Why aren't you supposed to wear orange at St Patrick's Day?

Question

I was told that Irish people aren't supposed to wear orange at St Patrick's Day.

Answer 1

Orange symbolizes the Protestants who support the Queen of England and want Northern Ireland to stay a part of the U.K.

People of the Orange Order are anti-Catholics or anti-Republicans (Irish nationalists)...

Irish Catholics will never wear orange on St. Patricks Day.

You'll notice that the Irish flag has 3 colors: green, white, and orange... It's supposed to represent green for the Irish Catholics, Orange for the Protestants, and white as the peace between them... Hasn't quite happened yet, though it's getting better lately...


See the links below for a little more information (historical and contemporary):

Answer 2

I am an American from Athens, Georgia. I have no Irish Roman Catholic blood. I'm English, Scottish (including Scotch-Irish, or Ulster Scot, which used to mean Protestant), Welsh, a little German and a little more French. But can't I -- as a show not so much of solidarity with the Irish but more as an American celebrating with my fellow Americans -- wear green on St. Patrick's Day? After all, we take advantage of "a day on" when MLK Day comes around. We go to New Orleans at Mardi Gras and get drunk with the Creoles and the Cajuns (and the Irish and Germans and plenty of other garden-variety Americans who don't know WHAT their background might be). My people were Confederates, so I try to honor the "good part" of the Old South. (It was not ALL simply terrible, you know.) I enjoy Cinco de Mayo. I am in the United States, a place designed for everybody! I think my "most recent" European ancestor must have come to the new world around the 1730s. But if I cannot show a little respect, even reverence, for the Roman St. Patrick who settled in Ireland, I think I would be something of a half-hearted American. Let's honor the good from all our pasts -- and let the bad slide away.

Answer 3

Protestant's do not support the Queen of England. There hasn't been a Queen of England for over 200 years. They support Northern Ireland remaining part of the UK.

The Orange Order are Protestant, they are not anti-Catholic or anti-Republican - although few would support republicanism and none are Catholics.

The green on the Irish Free State flag represents nationalism, not Catholicism.

Finally, traditionally Catholics were green but Protestants wore orange on St Patrick's Day.

Answer 4

The Irish Catholics wear green, and orange has come to symbolize Protestants and the English in Northern Ireland.

Answer 5

the loyalists(loyal to england but are irish-usually protestants) wear orange as a form of protest,the orange order is the biggest sectarian group and hate catholics and irish,every year they try march down catholic areas but are stopped by irish republicans or irish nationalists(who don't believe in using violence). because of their petty naturethey try hinder st patricks day parades and wear orange. the irish flag is

green-for the irish who want the country unified
white-for peace between the green and orange
orange-loyalists,mostly protestant who remain loyal to england and want the country divided.

wearing some orange is not a problem but in form of protest is not appropiate for the day or any other day in ireland.

Answer 6

The pinching ingredient is an American custom. you may get pinched in case you dont positioned on some thing eco-friendly on St Patricks day. some people think of while you're protestant which you may positioned on orange on immediately. Is that it? Neither of those take place in eire i'm Irish.

Answer 7

Protestants wear orange on St Parick's Day. Irish Catholics wear green. I wear both. I just like the color combination.

Answer 8

Orange is another of the stripes on the flag, it stands for the Protestants, and also might get you into trouble as if you are trying to start a conflict politically or regliously.