By Eléonore vdP, Grade 9
The streets were filled with excitement and lots of green. Flags were passed around as the parade marched through the streets of Munich, filling them with laughter, dancing and music.
Residents of Munich gather at the Siegestor on March 12, 2023 to celebrate St.Patrick’s Day at the annual parade. (Eléonore vdP/Buchhof Bulletin)
‘Lá Fhéile Pádraig’, better known as ‘St. Patrick’s Day’ is finally being celebrated in Munich again. After 3 years of the parade being canceled due to the coronavirus, it is finally starting again. The entire weekend was full of celebrations, with a pre-parade on Saturday the 11th of March, followed by an Irish Night in the Amerika Haus full of performances and of course, drinks. The next day, the parade started at 12:00 and it was followed by an after-parade party.
Celebrations in Munich are not very known while Ireland has bigger and greener celebrations as St.Patrick’s day is part of their culture.
Ita L. lived in Ireland for 7 years but is not originally Irish. Her celebrations there were more related to the activities and traditions happening around her and she does not celebrate it in Munich as it was never a big part of her culture, just an event happening next to her. She celebrated with her family at home by attending the parade, wearing curly orange wigs as well as dressing in green, orange, and white to represent the Irish flag. At school, she would celebrate with her friends by wearing headbands with shamrocks and the school organised face paint for the students.
Sinead H. and Keira B. both have an Irish background but never lived in Ireland. They experienced different celebrations and traditions since they never had the chance to celebrate it there. As young children, they would attend the parade with their family and wear green clothes as well as T-shirts stating, “Kiss me I’m Irish”. They also celebrated with a big dinner with Irish food, baking Irish pastries as well as a Guinness cake for dessert, drinking Guinness and watching Irish movies with their family in the evening. Sinead H. would also call her extended family despite being named ‘The Americans’.
St. Patrick’s Day is a big celebration around the world and even though the traditions vary from place to place, people enjoy this day fully everywhere as it fills the air with laughter and liveliness.