Buzz
Before you slip into your “Kiss me, I’m Irish” shirt, hunt for the perfect pint of Guinness, dive into the craic, or learn a few charming Irish sayings, take a moment to explore the rich history behind this day when everyone feels a bit Irish.
1. Blue was the original color associated with St. Patrick’s Day.
An old-fashioned St. Patrick's Day postcard. | Dave, Flickr // CC BY-ND 2.0Even Saint Patrick would face some pinching on his special day. While kelly green is now synonymous with the Irish and the holiday, the 5th-century saint’s official hue was “Saint Patrick’s blue,” a soft sky blue. Green became tied to the celebration only after it was connected to the Irish independence movement in the late 1700s.
2. Surprisingly, St. Patrick wasn’t Irish.
The final resting place of Saint Patrick, located near Down Cathedral in Ireland. | Central Press/Getty ImagesDespite being celebrated for bringing Christianity to Ireland in 432, Patrick wasn’t Irish by birth. He was born to Roman parents in either Scotland or Wales during the late 4th century.
3. Surprisingly, St. Patrick’s Day was once a holiday without alcohol.
Guinness has become an essential part of contemporary St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. | Picture Post/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesUnsurprisingly, St. Patrick’s Day is a major event in Ireland and Northern Ireland, where it’s a national holiday. However, until the 1970s, pubs remained closed on this day, with the exception of beer vendors at the national dog show, which always coincided with the holiday. Back then, the day was observed as a solemn religious occasion. Today, it attracts crowds of tourists dressed in green for parades, drinks, and the occasional limerick.
4. The New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade has been a tradition since 1762.
A photograph capturing New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade around 1960. | Peter Keegan/Getty ImagesThe St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City ranks among the largest in the world. Since 1762, approximately 250,000 participants have marched up 5th Avenue on foot—no floats, cars, or modern additions are allowed. Notable figures like Miracle on 34th Street star Maureen O’Hara and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, New York’s archbishop, have led the parade as grand marshals. In 2020, the event was canceled for the first time in its centuries-old history due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
5. Chicago turns its river green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Each year, the Chicago River is transformed into a vibrant green for the holiday. | Tasos Katopodis/Getty ImagesWhile New York boasts larger crowds, Chicago offers its own unique tradition. Since 1962, the city has marked St. Patrick’s Day by adding green dye to the Chicago River. Though the exact formula remains a secret, it’s known that the dye is spread using flour sifters by members of the local plumbers’ union.
6. Some St. Patrick’s Day parades are more about the spirit than the scale.
An antique St. Patrick’s Day postcard. | Missouri History Museum, Wikimedia Commons // Public DomainNot every city goes all-out for St. Patrick’s Day. From 1999 to 2007, the Irish village of Dripsey boasted the world’s shortest parade, spanning just 25 yards between two local pubs. Today, Hot Springs, Arkansas, holds the record for the shortest parade, measuring a mere 98 feet.
7. Shamrocks have a special significance.
This postcard dates back to around 1910. | The Casas-Rodríguez Postcard Collection, Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0Why is the shamrock tied to St. Patrick? As per Irish legend, the saint used the three-leaved plant (not to be confused with the four-leaf clover) to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity while spreading Christianity in Ireland.
8. St. Patrick’s fame was partly due to cold weather.
An illustration of Saint Patrick and the mythical snakes. | Missouri History Museum, Wikimedia Commons // Public DomainAccording to Irish folklore, St. Patrick is credited with banishing all snakes from Ireland. However, scientists believe this feat wasn’t difficult—fossil records show Ireland never had snakes. The Ice Age made the island too cold for reptiles, and the surrounding seas kept them out. Scholars suggest the “snakes” St. Patrick drove away were likely symbolic.
9. Surprisingly, there’s no corn in corned beef.
No corn in sight! | fotek/iStock via Getty ImagesCorned beef and cabbage, a St. Patrick’s Day favorite among Irish Americans, has no connection to the grain corn. The name refers to the large grains of salt, or “corns,” traditionally used to preserve the meat.
10. Americans spend a fortune on drinks during St. Patrick’s Day.
After indulging in numerous pints of Guinness, a bit of dancing is entirely understandable. | snap713, Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0In 2017, global consumption of Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day was projected to reach 13 million pints. By 2022, beer sales in the U.S. were anticipated to surge by 174 percent, making it the most profitable day for bars nationwide. Additionally, in 2024, Americans were forecasted to spend $7.2 billion in celebration of the holiday.
11. The holiday we know as St. Patrick’s Day might have been named Saint Maewyn’s Day instead.
Irish folklore suggests that St. Patrick was born Maewyn Succat and adopted the name Patricius upon his ordination as a priest.
12. Leprechauns are exclusively male in folklore.
Ignore any festive decor depicting female leprechauns. According to traditional Irish tales, leprechauns are solely male, depicted as well-dressed little men who craft and repair shoes, earning the gold they fiercely protect.
13. The terminology associated with St. Patrick’s Day has clear origins.
The phrase essentially translates to 'Ireland forever.' | Dave, Flickr // CC BY-ND 2.0No St. Patrick’s Day celebration is complete without the enthusiastic shout of “Erin go Bragh.” This phrase stems from the Irish expression Éirinn go Brách, translating to 'Ireland forever.' As you join the festivities this year, impress others by sharing interesting Irish slang and explaining why Ireland is famously referred to as the Emerald Isle.
