10 Fun Facts About St. Patrick's Day
There is a fun fact behind every celebration. What is more, there might be reasons why any festival is celebrated. Let us unwind the story behind why St. Patrick’s Day has a unique tie to it. St. Patrick's Day marks the occasion of the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.
St. Patrick’s Day is associated with the color green because of its ties to the lush green fields and the Shamrock, a three-leaf clover. St. Patrick used it as a tool to explain the holy trinity. So, celebrating this festival with the color green makes sense. But it is also celebrated with lots of drinking!
Planning to celebrate St. Patrick’s day? Become a part of the festival by wearing one of our funny St. Patrick's Day shirts.
Are you excited enough to know more about St. Patrick’s Day? Here are some fun and interesting facts about St. Patrick's day
- Saint Patrick’s Blue
- The First St. Patrick's Day Parade in America
- Saint Patrick was not Irish
- Shamrock is considered a sacred plant
- Chicago annually dyes its river green since 1962
- Guinness is the most popular drink on St. Patrick’s Day
- St. Patrick’s Day once was a dry holiday
- Traditional food is eaten on this Day (Corned beef and cabbage)
- Maewyn Succat was St. Patrick’s birth name
- The Shortest St. Patrick's Day parade in the world
Saint Patrick’s Blue
As St. Patrick's day is associated with the color green, Saint Patrick's never wore green. Blue was his color which he wore most of the time. Later during the independence movement in the 18th century, St. Patrick’s Day was associated with the color green.
Emerald Isle is the name given to Ireland, an island covered with green leafy trees and grassy hills. Similarly, green is also the color of the shamrock (three-leaf clover), the national flower of Ireland.
As everything leads to the color green, people started associating this holiday with the color green. Also, people wear green to be invisible to Leprechauns or avoid being pinched by them.
The First St. Patrick's Day Parade in America
St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Ireland dates back to the 1600 century. It may sound unbelievable but the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in America and also predates the founding of the United States.
On 17th March 1601, in a Spanish colony in a Spanish Colony which is now St. Augustine Florida, was where it was first held. Irish laborers increased in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and from there on the holiday further evolved into the celebration of Irish pride.
Now, this tradition has not only been popular in America but across the whole world as well.
Saint Patrick Was Not Irish
Saint Patrick's Day is all about Irish pride. As astounding as it may sound Saint Patrick’s, the patron of Ireland was not Irish. He was originally from Britain and was brought to Ireland by the Irish pirates where he was enslaved to take care of the sheep.
A while later, Saint Patrick felt like he had a religious conversation and heard the voice of God telling him to get back to Britain. So, he escaped from Ireland. During his stay in Britain, he studied to become a priest and returned to Ireland as a missionary.
After reaching Ireland, he influenced many Irish people to be devoted to Christianity and spread the importance of religion and culture.
Shamrock Is Considered A Sacred Plant
Shamrock three-leaf clover with green leaves is considered to be a sacred plant. It holds religious and cultural importance. Each of the three leaves of the shamrock represent faith, hope, and love.
St. Patrick used to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity to the Irish people with the help of the Shamrock. He used the leaf as a metaphor to describe that God exists in three distinct persons (Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit).
The leaf was a simple and effective way for Saint Patrick to illustrate the idea of three different elements as one.
Chicago Has Annually Dyed Its River Green Since 1962
Chicago has been dyeing its river green as a tradition for almost sixty years. It is done in an environment-friendly way so it is not a matter of concern. The river is dyed with hundreds of pounds of dye which keep the river green for four to five hours.
The green dye was initially used to identify the source of the leaky pipes. On St. Patrick’s Day in 1962, the Plumbers Local Union decided to use a hundred pounds of dye in the river to turn it green, and since then it has become a tradition.
To get the best view of the river you have to visit Upper Wacker Drive between Columbus Drive and Wabash Avenue.
Guinness Is The Most Popular Drink On St. Patrick’s Day
Guinness is probably the most popular Irish drink that comes to mind when enjoying the iconic St. Patrick’s Day.
The Black Stuff is a type of stout beer that is crafted from a blend of roasted barley, hops, yeast, and water.
It is not black but dark ruby red. The drink representing wholesomeness, honesty, hard work, and heritage is preferred by everyone.
An interesting fact is that more than 13 million pints of Guinness is consumed on St. Patrick’s Day.
St. Patrick’s Day Once Was A Dry Holiday
Another fun fact about St. Patrick’s Day is it used to be a dry holiday. It was a religious non-drinking day before, today people drink more than 13 million pints of beer on this day.
The nation’s pubs used to be closed on this day for business. Later in 1970, St. Patrick’s Day was converted to a National holiday and since then, Guinness has been popular ever since.
Traditional Food Eaten On This Day Is Corned beef And Cabbage
Besides huge pints of Guinness beer, the Irish people enjoy traditional food on St. Patrick’s Day. “Corned beef” , salt-cured meat similar to brisket is eaten on this day. It is usually boiled with cabbage, carrots, and potatoes.
Other than this dish people enjoy Shepherd's pie, Irish Soda Bread, Boxty, and Irish Stew on this big holiday.
Maewyn Succat Was St. Patrick’s Birth Name
Imagine celebrating Maewyn Succat Day instead of St. Patrick’s Day! His birth name was Maewyn Succat. After becoming a priest, he changed his name to Patricius or Patrick.
The name is derived from the Latin term for a father figure, which makes much sense after he became a priest.
The Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Leaving behind the last interesting facts about St. Patrick’s Day. The shortest parade is held on the streets in Dripsey, County Cork, Ireland. A 90-second walk on the 100-yard long attracts a lot of locals as well as tourists from across the world. The parade features local musicians, dancers, and a marching band, and it's followed by a lively street party with food, drinks, and more music.