April 4th, 2016 | Uncategorized
For many Americans, St. Patrick’s Day is a pretty fun holiday that is celebrated well before March 17th. Only after living in Ireland for this past year, have I realized how odd it is that Americans “celebrate” Paddy’s Day in the upcoming weeks before the actual day; when the Irish don’t celebrate it nearly as early, or as much as the Americans do.
From living in Ireland, I have learned all about the day as well as St. Patrick himself. The most interesting thing I learned was the legend about St. Patrick. The legend says that St. Patrick banished all snakes from Ireland.
By learning about St. Patrick and the actual day of celebration it meant a lot more to celebrate the holiday in the originating nation, more specifically the capital city, Dublin. To say the least, Dublin did not disappoint. The city was packed with people all decked out in green, with the city streets and buildings covered in green with Irish flags everywhere.
On top of being able to celebrate it in Dublin, I also had some of my best friends by my side. My brother, David, my friends Becky and Tyler, all flew over from the United States for the week to explore Ireland, as well as to experience Paddy’s Day in Dublin. I of course, also got to spend the day with some of my Scholar family and it was an absolute blast!
Celebrating Paddy’s Day in Dublin is yet another opportunity that I am so fortunate to experience, all thanks to Sport Changes Life and the journey I have embarked on this past year.
Victory Scholar: Sarah Benedetti
Present University: University of Limerick
US League: NEC
Club/Community Partner: UL Huskies
Alma Mater: St. Francis College
Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland
