Saint Patrick's Day (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig) is a yearly holiday celebrated on 17 March. It is named after Saint Patrick (circa AD 387–493), the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland. It began as a purely Christian holiday and became an official feast day in the early 1600s. However, it has gradually become more of a secular celebration of Ireland's culture. It is a public holiday on the island of Ireland; including Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It is also widely celebrated in places where there are large numbers of Irish immigrants and their offspring – this includes Great Britain, Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and Montserrat, among others. Read more