Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the Classical Way

Saint Patrick’s Day has become a global celebration of Irish culture, commemorating the patron saint of Ireland. While today it is often marked by parades, corned beef and cabbage, and the wearing of shamrocks, it began as a religious feast day dating back to the early 17^th century. These traditions offer a fun way to celebrate, but they can also open the door to a deeper opportunity to immerse your family in Ireland’s rich cultural heritage through literature, art, and music.

Many know the story of St. Patrick, who brought Christianity to Ireland, using the shamrock to symbolize the Trinity. To go beyond some of the modern representations, take time on this day to explore the real-life historical figure and examine what life was like in 5th-century Ireland. These can provide some meaningful conversations with your children.

Read literature with your children that are either set in Ireland or written by an Irish author. C.S. Lewis was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and is well-known for children’s fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Many of his books are on the Great Hearts elementary reading list. Titles like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, The Silver Chair, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Magician’s Nephew.

Middle schoolers at Great Hearts have already enjoyed the poem, When You Are Old by Irish poet, dramatist, writer, and literary critic, William Butler (W.B.) Yeats.

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

Yeats’ brother, Jack Butler Yeats, was an Irish painter who was known for painting lush Ireland landscapes in his works. Explore the elements of more traditional Irish art like knotwork, celtic spirals, and illuminated manuscripts from the medieval period.

On To Glory by Jack B. Yeats

Lastly, as a family, learn one of the most beloved traditional Irish Blessings:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
The rains fall soft upon your fields and, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

In celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day in this way, we recover something of its original purpose. Not merely festivity, but formation. Through literature, art, and music, we discover a culture shaped by faith, beauty, and storytelling. Such traditions remind us that true celebration draws us closer to what is True, Good, and Beautiful.

Do you have a story or know of one that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts? Please contact jmoore@greatheartsamerica.org.

Submit a student application to a Great Hearts Academy by visiting: https://www.greatheartsamerica.org/enroll/.