Saint Patrick's Day

One again I checked Wikipedia.
Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick. (c. AD 385–461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland.

The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, céilithe, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks.

Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival. Patrick was a 5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. It is believed that he was born in the fourth century, into a wealthy family. His father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest in the Christian church. According to the Declaration, at the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Gaelic Ireland. It says that he spent six years there working as a shepherd and that during this time he "found God". The Declaration says that God told Patrick to flee to the coast, where a ship would be waiting to take him home. After making his way home, Patrick went on to become a priest. According to tradition, Patrick returned to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. Patrick's efforts against the druids were eventually turned into an allegory in which he drove "snakes" out of Ireland (Ireland never had any snakes). Tradition holds that he died on 17 March.

On St Patrick's Day it is customary to wear shamrocks and/or green clothing or accessories (the "wearing of the green"). St Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish. Now I'm off for some yummy corned beef and cabbage and green beer.