Spending St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland
by Donal Buckley
This year, St. Patrick’s Day fell just after the first weekend of Spring Break. Without school looming, college students across the country found themselves enjoying a few days of partying before the holiday. Many, however, celebrated abroad — especially those of us that aren’t 21. I, like many American tourists, spent St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland.
My reasons for going, though, likely differed from many of the USC students who were on the same direct flight to Dublin. My twin brother was studying abroad in Florence, and he and around 11 of his friends who were also studying abroad planned on going to Ireland for St. Paddy’s. On top of that, my parents had been visiting him in Italy, so they were coming with him, and since it fell during our Spring Break, I tagged along as well. But my extended family also lives in Ireland, so this trip wasn’t just about partying, but visiting them as well. I’ve been to Dublin many times before, but the last time I went for St. Patrick’s Day was over a decade ago.
My brother and his friends were only there until Tuesday — the day after St. Patrick’s Day — so we had just a few days to live it up before they left. Coincidentally, I had a friend from campus staying in Ireland for the same amount of time, so there was plenty of fun to be had. Between a walking tour around the city and late nights out, the trip was as fun as it was exhausting.
Celebrations were happening both day and night leading up to the big day. It seemed like every storefront, restaurant, and even horse-drawn carriage was decked out with shamrocks and Irish flags. People were in and out of Carrolls, an Irish gift shop chain, buying Guinness sweaters and translucent green glasses. Safe to say, it was easy to tell who the tourists were.
St. Patrick’s Day, unsurprisingly, is a huge holiday in Ireland, but I’ve had multiple people ask me if it’s actually a big deal there. Understandably, there’s revenue in the amount of tourists that show up — like my brother’s friends — but the day is still an important cultural and religious holiday for the Irish. Saint Patrick is Ireland’s patron saint, so although it’s another excuse for American tourists and Irish locals alike to party, it does hold significance.
I went out for the first three nights of the trip. The first night, my friend from USC and a few others hit up The George, the oldest and largest gay bar in Dublin. Flashing lights and live performances engulfed us as we danced to trendy music. Then, we met my brother and an onslaught of his friends in the iconic Temple Bar area. My cousins had said only tourists visit Temple Bar, especially leading up to St. Patrick’s Day. Honestly, they weren’t wrong: most people we heard had American accents. Both places were extremely busy, with many demographics enjoying the pre-Paddy’s Day festivities. Each bar was, just like the city, decorated head-to-toe with flags, hats, and green lighting to celebrate the Emerald Isle. The second bar, though, had live music, which was a fun treat.
The second night, after my aunt and uncle treated our friends to cocktails, my cousin took us to a local bar just up the street from their house called The Back Page. The day after — on St. Paddy’s Day — we went to another bar across the street called McGowan’s. Both were hot spots for young people from the surrounding neighborhoods. Unlike the tourist-heavy bars in the city center, these pubs were mostly inhabited by locals. But honestly, perhaps given the day, there wasn’t much of a difference when it came to decor. Flags, green lighting, and songs from Irish singers were prevalent everywhere we went. Still, it was fun to see how a local pub compared to one in the city.
When I’m in Ireland, my favorite thing to drink is a vodka blackcurrant. If you’re over 18 and like sweet drinks, I’d highly recommend it! But of course, you can’t go wrong with a classic cider or Guinness either. But speaking of drinks, something else I noticed was how expensive they were — which I hope was just because of heavy foot traffic. I wouldn’t be surprised if they racked up prices for St. Patrick’s Day, because at some places, one shot was €11. Also, no shade, but the drinks might have been watered down, too. I don’t blame them, though. They knew people — lots of people — were coming, so they probably just wanted to maximize profit while stretching their inventory as much as they could. Also, I heard a rumor that some pubs dye their drinks green for St. Patrick’s Day, but unfortunately, I never got to verify if that was true.
Now for the day itself: on St. Patrick’s Day morning, my family went into town to view the annual parade. It’s usually frequented by tourists and younger locals, but considering we don’t actually live in the country, it was important for us to see it. And honestly, it’s one of the best parades I’ve ever been to. It only lasted about an hour and a half, so it wasn’t too long, and every float and performance was outstanding. They even had marching bands from U.S. colleges and high schools walking through the street, from states like Colorado, Florida, and even Alaska. It was a great celebration of local organizations, music, and Irish culture. On top of that, it was the first time in years that it didn’t rain during the parade. They truly wanted us to have a great experience.
After being up early to go to the parade, the rest of the day was spent resting before we went out again. And this was only the first few days of my trip — as college students left for other European countries, I stayed on to spend time with my extended family before coming back to LA.
For anyone interested in going to Ireland next year for Spring Break, I’d highly recommend it. But be warned, it’s probably going to rain: we got unusually lucky with the weather this year, which means it’s going to be horrible for the next five. But Ireland is a country rich with history, has a gorgeous countryside, and its people are some of the friendliest I’ve encountered — making the rain more than worth it. If you’re looking for a break from the typical tropical destinations, a colder vacation in Ireland may be in the cards for you next year.
