The American Club Magazine Feb - Mar - Apr | 2020

FEATURE

March 17 - the day the world turns green and Irish. Every year, millions of pints of Guinness are consumed, parades take place in cities and towns all over the world, and amid endless craic, i.e. music and dance, there are still a few puzzled faces.What exactly is Saint Patrick’s Day? Well, it’s a long story, but here in brief is what it’s all about. The holiday celebrates the life of Maewyn Succat, or as he is better known, Saint Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to the Irish. He won over the dubious people by explaining the Blessed Trinity using the three- leaved shamrock. According to Irish legend, he also performed supernatural feats such as turning his enemies into animals and ridding Ireland of snakes. Saint Patrick is thought to have died sometime between 463 and 493, most likely on March 17. In 688, Saint Patrick was elevated to the status of national apostle, as a saint who interceded in heaven on behalf of all the Irish people. All churches and monasteries in Ireland were directed to honor the saint with three days and three nights of festivities. By 1607, the Irish legal calendar recognized the commemoration officially, and it is now known as Saint Patrick’s Day. The earliest parades as we recognize them today took place in America, thanks to the large Irish immigrant population. The very first parade was held in Boston in 1737, and then next in NewYork in 1766. Today, the biggest Saint Patrick’s Day parade in the world takes place in NewYork, with parades also taking place in Chicago, Savannah,Toronto, Montreal and Moscow, to name a few. Originally, the color associated with Saint Patrick was blue. Over the years the color green, and its association with Saint Patrick’s Day, grew more popular. Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of Saint Patrick as early as the 1600s. Until the 1970s, a law required all pubs in Ireland to close every March 17. Drinking on Saint Patrick’s Day only recently became popular after 1995, with the start of a national campaign to attract tourists for the holiday. The first Saint Patrick’s Festival was held in Ireland on March 17, 1996. In 1997, it became a three-day event, and by the year 2000, had been extended to four days. By 2006, the festival was five days long. 2009’s five-day festival saw close to one million visitors, who took part in festivities that included concerts, outdoor theater performances, and fireworks. From blue to green and prayers to parades, Saint Patrick’s Day has become probably the most widely celebrated saint’s day in the world.

By Elaine Chan

Join in and celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day at The Club! Party with Singapore’s number one Celtic band at Union Bar on March 12. Kids can hunt for a pot of gold at the Saint Patrick’s Day Amazing Race on March 15. Flip to page 4 to learn more. Don’t miss out on our holiday specials, only available on March 15. Stop by Grillhouse and Union Bar to enjoy a St. Patrick’s Cheeseburger and a pint of Guinness Stout at $23 (U.P. $28). Flip to page 8 to learn more.

31 THE AMERICAN CLUB SINGAPORE