Why does the U.S. celerbrate St. Patrick's Day?

Question

Why does the U.S. celerbrate St. Patrick's Day? And when did it become a holiday in the U.S.? What's the point of St. Patrick's Day? Besides green beer, wearing green, green clovers, ect.

Answer 1

It's another excuse to get drunk

Answer 2

Real Irish and Irish Americans don't drink green beer. That's a non-Irish American custom... (had to get that out of the way first because to me it's a sacrelige to but green coloring in perfectly good beer). Irish drink Guinness and Harp.

St. Patrick was a Breton (modern Britain, probably near Wales), who was taken captive by marauders and sold into slavery and sent to Ireland. He was there for 14 years and finally escaped.

Years later, Patrick converted to Christianity and became a missionary, and went back to Ireland to convert the Irish because he had grown fond of them during his captivity.

He went around Ireland converting people, even kings (the story of the shamrock symbolizing the Holy Trinity is a popular story about him converting one of the Irish kings). It's interesting to point out that Ireland was the only contry that converted to Roman Catholicsm without the use of the sword.

During this time, there were many missionaries converting people in Ireland, but St. Patrick became the one that everyone knows because he's was able to write (a rare skill during those times), and wrote extensively about his life in journals.

Within about 50-100 years, almost all of Ireland converted from the Celtic religion to Christianity, though Christianity in Ireland still retained some pagan customs (even to this day.. Halloween for example, is the Celtic holiday Samhain).

Since Catholicism played such a huge influence on Irish Culture (even for nonCatholics), that's why it became a national holiday (and St. Patrick Ireland's patron saint). When the English trade policies created the Irish Holocaust (Famine) in the 1840s-50s, Irish left to live all over the world, and brought their holiday with them although it switched from being just a religious holiday where people go to church, to more of a nationalistic celebration where everything Irish is celebrated.

That's what St. Paddy represents.

Source(s):

History buff who's 100% Irish and proud of it (never known an Irishman who wasn't... :P)

Answer 3

St. Patrick made a difference with organizing religion back in the day over in Ireland. In Ireland it's about religion, here in the US it's been changed and takes on a lot of other/additional meanings. I believe St. Patrick's Day falls upon the date of his death.

Long time ago, disease infested the potato crops and a lot of people died. So they started coming over to the US and were treated like sh*t = slaves (were treated like this in Ireland too when taken over). Although oppressed, pride remained and the Irish began to celebrate St. Patty's Day (for the original meaning and I think a little F*** Y** too, you're not keeping us down). After years of oppression, the Irish realized that in numbers they could be powerful so they started using their weight in numbers in the political arena and started to gain respect. So now, here in the USA, it's more about the pride in being Irish, respect was gained, power made it a day, and all are welcomed!

Answer 4

Because there is a strong representation of the Irish nationality here. Its a celebration of St. Patrick ridding the island of Ireland of snakes. Green is from the greenery of the island. Its known as the Emerald Isle.

Answer 5

The day marks when St.Patrick came over to Ireland to try and convert the Gaelic Kings to what was then a new religion: Christianity. People nowadays just live with a bit of Irish culture on the day, and forget the entire meaning. But, even though I live in Canada, I know we celebrate it because Christianity is one of the main religions around here and I would like to think we would celebrate it to mark the first day it started to spread, not only because you get to wear green and drink some Guiness....

Answer 6

The Irish brought St. Patricks Day with them to the USA. He was most known for driving the snakes out of Ireland. Also it is a day to pray for missionaries worldwide. There is some Irish in a lot of the US population.

Answer 7

the us has alot of irish people and also alot of people with irish heritage. this stems from the famine when a good amount of our population were forced to leave ireland for survival. the first st patricks day was actually celebrated in america,i think in boston but i'm sure someone will mention the place and date. the real reason to celebrate is because st patrick is the patron st of ireland,because of this catholics will celebrate this as we celebrate other saints on appointed days. st patrick is attributed with bringing christianity to ireland,although already christian prior to his coming he was a strong influence and roll model for christians in ireland. the shamrock he used was to represent the holy trinity,which is how shamrocks became largely associated with st patricks day and ireland. ireland never had snakes due to our climate but the snakes represent evil- st patrick bringing christianity drove out the evil("snakes") out of ireland. ireland is know as the emerald isle,which explains the green,if you have seen a picture of irelands rural areas you will see just how green it is,as in the song "40 shades of green". hope this helps and have a great st paddys day.

Answer 8

Introduction

The First Parade
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for thousands of years.

On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

The first St. Patrick's Day parade 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. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers to reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.

Over the next thirty-five years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished, prompting the rise of so-called "Irish Aid" societies, like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and the Hibernian Society. Each group would hold annual parades featuring bagpipes (which actually first became popular in the Scottish and British armies) and drums.

No Irish Need Apply
Up until the mid-nineteenth century, most Irish immigrants in America were members of the Protestant middle class. When the Great Potato Famine hit Ireland in 1845, close to a million poor, uneducated, Catholic Irish began to pour into America to escape starvation. Despised for their religious beliefs and funny accents by the American Protestant majority, the immigrants had trouble finding even menial jobs. When Irish Americans in the country's cities took to the streets on St. Patrick's Day to celebrate their heritage, newspapers portrayed them in cartoons as drunk, violent monkeys.

However, the Irish soon began to realize that their great numbers endowed them with a political power that had yet to be exploited. They started to organize, and their voting block, known as the "green machine," became an important swing vote for political hopefuls. Suddenly, annual St. Patrick's Day parades became a show of strength for Irish Americans, as well as a must-attend event for a slew of political candidates. In 1948, President Truman attended New York City 's St. Patrick's Day parade, a proud moment for the many Irish whose ancestors had to fight stereotypes and racial prejudice to find acceptance in America.

Answer 9

well if feb is black history month then march is green history month.my ancesters came here to the US in 1824.I am 5th generation Irish and damn proud of it. st paddys day is day to wear some green eat some cornbeef and cabbage drink some beer and generally reflect on our irish ancestry. now what do the folks in ireland think? Its hard to say. never been there and I hear it cold. so st paddys day is nice day here anyway.right now its 74 degrees and sprinkling rain. just right fo my freshly planted spring garden ERIN GO BRAUGH everybody!

Answer 10

In the 1830's there was a massive potato famine in Ireland.
By 1840 they started to immigrate to American because of lack of food in their home country.

They brought the Holiday and it is just a Fun Holiday, so we have kept it. For all of us it has no serious basis. Green beer, corned beef and cabbage, the wearing of the green
That's it.

Answer 11

We celebrate it because my husbands family originated in Ireland. We have visited Ireland and are counting the days until we get to go back. We also love any holiday that we get to drink. Cheers!!