Rachel Evans
Many Irish holidays blend Catholic traditions with ancient Celtic customs and mythology. St. Patrick's Day, for instance, is a Catholic feast day that has become synonymous with drinking and revelry in the United States. In Ireland, however, St. Patrick's Day was historically linked to farming and planting. While it is now a day of celebration, it was not always a national holiday, and pubs were banned from opening on this day until 1973. Nevertheless, the Irish have long found ways to circumvent these restrictions, and St. Patrick's Day has become a welcome break from the abstinence of Lent, with many indulging in alcohol, meat, and treats.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Holiday | St. Patrick's Day |
| Holiday type | Christian season of abstinence, Irish public holiday, holy day of obligation |
| Holiday traditions | Drinking, eating meat, parades, festivals, céilís |
| Holiday drinks | Beer, stout, whiskey, poitín, cream liqueurs, cocktails, gin |
| Holiday food | Corned beef and cabbage, Irish breakfast, treats |
| Holiday date | March 17 |
| Holiday year | 2025 |
| Holiday history | Linked to the country's indigenous traditions, farming, planting |
| Holiday celebrations | Mass in the morning, festivities in the afternoon |
| Holiday location | Ireland, San Francisco |
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What You'll Learn
Drinking alcohol on St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day is a celebration of Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and various places with large Irish diaspora communities, such as the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The day is marked by parades, festivals, céilís, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks.
Drinking alcohol is a well-known tradition on St. Patrick's Day, with Irish whiskey, stout, beer, and cider being popular choices. The holiday falls during Lent, a Christian season of abstinence, and St. Patrick's Day has traditionally been a day when Lenten restrictions on food and alcohol consumption are lifted. This has resulted in a culture of drinking and celebration on this day, even for those who would otherwise abstain during Lent.
In Ireland, stout is a key part of the celebration, with breweries preparing months in advance to meet the high demand. The custom of "drowning the shamrock" or "wetting the shamrock" involves making a toast with alcohol. While drinking is a significant aspect of the modern St. Patrick's Day celebration, some Christian leaders have expressed concern about the secularisation of the holiday, calling for a return to its religious significance.
There are many Irish drinks to enjoy on St. Patrick's Day, including seasonal ales with mint ice cream and vanilla flavours, and green watermelon IPAs. For those who prefer darker beers, O'Hara's Irish Stout is a popular choice, with a smooth, creamy texture and a rich roast flavour. Whiskey lovers can opt for a unique blend of Single Malt and Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, aged in American Oak barrels and finished in an Oloroso Sherry butt. Another option is Teeling's Wonders of Woods series, a whiskey crafted from malted and unmalted barley, with sweet flavours of butterscotch and caramel.
St. Patrick's Day is a time to celebrate Irish culture and heritage, and while drinking is a part of the festivities, it is important to do so responsibly and to respect the religious significance of the day for Christians.
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The history of Irish holidays
One of the most well-known Irish holidays is St. Patrick's Day, celebrated annually on March 17. It became an official public holiday in Ireland in 1903 and is devoted to the patron saint of Ireland. Traditionally, the day is marked by a special mass, and everyone wears green. While it is now associated with drinking and festivities, St. Patrick's Day was once a more subdued affair, with pubs closed and a focus on religious observance.
Another significant holiday is Saint Brigid's Day (Imbolc), which became a public holiday in 2023. It is celebrated on the first Monday of February or on February 1 if it falls on a Friday. Saint Brigid is Ireland's first native saint and the most celebrated female saint. The day is linked to the pagan festival of Candelmas and the Celtic deity Brigid or Breej.
Irish holidays often blend Catholic and indigenous traditions. For example, Christmas, a major Christian holiday, incorporates the use of evergreen decorations and mistletoe, which have their roots in the pagan holiday Yule. Similarly, Samhain, or Halloween, was originally a harvest festival in ancient Ireland that the Catholic Church adopted and renamed All Souls' Day.
The Summer Solstice, celebrated on August 1, is another ancient Celtic tradition. It marked the beginning of the harvest and honoured the Celtic God of Lugh. It was also a time for hand-fastings or trial marriages. Today, it is often celebrated with reunions, bonfires, and dancing.
Irish holidays are not just about tradition and culture; they also provide an opportunity for community gatherings, parades, festivals, and céilís. These events showcase Irish music, dance, horses, dogs, theatre, sport, boats, races, food, and, of course, beer!
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Catholic holidays in Ireland
Many Irish holidays blend Catholic traditions with ancient Celtic traditions and mythology. Some pagan holidays are still practised in Ireland, such as Samhain, Hallow E'en (Halloween), and All Souls' Day. The Catholic Church retained this holiday under the name All Souls Day, rather than attempting to eliminate it.
In Ireland, there are 10 obligatory Holy Days for Catholics, also known as 'Holy Days of Obligation'. On these days, Catholics are obliged to attend Mass and abstain from work or other activities that would inhibit their worship. These include:
- Immaculate Conception (8th December)
- Christmas Day (25th December)
- Mary, Mother of God
- Epiphany (6th January)
- St Joseph
- Ascension of Jesus (25th May)
- Sts Peter and Paul
- Body & Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
- Assumption of Mary (15th August)
- All Saints (1st November)
In 1996, the Irish Bishops' Conference removed the obligation to attend Mass on Ascension Day and Corpus Christi.
St. Patrick's Day, which falls during Lent, is a welcome break from fasting for Catholics in Ireland, who may choose to consume meat, treats, and alcohol. St. Patrick's Day was considered a good time for planting in 1800s Ireland, and it was not until 1903 that it became a national holiday. St. Bridget's Day is another holiday with strong ties to Catholicism and indigenous traditions, as it is a fire festival linked to the pagan Candlemas celebration and the Celtic deity Brigid or Breej.
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Scotch-Irish identity and Catholicism
The Scotch-Irish are the American descendants of primarily Ulster Scots people, who emigrated from Ulster (the northernmost province of Ireland) to the United States between the 18th and 19th centuries. The term "Scotch-Irish" is primarily used in the United States, with people in Great Britain or Ireland of similar ancestry identifying as Ulster Scots. The Scotch-Irish were predominantly Presbyterian and Calvinist, and they were defined by their religious beliefs and separation from the established Church of England and Church of Ireland.
Upon arrival in North America, the Scotch-Irish migrants initially identified simply as Irish. However, following a surge in poor, predominantly Catholic Irish immigration after the Great Irish Famine of the 1840s, the descendants of the earlier Scotch-Irish arrivals began to distinguish themselves by calling themselves "Scotch-Irish." This new wave of Catholic Irish settled mainly in port cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago, forming large immigrant communities.
The Scotch-Irish identity was further shaped by their opposition to both their Catholic Irish and Anglican English neighbours. In the 1850s, the Scotch-Irish community in America began to show signs of assimilation, with a declining interest in maintaining their unique cultural past. This assimilation, coupled with their anti-Catholic sentiments, contributed to the formation of a distinct Scotch-Irish identity separate from Irish Catholicism.
In Ireland, the relationship between Catholicism and Irish nationalism is complex. During British colonial rule, the Irish resisted efforts to impose a national Church of Ireland, clinging to their Catholic beliefs and practices as a symbol of identity and political resistance. This fusion of Catholic and nationalist identities resulted in a strong connection between Irish Catholicism and national identity. However, Irish holidays like St. Patrick's Day and St. Bridget's Day blend Catholic traditions with ancient Celtic and indigenous traditions, reflecting the complex interplay between religion and culture in Ireland.
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Drinking culture in Ireland
While Ireland is known for its drinking culture, there is no evidence that the Scotch-Irish specifically drink on Catholic holidays. In fact, historically, the Catholic Church in Ireland has encouraged abstinence from alcohol and promoted alcohol abstinence organisations such as the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association (PTAA).
That being said, drinking is a cultural norm in Ireland, and it is considered a vital part of social interactions and social life. Pubs in Ireland serve as social hubs, and it is common for people to meet up at taverns or homes to drink and eat together. The country also has a rich history of brewing and distilling, with whiskey, beer, and poitín being popular drinks.
St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, is often associated with drinking in Ireland. While it is a holy day of obligation, it is also considered a welcome break from fasting, and many people indulge in alcohol and traditional Irish foods. The day became a national holiday in 1903, and pubs were allowed to open on St. Patrick's Day starting in 1973.
In addition to St. Patrick's Day, other Irish holidays blend Catholic traditions with ancient Celtic mythology. For example, St. Bridget's Day is a fire festival linked to the pagan Candlemas celebration and the Celtic deity Brigid or Breej. Similarly, Samhain, or Hallow E'en (Halloween), was originally a harvest festival in ancient Ireland that the Catholic Church adopted and renamed All Souls' Day.
While drinking is a common social activity in Ireland, alcohol abuse is also a significant problem. Ireland has the 17th highest rate of pure alcohol consumption in Europe, and alcohol abuse creates extensive problems for the country's medical services and contributes to social issues such as family problems and physical assault. The reasons for excessive alcohol consumption in Ireland are varied and influenced by historical, cultural, and economic factors.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends on the holiday. St. Patrick's Day, for example, falls during Lent, a Christian season of abstinence. However, St. Patrick's Day is considered a welcome break from fasting for Catholics, and drinking is allowed.
People drink a variety of beverages on St. Patrick's Day, including beer, stout, whiskey, gin, and cocktails.
Some cocktails consumed on St. Patrick's Day include Irish Coffee, Irish Whiskey Mule, and Mint Cookie Cocktail.
Many Irish holidays blend Catholic, Celtic, and indigenous traditions. For example, Halloween, or Samhain, is a pagan holiday that continues to be celebrated in Ireland and abroad. Other Irish Catholic traditions include lighting a candle and placing it in the window during Penal times to signal covert Mass, and leaving out a simple meal for Mary and Joseph on Christmas Eve.
