A key part of the THPL journey is learning and while we often do that passively we have the opportunity to spend a little time each day learning. With today being St. Patrick’s Day, it seems appropriate to learn a bit about St. Patrick and how we came to celebrate this day. Seems there was this Patrick was born in the 4th century, kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped and returned to convert the Irish to Christianity. By the time of his death on March 17, 461, he had established monasteries, churches, and schools.

It was emigrants, particularly in the United States who transformed St. Patrick’s Day into a largely secular holiday of revelry and celebration of all things Irish. The first time it was celebrated was St. Patrick’s Day parade in Boston in 1737, followed by NYC in 1762 and on and on. Now Irish and non-Irish alike commonly participate in the “wearing of the green”—sporting an item of green clothing or a shamrock, in the lapel. Corned beef and cabbage are associated with the holiday, and even beer is sometimes dyed green to celebrate the day. So, let’s enjoy St. Patrick’s Day and thank him for what he did for all of us (directly or indirectly)

Loving life when it is St. Patrick’s Day