St Patrick’s Day 2024 Google Doodle: what is it about as search engine celebrates Ireland's patron saint

The Google Doodle has paid homage to St Patrick's Day by featuring a scenic landscape to celebrate Ireland's patron saint.

Today (March 17), across Ireland and the world, people are preparing to put on their finest green outfit, watch parades and take part in the festivities, as well as celebrate Ireland's victory yesterday in the Six Nations.

There are plenty of events taking place to mark the occasion, with parades in Dublin, Belfast, London and New York. Whilst here at NationalWorld we have also provided you some of the best St Patrick's Day jokes as well as a brief overview on the history behind Ireland's patron saint.

What is the St Patrick's Day Google Doodle about?

Google Doodle has celebrated St Patrick's Day with an illustration showing the two landscapes of Ireland. Hand-crafted using a "wood burning technique" it shows the journey from sunrise to sunset, with the countryside in the left and the city in the right.

Google's caption reads: "Put on something green because… it’s St. Patrick’s Day! This handcrafted Doodle made with a wood burning technique showcases the beauty of Ireland."

St Patrick's Day is traditionally marked by parades and festivals which are celebrated around the world, but the Google Doodle reveals it wasn't always this way. Google explains: "The large-scale parades we associate with the occasion didn’t become a familiar sight in Ireland until the late 20th century."

The largest St Patrick's Day parade is in New York, where two million bystanders gather to watch over 250,000 marchers. But, despite being the largest, New York City is not the oldest St Patrick's Day Parade.

The Google Doodle explains: "One of the earliest celebrations took place in Boston in 1737, as an act of solidarity for the city's Irish immigrants. Little did they know, their small tradition would evolve into worldwide global celebration. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all!"

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What happens if you click the Google Doodle?

When you visit the Google homepage, instead of seeing the familiar Google logo you will be met with the St Patrick's Day Google Doodle. If you click on it, you'll be redirected to a Google results page with information about St Patrick’s Day, as well as being treated to an animation of green confetti.

If you click on the "Learn more" link, you will be taken to the Google Doodle page where you can see behind the scenes photos of the process of the wood-burning technique that was used to make the illustration. You can also find out more information on other Google Doodles based off their colour.

Sarah McCann is a Trends Writer for NationalWorld who specialises in stories around TV, Film and Health. If you liked this article you can follow Sarah on X (Twitter) here. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.