SAINT PATRICK’S DAY
Level: Nivel Básico. (by Mónica Gómez Ruiz)
STUDENT’S SHEET
1.- Read the following text about the story of Saint Patrick and the Celebration of
this day in Ireland:
Saint Patrick’s Day, colloquially St. Pappy’s Day or simply Pappy’s Day, is an annual
celebration which celebrates Saint Patrick, one of the patron saints of Ireland, and is
generally celebrated on the 17th of March. This day is the national holiday of Ireland; it
is a bank holiday in Northern Irelands and a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. It
is also a public holiday in Montserrat, part of the chain islands called the Lesser
Antilles, in the Caribbean Sea. It is also widely celebrated in Canada, United Kingdom,
Australia, the United States, Argentina, and New Zealand, but it is not an official
holiday.
When 17th of March falls during Holy Week it can be moved to a different date to avoid
it coinciding with any other important days during this week, as in 1940, when St.
Patrick's Day was celebrated on 3 April in order to avoid it coinciding with Palm
Sunday.
Green ribbons and shamrocks were used in celebration of St Patrick's Day as early as
the 17th century, even though St. Patrick's Blue was the colour traditionally associated
with St. Patrick. In the past Saint Patrick’s Day was celebrated as a religious holiday, it
became a public holiday in 1903. In mid 1990s the Irish government began a campaign
to promote Ireland and its culture in a festival that was known as Saint Patrick’s
Festival.
The first Saint Patrick's Festival was held on 17 March, 1996. In 1997, it became a
three-day event, and by 2000 it was a four-day event. By 2006, the festival was five
days long; over 675,000 people attended the 2009 parade.
But who was Saint Patrick?
He was not actually Irish. He was born around 373 A.D. in the British Isles near the
modern city of Dumbarton in Scotland. His real name was Maewyn Succat. He took the
name of Patrick, or Patricius, meaning "well-born" in Latin, after he became a priest.
When Patrick was sixteen he was captured and taken to Ireland as a slave by an Irish
chief named Niall. He was a slave during six years. Then one night during his sleep he
heard the voice of god who told him to run away. He went back to England but many
years later he decided to return to Ireland to convert the Irish to Christianity.
From The Life of Saint Patrick and the Origins of St. Patrick’s Day (Rocky Mountain
Family Council) and http://en.wikipedia.org
2.- Are these sentences true or false?
a) Saint Patrick’s Day is always celebrated on the 17th of March. ______
b) Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. ______
c) It is also an official holiday in the United Kingdom and the United States.
______
d) The traditional colour associated to the celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day was
originally blue. ______
e) People usually wear green ribbons on this day. ______
f) Saint Patrick was a British Slave. ______
g) He was born in Ireland. _____
h) He was a slave for six years. ______
i) God told him to escape during a dream._____
j) When he escaped he never returned to Ireland again. ______
3.- Match the different symbols of Saint Patrick’s Day to their names and the
information given about them.
1 2 3
4 5 6
a) When Patrick went back to Ireland to convert the Irish to Christianity, he was
successful because he didn't try to make the Irish forget their old beliefs. He
combined their old beliefs with the new beliefs. Saint Patrick added the sun, a
powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a
Celtic cross, so that the new symbol of Christianity would be more natural to
the Irish.
b) "Shamrock" is the common name for several different kinds of three-leafed
clovers native to Ireland. The shamrock was chosen Ireland's national emblem
because of the legend that St. Patrick used it to illustrate the doctrine of the
Trinity. The Trinity is the idea that God is really three-in-one: The Father, The
Son and The Holy Spirit.
c) The name leprechaun comes from the old Irish word “luchorpan” which means
“little body”. A leprechaun is an Irish fairy who looks like a small, old man
about two feet tall. He is often dressed like a shoemaker, with a crooked hat
and a leather apron.
d) The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the
Irish village of Blarney. According to legend, whoever kisses the stone is
gifted with eloquence and persuasiveness.
e) The harp is an ancient musical instrument used in Ireland for centuries. It is
also a symbol of Ireland. Harpists, who were often blind, occupied an
honoured place in Irish society.
f) Believe it or not, the colour of St. Patrick was not actually green, but blue! In
the 19th century, however, green became used as a symbol for Ireland. The
beautiful Irish green landscape was probably the inspiration for the national
colour. People wear green to pay tribute to Ireland and also because it brings
good luck.
4.- Students now listen to “It’s a Great Day for the Irish. The song that has been
considered the St. Patrick’s Day anthem. Although the lyrics and speed of the song
may be difficult for students at this level, the aim of the activity is that they listen
to one of the traditional songs for this day.
Oh, I woke me up this morning and I heard a joyful song
From the throats of happy Irishmen, a hundred thousand strong
Sure it was the Hibernian Brigade
Lining up for to start the big parade
So I fetched me Sunday bonnet and the flag I love so well
And I bought meself a shamrock just to wear in me lapel
Don't you know that today's March seventeen?
It's the day for the wearing of the green...........
It's a great day for the Irish, it's a great day for fair
The side-walks of New York are thick with Blarney
For shure you'd think New York was Old Killarney
Begosh and begorragh, every Irish son and daughter
Every good old Irish name and their relation
They come from Tipperary, Donegal and County Kerry,
They are all here to join the celebration..........
There's Connolly and Donnelly, Ryan, O'Brien,
McLoughlin and Lynch, Pat Flannigan, McFadden, McPhearson and Finch
Hogan and Logan, Fitzpatrick, O'Bannigan, Danny O'Doole and Seamus
O'Tool!
(note the Garland version includes a fast paced additional litany of names at this point)
It's a great day for the Shamrock, for the flags in full array
We're feeling so inspirish, shure because for all the Irish
It's a great, great day.....
It's a great day for the Irish, it's a great day for fair
Begosh, there's not a cop to stop a raiding
Begorrah all the cops are out parading
It's a great day for the Shamrock, for the flags in full array
And as we go a-swinging, every Irish heart is singing
It's a great, great day........
The teacher can use the Gudy Garland version found in Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXV96aTOeVs
KEY
STUDENT’S SHEET
1.- Read the following text about the story of Saint Patrick and the Celebration of
this day in Ireland:
Saint Patrick’s Day, colloquially St. Pappy’s Day or simply Pappy’s Day, is an annual
celebration which celebrates Saint Patrick, one of the patron saints of Ireland, and is
generally celebrated on the 17th of March. This day is the national holiday of Ireland; it
is a bank holiday in Northern Irelands and a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. It
is also a public holiday in Montserrat, part of the chain islands called the Lesser
Antilles, in the Caribbean Sea. It is also widely celebrated in Canada, United Kingdom,
Australia, the United States, Argentina, and New Zealand, but it is not an official
holiday.
When 17th of March falls during Holy Week it can be moved to a different date to avoid
it coinciding with any other important days during this week, as in 1940, when St.
Patrick's Day was celebrated on 3 April in order to avoid it coinciding with Palm
Sunday.
Green ribbons and shamrocks were used in celebration of St Patrick's Day as early as
the 17th century, even though St. Patrick's Blue was the colour traditionally associated
with St. Patrick. In the past Saint Patrick’s Day was celebrated as a religious holiday, it
became a public holiday in 1903. In mid 1990s the Irish government began a campaign
to promote Ireland and its culture in a festival that was known as Saint Patrick’s
Festival.
The first Saint Patrick's Festival was held on 17 March, 1996. In 1997, it became a
three-day event, and by 2000 it was a four-day event. By 2006, the festival was five
days long; over 675,000 people attended the 2009 parade.
But who was Saint Patrick?
He was not actually Irish. He was born around 373 A.D. in the British Isles near the
modern city of Dumbarton in Scotland. His real name was Maewyn Succat. He took the
name of Patrick, or Patricius, meaning "well-born" in Latin, after he became a priest.
When Patrick was sixteen he was captured and taken to Ireland as a slave by an Irish
chief named Niall. He was a slave during six years. Then one night during his sleep he
heard the voice of god who told him to run away. He went back to England but many
years later he decided to return to Ireland to convert the Irish to Christianity.
From The Life of Saint Patrick and the Origins of St. Patrick’s Day (Rocky Mountain
Family Council) and http://en.wikipedia.org
2.- Are these sentences true or false?
k) Saint Patrick’s Day is always celebrated on the 17th of March. ___F___
l) Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. ___T___
m) It is also an official holiday in the United Kingdom and the United States.
___F___
n) The traditional colour associated to the celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day was
originally blue. ___T___
o) People usually wear green ribbons on this day. ___T___
p) Saint Patrick was a British Slave. ___T___
q) He was born in Ireland. __F___
r) He was a slave for six years. ___T___
s) God told him to escape during a dream.__T___
t) When he escaped he never returned to Ireland again. ___F___
3.- Match the different symbols of Saint Patrick’s Day to their names and the
information given about them.
1 b 2 c 3 f
4 e 5 a 6 d
a) When Patrick went back to Ireland to convert the Irish to Christianity, he was
successful because he didn't try to make the Irish forget their old beliefs. He
combined their old beliefs with the new beliefs. Saint Patrick added the sun, a
powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a
Celtic cross, so that the new symbol of Christianity would be more natural to the
Irish.
b) "Shamrock" is the common name for several different kinds of three-leafed
clovers native to Ireland. The shamrock was chosen Ireland's national emblem
because of the legend that St. Patrick used it to illustrate the doctrine of the
Trinity. The Trinity is the idea that God is really three-in-one: The Father, The
Son and The Holy Spirit.
c) The name leprechaun comes from the old Irish word “luchorpan” which means
“little body”. A leprechaun is an Irish fairy who looks like a small, old man
about two feet tall. He is often dressed like a shoemaker, with a crooked hat and
a leather apron.
d) The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the
Irish village of Blarney. According to legend, whoever kisses the stone is gifted
with eloquence and persuasiveness.
e) The harp is an ancient musical instrument used in Ireland for centuries. It is also
a symbol of Ireland. Harpists, who were often blind, occupied an honoured place
in Irish society.
f) Believe it or not, the colour of St. Patrick was not actually green, but blue! In the
19th century, however, green became used as a symbol for Ireland. The beautiful
Irish green landscape was probably the inspiration for the national colour.
People wear green to pay tribute to Ireland and also because it brings good luck.
