St. Patrick's Day

Politics, culture, quizzes, and more
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St. Patrick's Day celebrates the life of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland who converted the Irish to Christianity in the 400s CE. By extension, the holiday is 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, and the nation that inspires it.
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
More Fun Stuff
St. Patrick's Day Hangman Game
St. Patrick's Day Activities from FamilyEducation.com