St Patrick's Day Celebrations Worldwide

2008 is a year to remember for St Patrick’s Day, the date of the celebrations was moved from the 17th March to the 15 March, due to the 17th March clashing with dates in the Catholic Church Calendar, Bishops discovered the Irish patron saint's feast on March 17 clashed with the second day of Holy Week in 2008.

The last time St Patrick's Day had to be moved was in 1940 when it coincided with Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week. The next date it will have to be moved again is 2160.

Sinead Grace, of Tourism Ireland, said the traditional St Patrick's Day parade through Dublin has now become a week-long festival.
"I wouldn't imagine too many people are aware of the religious aspect. I can't see that it will make any difference to the bookings of Hostels, hotels and B&Bs," she said.

The moving of the official day of Celebrations for St Patrick’s has not dampened any enthusiasm or the scale of the elaborate celebrations Worldwide. Chicago still dyed the River Green; New York’s St Paddy’s Day Parade was still as magnificent, London’s St Patrick’s Day Parade was Still as Amazing and the festival in Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Covent Garden were a must if in London and around the World the change in date hardly made an impact.

When asked, most people commented that the date of St Patrick's Day was important, but not as important as the celebration itself.