St. Patrick’s Day is a time of parades and festivals commemorating Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland, and by extension the heritage and culture of the Irish people. It is also a reminder of Ireland’s long and complex history, its struggles against colonialism and its resistance to British rule.
Britain became the largest empire in history at its height in the early 20th century, holding sway over 23 percent of the world population of the time, covering 13.7 million square miles and 24 percent of the Earth’s total land area.
The British colonized many parts of North America, large swaths of the Middle East and Africa as well as the entirety of the Indian Subcontinent and Australia. Many colonies were forced to experience slavery, cultural destruction, mass arrests, forced starvation, land theft and segregation.
The first colonization carried out by the British was in 16th century Ireland, referred to as the “Munster Plantations.” British colonists confiscated Irish-owned land and brought English culture, fashion and language with them to Ireland, while Irish social, political and cultural practices were outlawed.
During World War I, Irish insurgents launched the Easter Rising against British rule and proclaimed an Irish Republic. The Rising led to greater popular support for Irish independence despite it being defeated after a week of fighting, and Irish politicians formed a breakaway government declaring Irish Independence three years after the Rising.
The declaration led to the Irish War of Independence, a guerilla conflict between the Irish Republican Army and the British Army that lasted from 1919 to 1921. A ceasefire and the Anglo-Irish treaty marked the end of the war, giving independence to the Irish Free State while Northern Ireland remained a part of the United Kingdom.
St. Patrick’s Day parade attendees in front of the Belfast City Hall in Northern Ireland. In 1916, one month before the Easter Rising against British rule, the Irish Volunteers held 38 parades throughout Ireland. The first official state-sponsored Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Ireland took place after independence in 1931. (Photo/Wikimedia Commons)
