Since I decided to study abroad for my spring semester, I had the honor of taking part in Northern Ireland's celebration of St. Patrick's Day on March 17th! I learned about how Ireland celebrates differently than the United States, but also why it is an important holiday. There is so much history that not many people know about the real St. Patrick and the all-famous shamrock. Below you will learn all about the holiday, what I experienced, and why the three leaf clover is so important.
While being in Northern Ireland, I had the amazing opportunity to take part in national holiday of St. Patrick's Day, or for short, St. Paddy's Day. Even if I had not wanted to take part, there were so many events throughout Ireland and Belfast that made it nearly impossible. From Celtic music being played on the streets of Belfast, to every restaurant and pub you entered, the spirit of St. Paddy's Day was alive throughout Ireland. Of course, we all have taken part in wearing green on this holiday to avoid getting pinched, but in Ireland, we actually had the whole day off from University to celebrate. Many began their celebrations at the beginning of the week with all of the musical, family, and university events meant to bring the true tradition and history to light.
