St. Patrick's Day and Highland Games

St. Patrick’s day

Saint Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated every year on 17 March, the death date of the most commonly-recognised patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick.

Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early seventeenth century. The holiday has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck. Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick’s Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide.

So, why is it celebrated on March 17th? One theory is that it’s the day that St. Patrick died. Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations. The biggest observance of all is, of course, in Ireland. With the exception of restaurants and pubs, almost all businesses close on March 17th. Being a religious holiday as well, many Irish attend church, since March 17th is the traditional day for offering prayers for missionaries worldwide before the serious celebrating begins.

In American cities with a large Irish population, St. Patrick’s Day is a very big deal. Big cities and small towns alike celebrate with parades, “wearing of the green,” music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games. Some communities even go so far as to dye rivers or streams green!

President Obama also is a big fan of St. Patrick’s day.

Most of what is known about the story of saint Patrick is written by himself. He was born in Roman Britain into a wealthy family. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped by Iris raiders and takes as a slave to Gaelic Ireland. He wrote he spent six years there working as a shepherd and that during this time he found God. At the age of 22 he heard a voice, telling him to go home, after he set sail to britain, Patrick became a priest. But together with his shipmates, he may have been captured and held for 60 days in France. He always wanted to go back to Ireland and minister to the people.

St Patrick had a huge impact on Ireland. He baptized 100 000 people, took care of 300 new churches and reached princes but also paupers. He faced many hardships, got beaten repeatedly, chained, and faced execution. He also was a very poor man, because he always refuse money.  

Highland games

Highland games are events held throughout the year in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish culture, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain aspects of the games are so well known and typical Scottisch, such as the bagpipes, the kilt, and the heavy events, especially the caber toss, an athletic event in which competitors toss a large tapered pole called a "caber".

Also very popular at the Hightland Games is Tug O’War. It’s one of the oldest athletic contests known throughout history. It was part of the Olympics in Ancient Greece and was included in the modern Olympics until 1910. Far from the schoolyard variety that we all know, Tug O’War is serious business in Scotland and Ireland. Tug O’War leagues with professional sponsors are popular throughout the United Kingdom.

While centred on competitions in piping and drumming, dancing, and Scottish heavy athletics, the games also include entertainment related to other aspects of Scottish culture.

The Cowal Highland Gathering, better known as the Cowal Games, held in Dunoon, Scotland, every August, are the largest Highland games in the world, attracting around 3,500 competitors and about 23,000 viewers from around the globe.

The games are claimed to have influenced Baron Pierre de Coubertin when he was planning the revival of the Olympic Games. De Coubertin saw a display of Highland games at the Paris Exhibition of 1889.

So, Featuring a unique combination of culture, sport and social entertainment from heavy athletics to Highland dance, Highland games are a must for any visitor to Scotland.

Highland games attract competitors from around the world, as well as locals - why not join in yourself? The games are a spectacle like no other set against beautiful Scottish scenery with colorful dance displays, local produce and an exciting atmosphere.