Top o’ the Morning and Lá Shona Fhéile Pádraig or Happy St. Patrick’s Day educational travelers!
Today, we celebrate one of the most joyous holidays in the calendar…St. Patrick’s Day! Always a cheerful time filled with Irish song, dance, and food, St. Patrick’s Day has long been a cultural and religious celebration. Wondering why it’s always celebrated on March 17? That’s the traditional date of when Ireland’s foremost patron saint, St. Patrick, passed. He traveled around Ireland spreading the word about Christianity during the 5th century. Nowadays, the holiday has evolved into a full celebration of all things Irish across the globe! From parades to green drinks and rivers dyed green, St. Patrick’s Day always makes for a good time. After all…it’s a day when we can all be Irish! So grab some green beads, don your best green attire, and put on a friendly Irish smile because I’m sharing with you some of the best places to take part in the festivities.
First up for you thirsty educational travelers is Ireland itself. Home to rolling hills of green and shamrocks, Ireland is synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day. However, did you know that the raucous celebrations of today are not reminiscent of the original celebrations for St. Patrick? In fact, we have the United States to thank for that as the lively happenings grew in popularity in the U.S. during the 1900s but more on that later. In Ireland, March 17 was marked as a holy day in remembrance of their patron saint who famously drove out the snakes all those years ago. Since 1631, it has been a religious feast day. A solemn time when Catholics went to church in the morning and ate in the afternoon. As the years progressed, more and more of the traditions spread to Ireland where they now hold one of the biggest gatherings in Dublin. If you plan your student tour just right, you might even get to partake in the festivities. The Emerald Isle also has so much more to offer. With an incredibly welcoming and friendly atmosphere, students and educators will feel right at home. Ireland has a rich history, breathtaking natural sites, castles galore, impressive architecture, and a music scene that will have your foot tapping and a smile on your face. Anyone who visits on an educational tour will realize that there’s so much more to this magical place than just St. Patrick’s Day celebrations! Heading across the ocean, the United States has some of the largest gatherings on this lucky day.
