The dummy's guide to St. Patrick's Day - when everyone's Irish and the world goes green

I hate it when people refer to St. Patrick's Day as "St. Patty's Day!" They think that St. Patrick is a lady! I'm very offended by that.

I have an niece Patty (Patricia ) and a brother Paddy (Patrick) I hate it when St. Patrick's day is called St. Patty's Day . Wasn't St. Patrick male? has that changed too!

St. Patty ...who is that? It's St. Patrick and yes I know there is no D in Patrick. That's because it's taken from the Irish (Gaelic) spelling: Padraig ...Patrick is normally shortened to Pat or Paddy and NEVER Patty. That's Marge Simpsons sister! Let me put in perspective. If a whole nation was publishing t-shirts and or merchandise and referring to Independence day as the 3rd Of July ...would you step up and say ...STOP! That's wrong? Cheers, Feardorcha O'Duinn

Rather St. Paddy than St. Patty. Patty is, as we all know, short for Patricia. Or a Jamaican spicy bread and meat dish. Delicious.

I'm deeply offended that you would have a story with the words "St. Patty's Day" in it. It galls me when the t.v. people refer to it as "St. Paddy's Day." Is it so difficult to call it by its full name?

It is a day of celebrating LIFE as is. Not a Thesaurus, Spelling Bee, Gender assignment en route in error or indeed Pilgrimage. Chill out for chrissake. Patrick himself joins in. More the drink specials. More the river dyed green. Mores the merry. Sorry to upset the Pagans here but in truth he murdered no-one. The snakes he banished from Ireland joined The British Army.

St Patrick had people killed for not converting to Christianity? Can you validate your information on that?

It's St. Patrick's Day ......NOT St. Patty's Day, unless you're referring to St. Patricia's or a hamburger!!

It’s neither Patti’s Day nor Paddy’s Day – both offensive terms to us in Ireland. It’s St. PATRICK’s Day. And while we celebrate our Irishness on that day at home and abroad and enjoy the festivities, we Irish really celebrate it as the Feast of St. Patrick in thanks to God for Patrick's help in bringing Christ’s Good News to Ireland. The hymn ‘Dochas Linn Naomh Padraig’ is sung fervently at all the Masses in all the parishes by all the people throughout Ireland on that morning. Then we go and hit the town and drown the Shamrock! BTW, I remember as a small child giving up sugar in my cupain te for Lent – I used to take 4 spoonfuls. I couldn’t wait for St. Patrick’s Day to have sugar again (no matter what day it fell on, you were excused the Lenten fast back then) and eagerly slurped the freshly poured tea – scalding my mouth. Since then and to this day, I drink my tea and coffee tepid.

Patty Page's Day and St Patrick's Day probably falls on the same day. The Dummy's Guide is just that - for a....

I agree with the posts below - it irks me when people say Patty and not Paddy. Also, I don't think it's true that "if it falls on a Lenten Friday, the obligation to abstain from eating meat does not have to be adhered to." This would be on a case-by-case basis and a priest must give a special dispensation. For example, I remember going to a dinner dance at the KofC and a local priest gave everyone a dispensation before the meal was served.

Most irish get disgusted this time of year when some eejit advertises that they will be having drink specials on St. Patty's Day! I never expected to see such a mistake on a site dedicated to all things Irish. I admit that it means that I have lost some respect for this site and will no longer take it as seriously as I onced did. WHAT AN ERRO!!

Who is the nimrod who headlined this article and called it St. "Patty's" Day? Any true Irishman knows that it is PADDY'S not Patty's. Patty is a woman's name.

It's St.PaDDy's Day for Christ's sake. How hard is it it understand?

Dear Americans, please stop saying St.Patty/Patti. It's PADDY for short