St. Patrick is the venerated patron saint of Ireland. He was attributed miracles, including but not limited to, turning walking sticks into living trees and banishing all the snakes from Ireland—all of which begs the question as to why an old clergyman scaring off snakes inspired such a widespread and timeless display of green beer, shamrocks, and drunken revelry.
Origins
Credit: tagphoto / iStock
Mike Cronin of Time Magazine muses about his quiet days in Ireland and the beginnings of the beloved paddy holiday, noting that:
“The modest observance of St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland dates back to the 17th century, as a religious feast day that commemorates the death of St. Patrick … for the public at large, it was a quiet day with no parades or public events.”
