Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day Across the World

St. Patrick’s Day is a cultural celebration that’s impossible to ignore in Ireland. With so much happening around the country this year, it’s easy to find something interesting to do on home soil - but have you ever thought about spending St. Patrick’s Day outside of Ireland?

So much of what we love about this national day is the excuse to celebrate our heritage, and it’s exciting to look beyond our island to witness first-hand the remarkable mark we’ve left on the rest of the world.

Take a look below for some inspiration on different places to connect with your Irish roots this St.Patrick’s Day.

Boston

Boston likes to stake the claim of being “the most Irish of any American city” and with such an illustriousIrish past, it’s easy to see why. The Boston Irish Tourism Association offers guided tours of the Boston Irish Heritage Trail. The trail was set up to recognise Boston’s unique Irish heritage and covers three miles of significant landmarks.

On St. Patrick’s Day, a massive parade takes over South Boston attracting up to one million spectators. The parade features everything from elaborate floats to military units. Many people wear green and get together to celebrate a shared sense of Irishness, and the wide range of Irish-American groups makes this a wonderful spot to explore your heritage in a new way.

Birmingham

If you’re looking for somewhere a little closer to home to discover your Irish roots, Birmingham hosts the oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in Britain – dating back to the 1950s.

Originally created to help Irish immigrants embrace their cultural identity, the parade has evolved from its humble origins into a huge multicultural celebration.

A major highlight in the city’s event calendar, the festival runs over a week. The parade itself features floats, marching bands, dancers and walking groups. The theme for 2017 is Dance, so expect a colourful celebration of Irish dancing and dance culture from around the globe.

Montserrat

For something entirely different, take a trip to the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean. Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in a tropical climate might be a slightly strange touristic experience for anyone Irish, but Montserrat is the only country outside of Ireland that celebrates St. Patrick’s Day as a public holiday.

Many people claim to have Irish heritage but the people of Montserrat truly have a complicated history of Irish heritage dating back centuries. This can be dated back to Cromwell’s reign when a huge number of Irish Catholics were exiled to the Caribbean islands. Today, their St. Patrick’s Day Festival lasts a week and combines Irish and African culture to create a truly unique event.

Get Covered with AIB Travel Insurance

St. Patrick’s Day is a great reminder of Irish heritage throughout the world, but it isn’t the only good time to travel. Connecting with Irish roots abroad is a great idea for a holiday any time of the year.

Get 25% off all new annual multi-trip travel insurancepolicies when you purchase online. The discount is based on the price you would have got over the phone. Offer ends 1st September 2017.

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