When March 17th rolls around on thecalendar every year it means it’s time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Even though it’s basically an Irish celebration, you’ll find there are St. Patrick Day parades and events in many parts of the world. One of the most popular is the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Downpatrick, Ireland, which features a wreath laying and then a colourful parade.

Saint Patrick is Ireland’s patron saint and is buried at the Downpatrick cathedral. When the special day arrives, a procession takes place from the nearby town of Saul to Downpatrick. This is the first part of the celebrations, which are then followed by a service at the cathedral and then the carnival parade.

At the Downpatrick cathedral you’ll find a huge stone slab that marks the resting place of three saints, which are St. Patrick, St Colomb, and St Bridget. These saints are responsible for introducingChristianity to the pagan Irish.

The parade features bands and floats and there are also several concerts and exhibitions in the days leading up to March 17th. The whole community gets involved and you’ll see a sea of green everywhere.

The town of Downpatrick features the Saint Patrick Centre, which is the world’s only permanent   exhibition dedicated to the saint. It’s also one of Ireland’s top tourist attractions. It’s located next to the town’s cathedral and St. Patrick’s grave. The sire makes a great day trip from Dublin and Belfast as it’s about 40 minutes from Belfast and two hours from Dublin.

The centre offers an interesting interactive exhibition on the legacy and life of St. Patrick. It’s a very interesting and historical site which tells the story of the saint and how Christianity arrived in Ireland. When you combine the educational aspect of the St. Patrick Centre with the excitement of the parade, you’ll be guaranteed a fascinating time in Downpatrick on March 17th.

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