St. Patrick’s Day is nearly upon us, with the annual celebration of Irish culture arriving on March 17. The day is a public holiday in Ireland, however it’s also widely enjoyed across the world, particularly in Canada. The links between the two nations stretches back centuries and here Lucky Nugget Casino will detail how the event has been marked over the years.
Canada and Ireland: Countries connected
The first reports of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Canada can be traced back to 1759 by Irish soldiers in the Montreal Garrison. Then, in 1824 Montreal held the first ever parade in the country to signify the day. To demonstrate the strong connections with Ireland, a shamrock also features prominently on the city’s coat of arms.
Take a look at our info-graphic below to celebrate St Patrick’s day in Canada
Toronto would also develop a strong Irish community and 1863 saw the first parade in the city. Again, the Irish influence would continue to grow and for a period of eight years from 1919, the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team were actually known as the Toronto St. Patrick’s!
In recent times, the celebrations have continued across the country and 2004 saw the first CelticFest Vancouver Society event, designed to celebrate Celtic nations and their culture. It has since gone on to be an annual occasion. As well as that, to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day in 2009 the top exterior light of the iconic Calgary Tower was changed to green.
Today, it’s believed that 13.9 percent of Canadians boast Irish heritage. Therefore, St. Patrick’s Day is still widely appreciated with nine major cities hosting parades this month. They are; Edmonton, Halifax, Hudson, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec, Richmond, Toronto and Winnipeg.
So, get yourself along to join in the celebrations, it’s sure to be a fun day! And, why not get into the spirit by having a spin on the Irish Eyes slot, it’s certain to get you in the party mood.
