St. Patrick’s Day is more than just parades, pints, and all things green—it’s a holiday steeped in history, folklore, and global traditions.
Whether you’re celebrating with a traditional Irish feast or simply sporting a shamrock or the colour green, here are 17 fun and surprising facts about St. Patrick’s Day that will give you plenty to toast to.
1. Who is St. Patrick?
St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and is celebrated for bringing Christianity to the country. He is believed to have grown up in Britain near the end of the 4th century but was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave. Once he was free again, he trained as a priest, and went back to Ireland to convert thousands of people to Christianity.
2. St. Patrick Didn’t Actually Wear Green
If you’re dressing in green this St. Patrick’s Day, you might be surprised to learn that St. Patrick himself actually wore a light shade of blue. It wasn’t until the 1798 Irish Rebellion that green became associated with Irish nationalism, and the tradition of wearing green took hold.
3. St. Patrick’s Day is a Public Holiday in Newfoundland and Labrador
While most people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as a festive occasion, in Newfoundland and Labrador, it’s an official public holiday! The only other places that recognize it as a public holiday are the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the British territory of Montserrat.
4. St. Patrick and the Legendary Snakes
Legend has it that St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. But according to scientists, there were never any snakes on the island to begin with. Many believe the story is actually a metaphor for St. Patrick converting Ireland’s pagans to Christianity.
5. Finding a Four-Leaf Clover is Extremely Rare
If you find a four-leaf clover, consider yourself lucky—your odds of discovering one are believed to be just 1 in 10,000.
6. March 17 Marks the Anniversary of St. Patrick’s Death
St. Patrick passed away on March 17, 461 AD, making this holiday a celebration of his legacy rather than his birth.
7. New York City Hosts One of the World’s Largest St. Patrick’s Day Parades
Dating back to 1762, New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade sees between 150,000 to 250,000 participants marching up Fifth Avenue. The parade doesn’t allow floats or vehicles, keeping the tradition of a foot march alive.
8. Chicago Dyes Its River Green
Each year, Chicago celebrates St. Patrick’s Day by dyeing the Chicago River bright green. It takes about 45 pounds of environmentally safe dye to transform the river, and the effect lasts for about five hours.
9. St. Patrick’s Day is One of the Biggest Global Celebrations
The worldwide spread of St. Patrick’s Day was partially due to the 1845’s Great Potato Famine that forced more than a million Irish to emigrate. Today, more than 200 countries celebrate it.
10. St. Patrick’s Day Was Once a Dry Holiday
For much of the 20th century, St. Patrick’s Day was considered a strictly religious holiday in Ireland, meaning pubs were closed. That changed in 1970 when it became a national holiday, and the Guinness has been flowing ever since.
11. Green Beer is Not an Irish Tradition
If you think green beer is an Irish tradition, think again. It’s actually a North American invention—simply beer with green food colouring added.
12. Guinness Consumption Skyrockets on St. Patrick’s Day
On March 17, approximately 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed worldwide.
13. The First St. Patrick’s Day Parade Was Held in America
While people in Ireland had celebrated St. Patrick since the 1600s, the tradition of a St. Patrick’s Day parade began in America and actually predates the founding of the United States. Records show that a St. Patrick’s Day parade was held on March 17, 1601, in a Spanish colony in what is now St. Augustine, Florida.
The parade and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration a year earlier were organized by the Spanish Colony's Irish vicar Ricardo Artur. More than a century later, homesick Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched in Boston in 1737 and in New York City on March 17. Enthusiasm for the St. Patrick’s Day parades in New York City, Boston and other early American cities only grew from there.
14. More Irish People Live in the US Than in Ireland
In 2015, 32.7 million US residents claimed Irish ancestry—more than seven times the current population of Ireland itself.
15. “Erin Go Bragh” is a Phrase of Irish Pride
If you want to impress an Irish friend, say “Erin Go Bragh,” which means “Ireland forever.”
16. The Truth About the Blarney Stone
Every year, 400,000 visitors kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland for the “gift of the gab.” But to do so, you must lean backward over a ledge while holding onto rails—just to place your lips where thousands of others have before.
17. St. Patrick’s Day is Even Celebrated in Space
Astronauts have been known to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day while in orbit. In 2013, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield donned green aboard the International Space Station in honour of the holiday.
So whether you’re wearing green, enjoying a Guinness, or just sharing fun facts, St. Patrick’s Day is a time to celebrate Irish heritage and the legendary man behind it all!
