St. Patrick's Day: 101 Facts & Traditions

St. Patrick's Day, celebrated on March 17th, is a cultural and religious holiday honoring the patron saint of Ireland. From parades and green beer to traditional Irish dishes and symbols, there are many fascinating facts and traditions associated with this holiday.

101 Facts About St. Patrick's Day: From Parades to Green Beer and Irish Traditions

St. Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated on March 17th every year.
It is named after Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
Saint Patrick was actually born in Britain, not Ireland.
His real name was Maewyn Succat.
He was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave when he was 16 years old.
He eventually escaped but returned to Ireland as a missionary.
Legend has it that he used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish people.
The color associated with Saint Patrick's Day is green.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade was held in Boston in 1737.
New York City has the largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the world, with over 2 million spectators each year.
The Chicago River is dyed green every year to celebrate the holiday.
In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day was traditionally a quiet day where people attended church and had a family meal.
It was made an official public holiday in Ireland in 1903.
Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patrick's Day meal in the United States, but not in Ireland.
Irish soda bread is another traditional St. Patrick's Day food.
The Irish phrase for St. Patrick's Day is "Lá Fhéile Pádraig".
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many countries around the world, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States.
In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is a national holiday and the entire country shuts down for the day.
In Ireland, it is traditional to wear a sprig of green on St. Patrick's Day.
The original color associated with St. Patrick's Day was blue, not green.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade in Ireland was held in Waterford in 1903.
St. Patrick's Day was not celebrated in Ireland during the early 20th century, as it was considered a religious holiday.
The Irish flag is green, white, and orange.
The leprechaun, a small, mischievous fairy, is a popular symbol of St. Patrick's Day.
The four-leaf clover is another popular symbol of St. Patrick's Day, and is believed to bring good luck.
St. Patrick's Day is also known as the Feast of Saint Patrick.
The shamrock is the national emblem of Ireland.
St. Patrick's Day is a public holiday in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin is named after St. Patrick.
St. Patrick's Day is the third most popular drinking day in the United States, after New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade in Ireland's capital, Dublin, was held in 1931.
The phrase "the luck of the Irish" is actually a misnomer, as the Irish have a history of being unlucky.
In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is also known as "Paddy's Day".
The Cliffs of Moher in County Clare are illuminated green on St. Patrick's Day.
The Blarney Stone, located at Blarney Castle in County Cork, is said to give those who kiss it the gift of eloquence.
St. Patrick's Day parades are also held in other countries, including Japan and South Korea.
St. Patrick's Day is also celebrated in Argentina, where it is the fifth largest national holiday.
The Irish government established a St. Patrick's Festival in 1996, which is now a four-day event with parades, concerts, and fireworks.
Guinness, the famous Irish beer, sees a significant increase in sales during the week of St. Patrick's Day.
The phrase "Erin go Bragh" is an anglicization of the Irish phrase "Éirinn go Brách," which means "Ireland forever."
St. Patrick's Day was made an official holiday in the United States in 1903.
The world's largest St. Patrick's Day parade is held in Dublin, Ohio.
St. Patrick's Day was not always celebrated with alcohol; in fact, for much of its history it was a dry holiday in Ireland.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City was held in 1762.
The Irish-American community in the United States played a significant role in popularizing St. Patrick's Day celebrations.
The phrase "drowning the shamrock" refers to the Irish tradition of placing a shamrock in the bottom of a glass, filling it with whiskey or beer, and drinking it as a toast to St. Patrick.
In some parts of Ireland, it is traditional to have a "rush" for St. Patrick's Day, which involves cutting and weaving a bundle of rushes into a cross shape.
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated as a public holiday in Montserrat, a British overseas territory in the Caribbean.
The oldest St. Patrick's Day parade in the United States is held in Savannah, Georgia.
In some parts of Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated as a week-long festival.
The Irish language is still spoken in some parts of Ireland, particularly in the Gaeltacht regions.
The shamrock is a symbol of Ireland's natural beauty, with each leaf representing one of the country's three physical features: hills, lakes, and coastline.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade in Australia was held in Sydney in 1810.
St. Patrick's Day is a major holiday in Boston, which has a large Irish-American population.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade in Boston was held in 1737.
St. Patrick's Day is also celebrated in Russia, where it is known as "St. Patrick's Day for the Irish."
The largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the southern hemisphere is held in Melbourne, Australia.
The term "shenanigans" comes from the Irish term "sionnachuighim," which means "I play the fox."
The Irish harp is the national emblem of Ireland and appears on the country's coat of arms.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade in Canada was held in Montreal in 1824.
St. Patrick's Day is a public holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Irish Wolfhound is a breed of dog that originated in Ireland and is recognized as the national animal of Ireland.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade in Chicago was held in 1843.
St. Patrick's Day is also celebrated in Brazil, where it is known as "Dia de São Patrício."
The world's shortest St. Patrick's Day parade is held in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
The largest St. Patrick's Day parade in Asia is held in Tokyo, Japan.
The phrase "Go mbeire muid beo ar an am seo arís" is an Irish blessing that means "May we be alive at this time next year."
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by many people around the world, regardless of their Irish heritage.
In Ireland, it is traditional to wear green clothing or accessories on St. Patrick's Day.
The Chicago River is dyed green every year for St. Patrick's Day, a tradition that began in 1962.
Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patrick's Day dish in the United States, but it is not commonly eaten in Ireland.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin, Ireland, was held in 1931.
The color green is associated with St. Patrick's Day because it is the color of Ireland's flag and the shamrock.
The Irish language has its own alphabet, which is known as the "Ogham" alphabet.
The Celtic cross is a symbol of Irish heritage and is often seen on St. Patrick's Day.
The Irish flag is green, white, and orange, with green representing the Catholics, orange representing the Protestants, and white representing peace between them.
The largest St. Patrick's Day parade in Europe is held in Birmingham, England.
In some parts of Ireland, it is traditional to dance a jig on St. Patrick's Day.
The Cliffs of Moher, located on the western coast of Ireland, are a popular tourist destination and a symbol of Ireland's natural beauty.
St. Patrick's Day is also celebrated in Argentina, where it is the fifth largest national holiday.
The traditional Irish instrument known as the bodhran is a type of drum that is played with a beater or the hand.
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many parts of the world with parades, parties, and other festive events.
The shamrock, which is a symbol of Ireland, is often worn as a pin on St. Patrick's Day.
St. Patrick's Day is a popular holiday for people to gather with friends and family and celebrate Irish heritage.
In Ireland, it is traditional to attend Mass on St. Patrick's Day, as St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.
The traditional Irish folk song "Danny Boy" is often sung on St. Patrick's Day.
The Blarney Stone, located in County Cork, Ireland, is said to bring good luck to those who kiss it.
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many parts of the world with parades, parties, and other festive events.
The Irish Claddagh ring is a traditional symbol of love, loyalty, and friendship.
The traditional Irish dish known as colcannon is made from mashed potatoes and cabbage.
The traditional Irish sport of hurling is played with a stick called a hurley and a small ball called a sliotar.
St. Patrick's Day is a popular holiday for people to wear green clothing and accessories.
The Irish author James Joyce is famous for his novel "Ulysses," which is set in Dublin on June 16, which is now celebrated as Bloomsday.
The traditional Irish dance known as the Irish step dance is characterized by precise footwork and a stiff upper body.
The Irish word for "cheers" is "sláinte," which means "health."
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many parts of the world with traditional Irish foods such as soda bread, shepherd's pie, and Irish stew.
St. Patrick's Day is a national holiday in Ireland, which means that banks, schools, and government offices are closed.
The phrase "the luck of the Irish" actually originated in America during the gold and silver rush of the late 19th century, and was used ironically to describe the challenges that Irish immigrants faced during that time.
In New York City, the St. Patrick's Day parade is the oldest and largest parade in the world, dating back to 1762. However, the parade was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Irish Cliffs of Moher have been used as a filming location for many movies, including Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and The Princess Bride.
The traditional Irish harp is a national symbol of Ireland, and it appears on the country's coat of arms and on the euro coins.

St. Patrick's Day is a beloved holiday celebrated around the world. Whether you're Irish or not, the day is a fun and festive celebration of Irish culture and heritage. With its rich history and numerous traditions, it's no wonder that St. Patrick's Day remains one of the most popular holidays of the year.