Saint Patrick's Day in Vienna
St Patrick's Day, one of the best-known festivals worldwide, is celebrated on the 17th of March. It is one of the most popular holidays not only in Ireland, but around the world.
On this day, Irish people and people from many other countries, celebrate with parades, parties, dancing, drinking all sorts of Irish drinks (including green beer!) and eating lots of delicious Irish food.
St Patrick's Day is a celebration of Irish heritage, culture, and music. The holiday has spread from its humble beginnings in Ireland to become a worldwide celebration of Irishness.
The famous holiday is celebrated in more than eighty countries across the globe. In Ireland, it's a big deal, you should definitely make it your business to join the festivities there at least once in your lifetime!
Naturally every year here in Vienna you can get a flavor of many of those traditions right here in Charlie P's: great food, great drinks, and a fun party atmosphere. The Charlie P's way!
FOOD SPECIALS
Along with our usual Irish specialities of Irish Beef Burgers and Steaks, we also offer weekly specials like Irish Stew and Beef & Guinness Pie.
Our Fish and Chips are always a complete hit; together with a pint of stout, sure a perfect way of replicating that true Irish scene!
So yep, Irish culinary delights all the way!!
ps. for your nightcap, Blacks "Triple Threat" Irish Whiskey is the right job!
So, who was Saint Patrick?
The reality is, there are many answers to this one...depends on who you ask! Actually, not born in Ireland, but in Wales. Legend would have it that he was kidnapped from Wales as a slave and brought to Ireland.
Eventually he made is way back to Britain where he trained to be a priest...with that done, back to Ireland on a mission he went.
The mission, to spread the word to the pagan majority of Ireland, that Christianity was the way to go...and rumor has it, to drive the snakes out of Ireland as well (which is somewhat odd, as there were no snakes in Ireland!)
Anyhows, he seemed to have some success on both these fronts before passing away on the 17th of March (the exact year?like a lot of things in the whole story, remains unclear!) Years later he was made the Patron Saint of Ireland.
Thats it in a nutshell...as these things supposedly happened about 1600 years ago and we are not leading historians here, that is the nutshell version we have!
Fun Facts About St. Patrick's Day
The color of St. Patrick’s Day was originally blue.
Wearing green has become a staple of St. Patrick’s Day, but the holiday was originally associated with the color blue. It’s thought that the shift to green happened because of Ireland’s nickname “The Emerald Isle,” the green in the Irish flag and the shamrock, or clover. Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn as early as the 17th century.
Where the shamrock came from
According to folklore, St. Patrick used the shamrock, the familiar three-leafed clover, to explain the Christian Holy Trinity. The word "shamrock" comes from the Irish word "seamróg," meaning "little clover." It is the symbol of Ireland, and wearing and displaying shamrocks has become a widespread practice on St. Patrick's Day. Source
Saint Patrick's Day Parades
Now whenever someone thinks of St. Patrick’s Day, or Paddy’s Day as its more widely known! parades seem to be high on the agenda.
Fun fact, the 1st ever Paddy Day parade happened not in Ireland, but in the US of A! In 1601 in Florida apparently.
The largest parades today are located in Dublin, Boston, New York, Sydney, and London. These are significant events, resembling carnivals, and serve as meaningful celebrations for the Irish community, their descendants, and individuals from various nationalities who willingly embrace the Irish culture for the duration of this particular day.
St. Patrick's Day in Vienna
In Vienna, many celebrations take place with a parade typically held on the Saturday before or after St. Patrick's Day. It's great fun, showcasing both Irish and Austrian traditions.
Members of Vienna’s GAA club, the Vienna Gaels, can always be found right in the middle of it and setting the tone for the day! Irish Dancers of course, from the amazing Shamrock Dance Company! We highly recommend joining in the festivities when you can, plenty of colour, music, and craic.
The Vienna St. Patrick's Day Parade 2024!
Join the celebration on Saturday, 16 March, starting at 11:00 outside Schottenkirche/Freyung.
Before the parade kicks off, enjoy a special recital with Karen Murray & Celtic Virtuoso from 09:00 to 09:45, followed by the St. Patrick's Day Mass at 10:00.
The parade route will take you from Herrengasse to Michaelerplatz, then onto Schauflergasse, Ballhausplatz, Löwelstraße, ending at Josef Meinrad-Platz/Burgtheater.
Thanks to the Irish Embassy and the Austro-Irish Society, Shamrock Dance Company, and Vienna Gaels GAA, this event is possible.
Let's come together as the Irish community in Austria to celebrate our culture and St. Patrick.
Stay tuned for more updates on St. Patrick's Day and Ireland Week 2024 in Austria on the Embassy's social media and here.
St. Patrick's Day Parades
Nowadays the biggest parades can be found in Dublin, Boston, New York, Sydney, London. These are mega events, carnivals really. Special occasions for Irish people,
The New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade is the largest parade in the world. It was first held in 1762, 14 years before the Declaration of Independence, by a group of homesick Irish expats and soldiers who served with the British Army in the American colonies, according to the parade's website.
St Patrick's Day Parade 2024 schedule.Thanks to the Vienna Irish Embassy.
More info from 100things Vienna Die coolsten Events rund um den St. Patrick's Day in Wien
Saint Patrick's Day Celebrations at Charlie P's
Drinks
When it comes to St Patrick's Day (and weekend) in Charlie P's Irish Pub, drinks and food are a huge part of it of course! Irish drinks take centre stage with an array of Whiskeys and Gins on the go and needless to say...Guinness, lots and lots of Guinness! Irish Coffees, Baileys Coffees, Hot Whiskeys, Special Irish Cocktails also go down a treat.
Green Beer
And for that one time of the year, Green Beer...the guys at the Ottakringer Brewery brew up a big batch for us and wow does it go down well in the pub!! Everyone seems to go mad for it! Along with Guinness and Green Beer, our number 3 selling beer on Paddy’s Day is our very own 'Madra Rua' Irish Style Red Ale.
Food
Along with our usual Irish specialties of Irish Beef Burgers and Steaks, we run some specials for the week that it is like Irish Stew and Beef & Guinness Pie. Our Fish and Chips are always a complete hit; together with a pint of stout, sure a perfect way of replicating that true Irish scene! So yep, Irish culinary delights all the way!! ps. for your nightcap, Green Spot Whiskey the right job!
Music on St. Patrick's Day at Charlie P's
Now all good parties need good music...and there’s plenty of that coming from Ireland!
During the day we like to get some traditional music on the go, you'll be hearing plenty of Christy Moore, Luke Kelly,Planxty, The Chieftains to name a few.
As the day goes on the DJs will mix things up with U2, The Cranberries, Thin Lizzy, The Pogues, Sinead O'Connor, Hozier...the list goes on!
And not strictly Irish, but always very popular for partying to on Paddy’s Day....Dropkick Murphy's and House of Pain!
Top song for the day...and likely to be heard more than once, Whiskey in the Jar! Our favourite version, the combo of The Pogues and the Dubliners.
Have to say though, Metallica's effort is pretty tasty too!!
Naturally, every year here in Vienna you can get a flavor of many of those Saint Patrick's Day traditions right here in Charlie P's: great food, great drinks, and a fun party atmosphere. The Charlie P's way!
GREEN, GREEN & MORE GREEN
Not sure why it is, but people really love to dress up and what better reason than Paddy’s Day! Green, Green, Green :)
You'll never see so much green in one place...brilliant, it helps that ts the best colour in the world too.T-shirts, Trousers, Skirts, Ties, Shoes, Socks, Hats, Earrings...you'll see the lot in green! Shamrocks on faces, on hands, shamrocks everywhere! and very important...Green Nail Polish!!
So I guess that gives an indication of what’s on the cards in the pub on St Patricks Day, food, drinks, music, party, costume, and colour.... all combining to give one hell of a blast of Craic!!
GREEN BEER
And for that one time of the year, Green Beer...the guys at the Ottakringer Brewery brew up a big batch for us and wow does it go down well in the pub!!
Behind the scenes on St Patrick's Day at Charlie P's
So that’s it, all that’s left is for Ronan and his A Team to prepare in the way they know how. Priority number one every year.... make sure to have enough beer!!
Dan will work his magic and have the place decorated the way he knows how, on point! Kitchen crew will be ready with all their tastes of Ireland!
Brian, Cian and the rest of the crew will be providing the beers, whiskeys, shots and working like people possessed! An incredibly intense few days of prep, work and clean up.... the team never cease to amaze.
Incredible efforts all round to make it all work and create a memorable Paddy’s Day experience for one and all!
Happy St. Patrick's Day and Slainte!!
St Patricks Day 2024 at Charlie P's
Preparations are well under way for the Saint Patrick's weekend celebrations this year. Chef Ali is busy fine-tuning his recipes for this year's food specials which he will reveal in the lead up to the big Day.
Our Fish and Chips are always a complete hit; together with a pint of stout, sure a perfect way of replicating that true Irish scene! So yep, Irish culinary delights all the way!!
ps. for your nightcap, Blacks "Triple Threat" Irish Whiskey is the right job!
