9 St. Patrick’s Day Facts
Let’s Have a Wee Bit of Fun!
Many people are dusting off their pins that read, Kiss me, I’m Irish, but for some… St. Patrick’s Day might not be high on their list of holidays to celebrate. In my opinion, any day to have some fun, do things differently, and bring some smiles… is well worth it! To learn more about the day, take a look at 9 St. Patrick’s Day facts!
9 St. Patrick’s Day Facts
1. Irish Snakes and St. Patrick’s Day
In Irish lore, Saint Patrick gets credit for driving all the snakes out of Ireland. In reality, this probably didn’t occur, as there is no evidence that snakes have ever existed in Ireland, the climate being too cool for them to thrive, and according to the fossil record, Ireland has never been home to any snakes. Modern scholars think the “snakes” Saint Patrick drove away were likely metaphorical and refer to pagan religious beliefs and practices.
2. Clovers and the Holy Trinity
Ever wonder why the day is associated with clovers? It has been said that Saint Patrick used a three leaf clover to teach the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and how three things, the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit could be separate entities, yet one in the same. Perhaps, the pagan rulers of Ireland thought Patrick to be convincing because they converted to Christianity. So, though the four leaf clovers might be lucky, don’t overlook your average clover!
3. Is St. Patty’s Day an Irish Holiday?
Well, New Yorkers and Chicagoans take St. Patrick’s Day very seriously, largely because the day became associated with the Irish independence movement and the large Irish communities in both of those cities, but did you know that Saint Patrick wasn’t Irish? He was actually born in Scotland, and his name was Maewyn Succat, however, he changed it to Patricius after becoming a priest.
So, I guess it just depends on how you view it! As far as New York and Chicago, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was in New York on March 17, 1762, and in 1961, Chicago began dyeing the Chicago River green for their parade.
4. Is Green the Color of St. Patrick’s Day?
If Saint Patrick were alive today, he would probably be wearing blue, as shown in the paintings of him, instead of the green that is associated with the holiday today, but to be safe, wear green… you don’t want to get pinched!
Clovers are green though… so that is a big reason why green comes into the holiday, that and Ireland is associated with green as well.
5. Care for a Drink?
On St. Patrick’s Day, many go out for a festive drink, or 10, however, it once was a dry holiday, in Ireland. Now, it is estimated to bring about $250 million world wide, in bar tabs. Always tip your bartender and ALWAYS drink responsibly 
6. Why March 17th?
March 17th is the day that Saint Patrick is believed to have died in the year 461. A couple monasteries claim to have Saint Patrick’s remains but it is thought he is buried in Saul, where his first church was located.
March 17th is also his feast day for those in the Catholic Church, and many Christians view it as an important day.
7. How About those Four Leaf Clovers?
Clover is a flowering plant in the legume family. It is popular with bees and used to grow abundantly until grass lawns became fashionable. While usually leaves show 3 almost heart-shaped leaves, 4 leaf clovers are said to be lucky.
You have about a 1 in 5,076 chance to find a four leaf clover, however, you also have of a 24,390 to 1 chance to find a five leaf clover, and a 312,500 to 1 chance to find a 6 leaf clover. I don’t know if the luck increases though 🙂
8. Leprechauns and Gold
While not found in Irish mythology, Leprechauns became more prevalent in stories during the 19th century. Today, Leprechauns are usually considered small, bearded guys that can be tricky or mischievous. However, they do not steal their gold, like many think they do. According to Irish legend, they earned it by mending shoes and are protective of it.
If you catch them, they might tell you where their gold is, but I wouldn’t hold my breath! Try your hand at making a Leprechaun Trap!
9. Don’t Forget the Corned Beef and Cabbage
This St. Patty’s Day dish has become a staple for the holiday, with the Reuben sandwich being a close second, but corned beef and cabbage didn’t come from Ireland.
Irish immigrants flocked to America during the Great Famine and many lived near Jewish communities that sold this cut of beef. While it was kosher and not exactly what they were used to, it was similar enough to those in the Irish community, that it became a staple.
“Erin go Bragh” means, Ireland Forever!
I hope you enjoyed these fun St. Patrick’s Day facts and find some reasons to add a little more celebration to your day! To see more St. Patrick’s Day ideas, click here!
If you have any fun St. Patty’s Day facts, comment below or head over to Instagram or Facebook, share your fun St. Patrick’s Day pics, and tag me @bemandfam… I’d love to see them!
Don’t forget to pin this for later and if you like Pinterest, I am there too!
BEM and Fam 
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