St. Patrick's Day
Politics, culture, quizzes, and more
St. Patrick's Day celebrates the life of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland who converted the Irish to Christianity in the 400s CE. By extension, the holiday is a celebration of Ireland, its people, and its history. This solemn holy day has spread and changed across the world. Learn more about the history and observation of the holiday, and the nation that inspires it.
Special Features
St. Patrick's Day: Until Recently, More Dallas than Dublin
How the Irish celebrate their holiday
24% percent of Massachusetts residents are of Irish ancestry
John Millington Synge, W.B. Yeats, and others
A good beginning is half the work
Our entertainment editor picks the best Irish cinema
From enslaved herdsman to Christian missionary
Ten major Irish saints
History and Background
What's the Symbolism of the Irish Flag?
Rarely has a flag possessed such relevance
Geography, history, politics, statistics
Encyclopedia: Land, People, History of Ireland
32,598 sq. miles and one-third of Britain's size
The Northern Irish Conflict: A Chronology
Geography, history, and overview of the peace process
Literature and Language
"The Irish, condemned to express themselves in a language not their own, have stamped on it the mark of their own genius." —James Joyce
The annual James Joyce celebration
Today's Irish writers live up to legend
The roots of the Gaelic language
Irish Literature & Folklore Quiz