The Emerald Island

THE EMERALD ISLAND

The Emerald Island is the nickname of Ireland; given that green is the colour of the emerald and a symbol of this country.

Saint Patrick’s Day is an Irish festival celebrated on March 17th. As a result this day is a bank holiday that is to say on that day most people don’t work and shops are closed. As Irish immigrants in America took this tradition with them, St Patrick’s Day is also celebrated in the USA all the more so as the Irish community is very large there and spread all over the country.

Saint Patrick, whose father was a Christian, was born in great Britain. He was kidnapped by pirats who forced him to be a slave in Ireland. He ran away to France to be free; there he became a priest. Afterwards he returned to Ireland, where he converted people to Christianity and where he introduced the Roman alphabet. By the way, he did good religious work, using the shamrock to teach people religion.

Saint Patrick was so generous and so helpful towards the Irish that the latter were very grateful to him.

The celebration:

In Ireland, first people wear green clothes as they think this colour is a lucky one.

Then, they attend church services as it is a religious festival.

Parades are organized and Irish citizens can listen to celtic music, dance and watch fireworks.

Streets are decorated with orange, white and green:

- Orange symbolizes the Protestants

- Green represents the Catholics

- White stands for the hope for peace

The first celebration took place in Boston in 1737.

G.Washington also celebrated St Patrick’s Day with his soldiers.

Marching bands participate in a famous parade in New York.

In Chicago, on St Patrick’s Day, the river is colored in green.

...