As St. Patrick's Day 2021 moves to a virtual online celebration in Ireland and around the world, it is important to remember what we are (happy to be) missing out on.
Ireland's annual national holiday celebrates all that is great about Ireland - our heritage and culture is enjoyed by so many in the form of localised celebrations, tourism and travel. Ex-pats living and working abroad mark St. Patrick's Day as a time when they feel connected to home, no matter where they are or how long they have been away!
The weeks prior to, and beyond March 17, is an enormous boost to the hospitality and tourism trade in Ireland. While we are not under-estimating the hardship for many businesses who have to sacrifice it yet again this year, we thought we might list a few of the things that we won’t miss about traditional St. Patrick's Day celebrations, just for fun!
Village Parades
The roads cut off, the no parking, the waiting for an hour for the parade to get to your town from the neighbouring town only to find that the balloons that were fab an hour ago have now been deflated due to a minor Massey Ferguson collision incident.
Rain
Has there ever been a St. Patrick’s Day that it hasn’t rained on us during a parade? I can’t think of one. Don’t rule out random snow showers either (thank you 2018!).
Aggressive Shamrock-ing
Grannies, aunties and other lovely ladies of a certain age love nothing more than to pin bunches of fresh shamrock onto your lapel for you through the medium of safety pins and in some severe cases, sewing needles. "It’s so Irish!" they claim as you silently seethe over the holes in your new Karen Millen coáta!
Weird Leprechaun Memes
Doesn’t the leprechaun get way creepier the older you get? And why is he still smoking a pipe in every one?! Can we just revert to him being a cute cartoon at the end of a rainbow, lads!
Oirish Mispronunciations
Dear American Friends. It’s "Paddy’s Day", not "Patty’s Day", please and thank you!
Guinness Spills
Busy pubs, GAA clubs, even sitting rooms on Paddy’s Day always means a Guinness spill on something you own. Something nice. Something that you had planned to wear for the rest of the day and so, therefore, have to carry on stinky like an empty keg. Ewwww.
The Colour Scheme
Look, I get it, it’s our flag and all but it doesn’t go with anything. ANYTHING! Can we change it to a nice moody grey and navy blue, please?!
Check out how you can celebrate from home this St. Patrick's Day by visiting the SPF TV website for a rundown of everything happening this year.