Kid-Friendly Answers to All Your Questions About the History of St. Patrick's Day (2024)

Every year on March 17, we celebrate St. Patrick's Day. While many people mark the occasion with leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, and green foods or drinks, they may not know about the origin story behind the Irish holiday.

As events and parades are planned in your community and beyond, it's worth sharing the rich history of St. Patrick's Day with children. Learn all about the stories and history behind the symbols that speckle St. Paddy's Day festivities.

Who Was St. Patrick?

March 17 marks the anniversary of the death of St. Patrick, which was believed to occur in the year 461 CE. The primary patron saint of Ireland was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland who was also known as the "Apostle of Ireland."

St. Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Born in Roman Britain, St. Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved in Ireland as a teenager, working as a shepherd for six years. After escaping and returning to his family, he vowed to return, and when he did, he devoted his life to establishing the Catholic church in Ireland.

When Did People Start Celebrating St. Patrick's Day?

The Irish have celebrated the holiday for over 1,000 years. Families would observe the holiday, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, by attending church in the morning followed by dancing, drinking, and feasting on the traditional Irish meal of bacon and cabbage in the afternoon. Yes, Lenten prohibitions on meat consumption were traditionally waived on St. Patrick's Day!

Why Are There Parades on St. Patrick's Day?

The tradition of the St. Patrick's Day parade began in the United States. The first recorded St. Patrick’s Day parade was held by Irish refugees in Boston in 1737. Then, on March 17, 1762, Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City.

Irish patriotism in America fueled even more parades. "Irish Aid" societies, like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and Hibernian Society, popped up and hosted annual parades that featured music made with bagpipes and drums.

In 1848, several societies banded together to put on an official New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade, which is considered the world's oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States. Today, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and even Savannah, Georgia, also host largely attended parades each March.

What Are the Symbols of St. Patrick's Day?

Certain symbols are synonymous with St. Patrick's Day. But when did the holiday come to be associated with shamrocks, the color green, and leprechauns?

Shamrocks

St. Patrick was said to use a three-leaf clover (also known as a shamrock) to explain the Holy Trinity or the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three-leaf clover is a well-loved symbol of St. Patrick's Day and Ireland.

Some clovers have four leaves, which many associate with St. Patrick's Day (and good fortune!) as well. The leaves of four-leaf clovers are said to stand for faith, hope, love, and luck.

The color green

Green didn't become the official color of the holiday until the 18th century. Up until then, blue was the color associated with St. Patrick. But when the shamrock became the national symbol, bringing to mind the landscape of the Irish isle, the hue became permanently associated with the holiday.

In fact, each St. Patrick's Day, the city of Chicago dyes the Chicago River green. The tradition began in 1961. City pollution-control workers had been using dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and thought it might be a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Today they release 40 pounds of green dye into the river to turn it green for a few hours.

Leprechauns

Leprechauns are uniquely Irish fairies that originated from Ireland's folklore. In Celtic mythology dating back to the eighth century, elves or fairies known as lúchoirporluchorpái performed mischievous acts. Early Irish literature is full of similar diminutive creatures who were fond of practical jokes and often caused trouble.

As leprechauns became associated with St. Patrick's Day, they developed a more benign reputation. Often depicted guarding a pot of gold, these sprightly fairies are now more commonly associated with good fortune and holiday festivities.