St Patrick’s Day Lesson (A2)

Exercise 1: Match the vocabulary to pictures before comparing with a partner.

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

9. 10. 11. 12.

balloons beer pot of gold flag

pipe coins beard horseshoe

leprechaun harp rainbow shamrock

Exercise 2: Complete the text with the missing words below, before comparing in pairs.
St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, and the anniversary of his 1. __________ is the 17th of March. Every
year, on this date, people around the world 2. __________. You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy St Patrick’s
day. It is popular in many parts of the world where Irish people have emigrated, especially in North
America, Canada, Britain, and Australia. In the past, it was simply a 3. __________ day, celebrated by
Catholics, but now it is a celebration of Irish culture for all people.

On the day, many people wear the colour green, which is 4. __________ with Ireland. Children often make
greeting cards with pictures of Irish 4. __________ including shamrocks, harps, horseshoes (a symbol of luck),
and leprechauns. Many cities and towns 6. __________ parades. The biggest St Patrick’s day parade is in
New York, and more than 2 million people attend every year, holding balloons and waving the Irish flag.
Other 7. __________ include special food, music, dancing and, of course, drinking 8. __________.

associated symbols hold beer death celebrate religious customs

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Exercise 3: Ask and answer the questions in pairs or small groups.

True or False? Can you remember?

1. St Patrick was born on the 17th of March.
2. The colour green is associated with Ireland.
3. You don’t have to be religious to celebrate.
4. 3 million people attend the biggest parade.
5. Drinking wine is associated with this day.
1. In which countries is St Patrick’s day popular?
2. What do children make on this day?
3. What musical instrument is a symbol of Ireland?
4. Where is the biggest St Patrick’s day parade?
5. How do people celebrate this day?

Exercise 4: Read about the legend of the leprechaun and answer the questions below.

What is a Leprechaun?

Leprechauns are a type of 1. __________ found in Irish legend. They are always male and usually elderly. They
are about 3 feet tall and wear green suits, green hats, and boots with buckles. They have red hair and a red
2. __________, and are often seen, in pictures, smoking a 3. __________. They are solitary creatures and spend
their time making shoes. People say they lived in Ireland long before humans inhabited the land.

Leprechauns are known to possess a pot of 4. __________, which they hide at the end of a rainbow. It is very
rare to see a leprechaun, and according to the myth, if a human finds one and captures him, the leprechaun
will grant the human three 5. __________ or give him the pot of gold in exchange for his freedom.

It’s very difficult to 6. __________ a leprechaun, and if you succeed, you have to be careful because they are
very 7. __________, and play lots of tricks on humans. The rule is, if you’re lucky enough to catch a leprechaun,
you can never take your eyes off him; if you do, he will 8. __________.

On St Patrick’s day, many people attend the parade; dressed as leprechauns, with green hats and red beards.

beard clever fairy wishes disappear pipe gold catch

Exercise 4: Answer the questions below in pairs.

1. Look at the words in bold print. What do they mean?

2. What do leprechauns look like? Can you describe one in detail?
3. What job do leprechauns do?
4. What will a leprechaun give a human, in exchange for his freedom?
5. Where do leprechauns hide their pot of gold?
6. What will a leprechaun try to do if you catch him?

Ex 5: Ask & answer the questions in pairs/small groups. Exercise 6: Your Turn!

1. Do people celebrate St Patrick’s day in your country?

Tell your group about a legend from
2. What do you know about Ireland and Irish culture?
your country. Use the internet to help
3. Does your country have a national day? What happens?
you find any information you need first.
4. Are there any parades in your town/city? When?

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