2. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years.  On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon.

3.  The name leprechaun comes from the old Irish word "luchorpan" which means "little body.“  A leprechaun is an Irish fairy who looks like a small, old man about 2 feet tall.  He is often dressed like a shoemaker, with a crooked hat and a leather apron.  According to legend, leprechauns are aloof and unfriendly  They live alone, and pass the time making shoes.  They also have a hidden pot of gold! Treasure hunters can often track down a leprechaun by the sound of his shoemaker's hammer.

4. If the leprechaun is caught, he can be threatened with bodily violence to tell where his treasure is, but the leprechaun's captors must keep their eyes on him every second. If the captor's eyes leave the leprechaun he vanishes and all hopes of finding the treasure are lost.

5. The Shamrock One traditional symbol of Saint Patrick's Day is the Shamrock. "Shamrock" is the common name for several different kinds of three-leafed clovers native to Ireland. The shamrock was chosen Ireland's national emblem because of the legend that St. Patrick had used it to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity. The Trinity is the idea that God is really three-in-one: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. The Irish have considered shamrocks as good-luck symbols since earliest times, and today people of many other nationalities also believe they bring good luck.

6. The Color Green  In the 19th century, however, green became used as a symbol for Ireland.  In Ireland, there is plentiful rain and mist, so the 'Emerald Isle' really is green all year-round.  The beautiful green landscape was probably the inspiration for the national color.  Wearing the color green is considered an act of paying tribute to Ireland.  It is said that it also brings good luck, especially when worn on St. Patrick's Day.  Many long years ago, playful Irish children began the tradition of pinching people who forgot to wear green on St. Patrick's Day and the tradition is still practiced today.

7. Stories about the supposed treasure hidden by leprechauns at the end of the rainbow have made the rainbow a popular St. Patrick's Day symbol.

8. CELEBRATIONS During St. Patrick’s Day celebrations everything is green … even beer!

9. CELEBRATIONS … and even things, that cannot be green become green!

10. Green - Harp - Hat - Jig - Leprechaun - March - Pot of Gold - Rainbow - Shamrock - 1.If you don’t wear something __________ on St. Patrick’s Day you might get pinched. 2. __________ appear in Irish legend as prophets and sorcerers. 5. __________ is the third month of the year 6. The ________ is a lively dance. 7. According to the Irish legend, there is a ________________ at the end of the rainbow. 8. Another name for __________ is clover. 9. Leprechauns wear a __________ on their head. 10. Is there a pot of gold at the end of a __________? 11. The __________ is a musical instrument.

11. CONCLUSION Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing of the green, and drinking beer. One reason St. Patrick's Day might have become so popular is that it takes place just a few days before the first day of spring. One might say it has become the first green of spring.

12. St. Patrick’s Day quiz

13. 1. The Irish national instrument is… a)the bagpipes b)a harp c)a guitar

14. 2. The colour of Ireland is… a)blue b)green c)orange

15. 3. The Irish flag is… a)green-white-orange b)orange-white-green c)green-orange-white

16. 4. What are the fairy people in Ireland called? a)dwarfs b)elves c)leprechauns

17. 5. In which US city do they dye rivers green on St. Patrick’s Day? a)New York b)Chicago c)Boston

18. 6. If somebody isn’t wearing anything green on St. Patrick’s Day, they are… a)kissed b)pinched c)tickled

19. 8. What colour was originally associated with St. Patrick? a)green b)orange c)blue

20. 9. Which of these is a nickname for Ireland? a)The Emerald Isle b)The Angel Island c)The Green Isle

21. 10. What does Erin Go Braugh mean? a)Luck of the Irish b)Ireland for ever c)Happy St. Patrick’s Day

22. 11. What was St. Patrick’s name at birth? a)Patrick O’Malley b)Maewyn Succat c)Adam Danan

23. 12. Who kidnapped St. Patrick when he was young? a)a band of pirates b)a group of Christians c)leprechauns

24. 13. According to legend, what animals did St. Patrick chase out of Ireland? a)rats b)snakes c)wolves

25. 14. What did St. Patrick use the shamrock in his teachings for? a)to decorate his hat b)to bring him good luck c)to explain the concept of the Trinity

26. 15. Today, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17 to commemorate: a)the day St. Patrick was born b)the day St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland c)the day St. Patrick died

27. 16. Which of these dishes is commonly eaten on St. Patrick’s Day? a)turkey and sauerkraut b)corned beef and cabbage c)barbecue

28. 17. Where is the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade held? a)New York City, USA b)Montreal, Canada c)Dublin, Ireland

29. 18. How many people of Irish descent live in the USA today? a)14 million b)34 million c)24 million

30. 19. The US is home to the famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral. In which city would you find this historic building? a)New York b)Boston c)Washington

31. 20. What profession does the leprechaun supposedly practice? a)shoemaker b)blacksmith c)goldsmith

32. 21. According to one popular belief, what would you find a leprechaun hiding at the end of the rainbow? a)shamrocks b)marshmallows c)a pot of gold

33. 22. What happens if you look away from a leprechaun? a)he dances b)he disappears c)he plays tricks

34. HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!