SAINT PATRICK

St. Patrick's Day

17th March, 2022

Play some Irish music. Ireland has a long history with music, and many incredible styles have emerged. Celtic, folk and traditional Irish pub songs might just get you in the St. Patrick's Day spirit!

Learn some Irish words and phrases. The Irish have their own distinct dialect of the English language, so if you want to sound like a true Paddy on St. Patrick's day, try sprinkling some of these Hiberno-English gems into your conversation:

What's the craic? This phrase can be interpreted as either "How's it going?" or "What's going on?" or "What's up?" and is used in non-formal settings. Craic is a very important word in Ireland and can be used to describe your enjoyment of an event or activity, e.g "How was the party?" "Ah sure, it was great craic altogether!" Use "craic" in the correct context and you'll earn major points with the Irish.

Grand. Grand is another multi-purpose word in Hiberno-English. It doesn't mean large or impressive, but rather translates as "fine" or "great" depending on the context. "I'm grand" is a perfectly acceptable reply to the question "How are you?" and means the person is doing just fine. If you ask an Irish person "How did the exam go?" and they reply "It was grand" that means it went okay, it wasn't amazing, but it wasn't a disaster either.

Eejit. Eejit is basically the Irish word for idiot. If someone does something silly or stupid, you can comment "Ah ya big eejit!" It's not meant to be offensive, rather it's used to make fun of someone in a playful way.

Invite a few friends over and have a St. Patrick's Day themed party.

Go as extreme or as laid back as you want.

Consider starting a tradition - What do your guests do? How do they dress? What do they eat and drink?

In Ireland it is common to get together with family for St. Patrick's Day, so perhaps you'd like to do this too.

Plan your own Saint Patrick´s Party! :)

(In Chicago, USA they even colour the river green for Saint Patrick´s Day. What crazy ideas do you have for this day and your town?)

Attend or get involved in local parades. If you can't make it to the five day festival in Dublin, Ireland, check out the scene locally. Many parades feature the best of local dance troupes, marching bands, gymnasts and musicians in addition to spectacular themed floats and brightly costumed participants.

Can you come up with your own Saint Patrick´s Parade in the Fläming?!

Learn to Irish Dance. Irish dancing is a form of step dancing which is popular both in Ireland and all over the world. Not only will it impress everyone you know, but it's also a fun way to increase flexibility and burn calories! You can learn how to Irish dance by copying some of the excellent Irish dancing videos and tutorials online. Whip out a few impressive steps and lifts and nobody will question your Irish credentials.

Go green. Unless you want to, you don't have to wear a sweater with a giant shamrock on it. (Though that would certainly help you stand out.) The great thing about this holiday is you are free to go as subtle or as wild as you like. St. Patrick's Day t-shirts have been a common article of clothing to wear proudly. Consider the following suggestions when picking out something to wear:

An all green t-shirt with optional Irish-related sayings, for example, "Kiss me, I'm Irish!" Note that no real Irish person over the age of ten would be caught dead in one of these. T-shirts with Irish beer monikers such as Harp or Guinness are more acceptable.

For those who are feeling particularly festive, try buying or making a leprechaun costume, replete with white stockings, green top hat and fake (or real!) red beard.

Eat traditional Irish food. Beer and spirits are not the only great consumable goods to come out of Ireland. Corned beef, cabbage and lamb stew accompanied by traditional Irish soda bread are tasty ways to "keep it real." Potatoes are about as Irish as you can get and are one of the staples of the Irish diet.

Traditional Irish foods include bangers and mash, colcannon, bacon (boiled ham) and cabbage, stew, boxty, Shepherd's Pie, potato bread and black pudding.

In Ireland, the day is usually celebrated by eating food such as pink bacon or savory roast chicken. Note that corned beef and cabbage is more of an Irish-American tradition than an authentically Irish one.

Here are some ideas:

https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g2251/st-patricks-day-recipes/?slide=8

Accessorize. Buttons, pins and jewelry are all great ways to dress up an outfit. On St. Patrick's Day, they become ways to express the fun side of fashion. Nothing is too gaudy or outlandish. Buttons with clever (or not so clever) sayings are also encouraged. Small shamrock pins are a great and subtle way to express your support of the holiday.

It is a tradition in Ireland for all attending parades and generally celebrating to wear a small collection of Shamrock.

Dying your hair or your bright green is also a great way to stand out. Be sure to use a non-toxic dye.

It's also common to see kids (and sometimes adults) with their faces painted on St. Patrick's Day, particularly if they're attending the parade. Cute shamrocks on the cheeks are a popular option, along with full-faced Irish flags of green, white and orange.