Are leprechauns the only thing to look forward to? Photo courtesy of Flickr.  

ANA DOLLARD | STAFF REPORTER | adollard@butler.edu 

A more than 1500-year-old holiday will be observed by people all over the world on March 17, 2025. Children, clad in green face paint and leprechaun hats, will prance down the streets of their respective cities. Bars will be lively and crowded. How is it that St. Patrick’s Day went from a religious celebration concentrated in Ireland to a global phenomenon that consists of shamrocks, bars and pinching a ginger? 

St. Patrick’s Day has a history steeped in Irish culture and faith practices. The holiday originated as a religious feast in Ireland to celebrate St. Patrick, a missionary who brought Christianity to the island. Today, due to the influx of Irish immigrants to the U.S. in the 1800s, St. Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated in the U.S. and beyond. However, the holiday has lost some of its cultural accuracy due to the distance from the country of origin. 

Growing up with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations

For the Irish, St. Patrick’s Day is more than a holiday for the namesake — it is a chance to recognize the richness of Irish culture and history. 

Ellie-Rose Glover, a junior Irish exchange student on the pre-law track, shared what her St. Patrick’s Day looked like growing up. 

“There is Irish dancing [and] traditional music,” Glover said. “There is food. It is kind of like the Mardi Gras celebration [during the day] and then at night, you would go out [to drink]. It is all just so Irish.”

Traditions stemming from their country of origin have continued to live on in the U.S., but they may be less about national pride and more centered on family celebrations. Many U.S. families use St. Patrick’s Day as a reason to get together. 

Senior theatre major Seamus Quinn has traveled to Chicago to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with his Irish extended family since he was little. 

“We go over to [my Aunt Mary’s] house in Chicago, and she would have my whole family be there,” Quinn said. “[Aunt Mary] would sometimes have musicians there. They would have fiddles and concertinas, squeeze boxes [and] all that. It was great.” 

St. Patrick’s Day is also a nostalgic holiday for many who grew up celebrating. Families with kids often celebrate the more magical elements of St. Patrick’s Day, including traditions like catching the leprechaun or making crafts with friends.

First-year secondary education major Chelsea Copeland has fond memories of the holiday with her family and friends.

“Growing up, I celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by setting up little traps with my siblings and we would try to catch the leprechaun,” Copeland said. “I am the oldest of two sisters, and being able to have [had] those experiences with them now that I am out of the house and in college really means a lot to me.” 

Growing up and watching siblings experience the magic of every holiday is an experience luckier than a four leaf clover. St. Patrick’s Day is both a cultural celebration and a reminder of childhood joy. 

How to celebrate authentically 

It may be difficult to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day authentically without being at the source of the action. For a truly accurate experience, Glover recommends traveling to Ireland.

“I feel like you have to go to Ireland and not just to go to Irish bars or anything, but to actually go out during the day and hear traditional music, watch traditional Irish dancing and see what it is all about other than just green and leprechauns,” Glover said. 

The joy of Irish culture and the joy of traditional music and dance is the perfect excuse for a trip to a beautiful country. However, this might not be an option for everyone. 

Quinn recommended exploring traditional Irish music to experience authenticity on St. Patrick’s Day.

He suggested starting with a specific song — “The Galtee Mountain Boy”. 

“I sang [‘The Galtee Mountain Boy’] as a tribute to my grandfather,” Quinn said. “It’s a rebel song about the [Irish] Civil War, and it’s about this kid that’s captured by Free Staters and sentenced to die for his role in the Civil War.”

Though the meaning of St. Patrick’s Day varies by country, students can celebrate wherever they are located. The holiday is a reminder of the ability of culture to reach far beyond its birthplace and the ways in which people keep it alive. In fact, this month, the 43rd annual Indy St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be hosted by the Hoosier Lottery on Friday, March 14, located on North Street between Meridian and Pennsylvania. This year, remember to do more than wear green and celebrate the rich history behind the holiday.