Like many countries the world over, many people here celebrate the Irish National holiday. Although it’s not a holiday here, in some ways, Portugal celebrates it much like Ireland does. During Saint Patrick’s Day in Portugal, you’ll see people wearing green clothes and dancing to Irish music. You’ll also see Irish food and a special emphasis on drinking Guinness and Jameson! Slàinte!
It’s an annual celebration of Irish culture to remember the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick (São Patrício). He was credited with bringing Christianity to the Emerald Isle.
Saint Patrick’s Day Parades
As far as I’m aware, this is mostly done in Lisbon and Porto. Since 2017, there has been a small St. Patrick’s Day parade in Lisbon. Which started with the Colégio do Bom Sucesso, in Belém – also in Lisbon. This private school belongs to the Congregation of the Irish Dominican Sisters. The sisters founded it in 1630 and remained in Portugal for over 300 years. However, the Saint Patrick parades have grown to include a large crowd of revellers dressed in green. The parade now usually features traditional Irish dancers performing an upbeat Irish jig. Bagpipes and Uilleann pipes are included (Gaita de foles and Gaita Irlandesa).
Lisbon hosted its first official St. Patrick’s Day parade on 17th March 2024, with a procession of over 200 musicians playing bagpipes along Avenida da Liberdade. The event brought together ten bagpipe bands—eight from Spain and two from Portugal—and concluded with celebrations in Praça do Comércio, featuring live music and entertainment. In the lead-up to the parade, a St. Patrick’s Day Festival took place in Marvila, offering Irish-themed activities, concerts, and sponsorship from Guinness.
Saint Patrick’s Day in Portugal is becoming more and more popular here. Not only with the Irish diaspora but also with the wider Portuguese population. Moreover, the Portuguese see it as an occasion to celebrate the Irish relationship that exists between the two countries. As such, it is becoming an increasingly popular activity with locals and tourists alike.
Portugal has also joined the many countries that participate in the “Irish Global Greening” by illuminating famous landmarks green.
Some related vocabulary
To celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with you, the word of the day is – o trevo (the shamrock/clover). Next, if you would like to practise your written Portuguese, write a sentence using the word trevo. Or write down the examples in this video and read them out loud 3 times each!
By the way, in case you were wondering, the patron Saint of Portugal is Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of Conception).
Related Posts For Further Reading
- Saint Brigid’s Day
- Pancake Day in Portugal in Carnaval
- Nossa Senhora da Conceição
- São Patrício e Portugal (Portuguese Listening Exercise)
It’s not random – there’s a simple pronunciation pattern behind it! 🇵🇹
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