Do you know why we wear green on St. Patrick’s Day? There’s more to it than just avoiding getting pinched. Here’s a Wee Bit ‘o Knowledge for St. Patrick’s Day to keep you on top of the day we all get to be Irish!
10 Facts About St. Patrick’s Day
1. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. As a missionary, he is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century.
2. St Patrick’s real name was Maewyn Succat.
3. St. Patrick was not Irish. He was born to Roman parents in Scotland or Wales.
4. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17th in observance of his death.
5. St. Patrick used the shamrock as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity while on the job in Ireland.
6. Although credited for driving snakes out of Ireland, the country was never home to snakes.
7. Irish immigrants began observing St. Patrick’s Day in Boston in 1737.
8. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade in America was held in NYC in 1766.
9. The color green is worn to make one invisible to leprechauns – who tend to pinch anyone they can see.
10. The odds of finding a 4-leaf clover are 1 in 10,000.
So 23 and me made it official. You’re less than 0% Irish. No worries. Enjoy the one day a year we can all “borrow” an Irish heritage. Set your corned beef to simmer and get your green on. You won’t get pinched once you impress your fellow “Irish” compatriots with your Wee Bit ‘o Knowledge for St. Patrick’s Day.