St Patrick’s Day originally celebrated the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.  Nowadays, it’s celebrated equally as a festival of Irish heritage and culture.  The celebration is marked throughout the world, not just in Ireland itself. 

St Patrick’s Day Parades

The biggest St Patrick’s Day parade is in New York City; but, Ireland holds the record for the smallest parade! (lasting a distance of 23.4 metres between the only two pubs in the village of Dripsey, Cork).

St Patrick’s Day school assemblies

Every year schools worldwide celebrate St Patrick’s Day with a school assembly.  A script for primary school assembly is available from Englishpath: St Patrick's Day assembly play

Dressing up like leprechauns

In addition to parades, people celebrate by “the wearing of the green” (shamrocks) and dressing up.  This includes wearing ginger coloured wigs and beards and looking like mischievous leprechauns- who are said to love collecting gold.  [ Hmm, that’s a bit like international bankers, but when bankers get up to mischief they wipe a few trillion from the global economy.]   If you’re feeling energetic, you don’t have to be a member of Riverdance to try Irish dancing and appreciate Irish folk music.