St. Patrick's Day Fun Facts!
Here are some facts you may not have known about St. Patrick's Day.
Why Green?
The actual color of St. Patrick is blue. Green became associated with St. Patrick's Day during the 19th century. Green, in Irish legends, was worn by fairies and immortals, and also by people to encourage their crops to grow.
No Snakes in Ireland
Another St. Patrick myth is the claim that he banished snakes from Ireland. It's true no snakes exist on the island today, but all evidence suggests there were never any snakes in Ireland. After all, Ireland is surrounded by icy ocean waters-much too cold to allow snakes to migrate from Britain or anywhere else.
Parade
The very first St. Patrick's Day parade was not in Ireland. It was in Boston in 1737.
Irish Ancestry
34 million Americans have Irish ancestry, according to the 2003 US Census. That's almost nine times the population of Ireland, which has 4.1 million people.
Guinness
On any given day 5.5 million pints of Guinness, the famous Irish stout brand, are consumed around the world. On St. Patrick's Day, that number more than doubles to 13 million pints.
Clovers
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the highest number of leaves found on a clover is 14.
