Celebrate St Patrick's Day in Belfast and Beyond!
For a Queen's student living in Belfast, St Patrick's Day is a fun-filled highlight in the city's social calendar that's not to be missed. Find out how you can join in the celebrations this year in Belfast and further afield!
St Patrick's Day is a national holiday in Northern Ireland, meaning campus will be closed for the day (except for Queen's student accommodation). So, don your best green clothing and accessories and make the most of your day off by enjoying the various displays, performances and musical acts taking place across Belfast and further afield!
Why do we celebrate St Patrick’s Day?
St Patrick's Day was originally a commemorative feast day for the patron saint of Ireland, who is best known for bringing Christianity to the island and (mythically) driving snakes away from Ireland.
The day has now evolved into a global celebration of Irish culture and heritage, with festivities reaching as far as Japan and New York City!
The Chicago River is dyed green every year to commemorate St Patrick's Day
It is tradition to wear some form of green clothing or accessories on St Patrick's Day, which is associated with Ireland being known as the 'Emerald Isle' and the shamrock that St Patrick is often depicted as holding. Look out for St Patrick's Day merchandise on sale in local retailers across Belfast - even a green bow tie will do!
Festivities in Belfast
St Patrick's celebrations are in full swing in Belfast in the lead up to the big day - immerse yourself in the musical traditions of Belfast and beyond and enjoy bagpipe sessions, céilí (traditional group dancing) bands and folk orchestras from 14-17 March in venues across the city. Visit Belfast TradFest for the full lineup of performances and workshops!
The annual St Patrick's Day Parade in Belfast city centre is undeniably the highlight of the city's celebrations, with a dazzling display of multi-cultural dance and music performances. Check out the parade route here.
Once you've enjoyed the parade, continue to check off your St Paddy's bucket list by ordering a pint of Guinness (Alcohol-free versions are also available in several venues in Belfast - use the Guinness pub finder to plan ahead!). Check out student Erin's top bar picks for a pint of the black stuff.
For a tasty St Patrick's Day lunch, try out McHugh's for an Irish potato boxty, Darcy's for their Irish chicken or soda bread, or Mourne Seafood Bar for locally sourced mussels or oysters!
Enjoy the celebrations and remember to look after yourself and your friends - check out student Ghada's guide to having a safe night out in Belfast.
Beyond Belfast
While Derry/Londonderry is arguably best known for its Halloween festivities, don't sleep on its St Patrick's Day celebrations - a colourful programme of music and street performances is planned for this year. Why not take the train up for the day (it's only a two-hour journey from Belfast!) and visit the iconic Derry Girls mural, or enjoy a historical tour of the city while you're there?
With Dublin only two and a half hours from Belfast (via the Dublin Express), St Patrick's Day is the perfect opportunity to travel down and enjoy the festivities in Ireland's buzzing capital city. From the iconic parade to a Céilí led by former Riverdancer and champion Irish step-dancer Dearbhla Lennon, you will be fully immersed in Irish culture and heritage.
Don't forget to enjoy all that the city has to offer while you're there - check out our student's top Dublin recommendations:
Student Experiences
Get inspired by how our students have previously celebrated St Patrick’s Day in Belfast and beyond!
"We started with Cathedral Quarter, having a few pints at the Duke of York, then we moved on to the Dirty Onion and The Bridge House, where we were able to eat a little and enjoy more pints. It has been one of the best experiences of my life to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Belfast and to feel the Irish spirit in every corner of the city and every person. I would do it again a thousand times more - don't miss it next year!" - Isabella Barros de la Rosa, MA Violence, Terrorism and Security graduate, Colombia
Read Isa's full St Patrick's blog here
"It felt like a whole occasion, as we decorated the kitchen and made sure everything was on theme, right down to dyeing our ciders green. I’d choose our cute night in complete with silly photos, quality time and lots of laughs together as a regular St Patrick’s activity!" - Kathryn Allen, Medicine graduate, NI
"The St Patrick’s Day Parade in Belfast is so much fun. I represented the University by participating in the parade. We got two days of training before we went to the actual parade. In the first day of training, we designed the overall movements in our parade dance, and practised the dance with different ‘parade music’. If you are coming here next year look out for how you can join the parade!" - Shing Him Mak, Law graduate, Hong Kong
Read more student St Patrick's Day experiences here!
Find out more
Stay safe this St Patrick's Day
Hannah ReillyStaff Writer | Queen's GlobalHi, I'm Hannah, a two-time graduate of Queen's University Belfast and now a current staff member of Queen's Global! As well as helping with general content management for the main Queen's website, I also collaborate with current students to create relatable and useful content for the student blog. I studied BA English and MA English Literary Studies at Queen's and have since worked in various editorial positions in Belfast, including previous roles as Editorial Assistant and Assistant Commissioning Editor for local and international magazine publications. In my spare time, I enjoy reading novels (and attending various book clubs), studying Korean at the Queen's Language Centre and attending Belfast Giants ice hockey games! |
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