St. Patrick’s Day
Traditional Feast of Saint Patrick, or more popular as Saint Patrick’s Day, is a religious and cultural holiday celebrated on 17 March since the 17th century, the day when the foremost Irish saint died. The celebrations consist of parades, wearing green, drinking and dancing.
The holiday is celebrated mostly in Ireland, but everywhere in the world with large Irish communities as well, especially in the UK, Canada, the USA, Australia and Argentina.
Here are top 5 Irish cities with best celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day:
1) Dublin
In the Irish capital the holiday is celebrated over a four day period, starting on March 14th. It is the wildest and loudest celebration in the country which includes lots of fun and a little bit of chaos as well. The Beer Village, street parades and performances, many fairs and a road race over a distance of 5km. The epicentre of the festival is Dublin’s Temple Bar neighborhood overrun by locals and tourists in tall leprechaun hats, fake orange beards, and green outfits. One advice for those of you who intend to stay in or around the city at this time of the year: book your accommodations as far in advance as possible. And all of you make sure to be in the city centre by 09:00 a.m. to witness one of the most colorful celebrations and parades across the globe.
2) Kilkenny City
As the country’s most beautiful historical city, Kilkenny is the centre of art and culture in Ireland. The city’s TradFest is widely known as part of the St. Patrick’s Day Festivities and it’s a perfect place to feel the Irish spirit through the best of traditional music, as well as dance workshops and many activities for families. The parade begins at 01:00 p.m. and is a real competitor to Dublin’s celebrations. The peak of the celebration is the annual parade which most of the citizens participate in, together with tourists. The picturesque narrowed streets, glistening on the rainy days, together with Kilkenny Castle set along the Nore river have been creating a spectacular scene of the city for more than 800 years, definitely worth paying a visit.
3) Cork
Ireland’s second largest city and the biggest rival of Dublin, confidently refers to itself as ‘the place to be on St. Patrick’s weekend’. It is known as the shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world, taking place in Dripsey, about half-an-hour ride from the city centre. The parade is held on a 100 yard surface between the two pubs in the village. However, if you prefer something bigger and more crowded, the city of Cork has its own parade starting at the South Mall along St. Patrick’s Street, finishing at Mechant’s Quay. It also organizes a festival with food and craft stands, many music and street performers, but free family-fun entertainment and circus walkabouts.
4) Galway
St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Galway is a springboard used to promote local artists and musicians, so be ready to hear some fantastic live music as well as to enjoy talented street performers since it’s all about promoting Galway’s Cultural and Creative Community. The festival includes parties and street dancing as well. The parade starts at 11:30 a.m. with performance of the World’s Strongest Man together with Duffy’s Circus accompanied by the local Rivers and Crows trio playing at Eyre Square, and lasts for at least two hours. Some of other festival’s attractions are Colours Street Theatre, GAA clubs, Amnesty International, The Russian Culture Club and much more.
5) Limerick City
The city of Limerick is a host to one of the biggest and most visited St. Patrick’s Day parades outside of Dublin, with more than 70,000 visitors on the streets every year. The city also organizes a huge festival which is a host to Spring Fest and the Limerick International Band Festival. In the period between March 13th and March 17th, you will get to see and enjoy in traditional local food, beautiful handicrafts and spend time with your loved ones by engaging in many family-oriented activities. Another treat of this celebration is free admission to the Hunt Museum to every person dressed up in green.
