Sharing a small bit about the person behind the holiday, Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland because he introduced Christianity to the people here. Saint Patrick is remembered on the day of his passing, March 17. On Saint Paddy's Day, people celebrate by wearing something green, a color most associated with Ireland because it's covered with lush green grass and it's one of the colors in the flag as well.
One thing that is interesting to recognize is that somehow at least between Americans who celebrate St. Paddy's Day and the Irish who celebrate, we have very different ideas on traditional food for the holiday. In America, it was believed that traditional St. Paddy's Day food is corned beef and cabbage. Other food items that are popular for this holiday are Irish soda bread, potatoes or shepherd's pie. Many Americans believe this is the food the Irish eat when they celebrate because many of these Americans had grandparents or great grandparents who were Irish and that's what they ate. Actually, in Ireland, it is more common to eat bacon (a kind more similar to our ham) and cabbage, also brown soda bread and shepherd's pie. In Ireland, the only kind of corned beef they know of comes in a small can.
