On the 17th March every year, it now seems there are worldwide celebrations for Ireland’s patron saint. Interestingly it was North America that started the Saint Patrick's Day celebrations with a parade. The parade has been attended by over two million spectators in New York, compared to around a quarter of that figure in Dublin. The Chicago River is dyed green every year to celebrate, and other American cities with strong Irish connections such as Boston the pale beer also is turned green for a day. Countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and now many of the South American countries are proclaiming themselves Irish for the day.

In Northern Ireland the day is a bank holiday and it's a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland. It is celebrated by a feast of food and drink, and generally all things green. This is due to Irish links with the shamrock.

Originally Saint Patrick's Day celebrations in Ireland were not as widespread as they are today this was due to the day being a religious holiday. But as with so many things, commercialism has ripped any religious meaning out of the day for many, starting with the Irish Governments plans to use it as a marketing tool to attract tourists. There is however a few who observe it traditional meaning of breaking from lent when the day falls on a Friday.
The history of Saint Patrick is a little thin, but it is believed he was born in the late 4th Century and credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. March 17th is supposedly the day he died.

When visiting Ireland around Saint Patrick's Day celebrations unfortunately you can expect to pay premium rates for everything. It is however a truly unforgettable experience and one that won’t be easily forgotten. Saint Patrick's Day celebrations are laid on everywhere and many cities have parades and special events. All of the hotels and bars advertise their respective events online.