Grab your shamrocks, leprechaun hats, and green attire because St. Patrick’s Day is here!
Each year on March 17th, millions of people from across the world gather to celebrate Irish heritage and culture with food, drinks, parades, festivals, and all things green – yes, even the beer. We love partaking in the fun, but have you ever wondered how much you actually know about Ireland’s biggest holiday?
Fact 1 : St. Patrick wasn’t actually Irish.
The holiday remembers Saint Patrick, the primary patron saint of Ireland, who is credited for introducing Christianity to Ireland during the fifth century. However, many people would be surprised to know that St Patrick wasn’t born an Irishman- he was actually born in Roman Britain.
Fact 2: We should be wearing blue.
St. Patrick’s Day was originally associated with the color blue. It is believed the shift to green happened in the late 18th century during the Irish Independence movement when Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms to make a political statement against British rule on March 17th.
Fact 3: It’s out of office for the Irish!
You won’t find many banks, stores, or businesses open on March 17th in Ireland, or Northern Ireland, as the day is considered a national holiday.
Fact 4: Guinness® takes the lead.
It seems that people don’t mind running up their bar tab on St. Patrick’s Day since beer is one of the most widely consumed beverages on this holiday. You’ll find that most people are drinking Guinness, who’s sales nearly double on St. Patrick’s Day.
Fact 5: Boston was the first city to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the United States.
In 1737, Irish immigrants began observing St Patrick’s Day in Boston. Each year, the city hosts a spectacular St. Patrick’s Day parade and is considered one of the largest celebrations in the country.
Fact 6: Chicago dyes their river green.
Chicago also happens to host a huge St. Patrick Day celebration and they really don’t mind going ALL out. Every year since 1962, the city has been dumping over 40 tons of green dye into the Chicago River to ring in the holiday festivities!
Fact 7: The White House celebrates too.
Did you know that every year the Irish leader travels to Washington, D.C to present the US president with a bowl of shamrock. Even more surprising, the Secret Service immediately destroys the shamrock after the exchange.
Fact 8: Irish ancestry runs strong in US residents.
The reason so many people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the United States could be accounted for by the fact that almost 12% of Americans claim Irish ancestry. With a number that large, there are more people of Irish descent that live in the United States than in Ireland.
Fact 9: The shamrock is the national flower of Ireland.
This lucky three-leaf clover is known as being a symbol of St. Patrick’s Day across the world. Historically rooted in ancient trinity symbolism, the shamrock has shifted from being an emblem of Saint Patrick teachings into a representation of the country overall.
Fact 10: You’re REALLY lucky if you find a four-leaf clover.
According to superstition, coming across a four-leaf clover is thought to bring good luck to its finders. One shouldn’t get their hopes up too high though because the odds of finding a four-leaf clover are about 1 in 10,000.
