Ok, since I love history, here's a brief tidbit about what today means. Saint Patrick's Day (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig) is a yearly holiday celebrated on 17 March. It is named after Saint Patrick (circa AD 387–461), the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland. It began as a purely Catholic holiday and became an official feast day in the early 1600s. However, it has gradually become more of a secular celebration of Ireland's culture.
In 432, Saint Patrick was called back to Ireland, though as a bishop, to save the Irish, and indeed he was successful at this, focusing on converting royalty and aristocracy as well as the poor. Irish folklore tells that one of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) to the Irish people.
Originally the colour associated with Saint Patrick was blue. However, over the years the colour green and its association with Saint Patrick's day grew. Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St Patrick's Day as early as the 17th century. [excerpt taken from Wikipedia]
Some of the biggest Saint Patrick's Day celebrations here in the states are in Chicago, Illinois (my home state) and Boston-where I work now. The Chicago River gets dyed a magnificent shade of green:
Here's to the land of the Shamrock so green,
Here's to each Lad and his darlin Colleen,
Here's to the ones we love dearest and most,
May God bless ole Ireland, that's an Irish man's toast.
Start pinchin'
-G-
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