Fun Facts and Trivia about St. Patrick’sDay
Thought you knew everything about St. Patrick’s Day? Think again! Here are some interesting and mind-blowing facts about this “green” celebration and its history.
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Saint Patrick’s given name was actually Maewyn Succat (Magonus Succetus in Latin.)
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The first St. Patrick’s Day celebration was in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1737. However, the first St. Paddy parade was in New York City in the 1760s.
- Each American who revels on March 17 will spend a little over $36 to celebrate.
- There are apparently no female leprechauns, only male leprechauns.
- Alas, St. Patrick was from Wales. In other words, he wasn’t Irish.
- Because green was originally considered an “unlucky” color, blue was associated with St. Patrick’s Day. It’s not known when the changeover to green happened.
- On St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago, the Plumbers Local 110 union workers dye the Chicago River green.
- Sales of Guinness reach incredible levels on March 17.
- St. Patrick’s Day is considered a national holiday in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
- Roughly translated, the phrase “Erin go Bragh” means “Ireland Forever.”
- More than 100 cities in the United States have St. Patrick’s Day parades every year. This includes Harrisburg and York!
- President Truman was the first known president to attend a St. Patrick’s Day parade.
- There are almost 35 million people across the nation with Irish heritage.
- Seven locations in the U.S. have been named for the Shamrock.
- Irish soda bread uses baking soda as its leavening agent, rather than yeast.
Sources: ABC News, Irish Central, Mental Floss, Discovery Channel, History Channel
