The origins of Saint Patrick’s Day and the music to celebrate it

Every March 17th around the world, people don their best green-colored dress in honor of St. Patrick, Ireland’s symbol and the origins of these festivities. Far from the modern day fanfare of parades, dances, culinary specialties and overabundant supplies of green beverages, St. Patrick’s Day originated as a religious celebration in honor of the patron saint of Ireland, who died on this day in 461.

Ironically, this figure, revered by his followers for centuries to come for his role in bringing religion to the country, was not Irish but English! His given name Maewyn Succat, born in Cumbria in the north of "The British Isles," was kidnapped at the age of sixteen by Irish pirates and sold into slavery. During his six years as captive, he saw God in a vision and from that time on decided to devote his life to Him.

Once released, he embraced the religious life back in his orignal home. His religious journey began as a priest, after which he went to Wales to become deacon and bishop. He responded to a divine call which ordered him to leave his home and return to Ireland with the mission to convert the country.

Legend holds that everything changed when St. Patrick delivered his famed sermon from the celebrated Rock of Cashel. On that day, atop of this plateau, he brandished a cloverleaf to the Irish people and used the three leaves to explain the principle of the trinity. It is also for this reason that the three leaves have become a symbol of the Holiday and explains the use of green.

His story took a mystical turn, as history recounts that he drove out all of the snakes from Ireland, an allegory likely pointing to the disappearance of polytheistic cultures.

The legend of Saint Patrick has become popular since the ninth century and every March 17th since, cities around the world are adorned in green. In Chicago, its river is dyed green, in New York some 200,000 people meet for the traditional St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Participants of the parade adorn themselves in green costumes, with the number one costume being leprechauns (traditional garb, top hat and red beard).

Musical festivities are also an essential piece of Irish culture (the symbol of the country is a harp) and are normally folk and Celtic in nature. Contemporary artists who promoted the spread of traditional Irish music are preferred to the more classical Irish songs during these world festivities: The Chieftains, The Dubliners, Clannad, The Dublin City Ramblers or Planxty, as well as the singers of the pub-rock, like the The Pogues and The Dropkick Murphys.

Certain artists have contributed to the renewal of traditional Irish music by creating their own distinct tunes, like “fiddlers” (violinists) Frankie Gavin, Paddy Fahey and one of the world's best-selling artists, Enya.

But for the majority who resist the more traditional music, modern rock has also taken its special place in the heart of the Irish: U2, Rory Gallagher, Sinead O’Connor, Thin Lizzy, The Cranberries or Van Morrison have helped make a name for Irish music. Others, although only neighbors, like the English (Sting), Scottish (Mark Knopfler) or Welsh (Tom Jones) have been known to revisit Gaelic repertoire to celebrate.

And if Irish music isn’t really your thing, for less diversified tastes, you still have the choice to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a themed playlist around the color green and there, the possibilities are endless, from Where the Green Grass Grows - Tim McGraw to Green River - Creedence Clearwater Revival!

Slainte!

Published on: 1 marca 2016