The transformation of the St Patrick's Day celebrations of recent years will reach new extremes this weekend when, in a radical move, the national holiday will be marked by forbearance and self-denial.
Thanks to the ongoing foot-and-mouth crisis, the saint's day has been reduced to something Patrick himself could be comfortable with, given that his idea of celebration was fasting for 40 days and nights on a mountain.
Parades everywhere have been cancelled or deferred, the sporting calendar obliterated, and events like tomorrow's "Big Day Out" in Dublin postponed in favour of a big day in.
While much of social life remains grounded, Irish politicians are traversing the world with the enthusiasm of the early Christians. An estimated 21 ministers and ministers of State plus the chief whip and the Attorney General are engaged in foreign missions, from Beijing to Buenos Aires. Few corners of the globe have escaped their zeal.
Only five of the Cabinet's saints and scholars will remain at home. These include the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, who could well be canonised if he succeeds in banishing foot-and-mouth from Ireland. (Purists may point out that the State doesn't have it to banish, but then we never had snakes either.)
The mood of national sacrifice will be most keenly felt in the cleansing department of Dublin Corporation, thanks to the postponement of the epic littering which is a feature of the city's annual parade. Up to 78 staff can be employed to clean the place up, earning double time on the national holiday. This weekend, sadly, they will have to make do with routine litter levels.
The downsizing of the national celebration will be nowhere more dramatic than in the Leitrim village of Keshcarrigan, which today hosts an indoor, miniature parade, involving Dinky cars and trucks. Further west, the 85 islanders on Inishturk, Co Mayo, will mirror the work of the Cabinet with an offshore event, travelling by boat to Cahir Island, where St Patrick is reported to have stayed after his descent from Croagh Patrick.
Amid the myriad cancellations, one of the few Dublin events to survive is the Mind, Spirit and Body exhibition. Running all weekend at Dublin's RDS, it showcases a wide variety of approaches to healing and personal development, few of them recognised by St Patrick.
For a more traditional approach to spiritualism, Christians could try fasting on a mountain. On the other hand, the Mountaineering Society of Ireland continues to advise the public to avoid unnecessary climbing until further notice.
Queen Elizabeth II has sent a St. Patrick's Day message to the President, Mrs McAleese. She wished the President her best wishes for "the good fortune and happiness of the people of your country". This is the first time Queen Elizabeth has sent a St Patrick's Day message.