EXPLAINER: Why does the Spanish enclave of Melilla celebrate St Patrick’s Day as a bank holiday?

AI Briefing

• – Melilla, a Spanish North African enclave, celebrates St Patrick's Day as a bank holiday due to ties to Irish military personnel stationed there.
• – The celebration is a result of a 1958 agreement between Spain and Ireland, with 100 Irish Guardsmen being stationed at the enclave's airport from 1958 to 1998.
• – Today, the holiday is still observed by the local Spanish government as a day of celebration and cultural exchange.