How do I join in St Patrick's Day respectfully without turning it into a caricature?
Start with the day itself: 17 March is a public holiday, the national day, and for many people it still begins with Mass and a family dinner rather than a pub crawl. The Dublin parade anchors the St Patrick's Festival, which runs for several days with concerts and street theatre, and towns across the country hold their own parades. Wear green by all means, and a sprig of real shamrock if you are given one. Leave the leprechaun costume and the joke shirts about drinking at home, book restaurants and trains ahead, and if you raise a glass, sláinte is the word.
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Sources
- St Patrick's Festival: festival dates, parade and programme, stpatricksfestival.ie
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