Where does St Patrick's Day come from?

If you’re a fan of sitcoms, no doubt you've seen episodes in which the characters were celebrating Saint Patrick's Day. It's a big deal in the UK and Ireland of course, as well as across the pond in North America. Each year in the build up to March 17th, bars and pubs, especially Irish ones, deck themselves out in green and shamrocks. But before it became an excuse to sink a few pints of Guinness with friends, the occasion was originally a religious affair in its native Ireland, centred around the man himself: Saint Patrick. Who exactly was Saint Patrick? Why do we celebrate Saint Patrick's Day? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: Why do mouth sounds drive some people crazy? Why does Ramadan start on a different date each year? How can I move house stress-free? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices