How to Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day Virtually!
Written by Liz on Mar 03, 2021 | 0 Comments
So it seems we’ll be celebrating our national Irish holiday, Saint Patrick’s Day, a bit differently again this year. But with many of the events of the traditional celebration moving online, COVID certainly wont be raining on the St. Patrick's Day (virtual) Parade this year!
It seems it takes more than a global pandemic to stop the Irish marking our day. Why not join us? Read on for our suggestions about how you might celebrate na Féile Pádraig safely this year!
Host an Irish Trivia Night
All the rage in 2020, a well-planned Irish Trivia Night for Saint Patrick’s Day would be a great way to virtually celebrate with friends.
Our blog would be a good place to start for all manner of facts to draw a few questions from. We have information on the Irish language, the Ogham Alphabet, Newgrange, the Giant's Causeway and of course the man himself - St. Patrick.
To get you started on your quiz here is a question for you:
What do the heart, crown, and hands of an iconic Irish Symbol, the Claddagh, represent?
Answer: Love, Loyalty, and Friendship!
Really want to impress your friends? Sprinkle in some Gaelic, the Irish language, for an authentic touch. Don't forget to raise a toast with “Slainte!” which means “Cheers!”.
Shamrocks Never Go Out of Style
Just because you’re celebrating from home this year doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice your Paddy’s Day fashion. Do you have an Aran sweater that you save for every March 17th? We do!
Iconic Irish musicians like The Clancy Brothers were famous for wearing Aran sweaters for many of their performances, despite the heat! Photo by David Redfern/Redferns/Getty Images
Or perhaps you’ve own some Shamrock sunglasses you can’t wait to bust out. However you choose to accessorize, there’s something special about marking the start of Spring with an international celebration of the Irish “Young Clover”.
Take in Some Live Music...Virtually
Many musicians in Ireland and around the world will be hosting virtual performances! The St. Patricks Festival in Ireland has it's own online TV station where you can tune in and enjoy a multitude of offerings including “trad sessions" of Irish Traditional music. And all from the comfort of your home!
A good Trad session or Irish Folk Music session includes many different pieces, jigs, reels and balads with storytelling back and forth, usually with a “sing-song” and involving any number of instruments including fiddles, tin whistles or pipes, guitars, banjos, mandolins, accordions, spoons, and if your lucky a “bodhran” or two!
What’s a “bodhran” you ask? It’s a type of Celtic drum that consists of tightly pulled animal skin across a circular frame that is then played using a small wooden tool. It is very hard to sit still listening to a well played bodhran!
Have your own Parade
And if you are all dressed up and feel the need to move, you can try your hand at Irish Dancing or join in the Virtual St. Patricks Day parade while you are at it.
People all over Ireland and the globe will be sharing their home-parades with the world, using the hashtag #RTEVirtualParade on their preferred social platform.
2020 was the first #RTEVirtualParade and the hashtag was a global trend, #1 and #2 for much of St Patrick’s Day. With almost 1,300,000 views in 2020, the 2021 virtual parade promises to be even bigger.
Sure we will see you there so! Beannachtaí na Féile Padraig Ort!
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Liz
My Irish Jeweler
I was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Thanks to my Irish born father I was lucky enough to regularly visit Ireland -- and receive visitors from Ireland often, to my childhood home. This blending of cultures triggered my interest in Irish art and culture. My love for jewelry was nurtured by my American mom who is an artisan jeweler and dealer. I grew up loving Ireland and jewelry!
Now I happily reside in Dublin, having read Irish Literature and History at Trinity College Dublin. Having a passion for Irish literature, I am particularly interested in the work of poet W.B. Yeats. With the Celtic Revival in the 20th century, Yeats and his contemporaries did much for Irish arts and history. Many of our beautiful pieces at My Irish Jeweler are inspired by the myths and legends, as well as artwork, which gained permanence in Irish heritage as a result of the Celtic Revival.
I look forward to sharing the history and stories which influence the inspiration for our pieces with the My Irish Jeweler readers.
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