St. Patrick’s day is the day of fun, cheer and everything green! It’s the day of good luck charms, rainbows, leprechauns, parades and most importantly everything Irish!
Table of Contents:
- St. Patrick’s Day History
- Origins of St. Patrick’s Day
- Leprechauns and St. Paddy’s Day
- St. Patrick’s Day Facts
- St. Patrick’s Day Trivia
But before we get started with St. Patrick Day’s Fun Facts & Trivia, it would be only wise to delve into the history and origins of Paddy day.
St. Patrick’s Day History
Saint Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland, who propagated Christianity on the island nation. This 5th century missionary is accredited with establishing many monasteries, schools and churches in Ireland.
Born in Roman Britain, St. Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders when he was 16 years old and taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped after a few years but returned to the Island to spread the message of Jesus and used the famous three leaf clover to explain the holy trinity.
No wonder, the three leaf clover or Shamrock symbolises St. Patrick’s day!
Origins of St. Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick’s day is a public holiday in Ireland that celebrates the revered saint. It started as a religious holiday by the Catholic Church but over time evolved into a public holiday.
What is interesting is how it became a much celebrated holiday in America and around the globe. Apparently this holiday, which is synonymous to Irish culture, was brought to America by the Irish immigrants to celebrate their culture and heritage.
Over time, Paddy day evolved with people of even non-Irish descent taking part in the gala, Patrick’s day parades, festivities and merrymaking.
Today, Saint Patrick’s day festival is all about wearing green, eating corned beef and cabbage and conviviality!
Quick Tip: Make sure to get your kids crafting with these adorable Patrick’s Day Crafts.
Leprechaun & St. Patrick’s Day
Now that you have pretty much figured out what St. Patrick’s day festival is all about, there is still one piece of the puzzle that needs to be undone – Leprechauns and St. Patrick’s day!
How did Leprechauns come to be a part of the Green day? Well, Leprechauns are the reason many wear green on St. Patrick’s day!
It’s an interesting mythical story that needs to be told and is sure to entertain you and your kids. So according to Irish folklore, Leprechauns are solitary but mischievous creatures that hide pots of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Legend has it, if you catch a Leprechaun he has to tell you where his gold is hidden. But finding a Leprechaun ain’t so easy unless you are wearing green.
You see, Leprechauns cannot see people dressed in green on St. Patrick’s day! So, wearing green is the trick to catch a Leprechaun and get lucky.
And for those of you who do not fancy Leprechaun’s gold or the luck he brings, here is another reason to still wear green. Leprechauns like to pinch people they can see! That explains the tradition of pinching people banishing green robes on Paddy day.
Bottom line, wear green on St. Patrick’s day!
Related: Now that you know a good deal about Leprechauns, make this cute Baby Yoda Leprechaun Craft for Paddy day!
St. Patrick’s Day Facts
While there are many mythical stories associated with St. Patrick’s day, there are some really cool and interesting St. Patrick’s day facts as well!
Paddy day is no ordinary day! It’s the day of the green and promises lots of entertainment as well as infotainment. Here are some riveting St. Patrick’s Day Fun Facts that will stupefy you.
1. St. Patrick’s real name was Maewyn Succat. He changed his name to Patrick after becoming a priest.
2. Contrary to what you might think, St Patrick’s Day parades started in America, not in Ireland, with Irish Americans hosting the first parade in Boston back in 1737.
3. St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain and not Ireland.
4. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on 17th March every year to mark his death anniversary.
5. Traditionally, blue was associated with St. Patrick’s day instead of the current green!
The latter colour is associated with the Great Irish Rebellion of 1798 when Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms. It then became the colour of the holiday when American Irish immigrants started to wear green colour to show their support and pride for their country of origin.
6. Ireland (including Northern Ireland) and Montserrat (a small island in the Caribbean) are the only two countries in the world that observe a public holiday on St Patrick’s day.
Did you know Ireland is known as Emerald Isle? Want to learn more fun facts, beyond St. Patrick’s day? Hop-on to Crazy But True Facts for Kids to amaze you!
7. Shamrock is the Irish national plant and often worn as a lapel on St. Patrick’s day. It is also believed that St. Patrick used the Shamrock or clover to explain the holy trinity – The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.
8. The odds of finding a four-leaf clover are about 1 in 10,000. Consider yourself very lucky if you do find one!
9. Did you know one out of every 10 Americans have Irish ancestry?
10. Out of 46 American Presidents, 23 Presidents including the current President Joe Biden, have Irish roots.
11. Chicago River is dyed green every year as part of St. Patrick’s day celebration. This tradition started in 1962, making it 60 years old.
12. Hot Springs, Arkansas holds the shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade with a route of just 98 feet!
13. The oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the United States is held at New York City and features nearly 150,000 participants.
14. Beer is the most popular drink for St. Patrick’s day with Guinness selling nearly 13 million pints worldwide!
15. Corned beef and Cabbage is eaten as a traditional food on Saint Patrick’s day.
16. Nearly 100 countries celebrate St. Patrick’s day.
17. Almost 5.5 million people visit New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral every year.
18. St. Patrick is believed to be buried in the town of Downpatrick, County Down, in Northern Ireland.
19. According to legend, St. Patrick drove out all the snakes from Ireland. Though we don’t really know for sure if that was the case!
20. The Roman Colosseum, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Sydney Opera House and The Burj Al Arab in Dubai light up green on St. Patrick’s day! They are among the popular 690 famous landmarks that go green to mark St. Patrick’s day!
21. Until 1970, Ireland celebrated St. Patrick’s day as a dry day to pay religious respect!
Now that you have learned pretty much everything you need to know about St. Patrick’s day – from Legends, History to cool fun facts, it’s time to test the smarts of your friends and family with St. Patrick’s Day Trivia.
Trivia For St. Patrick’s Day
This fun trivia is a must try with family and friends. Print out the free printable (at the end of the page) to see who is the lucky one to answer most questions right.
And don’t be surprised, if your wits are tested with this fun family Trivia for Patrick’s day!
1. What other name is St. Patrick’s day also known as?
Answer: The Feast of Saint Patrick!
2. Who brought St. Patrick’s Day to the United States?
Answer: Irish Immigrants
Related: Love Trivia? Also check out 300+ Trivia Questions For Kids & Family for more fun!
3. What did St. Patrick use to describe the Holy Trinity?
Answer: Three leaf Clover or Shamrock
4. Where was the first St. Patrick’s Day parade held in the United States of America?
Answer: Boston was the first city to host St. Patrick’s day.
5. Which colour was originally associated with Paddy day?
Answer: Blue
6. According to legend, which animal did St. Patrick drive out of Ireland completely and that has never returned to the country since?
Answer: Snakes.
7. What was St. Patrick’s real name?
Answer: Maewyn Succat
8. What is a boxty?
Answer: Boxty is the name given to Irish Potato cake.
9. Which traditional Irish food is associated with St. Patrick’s day celebrations?
Answer: Corned Beef and Cabbage!
10. Which river in the United States of America is dyed green to mark St. Patrick’s day?
Answer: Chicago River!
11. Which drink is most consumed on Paddy day?
Answer: Beer – Guinness is the favourite!
12. How many pints of Guinness are supposedly drunk on Saint Patrick’s day?
Answer: Nearly 13 million pints!
13. St. Patrick’s celebrations last for how many days in Dublin, Ireland?
Answer: Four days!
14. What does “Erin go bragh” mean?
Answer: It means ‘Ireland Forever’.
15. Ireland is also called…
Answer: Emerald Isle
16. What is the national emblem of Ireland?
Answer: The Shamrock and The Harp.
17. What was the true intent behind St. Patrick’s Day celebrations?
Answer: St. Patrick’s day is celebrated on the death anniversary of the patron saint of Ireland to honour his work in Ireland and bringing Christianity to the country.
18. Which mythical, magical creature is associated with St. Patrick’s day?
Answer: Leprechauns!
19. Where do Leprechauns hide their pots of gold?
Answer: At the end of the rainbows!
20. How do Leprechauns earn their gold?
Answer: Leprechauns earn their gold by mending and making shoes.
21. How many people visit New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral every year?
Answer: Nearly 5.5 million!
22. How many United States Presidents are believed to have Irish ancestry?
Answer: 23!
23. Till which year pubs were closed in Ireland on Patrick’s day?
Answer: 1970
24. Which one place in Ireland legally allowed drinking on St. Patrick’s Day between 1927 to 1961,?
Answer: The RDS Dog Show!
25. What is the probability of finding a four leaf clover?
Answer: 1 in 10,000!
25. How long does the New York’s St. Patrick’s Day parade Last?
Answer: Five hours – give and take!
26. St. Patrick’s Day holiday was switched from religious holiday to an official Irish public holiday in which year?
Answer: 1903.
27. Which are the two countries that have a public holiday on St. Patrick’s day?
Answer: Ireland and Montserrat.
28. Which iconic monument in Australia is lit up green for Paddy day celebrations?
Answer: Sydney Opera House
29. How many Americans are believed to descend from Ireland?
Answer: One in ten Americans is believed to be of Irish descent.
30. Which iconic structure turns green in England to mark Saint Patrick’s Day?
Answer: The London Eye.
