When I chose to go to Ireland for the spring semester, I didn’t even think about the fact that I would be in Ireland come March 17. I didn’t know if they even celebrated St. Paddy’s Day in Ireland that much. As soon as March began, though, I knew that I was completely wrong.

No one loves Ireland more than the Irish do, and I realized that this Saint Patrick’s Day. Their love for the color green and this country is stronger than I could have ever imagined.

This Saint Paddy’s Day, I was able to spend the day in Dublin and the night in Limerick. With the International Society, my friends and I left for Dublin at six o’clock in the morning (yes, I was still asleep) and arrived around 9. Although the parade hadn’t begun yet, we went and got brunch at The Merchant Bar.

It may have been very cold, snowy, and windy, but standing on the streets for the parade to begin was definitely worth the wait. The parade was so incredible and fun, and although we were all too cold to stay till the end to see Mark Hamill, the guest of honor, it was still a great experience. We ate lunch at a Brazilian restaurant across the river, and before we knew it we were on our way back to Limerick. The night didn’t end there, though! We went out to the city and watched a band perform at Smyth’s, and the next day we watched marching bands perform and saw fireworks at night.

– Jenna Gibson