Good on ye Bryant! Hope it is a good one for you.
Why wear green on St. Patrick’s Day?
Written by Ciaran on Mar 01, 2024 | 12 Comments
Green is the undisputed color for St Patrick’s Day. Seas of green can be seen at any St. Patrick’s Day parade in towns and cities around the world. Even important landmarks turn green on the big day, but why?
The Sydney Opera house is just one of many world landmarks lit green for St. Patrick's day each year.
Photo Credit: Mike Young (CC BY-SA 3.0)
St Patrick's Blue?
Was St. Patrick the original influencer who understood the importance of a strong color in his personal brand? The short answer is no. St Patrick and Ireland were actually both historically associated with the color blue. He reportedly wore it all the time and the knights in the Order of St. Patrick wore a light shade known as “St. Patrick’s blue.”
A 13th century image of St. Patrick piercing the foot of King Oengus of Cashel, a High King of Ireland, while wearing his trademark blue robes.
Photo Credit: Huntington Library, HM 3027 F.40v., California
Irish Rebels wore Green
So where does this color scheme come from and just why is there so much green on St. Patrick’s Day? Ireland was always a green land, but its association with the color green really got started with the Great Irish Rebellion of 1641. The rebel fighters marched under a green flag emblazoned with a harp, another ancient symbol of Ireland. It seems the association with green stuck.
The green harp flag of the 17th century adopted by Irish rebels.
Photo Credit: R-41 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Records of green ribbons being worn for St. Patrick’s Day started cropping up in the 1680s. Green was again adopted by Irish rebels in the 1790s, in the color of the military uniforms for the United Irishmen. This wave of green then spread, with famous poems and ballads like “The Wearing of the Green” from this time, cementing the association.
Ireland and the Shamrock are Green
And it’s not hard to see why the association with green might have stuck. Ireland is famously the land with 40 shades of green, or so sang Johnny Cash.
He wasn't wrong. The Irish landscape is lush and green. As is the iconic symbol of Ireland, the saint, and the season, the shamrock. The shamrock is the logo for Irish tourism, flies on the tail fin of Ireland’s national airline, is included for luck in the bouquets and boutonnieres of many Irish brides and grooms, and is worn proudly on the badge of the International Football and Rugby teams.
Wearing green shows support for Irish culture and heritage
Green even features in a favorite national cheer for our sportspeople - "Come on you boys in green (COYBIG)!" or "Come on you girls in green (COYGIG!)". So just like wearing your team colors, wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day marks you out as someone who is celebrating, supporting, and joining in the festivities of the day.
Photo Credit: Amanda Marie on Unsplash
Green is the color of luck, growth and prosperity
If the above reasons aren’t convincing, green is also a fitting color for a springtime celebration. It’s a lively color that just seems to call out for a celebration, and has long been associated with luck, growth, and prosperity.
A "lucky" green four leaf clover
Photo Credit: Dustin Humes on Unsplash
Just don’t wear green head to toe
A word to the wise, Irish people are rarely seen in head-to-toe green as it was traditionally seen as bad luck! Irish folklore tells us it attracts the Good People (fairies). People wearing all green are in danger of being spirited away! A good incentive to keep it stylish if ever there was any.
Green is supposedly a color that is irresistible to the fairy folk that call Ireland home.
Will you wear Green?
Whether you are feeling a little rebellious yourself, you want to show your love for Ireland, or you just like the color, will you be wearing the green this St. Patrick’s day? Let us know in the comments below.
Your own dash of green
And we have jewelry set with stunning Connemara marble, vivid malachite, and precious emerald if you fancy your own dash of green to wear on St. Patrick's Day or any other day. Need help choosing, just get in touch. We would be delighted to help.
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Ciaran
My Irish Jeweler
Born in Co. Antrim and reared in Dublin, I was fascinated with Gaelic culture from an early age. I suppose it's not surprising given my mother inherited a grá for the Irish language from my grandfather, an Irish school headmaster. And that grá continues! My brother and sister are now Gaelic teachers here in Ireland, my niece is an award winning Irish dancer, and I proudly work to share Irish culture through our Irish and Celtic Jewelry at My Irish Jeweler!
I love researching and reading about the history of Irish design. It's at the core of what we do here at My Irish Jeweler. I find much of it so interesting that I have to share what I find. I hope you enjoy it!
Comments
I have Irish, English, and German ancestry (more Irish than the other two). I’m a natural redhead and my maiden name is Morris. I’m very proud of my Irish roots and always wear green on St. Paddy’s Day.
Sounds like you are very in touch with your roots Regina. Maith thú, bravo! Thanks for getting in touch and enjoy the celebrations on Paddy's day!
Will wear a touch of green along with a Easter Lily...
Might be easier to keep looking fresh than shamrock ;) Never managed to end the day without a very wilted boutonnière!
But of course I shall be having green on. Though my grand parents came from Norway. We had a DNA test surprising alot of Irish showed up..those fun loving Vikings spread love and brought young ladies back to Norway 🇳🇴.
Hi Douglas, glad to read you'll be getting in the festive spirit! Yes, there's quite a layered history there with the Vikings. If you ever make it to Dublin there's a fantastic exhibit at the National History Museum that might interest you!
Sadly your "Wearing of the Green" is upside down. Great article...thank you for the knowledge.
Good catch, Katherine! We're glad that you enjoyed reading. It's great to have interested folks like yourself writing in.
Yes, I always wear a green on St. Patrick’s Day. My husband’s great grandmother was from northern Ireland and my mother side we’re all Irish and Scottish descendants. My daughters and I celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a big way. And I even had bagpipes played for my wedding march song.
Hi Linda, sounds like you are very in touch with your roots! That's excellent! Happy early St. Patrick's Day.
Ask Gemma
Being ScotsIrish I always wear the green for paddy's day.