50 Amazing Facts About St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated annually on March 17th, honors the memory of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Discover 30 captivating facts about this global festival.

1. St. Patrick, born in 385 AD (exact birthplace uncertain), died in 461 AD in Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland.
2. St. Patrick’s Day marks the introduction of Christianity to Ireland in 432 AD.
3. Originally named Maewyn Succat and of Roman descent, St. Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders at the age of 16. He eventually escaped and became a priest, authoring the book “Confessio” in his later years.
4. Saint Patrick’s Day is also known as the ‘Feast of Saint Patrick’ and the ‘Day of the Festival of Patrick.’ He studied religion for over 12 years after escaping captivity.
5. St. Patrick used the shamrock, a young clover sprig, to illustrate the concept of the Holy Trinity, and it’s now the official flower of Ireland.
6. Irish people have been celebrating St. Patrick’s Day as a religious holiday for over a millennium.
7. Blue was initially associated with St. Patrick, but in 1798, green officially became the color of the holiday.
8. The inaugural St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in Waterford, Ireland, in 1903.
9. In the United States, over 100 St. Patrick’s Day parades occur, with roughly 12% of Americans claiming Irish heritage.
10. Despite the legend, St. Patrick did not actually banish snakes from Ireland. The country’s cold climate made it uninhabitable for them. Some interpret this myth as representing the pagans he converted.
11. The New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade began in 1762. Today, it is the world’s oldest civilian parade, boasting over 150,000 participants and 3 million spectators along a 1.5-mile route that takes over 5 hours to complete.
12. On this day, Catholics attend church in the morning and enjoy the St. Patrick’s Day parade.
13. Since 1962, the Chicago River has been dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day. Originally, 100 pounds of vegetable dye were used, keeping the river green for a week. Now, 40 lbs of dye are used, lasting for about 5 hours.
14. Guinness sales nearly double on St. Patrick’s Day, with 5.5 million pints sold.
15. The 200th anniversary of St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated by turning the Sydney Opera House green.
16. The first St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the United States was held in Boston in 1737.
17. Traditional St. Patrick’s Day dishes include corned beef and cabbage, though corned beef is English, not Irish.
18. Green attire and shamrocks are traditional for the day, and it’s customary to pinch those not wearing green.
19. Between 1903 and 1970, most pubs in Ireland were closed on St. Patrick’s Day due to its religious significance. It later became a national holiday, and drinking became a cherished tradition.
20. St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday in both Ireland and Northern Ireland and a provincial holiday in Canada’s Newfoundland.
21. The world’s shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade, a mere 98 feet long, is held in Arkansas.
22. Over 450 churches in the United States are dedicated to St. Patrick, and 5.5 million tourists visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City annually.
23. St. Patrick’s Day is one of the world’s most celebrated festivals, alongside events like La Tomatina in Buñol, Spain; Holi, celebrated by Hindus worldwide; Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and the Lantern Festival in Pingxi, Taiwan.
24. St. Patrick’s Day parades began in North America in the 17th century but didn’t reach Ireland until the 20th century.
25. St. Patrick’s Day is not observed on March 17 during Holy Week. When it falls on Holy Week, the celebration is adjusted. This occurred in 1940 (observed on April 3) and in 2008 (observed on March 15). It won’t coincide with Holy Week again until 2160.