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At Missouri University of Science and Technology, for instance, self-styled “Knights of St. Patrick” among the engineering faculty are well-known for celebrating his accomplishments through a series of traditions during the week of St. Patrick’s Day. 2 St. Patrick was an Engineer – he was – he was, For he surveyed the Emerald Isle; he made its maps and its profile; Erin Go Bragh – RAH FOR THE ENGINEERS! St. Patrick was an Engineer – he was – he was. St. Patrick was an Engineer – he was – he was, For he turned on the switch one day and hustled all the snakes away, Erin Go Bragh Considering he is the patron saint of engineers, one might suspect that St. Patrick did a bit of engineering in his day. That is certainly what some College of Engineering students at the University of Missouri believed back in 1903, when they claimed to have “discovered” that Patrick was engineer. Such reads the 1903 University of Missouri declaration and since longer than most engineer Marines can remember, every St. Patrick’s Friday, they have celebrated their patron saint, the Marine Corps way. The Marine Corps Engineers School gathered Friday, March 19, at 8 a.m. and conducted competitions between different classes and units. The tale of St. Patrick as an engineer began at the University of Missouri in 1903. Engineering students were lamenting the fact it was such a long period between holidays and professors were giving them a heavy workload. They decided that St. Patrick was an engineer because he removed the snakes from Ireland and so St. Patrick’s Day should Since 1903, UMC engineering students have celebrated St. Patrick's Day (March 17) as a holiday set aside for engineers. This celebration has developed into a week of festivities, including lab exhibits, a canned food drive, a knighting ceremony, St. Pat.'s Ball, and the coronation of the King and Queen of the engineers. His role as an engineer is less often recounted on St. Patrick’s Day, though some engineering schools have embraced him and adopted celebrations in his honor. At Missouri University of Science and Technology, the “Knights of St. Patrick” (members of the engineering school) lead a week-long series of traditional events around the time of The real translation is “Ireland to the end of time,” but “St. Patrick was an engineer” has a better ring to it, right? From that day forward, engineering students at the U of M would pay homage to their patron saint on St. Patrick’s Day each year. The celebration was officially dubbed Engineer’s Day, or E-Day, in 1914. So next time you raise a glass in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, remember to toast to the patron saint of engineers as well! Historical Evidence of Saint Patrick’s Patronage of Engineers Throughout history, there have been numerous accounts and evidence suggesting that Saint Patrick is indeed the patron saint of engineers. But according to legend, the connection between engineering and St. Patrick does have a basis in fact, albeit fact clouded by the mists of 1,600 years of history. With a Roman education and a knowledge of Roman concepts of engineering, St. Patrick (A.D. 387-461) would have been familiar with incredibly advanced techniques and methods for his time. St. Patrick's Day Celebrations of the Past St. Patrick's Parade. The festivities for St. Patrick's Day have included several events over the years. One of these events was a parade announcing the discovery that St. Patrick was an engineer. This was proclaimed through the music of a band. (University Archives, C:0/47/3, Box 2 FF 14) St. Patrick is said to have introduced the use of lime mortar and the concept of arches to Irish Builders as he built hundreds of Churches around Ireland. The pioneering technique helped improve the strength and aesthetics of the structures. St. Patrick’s influence on building techniques can still be seen throughout Ireland today. The world’s largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration isn’t in Ireland. It’s in the U.S. It’s no secret that Americans have an affinity for the holiday. Many Americans — even those with no St. Paddy's Engineer 5 Mile Challenge 9AM | March 15, 2025 Ellis Field, Courthouse Bay Test your limits in this untimed, demanding course designed by US Marine Corps engineers. The U.S. celebration of all things Irish is a far stretch from the holiday’s 17th century origins. Virginia Tech experts Brian Britt and Admin Husic explain Americans' enthusiasm for St. Patrick's Day and the science behind dyeing rivers green. The tale of St. Patrick as an engineer began at the University of Missouri in 1903. Engineering students were lamenting the fact it was such a long period between holidays and professors were giving them a heavy workload. They decided that St. Patrick was an engineer because he removed the snakes from Ireland and so St. Patrick’s Day should St. Patrick's Day is a big deal at MSOE, and not just because we love a good party. Because St. Patrick introduced modern building methods to Ireland (including lime mortar and arches), he is the patron saint of engineering. MSOE is just one of many engineering-focused universities in the United States to celebrate March 17 for this reason. This tale of problem-solving and persistence is the perfect inspiration for a STEM challenge, where students can design and build their own creative solutions to tackle an imaginary snake problem—engineering tools to safely remove “snakes” from their classroom or experimenting with ways to model St. Patrick’s legendary feat! St. Patrick 🍀 Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Fun and Learning! 🍀 🌟 Calling all scouts! Join us for a day full of exciting activities to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. We’ve got something for everyone in three exciting categories: Art, Engineering, and Charity! 🌟 Art 🎨 Did you know St. Patrick's Day was once associated with blue? St. Patrick’s Day was declared a day to celebrate engineering and St. Patrick became a symbol of honor and achievement among engineering students. In 1950, the tradition of the Knights made its first appearance at the University of Illinois. It is an annual award presented by the College of Engineering to approximately 8 to 15 students who
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