Budapest painted green for St Patrick’s Day in the Hungarian capital

Once a year, the Irish celebrate St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. This year, the parade is being organised in Budapest again, so we Hungarians can have a taste of a truly green holiday.

Patrick (385 – 461) was a 5th century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland, who died on 17 March. He was later canonised as a saint, became the patron saint of Ireland and, in his honour, was made a day of death, the national holiday of the Irish.

The Irish celebrate this day in a very spectacular way all over the world, many of us have probably seen footage of the green-clad festival. The celebrations usually consist of public parades and festivals, Irish traditional music (céilithe) and the wearing of green dresses or shamrocks.

The good news is that after a three-year hiatus, Budapest is celebrating St Patrick’s Day again. On Sunday, 19 March, from 1 PM, there will be a gathering at Szabadság Square, where little ones can play games and grown-ups can mingle with the Irish in Hungary or even drink a Guinness.