Why wear green on St. Patrick’s Day?

Green is the undisputed colour 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?

St Patrick's Blue?

Was St. Patrick the original influencer who understood the importance of a strong colour in his personal brand? The short answer is no. St Patrick and Ireland were actually both historically associated with the colour 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.”

Irish Rebels wore Green

So where does this colour 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 colour 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.

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 colour 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 favourite 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 colours, wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day marks you out as someone who is celebrating, supporting, and joining in the festivities of the day.

Green is the colour of luck, growth and prosperity

If the above reasons aren’t convincing, green is also a fitting colour for a springtime celebration. It’s a lively colour that just seems to call out for a celebration, and has long been associated with luck, growth, and prosperity.

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.

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 colour, 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 jewellery 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.