Happy St. Paddy’s Day!
Posted Mar 17, 2011 05:20:31 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
May the luck of the Irish be with you today: St. Patrick’s Day.
Today, many people will throw on a green outfit and hit the pubs to celebrate an Irish tradition.
While many may claim to be Irish every March 17, only the true Irish know that the man behind the day, wasn’t Irish at all.
According to National Geographic, St. Patrick was actually born in Britain around 390 A.D.
Ancient folklore states that a voice in his head told him to migrate to Ireland after a tough life of kidnappings and slavery, where he was later ordained as a priest.
Slowly, mythology swarmed around Patrick’s name, and he was eventually dawned the patron saint of Ireland.
Locally, pubs across Waterloo Region are gearing up for what’s expected to be a busy evening, especially with reasonably nice weather in the forecast.
The City of Kitchener is going a step further, offering St. Patrick’s Day activities in Civic Square at city hall.
It runs from 11 this morning until two this afternoon and features Irish-themed entertainment and a barbecue.
Waterloo Regional Police are well aware of the date and are stepping up accordingly to keep residents safe.
Spokesperson Olaf Heinzel says there will be special enforcement through the University District to ensure public safety in those areas.
There will be Officers patrolling in cruisers, on bicycles and by foot.
There will also be a heavy Police presence on the roadways with numerous RIDE programs, beginning at noon and ending at 3 am.
Heinzel hopes the message of “Don’t drink and drive” will eventually get through to people.
Last year, there were 120 collisions involving alcohol.
