NAME:
Write the answers in the Crossword
and the numbers in the boxes.
Across
1 a musical instrument with strings
3 a Christian symbol Down
6 a container filled with coins 1 a piece of cloth with a special pattern, a
8 the colour people wear on 17th March in Ireland symbol of Ireland
9 a large musical instrument with strings stretched on a 2 a half circle of bright colours that you see
vertical frame in the sky when rain and sun come together
10 an alcoholic drink 5 the patron saint of Ireland
11 the national emblem of Ireland 7 a small man with magic powers in Irish
12 a cap stories
13 an animal with a long body and no legs 9 a piece of curved iron that is attached with
14 the third month of the year nails to the bottom of a horse’s foot
15 a country in Western Europe
NAME:
Read the following article.
What Do People Do?
St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many parts of the world, especially by Irish communities and
organizations. Many people wear an item of green clothing on the day. Parties featuring Irish food
and drinks that are dyed in green food color are part of this celebration. It is a time when children
can indulge in sweets and adults can enjoy a “pint” of beer at a local pub. Many restaurants and
pubs offer Irish food or drink, which include:
• Irish brown bread.
• Corned beef and cabbage.
• Beef and Guinness pie.
• Irish cream chocolate mousse cake.
• Irish coffee.
• Irish potato champ, also known as poundies, cally or pandy.
• Irish stew.
• Irish potato soup.
Background
St Patrick is one of the patron saints of Ireland. He is said to have died on March 17 in or around
the year 493. He grew up in Roman Britain, but was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland
as a slave when he was a young adult. After some years he returned to his family and entered
the church, like his father and grandfather before him. He later returned to Ireland as a missionary
and worked in the north and west of the country.
According to popular legend, St Patrick rid Ireland of snakes. However, it is thought that there
have been no snakes in Ireland since the last ice age. The "snakes" that St Patrick banished from
Ireland, may refer to the druids or pagan worshipers of snake or serpent gods. He is said to be
buried under Down Cathedral in Downpatrick, Ireland. Ireland’s other patron saints are St Brigid
and St Columba.
Luke Wadding, a Franciscan scholar born in 1588 in Waterford, on the south coast of Ireland,
was influential in ensuring that the anniversary of St Patrick's death became a feast day in the
Catholic Church. Many Catholic churches traditionally move St Patrick's Day to another date if
March 17 falls during Holy Week.
Many immigrants from Ireland fled to other parts of the world, including Australia, Canada,
the United Kingdom and the United States, in the 19th and 20th centuries. Many Irish customs,
including the St Patrick’s Day celebrations, became quite popular in these countries. However,
much of the interest in the St Patrick’s Day events is largely commercially driven in the 21st
century.
Symbols
The most common St Patrick's Day symbol is the shamrock. The shamrock is the leaf of the
clover plant and a symbol of the Holy Trinity. Many people choose to wear the color green and
the flag of the Republic of Ireland is often seen in St Patrick’s Day parades around the world. Irish
brands of drinks are popular at St Patrick’s Day events.
Religious symbols include snakes and serpents, as well as the Celtic cross. Some say that Saint
Patrick added the Sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now
called a Celtic cross. Other Irish-related symbols seen on St Patrick’s Day include the harp, which
was used in Ireland for centuries, as well as a mythological creature known as the leprechaun
and a pot of gold that the leprechaun keeps hidden.
NAME:
Write YES if the statement is correct and NO if it is incorrect.
On Saint Patrick’s Day,
1. Children eat lots of candy _____________
2. St. Patrick was born in Ireland _____________
3. St. Patrick banished all the snakes from Ireland. _____________
4. The most common St. Patrick’s day symbol is the shamrock. _____________
5. St. Patrick’s day is celebrated in December. _____________
6. Many irish immigrants moved to France. _____________
7. The shamrock is a mythological creature. _____________
8. On St. Patrick’s day people wear green. _____________
9. The harp is an instrument used in Ireland for many years. _____________
10. It is believed that the leprechaun keeps a pot of gold hidden. _____________
