St. Patrick’s Day
March 17
The wearing of the green
On St. Patrick’s Day, you may hear such Irish songs as \”The Wearing of
the Green.” And on this day, many people—even some who are not
Irish—do wear something green.
The bit of green is a reminder of the
Irish wolfhounds, the tallest of all dogs, lead the St. Patrick’s Day
parade in New York City.
beautiful green countryside of Ireland. This island nation is so green
that it is often called the Emerald Isle. (An emerald is a lovely green
jewel.) Green is also the color of the shamrock, a small cloverlike
plant with three leaves on each stem. It is the national symbol of
Ireland.
In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is both a holy day and holiday. Saint
Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, brought Christianity to Ireland.
According to legend, he used the three leaves of the shamrock to explain
the idea of the Trinity—that in the one God there are three divine
Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Another legend says
that Saint Patrick rid Ireland of snakes by charming them into the sea.
St. Patrick’s Day is usually celebrated with a parade. The one in
Dublin, Ireland, has come to be known as the Irish Mardi Gras. The St.
Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City is perhaps the biggest.
Two big Irish wolfhounds always lead the marchers in the gala New York
City parade. These huge dogs are the mascots of the Fighting 69th, an
infantry regiment that is part of the New York National Guard. At one
time, this regiment was made up entirely of Irishmen. More than a
hundred bands and a hundred thousand marchers follow the dogs up Fifth
Avenue. The parade lasts for hours.
You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Next March
17, put on a shamrock or a bit of green and have fun.
