Beannachtai na Feile Padraig. Happy Saint Patrick's Day.
I have had a blast this weekend, and it’s all thanks to St Patrick. When he was 16 years old he was a slave in Ireland. Six years later he finally escaped and did not return to Ireland until many years later, then as a missionary. St Patrick was an essential man when converting the Irish citizens to Christianity.
During St Patrick’s Day people all over Ireland arrange big parades celebrating Irish culture. Here in Dublin there’s also every year a huge festival with tons of things to do. I’ve been listening to some great Irish music and street performances. The festival is a week long and everyone who’s visiting are so friendly and happy! You won’t go an hour without talking to a person you’ve never met before. That hardly ever happen in Sweden, I don’t know if it’s because they’re shy or just not that interested in other people.
Of course it’s not required to wear green clothes, but everyone is happy to do! I didn’t have anything green to wear, but it wasn’t hard at all to find green clothes in Dublin. I’ve also purchased a flag with a picture of a shamrock which is an Irish symbol.
People go to long lengths to transform their cities so it looks like green paint bottles have exploded over it. Some even color the rivers green, I think it’s both crazy and hilarious at the same time!
I don’t think we have anything close to this in Sweden. The only time we get a little patriotic is when the Swedish hockey or football team plays a championship game.
Ireland is a country with such rich culture, and it’s really great to be a part of it, if only just for a few weeks. Nothing could be better with being here right now, except from it not being leap year. An old lady told me the most amazing and cute story of how she got engaged, and she allowed me to share it with you. As you probably know, leap year occurs every fourth year. In Ireland it wasn’t accepted for women to propose to their man. When St. Bridget one day went to St. Patrick she complained over this, and St. Patrick gave women one day every forth year when she could. That day is February 29th.
When Lily, the old lady was 20 years old, she knew that Harry was the man of her dreams. But he never proposed. They both lived in the UK at the time. But he somehow he agreed to coming with her to Ireland, and then she popped the question and they’ve been living there happily married ever since!
So if you have met your prince charming, don’t hesitate to come here!
Evelina
