St. Patrick's Day In Ireland

The biggest St. Patrick's day celebrations in the world take place, naturally, in Ireland. Throughout the country there are festivals to celebrate the beloved Saint Patrick. In many areas of Ireland, there are street markets, parades, music, and other entertainment. Sure, the pub is a great place to be, but there's so much more! In Limerick, there is a parade which features national puppeteers, dance groups, celebrities and more. 80,000 people are expected to line the streets of Limerick to watch a parade featuring 4,000 participants. There is an international band championship, which actually takes place for several days during the St. Patrick celebration. Other festivities include horse races, free drinks at local restaurants, and much, much more! County Cork's celebration of St. Patrick includes a parade, festival market, and circus performers as well as a parade. Like most of Ireland, their festival takes place over several days. Derry-Londonderry has an Irish Language Week, with events throughout the city. County Wexford's parade is considered the oldest in Ireland. Dingle starts their celebration at 6am, the Dingle Fife and Drum Band kicks it off playing throughout the streets. In Northern Ireland, County Armaugh has a huge celebration of St. Patrick, including a carnival procession, special dinners, and lectures about the historical significance of the saint. Of course there's Dublin, international city, home of Guinness, Trinity College, and a huge St. Patrick festival! Of course there's a parade, music shows, shopping, and Guinness (an estimated 7.5 million pints consumed on St. Patrick's Day).  This year’s parade theme, Imagine If, has been inspired by the imagination of the youth of Ireland as they look to the future .....the next 100 years. See the making of the 2016 Festival Parade right here. These festivals last for several days, sometimes even a week. More than just parades and beer, they're festivals celebrating St. Patrick and his spiritual and cultural contribution to Ireland. Should you make it to one of these, all we can say is: Slánte!