County Clare kicks off St. Patrick's Day with shamrock blessing ☘️

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- While the parade (and the partying) happened Saturday, Milwaukee’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities officially began Monday morning with a ceremonial "blessing of the shamrock" at a local Irish tavern, drawing early crowds eager to embrace the spirit of the day.

The shamrock, a symbol deeply tied to Irish identity and tradition, took center stage as guests gathered for the meaningful start to the holiday. Fresh greenery was blessed in a quiet moment of reflection before the day’s celebrations got underway.

“We're setting the tone for the day,” said Lauren Sutton, marketing manager for County Clare Irish Inn & Pub. “The shamrock means so much to the Irish people. The power of three in Celtic culture is very important.”

A local priest conducts the official blessing oof the shamrock, followed by an interpretation of that blessing in Gaelic. Following the blessing, live music, traditional food, and festive cheer quickly filled the air as residents and visitors prepared for a full day of celebration. County Clare will be celebrating the holiday until midnight Monday.