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The Best Irish Songs And The Best Irish Films Of All Time For Paddy’s Day; 8 Ways That We Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day In Ireland; The Most Notable St. Patrick’s Day Traditions In Ireland; 17 Tasty St. Patrick’s Day Cocktails To Whip Up At Home; How To Say Happy St. Patrick’s Day In Irish; 5 St. Patrick’s Day Prayers And Blessings SHREVEPORT, La -- March 17 marks Saint Patrick’s Day, and the tradition is familiar to all as the color green rules the day. But not all people wear green on St. Paddy’s Day. Some wear orange. To understand why some people wear orange, you first have to understand why people wear green. St. Patrick's Day is a Roman Catholic holiday that was first celebrated in Ireland starting in 1631. Some people now choose to wear both green and orange on St. Patrick’s Day as a symbol of unity and peace between different religious and political factions in Ireland. Despite its controversy, the choice to wear orange on St. Patrick’s Day serves as a reminder of Ireland’s rich yet tumultuous history. Nonetheless, St. Patrick's Day was co-opted by Protestants, who opted to don their representative orange instead of green for the day. The white stripe separating the green and orange ones on the country's flag is indicative of the unity both religions maintain, meaning there's no bad blood no matter what color you don. While most St. Patrick’s Day enthusiasts bust out their green clothing on March 17, there are some who would rather wear orange. The reason has everything to do with religion. Every March 17th, cities around the world turn green in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day—but why is green the chosen colour? And why do some people wear orange?!While Ireland’s nickname as the Emerald Isle and the shamrock’s deep ties to Irish identity play a role, the association wasn’t always there. The Orange vs. Green Conflict: To understand the sensitivity surrounding the color orange on St. Patrick’s Day, we must delve into Ireland’s complex history. The orange-green divide traces back to the religious and political conflicts between Protestants and Catholics in Ireland. Both green and orange are represented in the Irish flag to illustrate the peaceful coexistence of Catholics and Protestants, so both green and orange could be considered St. Patrick’s Day colors. St. Patrick’s Day usually conjures images of partying, Catholicism, Irish nationalism and, perhaps most famously, the color green: green clothes, green shamrocks, green beer and green rivers. So T hey say the whole world is Irish on St. Patrick's Day! Or at least, the whole world adopts a certain version of Irish culture. Every March 17, we break out our green clothing and jewelry, wear So, they all packed up and moved to America, bringing St. Patrick's Day with them. The Colors of St. Patrick's Day. Surprised by Color. Elementary school celebrations in my day encompassed the usual cliches: The pot of gold, the rainbow, the little green clad men, green grass, and shamrocks. We never received any of the real history or even the While most St. Patrick’s Day enthusiasts bust out their green clothing on March 17, there are some who would rather wear orange. The reason has everything to do with religion. Incorporating orange and green into St. Patrick’s Day outfits can be a creative way to celebrate and acknowledge Ireland’s diverse heritage. History of Wearing Orange on St Patrick’s Day. Wearing orange on St. Patrick’s Day has its roots in Irish history, specifically, the events surrounding the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. PHILADELPHIA – MARCH 14: Bill Hare, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania participates in the 53rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade dressed as a leprechaun March 14, 2004 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. So that's why I call myself a Baptist, and why I did not wear orange to my first St. Patrick's Day parade. I wore red--my dance school's uniform. The next year, when I was privileged to be the queen of the parade while serving as the 2005 Arizona Colleen , I wore green. The Real Color for St. Patrick: Blue vs. Green. Interestingly, St. Patrick was originally associated with the color blue. Over time, green took precedence, likely due to its association with the shamrock and its significance in Irish nationalism. St. Patrick’s Day Across the Divide: Catholic and Protestant Traditions Growing up, my sister Jacqueline and I were NEVER allowed to wear green to school. We would try to sneak out the door and Daddy would turn us about saying, “No child of mine is wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day. Go and put on your orange.” No matter how we pleaded about getting pinched, Daddy was always true to his heritage. So far, I haven't heard of a joint Green-Orange celebration of St Patrick's Day in Ireland. The two traditions are seemingly staying separate in how they mark the 17th of March. In 2005, there was almost a St Patrick's Day Orange Order parade in Cork, by invitation of this city bastion of Irish nationalism. On this Saint Patrick’s Day, you are likely to take part in that time-honored tradition of wearing green. If not, you risk punishment by pinch, an especially popular custom on schoolyards and
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