St. Patrick's Day traditions

The colour green was not originally associated with St. Patrick, it was a shade of blue known as St Patrick’s blue

The earliest depictions of St Patrick show him in blue garments, and the colour also appears on ancient Irish flags.

In 1541, when King Henry VIII was declared the first English king of Ireland, he used a gold Irish harp on a blue flag for the Irish coat of arms because blue was associated with Ireland

As the blue symbols became more associated with English rule, green grew in popularity as a symbol of rebellion.

During the 1798 Irish Rebellion, the shamrock became a symbol of nationalism and the ‘wearing of the green’ became regular practice.

Although Patrick was regarded as a saint in Ireland from the 7th century he wasn't formally canonised (made a saint) until the 1630s when the 17th of March, the traditional day of his death, was added to the Catholic breviary (a book of prayers) as the Feast of St Patrick. 

By the late 17th century, Irish people were celebrating the day by wearing crosses, ribbons or shamrocks.

Early celebrations of St Patrick’s Day in Ireland were relatively low-key affairs. It took emigrants, particularly to America, to begin the transformation of St Patrick’s Day into the largely secular (non religious) celebration we know today.

The large events we see across the world today, with their banners and music, can trace their roots back to New York in 1762 when Irish soldiers in the British Army marched to a St Patrick’s Day celebration with their band playing and their regimental colours flying.