Use the text to compare and contrast St. Patrick's Day in the United States and St. Patrick's Day in Ireland. People think of St. Patrick's Day as an Irish holiday, but the day as most of us know it started in the United States. In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day was once a somber religious holiday. In the United States, however, St. Patrick's Day has always been about fun and celebration. Throughout the nineteenth century, thousands of Irish immigrants came to the United States. Irish Americans wanted to celebrate their Irish heritage, so they transformed St. Patrick's Day into a festive holiday. Eventually, many Irish American traditions made their way back to Ireland. Now St. Patrick's Day festivals and parades take place across the United States and Ireland alike. St. Patrick's Day in the St. Patrick's Day in United States Ireland Was a serious religious holiday Began as a way for immigrants to celebrate their heritage Now includes parades and festivals