Celebrate the life of St. Patrick in Armagh at the 2020 Home of St. Patrick Festival, which will showcase the best of Irish culture, music, and spirituality.
This year, Armagh in Northern Ireland will be hosting the Home of St. Patrick Festival, which aims to celebrate the life of Ireland’s patron saint. Saint Patrick still remains an incredibly important figure in Irish culture, as it would not be an exaggeration to say that he forever changed the nation of Ireland with his arrival and through his actions, which resulted in converting Ireland from paganism to Christianity.
Here’s all you need to know about Armagh’s Home of St. Patrick Festival, including when it’s happening, what it will involve, and its background.
The Home of St. Patrick Festival
The Home of St. Patrick Festival in Armagh will take place from 6 to 17 March 2020 and will provide a brilliant mix of both regional and international music as well as theatre, spoken word, art, and comedy.
There will be many events which will take place across the entire city where visitors will be able to enjoy live performances by world-renowned artists and performers such as Brian Kennedy, who will be performing his concert in the St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral.
As part of the festival, you will even have the chance to follow in the footsteps of St. Patrick by visiting the ancient crypt at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, which dates back to 445 AD and is said to be the burial plot for the greatest Irish High King, Brian Boru.
Also during the Home of St. Patrick Festival, people will have the opportunity to explore the Armagh County Museum and Armagh Robinson Library, which contains house artefacts, collections, rare books, and illuminated manuscripts, which all detail Armagh’s leading role in early Christian Ireland.
The link between St. Patrick and Armagh
St. Patrick has become one of the most famous of all saints for his religious efforts in Ireland, and it was in Armagh that St. Patrick first began his holy Christian mission to convert the people of Ireland.
In Armagh, as part of his Christian mission, St. Patrick founded his first large stone church in 445AD, which led Armagh to not only be referred to as Ireland’s spiritual capital but also the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland.
Today Armagh now has two cathedrals in honour of St. Patrick, which are The Church of Ireland Cathedral on Sally Hill and the Catholic Saint Patrick’s Cathedral on the hill opposite. These two cathedrals stand as a testament and celebration of St. Patrick’s life, his holy mission, and the legacy he left behind.
It’s believed that Saint Patrick died in the 5th century on 17th of March, which is now known as the world-famous St. Patrick’s Day and is celebrated worldwide with festivals and parades every year.
Armagh had a big influence on St. Patrick, and he certainly had a big influence and impact on Armagh’s landscape, culture, and people. It seems only fitting, then, that this festival honours both the man and the place.
Learn more
To learn more about the festival and view the full programme, check out the Home of St. Patrick Festival’s website here.
