Hi, I am Louise, I work as the Centre Administrator in SSPC and I am from Limerick. St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of one Ireland’s Patron Saints. Ireland has a long, complex and often heart breaking history with immigration. For a few people it was a chance at adventure and to see more of the world but for many more they had no choice but to leave everything they knew behind for the chance at a decent life. St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of all those things; living in Ireland, being Irish but living abroad and having Irish Roots.
For such a small island we have made quite an impact around the world, in fact over 70 million people claim to have Irish Ancestry and St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in over 50 countries.
St. Patrick’s Day for me is a day to celebrate and embrace that shared Irish history with millions all over the globe. I am proud to be Irish and come from the land of the Cead Mile Fáilte (the land of a thousand welcomes).
I feel the St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a great event for families. This photo is of me and my son as he marched in his first Parade many years ago. I marched in the Limerick City Parade for a few years as a child and can still remember the excitement and the pounding of my heart as we slowly made our way up O’Connell Street with the crowds waving and cheering us on. It was wonderful to be able to share a similar experience with my own child and hopefully keep this tradition going into the next generation.
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh go léir!
