We all love that holiday where we dress in green, So what is it and where did it come from? St. Patrick’s Day observes of the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The holiday came to America through Irish immigrants, who brought their celebrations of Irish culture with parades, special foods, music, dancing, and a whole lot of green. Today there are about 34.7 million US citizens with Irish ancestry, which is seven times the population of Ireland.

   Why wear green? Believe it or not, the color of St. Patrick was not actually green, but blue! So why green? Wearing the color green is considered an act of paying tribute to Ireland. It is said that it also brings good luck, especially when worn on St. Patrick’s Day. The best reason of all to wear green is you don’t want to get pinched.

   The shamrock is a traditional symbol of St. Patrick’s Day; it was chosen as Ireland’s national emblem because of the legend that St. Patrick had used it to illustrate the Doctrine of the Trinity.  The Irish have considered shamrocks as good-luck symbols since early times, and today people of many other nationalities also believe they bring good luck. It must be lucky, because your odds of finding a four-leaf clover are about 1 in 10,000.

   One of the most confusing traditions is the leprechauns.The name leprechaun comes from the old Irish word “luchorpan,” which means “little body.”

   So what would you do if you were a leprechaun? Thunder Ridge Freshman Bryn Kirkendoll says “I would trim my beard and eat lot of different foods around the world while riding my rainbow.” Another Thunder Ridge Freshman Bryson Moon says “I would protect my gold and enjoy being so short.”

   It is just about that time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. To celebrate St.Patrick’s Day, wear green. You can also eat a traditional Irish food like shepards pie or Corned beef and cabbage. You could listen to a Irish song like “Skibbereen” or watch a Irish movie. You could also go to a parade or get a shamrock shake.

   Have fun and don’t get pinched!

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