Various establishments in the Cayman Islands will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and whether you’re Irish or simply love Irish traditions and holidays, St. Patrick’s Day brings Irish cheer to many people around the world. St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of all things Irish, commemorated on March 17 when many families gather and serve cabbage, corned beef, and delightful mint chocolate pies. Some of our bars and here I name Fidel Murphy’s even celebrate by changing entire bodies of beer to the colour green to remember the beloved St. Patrick.

The day also sparks a tradition of shopping for and wearing Irish t-shirts and apparel, usually the colour green. People celebrate by wearing cute Irish accessories and fun clothing to create humour and as St Patrick’s Day is a Saturday this year I expect even more people will be dressing up.

The History of St. Patrick’s Day

Paddy’s Day, as it is more often now called, remembers St. Patrick, Ireland’s most recognised patron saint. The others are Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille. St. Patrick was born to a family of aristocrats in Wales and was set on course to become a priest. He was captured at 16 years of age and taken as a slave to Ireland by Irish raiders. For six years, he was held captive, but was also able to grow spiritually during this time. He believed he heard the voice of God commanding him to leave Ireland, so he escaped to Britain after walking hundreds of miles.

Patrick recounts that he had a vision a few years after returning home:

I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: “The Voice of the Irish”. As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: “We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.

A. B. E. Hood suggests that the Victoricus of Patrick’s vision may be identified with Saint Victricius, bishop of Rouen in the late 4th century, who was the only European churchman of the time to advocate or practice conversion of pagans, and who visited Britain in an official capacity in 396.

Whatever the reason, he became a priest and returned to Ireland, knowing that many citizens of Ireland were pagans at the time. He created the famous Celtic Cross and used some of the Irish customs he had learned to celebrate Easter. Many people believe St. Patrick died on March 17 in 461 AD. His legend grew in Ireland and the UK as the man who single-handedly spread Christianity throughout Ireland during his day.

Most available details of his life are from later hagiographies from the seventh century onwards, and these are now not accepted without detailed criticism. Uncritical acceptance of the Annals of Ulster would imply that he lived from 340 to 440, and ministered in what is modern-day Northern Ireland from 428 onwards.

Perhaps the most famous legendary story about St. Patrick is that he drove out snakes while in Ireland. Though this story is probably not true, many Irishmen claim that a snake cannot be found in Ireland!

Celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day

Today, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the world. In Ireland, it was once a religious holiday, but is now used to draw millions of tourists each year with parades, fireworks, and live entertainment. In America, there are parades, Irish dances and jigs, Irish singing, wearing Leprechaun-themed outfits, clovers with three leaves, and more. Many Irish Catholic families celebrate the holiday with a day of prayer. There are even products and icons designed specifically for the holiday such as Paddy the loveable Leprechaun, which can be bought in various themes like Cop Paddy, Firefighter Paddy, or Cowboy Paddy.

St. Patrick’s Day in Cayman

Those wanting to celebrate ” Paddy’s Day” here can find great items online for the occasion that may not be readily available here. There are Leprechaun crafts and gifts. For work or school, lots of people wear Irish T-shirts and apparel. For the true fan, there are even Paddy mugs, mouse pads, teddy bears, pillows, buttons, and tote bags. One custom is to wear green so you won’t get pinched. These items have plenty of green for protection!

St. Patrick’s Day offers a fun-filled holiday of remembrance for everyone, young or old. It’s a day focused on an important turning point in Irish history, but is celebrated by people of all descents.