St. Patrick's Day

Updated March 1, 2021 | Infoplease Staff

Politics, culture, quizzes, and more

St. Patrick's Day celebrates the life of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland whoconverted the Irish to Christianity in the 400s CE. By extension, the holidayis a celebration of Ireland, its people, and its history. This solemn holy day has spread and changed across the world. Learn more about the history and observation of the holiday, andthe nation that inspiresit.

Special Features

St. Patrick's Day: Until Recently, More Dallas than Dublin

How the Irish celebrate their holiday

St. Pat's Day by the Numbers

24% percent of Massachusetts residents are of Irish ancestry

Those Quotable Irish

John Millington Synge, W.B. Yeats, and others

Irish Proverbs

A good beginning is half the work

Irish Movies

Our entertainment editor picks the best Irish cinema

Encyclopedia: Saint Patrick

From enslaved herdsman to Christian missionary

In the Company of St. Patrick

Ten major Irish saints

History and Background

What's the Symbolism of the Irish Flag?

Rarely has a flag possessed such relevance

Almanac: Ireland

Geography, history, politics, statistics

Encyclopedia: Land, People, History of Ireland

32,598 sq. miles and one-third of Britain's size

The Northern Irish Conflict: A Chronology

Geography, history, and overview of the peace process

Literature and Language

Notable Irish Writers

"The Irish, condemned to express themselves in a language not their own, have stamped on it the mark of their own genius." ?James Joyce

Bloomsday

The annual James Joyce celebration

In Joyce's Wake

Today's Irish writers live up to legend

Encyclopedia: Irish language

The roots of the Gaelic language

Irish Literature & Folklore Quiz

Irish English Quiz