A sign in the Guinness museum in Dublin reads, “Everyone’s Irish on March 17th.” Though those with no Irish heritage may agree, it is quite the conundrum; the celebration for the patron saint of the Emerald Isle is quite different when on the Emerald Isle.

Because St. Patrick’s Day fell on the Monday during Holy Week this year, the Church declared that no one should celebrate. A common response to this was, “We’re Irish before we’re Catholic.”

Families still gathered in the cities where there were parades to celebrate their patron saint. There was a costume party in Tully where more than one person dressed as St. Patrick made an appearance. Yet, the holiday is primarily a religious day. The church in Tully Cross was fuller on St. Patrick’s Day than it was the day before for Palm Sunday. Cars filled the parking lot and spilled over to line the streets.

Contrary to popular belief, there are no Irish car bombs in Ireland, nor is there green beer. The most noticeable difference is that St. Patrick’s Day in the United States is a day to celebrate drinking the way we think the Irish do it. The only people I saw drinking on the streets during the parades were the Americans. We make a game out of drinking, wearing green, and sporting the shamrock without actually understanding the holiday.

St. Patrick’s Day in the United States is a celebration and glorification of drinking, whereas in Ireland it is a religious holiday. Yes, after mass there was a natural migration of families to the pub that accompanies any festival or celebration in Ireland.

The Irish drink on St. Patrick’s Day as they do on any other day, but it is social drinking. Pubs are a common meeting place, but not just for those of legal drinking age. Families gathered to hear traditional Irish music and celebrate the day with their neighbours and family. There was no school or work.

St. Patrick’s Day is a true holiday in Ireland.