St. Patrick’s Day means beer and whiskey galore… At least these days! For there was a time, not so long ago, when alcohol was still banned from taverns on March 17. Since the 1970s, however, the Irish have been toasting the health of their patron saint at an incredible pagan festival.
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It was in the 1600s, under the reign of Elizabeth I, that St. Patrick’s Day became an official celebration in Ireland. The primary aim was to celebrate St. Patrick, a 5th-century Christian figure considered to be the “Apostle of Ireland”, who helped Christianize the whole island.
Masses and prayers were organized in churches to honor the man said to have converted all Irish people to Christianity. St. Patrick’s Day therefore had a solemn, religious aspect, far removed from the pagan celebration we know today.
Against this backdrop of Christian festivities, the Church of Ireland decreed in the 17th century that it was forbidden to sell or consume alcohol on March 17. The idea was to respect the sacred nature of the celebration by associating it with fasting and abstinence.
This prohibition was subsequently enshrined as an obligation in the Irish Penal Code, from 1927 onwards. Offenders faced heavy fines and possible imprisonment.
Over time, the production and sale of alcohol was suspended on St Patrick’s Day in Ireland.
In fact, it wasn’t until the 1970s that the religious ban on alcohol on St. Patrick’s Day was gradually lifted. As Irish society became more secular, the authorities found this prohibition obsolete and difficult to enforce.
The last law prohibiting alcohol consumption on this day was finally repealed in 1970. St. Patrick’s Day was then gradually transformed into a secular celebration, marked by the parades, Celtic music and beers that have come to define its identity.
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Today, reality is very different, and Ireland seems to have gone from one extreme… to the other!
Every March 17th, in the crowded pubs and on the improvised terraces, people jostle for access to pints of Irish beer. One frothy pint follows another as we toast to verdant Ireland and its illustrious patron saint.
The beer flows freely, empty beer kegs pile up in the streets and trucks park all day long near the Irish pubs to unload their new cargoes of stout.
In all, no fewer than 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed on this day alone around the world, including almost 6 million in Ireland and Northern Ireland alone! In other words, yesterday’s rules are no longer today’s!
From Galway to Belfast, thousands of people empty a few glasses. The atmosphere is one of joy and conviviality in a country that lives for the moment.
But be warned: although this is a very festive event, we can only advise you to avoid excess. Beware of hangovers! As a reminder, alcohol can be dangerous to your health and lead to reprehensible acts and behavior.
Belfast - Cork - Dublin - Galway Celebrating Saint Patrick's Day in Ireland 
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