Well, paint me a leprechaun and slap a four-leaved clover on me; it’s Saint Paddy’s day! Want to learn more about this all-green, all kiss-me-I’m-Irish celebration? As a leprechaun would say, you’re in luck, for you’ve opened an article full of facts about St. Patrick’s day. From its origins to present-day celebrations and noteworthy things that happened during the festivities, this is your ultimate guide to celebrating St. Paddy’s Day in its fullness and based on historical facts.
Now, the name of the celebration already dictates that its origins stem from the world of Christian saints and days dedicated to them. Coincidentally, St. Patrick was the patron of Ireland, and it is his death that is remembered on this day. Hence the celebration being about everything Ireland! However, you can be sure that there’s much more to learn about this fun celebration, but you’ll have to check the actual St. Patrick’s Day facts below to learn all about it. Rest assured, though, that you’ll find the answers to all the burning questions you might have, like why leprechauns, how many pints of Guinness are consumed during the day, and why a St. Patrick’s celebration tends to get so loud and rowdy at one point or another. Trust us; we’ve left no stone unturned here!
Now, me foine lads, ready to check out the interesting facts? If so, just scroll on down below until you reach them! For now, these pieces of St. Patrick’s day trivia are a bit jumbled up, so rank them by voting on them. And lastly, share this article with your friends so you can all celebrate the day with newfound knowledge about it!
#1
Even space travelers celebrate Saint Patrick's Day.
Saint Patrick's Day is observed in all nations, including those in lower orbits. Aboard Saint Patrick's Day 2013, astronaut Chris Hadfield recorded himself singing "Danny Boy" on NASA's International Space Station. The same year, astronaut Cady Coleman celebrated by playing the flute in the satellite.
Report
22points
#2
Since 1962, Chicago has colored its river green every year.
In 1962, the dyeing custom became an annual occurrence, marking nearly 60 years since. Don't worry; the dye is safe for the environment; 40 pounds are used to color the river, maintaining it for four to five hours.
Report
21points
#3
For the majority of the 20th century, St. Patrick's Day was observed as a religious holiday in Ireland, hence on March 17, all bars would be closed. Everything changed in 1970 when it was declared a national holiday, and pubs quickly became the place where people went to celebrate.
Report
19points
#4
In the USA, more than 34.8 million people have Irish heritage.
To put that in perspective, it has a population that is more than seven times that of Ireland. Just behind German, Irish is the second most prevalent heritage among Americans. With 12.9% of its population claiming Irish heritage, New York has the largest concentration of Irish people.
Report
17points
#5
The First St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in America. A St. Patrick's Day parade was held on March 17, 1601 in a Spanish colony in what is now St. Augustine, Florida.
Report
16points
#6
America once looked down on the Irish.
While Irish Americans are today happy to display their background, other Americans do not always value the Irish. A terrible potato blight in 1845 led to widespread starvation in Ireland. In the most significant single population shift of the 19th century, 2 million people left their homes and farms while about 1 million died. As a result, nearly a quarter of the Irish people, most exiles, arrived on American soil. When they first arrived, the Irish refugees were despised as sickly, unskilled, and a burden on social funds.
Report
16points
#7
Over 100 countries around the world celebrate St Patrick’s day!
Buenos Aires, Argentina, Singapore – Where they also dye the river green! Tokyo, Dubai, Istanbul, and Oslo. The list continues forever!
Report
16points
#8
People get pinched if you don't wear green on St. Patrick's Day.
The legend of the green-clad, red-haired Leprechaun is connected to a mystical kind of fairy that can be used for good or evil. On St. Patrick's Day, when we all wear green to honor St. Patrick, the leprechaun mythology is frequently connected to the holiday. Folklore holds that green renders you invisible to the nefarious leprechauns, who pinch everybody they can see on St. Patrick's Day!
Report
15points
#9
Guinness is the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage on St. Patrick's Day. 13 million pints of Guinness will be consumed worldwide on St. Patrick's Day. The typical consumer will spend $36.50, most likely on Guinness. So the total amount spent on St. Patrick's Day will be $4.6 billion.
Report
14points
#10
The likelihood of discovering a four-leaf clover is one in 10,000.
A white clover with 56 leaves holds the Guinness world record! The likelihood of finding a four-leaf white clover is 1 in 10,000, and the likelihood decreases after that. White five-leaf clovers are 1 in 100,000 rare!
Report
13points
#11
One of the myths surrounding St. Patrick is that he stood on a hillside in Ireland and forbade snakes from living there, causing all snakes to slither into the sea. Evidence indicates that snakes may have never existed in the Emerald Isle. Snake remains have not been found in the nation's fossil record. And ever since the last glacial epoch, water has encircled Ireland. The area had been covered with ice before that, making it too cold for the reptiles to survive.
Report
12points
#12
The Pope changed the name of Saint Patrick.
When Maewyn Succat completed his training, Pope Celestine I gave him the new name "Patricius" or "Patrick" (meaning parent or nobleman). Then St. Patrick began his missionary work in Ireland. St. Patrick was imprisoned, beaten, and attacked as he worked to promote his message. With the founding of numerous Christian churches and institutions, it seemed that he had gained a great deal of popularity toward the end of his career.
Report
12points
#13
The first St. Patrick's Day was blue! According to historians, Irish soldiers dressed in full green uniforms on March 17 during the Irish Rebellion of 1798, an uprising against British control in Ireland, to make a political statement. As a result, the color changed from blue to green. Some claim that this is the origin of the term "the emerald isle."
Report
11points
#14
Only two nations worldwide observe St. Patrick's Day as a public holiday.
Montserrat and Ireland, including Northern Ireland. In Montserrat, St. Patrick's Day is observed to honor the island's Irish heritage and recall the slave uprising on March 17, 1768. Visitors to the island receive an Irish shamrock stamp on this day. However, the rest of the world didn't pay attention to this specific colonial history until 1971.
Report
11points
#15
More than 600 stadiums, sculptures, museums, and towers will be illuminated green on St. Patrick's Day!
Including the Sydney Opera House, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Roman Colosseum. This year, more than 600 prominent landmark buildings worldwide are expected to be light green to commemorate St. Patrick's Day as part of the wildly successful "Global Greening" program.
Report
10points
#16
St. Patrick escaped Ireland by boat. St. Patrick's Confession, a book allegedly authored by him, claims that God instructed Patrick to escape his captors and head for the coast, where a boat would be waiting to transport him back home.
Report
10points
#17
The real St. Patrick was born in Britain.
The folklore and legend surrounding St. Patrick's life have been woven into much of what is known about him. Most historians concur that St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born near the end of the fourth century in Britain rather than Ireland. He was abducted by Irish robbers when he was 16 and given to a Celtic priest in Northern Ireland as an enslaved person. He fled back to Britain after working as a shepherd for six years. He finally made a missionary trip back to Ireland.
Report
9points
#18
Shamrocks were revered as sacred plants.
Ireland has long been linked to the shamrock, a three-leaf clover. The Celts referred to it as "seamroy" and revered it as a sacred plant that heralded the coming of spring. Legend states that St. Patrick explained the Holy Trinity using the plant as a visual aid. The shamrock had come to represent burgeoning Irish nationalism by the 17th century.
Report
9points
#19
Argentina hosts South America's largest St. Patrick's Day event.
Argentina is one of the most unexpected nations to observe St. Patrick's Day. The biggest St. Patrick's Day celebration in South America is in Buenos Aires. A party is held in the city center, among other festivals and events that take place all around the place.
Report
9points
#20
St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York receives more than 5.5 million visitors annually.
This 1879-dedicated New York City landmark receives more than five million tourists annually. It is one of the city's most impressive architectural sights, with spires reaching 330 feet in height. Its interior features a large organ with 7,855 pipes, several altars, stained glass windows, and 2,400 seats.
Report
9points