St. Patrick was a 5th century missionary who converted many Irish to Christianity. He incorporated Celtic symbols like the shamrock into Christian teachings. St. Patrick's Day on March 17th evolved from a religious holiday honoring his death to a global celebration of Irish culture. Traditions include attending church, lifting Lent restrictions to eat bacon and cabbage, dyeing the Chicago River green, and marching in parades. Symbols like the Celtic cross and shamrock represent the blending of Celtic and Christian beliefs. Music and names are also part of Irish cultural heritage celebrated on St. Patrick's Day.

1. St. Patrick’s DaySt. Patrick’s Day
History andHistory and
TraditionsTraditions

2. Who was St. Patrick?Who was St. Patrick?
St. Patrick is the patron saint of
Ireland.
He converted many Irish to
Christianity in the fifth century.
St. Patrick incorporated traditional
Celtic symbols, like the bonfire
and the sun, into his Christian
teachings.
St. Patrick died on March 17, circa
462.
St. Patrick’s Day is the saint’s feast
day and has evolved from a
religious holiday to a worldwide
celebration.

3. St. Patrick’s Day TraditionsSt. Patrick’s Day Traditions
• Christians attend church in the morning and celebrate in
the afternoon, although pubs in Ireland were closed on
March 17 by law until 1995.
• The rules of Lent are waived and revelers traditionally
eat Irish bacon and cabbage.
• The first St. Patty’s Day parade occurred when Irish
soldiers in the British army marched through New York
City on March 17, 1762.
• The Chicago River has been dyed green every year since
1962.

4. St. Patrick’s Day SymbolsSt. Patrick’s Day Symbols
The Celtic Cross – a sun
(from the Celts) super-
imposed on a cross
(from the Christians)
The shamrock, or
“seamroy,” symbolizes the
rebirth of spring. It was
later adopted as a symbol
of Irish nationalism.
The leprechaun, or
“lobaircin” was a cranky,
“small-bodied fellow” of
Celtic folklore, given its
“cute” features and
popularized in the United
States by Walt Disney.

5. St. Patrick’s Day SymbolsSt. Patrick’s Day Symbols
Music has always been an
important part of Irish life.
Irish music is produced with
instruments like the fiddle,
the uilleann pipes, the tin
whistle, and the bodhran.
St. Patrick never drove
snakes from Ireland; the
story is a metaphor for
driving paganism from the
island.
The traditional meal of
Irish bacon and cabbage
has been modified in the
United States. Irish bacon
has been replaced with
corned beef for the
annual feast.

6. Irish NamesIrish Names
• There are 34 million U.S. residents who claim
Irish ancestry, second only to German.
• Some Irish names:
– Ryan – Gaelic for Young Royalty or wise goddess 
– Corey – Gaelic for “ravine”
– Douglas – from the Gaelic name Dubhghlas (“dark river
or blood river”)
– Brent – derived from an English place name which
meant “hill” in Celtic
– Bryan – possibly related to the Old Celtic element bre
meaning “hill; high, noble”
– Kevin – from Old Irish coem (“kind, gentle,
handsome”) and gein (“birth”)

7. Irish NamesIrish Names
• There are 34 million U.S. residents who claim
Irish ancestry, second only to German.
• Some Irish names:
– Ryan – Gaelic for Young Royalty or wise goddess 
– Corey – Gaelic for “ravine”
– Douglas – from the Gaelic name Dubhghlas (“dark river
or blood river”)
– Brent – derived from an English place name which
meant “hill” in Celtic
– Bryan – possibly related to the Old Celtic element bre
meaning “hill; high, noble”
– Kevin – from Old Irish coem (“kind, gentle,
handsome”) and gein (“birth”)