🟢💚 Happy St. Patrick’s Day 🟢💚

Welcome to St. Patrick's Day, a day towards the end of Winter, when we appreciate the Irish culture. 
It is a massive celebration in Ireland and more than a few pints of Guinness are sunk that day!

Today is also known as St. Paddy's Day or Paddy's Day, and although St. Patrick may be the Patron Saint of Ireland, he wasn't Irish. He was born, in reality, in England or Wales and did not volunteer to go to Ireland.  He was kidnapped as a prisoner at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland, where 6 years later, he escaped his slavery and headed back to Britain. Years later, however, he went back to Ireland as a Missionary.

Today's celebrations are not just in Ireland but are celebrated all over the world by those of Irish descent. 

The celebrations today are centred around all things green, including green beer and green food. This is because Ireland is known as The Emerald Isle.

Here are some facts about St. Patrick's Day:

• The first St. Patrick’s Day parade in the United States was held in New York City in 1766, even before the US was an independent nation.

• Though the story goes that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland, things probably didn’t happen that way. The legend gives him credit for this, but scientists believe that the island of Ireland never actually had snakes in the first place.

• St. Patrick changed his name. At birth, he was given the name Maewyn Succat but he took on the name Patricius when he became a priest. So, alternatively, everyone could be celebrating St. Maewyn Succat’s Day!

• According to tradition, the shamrock may be associated with St. Patrick because he was believed to have used it as a teaching tool to describe the trinitarian (three-in-one) aspects of God.

How you celebrate today is a personal choice. You could hold a party and dress as a leprechaun, wear anything green, try some Irish food, or just listen to Irish music.   
If you live in an area that has a parade, go and join in the fun, cos fun it will be.

So today, let's have some Irish fun and shenanigans and post all things Irish.