St. Patrick’s Day in Key West 2025
Chicago dyes its river green, NYC, Boston, and practically every American city hosts perpetual parades featuring bagpipers, step dancers and politicians galore. Non-practiced imbibers guzzle pitchers of green beer, and chase shots of Irish Whisky with pints of Guinness, or mugs of said cheap, green beer. The luck of the Irish awaits you at the end of the rainbow in Key West!
March 17, 2025
Erin & Key West Go Bragh!
(Translation: Ireland and Key West Forever/ Until the End of Time)
St. Patrick’s Day also called Feast of St. Patrick, and St. Patty’s day is observed on March 17 and marks the death date of Saint Patrick who is the patron saint of Ireland. In the early 17th century, it was made an official Christian feast day observed by the Church of Ireland, the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and Lutheran Church. The day celebrates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland as well as the culture of Ireland, and commemorates the death of Saint Patrick.
Saint Patrick’s Day around the world
In Europe, Ireland, England, Malta, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Scotland, and Switzerland all celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Other countries around the world celebrating the Day are Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Canada, Mexico, Argentina and the United States. Celebrations include recognition of the local Irish populations and a tribute to their culture and Christian religion.
St. Patrick’s Brief Bio
Patrick was of Romano-British heritage and born in the late 300’s A.D, He was captured, enslaved, and brought to Ireland at the age of 15. He spent about five years herding livestock and discovering God, who it is told, sent an angel instructing him to escape back to Britain. Once home, he studied the Bible and later returned to Ireland as a bishop. He spent the rest of his life baptizing Druids, placating Celtic kings by bringing them gifts, and proselytizing to whoever would listen.
On, or about, March 17, 461 A.D., Bishop Patrick, apostle of Ireland, died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland. There was no formal canonization process yet; therefore, he was declared a saint by popular opinion. Today, still not an official saint, he is honored with this namesake holiday. The date of his purported death was a pagan holiday (Aren’t you glad you kept reading?), Ostara, or the Spring Equinox, celebrating nature’s rebirth and balance of the universe, night & day of equal length.
St. Patrick’s Day Fallacies
This Saint’s Day does NOT celebrate his driving out all the snakes from Ireland. Scholars agree that Ireland was not overrun with actual snakes, but some believe the snakes represent the Druid people, who Patrick metaphorically drove out by converting as many of them as possible.
Leprechauns and magical creatures are still part of today’s Irish lore, but they mostly derive from offensive caricatures of the Irish people created during their emigration to the U.S. in the mid 1800’s.
Corned beef and cabbage did not originate in Ireland. The term “corned” comes from the usage of large, grained rock salt, called “corns” used in the salting process of the lesser expensive, brisket-type cut of meat. The Irish immigrants first encountered corned beef at Jewish delis and noticed its similarity to Irish bacon. Cooking the corned beef with cabbage and root vegetables was another choice based on cost savings and ease of preparation in one pot.
