17 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Saint Patrick’s Day

Here’s the thing, way too many people are going to go out tonight toast to something they know nothing about.

And while we have no problem with people enjoying a good excuse to drink, we insist they at least have a few talking points to go with their pints.

Well, now you have them:

1. St. Patrick’s Day is an official public holiday in Newfoundland and Labrador.

2. The original colour associated with St. Patrick was blue.

3. The correct names are St. Patrick’s Day and St. Paddy’s Day. Not St.Patty’s. 

4. You have a 1 in 10,000 chance of finding a four-leaf clover.

5. Saint Patrick banished Snakes from Ireland. That’s his claim to fame. 

6. Saint Patrick was actually born in Roman Britain…even he’s not Irish.

7. St. Patrick Day’s actually coincides with the date of his death, which was March 17, 461 AD. So really, you’re celebrating the 1,554th anniversary of his death.

8. The first St. Patrick’s Day celebration took place in America in Boston, Mass., in 1737. No one remembers it.

9. More than 100 St Patrick’s Day parades are held every year in the US. The biggest take place in New York City and Boston.

10. The world’s shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade is in Dripsey, Cork. It lasts 100 yards and travels between the village’s two pubs. It’s also known as the village’s only pub crawl. 

11. Chicago has dyed a portion of the Chicago River green in honour of the holiday since 1962. Over 400,000 spectators watch.

12. People are expected to spend $4.6 billion on St. Patrick’s Day this year.

13. Around 13 million pints of Guinness will be consumed worldwide today. We’ll be responsible for at least 4 of them.

14. St. Patrick’s Day is the fourth most popular drinking day of the year.

15. For most of the 20th century Saint Patrick’s Day was considered a strictly religious holiday in Ireland closing the nation’s pubs down on March 17.

16. There are more Irish people living in the U.S. than in all of Ireland. 

17. The Irish phrase “Erin go Bragh” means “Ireland forever.” Good to know if you want to befriend an Irelander tonight – which is what they’re called.

Bonus Fact: “Kiss me, I’m Irish” has never worked on a sober person once. Anytime or anywhere. So if you’re going to use it, this is your day. 


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