Skip to Main content

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

March 17, 2016

As you prepare to wear green and become Irish for a day, here are some quick facts and links to Library resources to brush up on your knowledge of St. Patrick, the man behind the holiday. Bonus information includes pronunciation tips for Irish phrases used on St. Patrick’s Day.

On March 17th individuals and entire communities gather to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Have you ever wondered who this fifth century man was and why do people celebrate him more than 1,500 years after his death?

To learn more about St. Patrick’s life, the Library has biographies such as St. Patrick of Ireland and access to St. Patrick’s writings that provide further insight into the man behind the holiday.

Use your RamPort login credentials to view this streaming video about St. Patrick: his life, his legend, the significance of the shamrock, and how various communities celebrate. Articles and scholarly research about St. Patrick and St. Patrick’s Day may be found using U-Search.

Here is a little Irish to help you pronounce some of those phrases you might want to use on St. Patrick’s Day:

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh! - Happy St. Patrick’s Day

(pronounced: ban-ock-tee na fay-lah paw-rig ur-iv!)

Slainte – Good Health or Cheers

            (pronounced: slahn-cha)

Éirinn go Brách! (aka Erin Go Braugh) – Ireland Forever

(pronounced: erin guh brawk)