Irish Holiday Celebration
The legendary St. Patrick helped to popularize the shamrock, a green, three-leaved plant. He used it to explain the Holy Trinity concept to Irish people before they were introduced to Christ. The color blue was actually associated with St. Patrick. But around 1750, wearing a shamrock on a part of clothing became a custom with the Irish people; they called it, "the wearing of the green." The green shamrock became a symbol of Irish Nationalism and devotion to Roman Catholicism.
Every March 17, St. Patrick's Day celebrations highlight Ireland's major cities. Small towns and villages also gather around parades. Northern Ireland closes their banks. Before 1903, it was only a religious holiday. As an Act of the United Kingdom of Parliament, James O'Mara introduced the Bank Holiday Act. He also introduced a law in which Irish Pubs had to close on March 17. The law was strictly enforced until the 1970s. Christians still honor St. Patrick's Day as a feast day which occurs around Lent and a holy day of Roman Catholic worship. Catholics flock to Dublin's Pro-Cathedral Church.
The St. Patrick's Day parade, in Dublin,marches through a five-day festival. Their 2006 parade attracted more than 500,000 people. Several Irish cities celebrate the holiday with a variety of themes: community groups, military group parades, defense forces groups and children participation. Waterford City concentrates on having fun and embraces secular tradition.
People drink a lot of green beer and Irish Whiskey in Ireland, and just like anywhere else, alcohol can cause a lot of trouble. The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI), was formed in 1981. They wanted to encourage social responsibility and created MEAS in 2002 ; the group started practicing initiatives in January, 2003. MEAS stands for the organization that promotes the mature enjoyment of alcohol in society.
In the mid-1990s, Irish government influenced their people to use St. Patrick's Day as an agenda to showcase their culture. The Saint Patrick's Day Festival was born. The festival is now a national celebration that encourages innovation, creative imagination, native heritage recognition and industrial marketing. People of Irish descent are encouraged to attend and share an exciting experience. Other nations are invited to attend their honorable country.
The first St. Patrick's Day Festival was held March 17, 1996, and it continues to grow today. The festival kicked off March 12 and ends right on St. Patrick's Day(www.stpatricksday.ie). Speakers vocalize their proud Irish heritage. The festival has been celebrated with floats, bands, and performers. This year, bands will perform traditional Irish music, performers visit from Melbourne, Australia, showcasing their theater, dance, and circus stunts, and the program includes detective crime solving games. Fireworks and Irish films are also part of the festival. At Merrion Square, musical acts, puppetry, workshops, and story telling can be discovered. The parade includes Irish street theatre companies, and international bands. Attendees enjoy an exhilarating carnival atmosphere. Dublin airports and train stations are busy with thousands of tourists.
