Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day! Before you change into your green shirt, chug your beer, and run off to find an Irish lass to kiss, did you ever stop and think of why we do these things on St. Patrick’s Day? The history behind St. Patrick’s Day is pretty cool, so read these St. Patrick’s Day Fun Facts if you want the Luck of the Irish. If you don’t read on, then you’ll get bad luck for 100 years. It’s your choice!
Who is St. Patrick?
Who is St. Patrick anyways? Well St. Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland. Originally, Patrick was born in Britain, but was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. He later escaped, but returned to Ireland and converted the Irish people to Christianity. Legend has it that Patrick explained the concept of the Holy Trinity using the three leaves of the Irish clover, which has made the shamrock a popular symbol.
What is St. Patrick’s Day?
We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th, which marks the anniversary of his death. St. Patrick’s Day started out as a religious and serious honoring of St. Patrick. In fact, the bars in Ireland used to be closed on the holiday. However, in contemporary society the holiday has become more about partying and celebrating Irish culture. The St. Patrick’s Day celebration came to the United States in 1737 and was held in Boston, MA.
St. Patrick’s Day Fun Facts
- The shamrock is the national flower of Ireland.
- Even though St. Patrick’s Day is associated with the color green, originally the holiday was associated with the color blue. Apparently, the color shift happened much later in the 18th Century because of Ireland’s nickname “The Emerald Isle,” the green in the flag of Ireland, and the green of the shamrock.
- St. Patrick’s Day comes with two iconic beverages. First, many people drink Guiness, which is a dark Irish stout, on St. Patrick’s Day. Second, many people drink Shamrock Shakes on St. Patrick’s Day. McDonald’s introduced the mint flavored milkshake in 1970 and it remains an ongoing tradition.
- Chicago dyed the Chicago River green on St. Patrick’s Day for the first time in 1962.
- In the United States, German is the most popular ancestry and Irish is the second most popular. In fact, in the United States there are 34.7 billion people who identify as Irish descendants, which is triple population of Ireland.
- The odds of finding a four-leaf clover are 1 in 10,000.
So now that you’ve read these St. Patrick’s Day Fun Facts, you’ve gained a little more of that Irish luck. If you’re looking for another way to infuse that Irish luck into your life, then book an appointment at Henry A. Davidsen. Our team of tailors and image consultants have cornered the market on Philadelphia made to measure clothes. Once you’re in your apparel that is 100% custom made for you, you will feel like the luckiest guy in the whole world (luckier than a MF leprechaun!) Thanks for listening to my spiel– now run off to the bar and grab a Guiness!
