Lauren Pennino

 

 Saint Patrick was British

-Patrick was not Irish himself. He was born to Roman parents in Scotland or Wales in the late 14th century.

 

 It used to be a dry holiday

-Saint Patrick’s day used to be considered a strictly religious holiday in Ireland. Because of this, all of the pubs were closed for business on March 17th. In 1970, the day was converted to a national holiday, and the beer began flowing again.

 

The reason behind Shamrocks

-According to an old Irish legend, the Saint used the three-leafed plant as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity when he first introduced Christianity to Ireland.

 

There's no actual corn in corned beef

-The most popular dish on this holiday, corned beef and cabbage, does not have anything to do with the grain of corn. It is the large grains of salt that were historically used to cure meats that was known as “corns.”

 

The world accumulates an impressive bar tab

-In 2012, there was an estimated amount of $245 million dollars spent strictly on beer to celebrate this national holiday.

 

There are no female leprechauns

-In traditional Irish folk tales, there are no female leprechauns, only nattily attired little guys.

 

The color should really be blue NOT green

-Saint Patrick’s color was “Saint Patrick’s Blue”, a light shade of blue. The color green was only associated with the holiday after the Irish independence movement in the late 18th century.

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