by Amy McGarry
With a last name like McGarry, it makes sense that I have always embraced all things Irish. As a child, though I didn’t know why, I wished my name was Bridgit. That was long before I learned that was my father’s grandmother’s name. Of course U2 was my favorite 80s band. In fact, I was so interested in my Irish heritage, for a time I majored in Irish Studies with plans to transfer to Trinity College in Dublin. I learned all about ancient Ireland’s Celtic roots and the mystical Druids. I learned about the potato famine and struggles under British rule. I even attempted to learn Gaelic, the ancient language of Ireland. All I remember from that is slante (pronounced “slawn-che”) means “health” in Irish; it’s the standard way to toast when clinking glasses in an Irish pub, similar to “Cheers!” in English.
My path took a different turn, and I never fulfilled my dream to study in Ireland. I never even traveled there for a visit.
While I was living in Thailand serving in the Peace Corps, my family got the great idea to take a family trip to Ireland. It was my dream trip and I didn’t get to go. I’m not bitter. Ok. Maybe a little. I have had the great fortune to travel to over 20 different countries, and yet I still have not been to Ireland. I came close one time. I went to visit a friend who lived in the north of England. I asked my friend if we could make a quick trip over to Ireland, since we were so close. For some reason, he pooh-poohed that idea. But as he lived within driving distance to Edinburgh, Scotland, and was a native Scotsman, we drove there on one of our castle-hopping day trips.
Of course, my Irish studies included the island’s transition to Christianity with the help of St. Patrick. That’s when I realized that St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by millions, and many don’t even know they’re celebrating. I certainly didn’t. The beauty of St. Patrick’s Day is that it has become a global celebration of Irish culture regardless of its origins. While these days we associate parades, pub crawls, and green beer with St. Patrick’s Day, the holiday began as a religious observance, commemorating St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
The Life of St. Patrick
To understand the history of St. Patrick’s Day, we must first learn about the man himself: St. Patrick, whose life and legacy have greatly shaped the holiday. St. Patrick was born in the late 4th century in Britain, in what is now known as Scotland. His birth name was likely Maewyn Succat, but he is better known by the name Patrick, which he adopted later in life when he became a bishop.
At the age of sixteen, Patrick was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland as a slave. During his six years in captivity, Patrick worked as a shepherd, which helped deepen his faith. After escaping from slavery and returning to Britain, Patrick became a Christian missionary and later decided to return to Ireland to spread Christianity to the Irish people.
St. Patrick’s mission in Ireland was a turning point in the country’s history. He is credited with converting many Irish people to Christianity, establishing churches, and playing a significant role in the Christianization of Ireland. He is also associated with using the three-leafed shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) to the Irish people, which has since become one of the key symbols of St. Patrick’s Day.
St. Patrick is believed to have died on March 17, 461 AD. Over the centuries, his death date became a day of celebration and reflection on his life’s work. While much of the specifics of his life remain shrouded in mystery, he is remembered as one of the most important figures in Irish history.
The Origins of St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day was initially a religious holiday, honoring St. Patrick’s missionary work and his impact on Ireland. For centuries, it was primarily celebrated by Irish Catholics and those of Irish descent. The first St. Patrick’s Day celebration took place in Ireland in the early 9th or 10th century, but the observance did not spread beyond Ireland until much later.
The day was marked by attending mass, feasting, and celebrating the cultural significance of Ireland’s patron saint. The color green, which is closely associated with Ireland due to its nickname “The Emerald Isle,” became linked to the day, partly because of the Irish flag and the shamrock that St. Patrick is said to have used. Irish people would often wear green clothing and accessories to mark the occasion.
In the early 17th century, St. Patrick’s Day was officially recognized by the Catholic Church as a feast day, and it became a public holiday in Ireland. It wasn’t until the Irish diaspora began spreading around the world, particularly to places like the United States, that the holiday started to take on its more festive, secular nature.
The Irish Diaspora and the Global Spread
The transformation of St. Patrick’s Day from a religious observance into the global celebration we know today is closely tied to the Irish diaspora. Starting in the 18th and 19th centuries, many Irish people left Ireland in search of better opportunities, particularly in the wake of the Great Irish Famine (1845-1852), which led to mass emigration. Large numbers of Irish immigrants settled in places like the United States, Canada, and Australia, taking their traditions, including St. Patrick’s Day, with them.
In 1762, the first recorded St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in New York City. This parade was organized by Irish soldiers serving in the British Army, and it was a way for Irish immigrants to come together and celebrate their heritage. The parade became an annual event, growing larger each year as more Irish people settled in the United States.
In the early 19th century, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the U.S. became a way for Irish immigrants to assert their cultural identity and solidarity in the face of discrimination. As Irish communities began to thrive, their celebrations grew in scope, with parades, music, dancing, and the wearing of green. These celebrations, often including alcohol and revelry, became less focused on the religious aspects of St. Patrick’s Day and more focused on Irish pride.
The Commercialization and Globalization of St. Patrick’s Day
By the 20th century, St. Patrick’s Day had grown beyond the Irish-American community to become a broader celebration of Irish culture. The holiday became recognized not only by people of Irish descent, but also by people around the world who were drawn to the lively festivities associated with it. Parades, pub gatherings, and the wearing of green became global customs, even in countries with little to no historical connection to Ireland.
As the holiday gained popularity, the commercialization of St. Patrick’s Day grew as well. Companies began using the occasion to promote products, and marketing campaigns began to associate the day with food, drinks, and entertainment. Cities around the world started to hold large-scale parades, and iconic landmarks, such as the Sydney Opera House, the Colosseum in Rome, and the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, have been illuminated in green to mark the occasion.
One of the most notable aspects of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations today is the widespread consumption of alcohol, particularly Irish beer and whiskey. The tradition of “pub crawling” and drinking in celebration is widespread, with many people attending social gatherings and events where they can enjoy Irish drinks and foods.
Modern Celebrations
Today, St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of Irish culture and heritage, and it is observed in many countries, from the United States to Japan, Australia, and beyond. Parades, festivals, concerts, and dances are held, with people of all backgrounds joining in the festivities. In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day remains a public holiday, and it is a day of national pride and celebration, though it is also a religious occasion for many.
In the United States, the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the largest and most famous in the world, attracting millions of spectators. Other major cities with notable parades include Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco. These celebrations typically feature bagpipes, marching bands, Irish dancers, and floats decorated with shamrocks and other Irish symbols.
The commercialization of St. Patrick’s Day has led to a somewhat secularized version of the holiday, where people focus on the fun of wearing green, attending parades, and enjoying Irish-inspired food and drinks. However, for many, the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day remains connected to the legacy of St. Patrick and the Irish people.
The Irish people. My people. Since no one on my father’s side had passed down any information of this ancestry, nobody knew when our Irish relatives arrived on Ellis Island. With the scientific advances in DNA testing and the internet’s access to ancestry records, I excitedly ordered a kit to test my DNA. In addition to my father’s Irish blood, there was also the issue of my mother’s side of the family, which also had no records of ancestry.
I excitedly awaited the results in hopes of finding out exactly where in Ireland my people came from and perhaps even hints about long lost relatives. I assumed I had to be one quarter Irish at the very, very least, and was hoping for more. Imagine my surprise when the results arrived and I learned that most of my blood wasn’t Irish at all. I was over 30% Scottish and only 23% Irish. What?
After getting over the shock, I decided 23% was still a good portion of Irish blood. And why not embrace my Scottish ancestry? St. Patrick himself was from Scotland. And I always did really like Rod Stewart. Heck, I have even visited my ancestral homeland without even knowing it at the time!
More importantly, St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration for everyone, a day we can all be Irish. Like that day I took my friend to a St. Patrick’s Day parade and asked her, “Are you Irish, too?” She smiled broadly and said, “Today I am!”
Local Celebration
In Spokane, the 45th Annual St. Patrick’s Day parade is scheduled for Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 12 p.m.
Slante!
Amy McGarry grew up in Spokane Valley, Washington. After a 20 year hiatus, she moved back to Spokane Valley where she lives with her husband, daughter and two cats. She is the author of I am Farang: Adventures of a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand available on Amazon.com, Auntie’s Bookstore, and Barnes and Noble.