untrue stereotype) and take St Patrick's day as a good excuse for a booze up.

Answer 7

Because the English don't celebrate St George's day themselves.

The English celebrate the King's / Queen's birthday. When Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, the rish didn't like to celebrate the Birthday because they were against the Union and didn't want to acknowledge the King or Queen. So they invented St Patrick's day as a day for celebrating Irishness. It was more to do with being patriotic and anti-English than a genuine religious festival.

St George's day has never needed the same sort of celebration, because the English already have a day to celebrate, the Queen's Birthday.

Answer 8

I think it is more the excuse for a big party.

Some people in England want St. George's day recognized. There is a petition that may be signed.

http://www.stgeorgesday.com/

--That Cheeky Lad

Answer 9

1. St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.
2. It has been a long tradition that st Patrick's feastday had been celebrated and so I believe it is good to keep old tradition alive today.
3. St Patrick also interceeds for people who ask him for particular graces from the Lord Jesus.
4. St Patrick is loved by people around the world and so it is just but natural to celebrate his feastday. It is just like celebrating a dear friend's remembrance.

Answer 10

Sorry this is long but even this is not the full story .
St.Patric The patron saint. and national apostle of Ireland who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.
Driving the snakes from Ireland was symbolic of putting an end to that pagan practice.While not the first to bring Christianity to Ireland ,it is Patrick who is said to have encountered the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan rites.He baptized thousands of their subjects in the Holy Wells that still bear this name
St. Patrick Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries world wide .

Answer 11

Because the Irish are proud to be Irish and their governments have supported that: England - well we are not allowed to be proud, in fact for a long time even flying the St George's flag was frowned upon and accused of being racist. That is why St George's day is not a big day - because wooly liberals tried to bury it.