By Sophie Tuan
Irish leprechauns, lucky pots of gold, four-leaf clovers, and an unhealthy obsession with green capture the hearts of many on March 17th, but where did all these traditions originate from?
Although many believe that Saint Patrick was Irish—as he is the Patron Saint of Ireland—he was actually a British Catholic priest credited with introducing Christianity to Ireland in the fourth century. A young 16-year-old, Saint Patrick arrived in Ireland preaching Christianity. Many believe that four-leaf clovers carry good luck, but in reality Saint Patrick only used the three-leaf clover, or shamrock, in his teachings.
In modern times, green is the main color associated with Saint Patrick’s Day, especially considering Ireland is also known as the Emerald Isle. However, the first color initially linked with the holiday was actually blue because of the garb of Saint Patrick and some ancient flags where the color was used. Finally, during the 18th century, the color green and the shamrock tradition were included in festivities as an ode to Ireland’s greenery.
Leprechauns are undoubtedly the mascot of Saint Patrick’s Day. Surprisingly, beliefs of similar creatures date back to before the 18th century; initially they were described more as fairies in red. The superstition of wearing green stems from the belief that leprechauns cannot see green, thus making you invisible to their mischief. Additionally, many view wearing green as honoring their Irish heritage and the beauty of the Emerald Isle.
Today, the celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day has spread to over 200 countries, where festivals remain filled with green, corned beef, mashed potatoes, and pub crawls. Around 50 million people celebrate Saint Patrick each year, with 62% of all Americans choosing to celebrate.