Thursday 17^th March marks St Patrick’s Day and we are celebrating all things Irish. This day honours the Patron Saint of Ireland and people all over the world celebrate with parades, festivals, dancing and all things green!

Saint Patrick was a Christian missionary and bishop. He was set the task of teaching Christianity to the Irish. He travelled throughout Ireland, preaching the Gospel and converting many. He and his disciples preached and converted thousands and began building churches all over the country.

Patrick preached all over Ireland for 40 years. The date cited for when Ireland was converted to Christianity is 432. 17th March is said to be the date of his death, and today, is a celebration of Ireland itself!

In recognition of this day we wanted to write a little bit about a few of our favourite creative Irish people:

Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900)

Oscar Wilde was a successful novelist, playwright, poet and critic. He was born in Dublin on the 16th October 1954. Wilde was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and Magdalen College, Oxford. While at Oxford, Wilde became involved in the aesthetic movement. After he graduated, he moved to London to pursue a literary career.

In his lifetime he wrote nine plays, one novel, and numerous short stories, poems and essays. He is best known for the novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and the play “The Importance of Being Earnest”.

Our favourite Oscar Wilde quotes:

“Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.”

“Life is far too important a thing to ever talk seriously about.”

Sinead O’Connor

Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor is an Irish Singer-Songwriter who rose to fame in the late 1980s. Born on 8th December 1966, in Dublin, Ireland, Sinead O’Connor’s music career began when she was discovered by a local drummer. She emerged with a powerful and expressive voice, complex songs, and a fair share of controversy.

Her first album ‘The Lion and the Cobra” sold over 500,000 copies. With the release of her second album “ I do not want what I haven’t got” she became an international star! Driven by the phenomenal success of the smash hit single “Nothing Compares 2 U”, the album shot to the top of the charts and she received four Grammy Award nominations including Best Album, Best Song, Best Female Vocalist, and Best Alternative Album.

Michael Flatley

Michael Ryan Flatley, born on 16 July 1958, is an Irish American dancer, choreographer and musician. He transformed traditional Irish dancing into a popular spectator attraction, becoming internationally known for Irish Dance shows such as Riverdance and Lord of the Dance.

Flatley’s big break came in 1993, when he performed at the Spirit of Mayo, an Irish dance and music festival held in Dublin. After attracting the attention of Ireland’s president Mary Robinson and dance-show producers, he was invited to create a show for the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. His creation, Riverdance, captivated the audience. Flatley’s arms flying, he leaped across the stage, transforming Irish dance from a tradition-bound art form characterised by discipline and control, into an expressive and buoyant celebration.

HAPPY ST PATRICK’S DAY! 

Love, Jenny and the One Day Team x