The Irish trailblazer making waves with Australia

7 St. Patrick's Day Traditions Explained

7 , St. Patrick's Day Traditions:, Explained. Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, but why are these traditions so significant?. 1. St. Patrick. Patrick was an Irish missionary who was kidnapped as a child and brought to Ireland. March 17 is believed to be the day of his death. 2. The Green River in Chicago. The Chicago River has been traditionally dyed green for over 50 years. The color green is derived from the green strip in the Irish flag. 3. Parades. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade in the U.S. was in 1762. They allow people to proudly celebrate their Irish-American identity. 4. Shamrocks. Shamrocks used to be worn by the Irish in defiance of the ruling British class and to represent kinship among the native people. 5. Drinking Guinness. This Irish stout is the drink of choice on St. Patrick's Day, with about 13 million pints consumed on the holiday. 6. Leprechauns. These little green men come from 8th century Irish folklore. They were said to make shoes and wreck havoc on unsuspecting humans. 7. Corned Beef and Cabbage. This tradition was begun by poor Irish-Americans of the 19th century. Corned beef and cabbage were the affordable option

10 Things You May Not Know About St. Patrick's Day

10 Things You May Not Know About St. Patrick's Day. 1. The shortest St. Patrick's Day parade only runs for 98 feet and takes place in Hot Springs, Arkansas. 2. Saint Patrick’s birth name was actually Maewyn Succat. He changed it to Patricius after becoming a priest. 3. Shamrocks are said to have been used by Saint Patrick as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity. 4. Corned beef doesn’t actually contain corn. It's name come from the use of salt "corns" to cure meat. 5. Saint Patrick famously wore a light shade of blue, not the traditional green that is constantly seen. 6. Green became a significant color for Ireland during its 1641 rebellion. Its importance then carried over to St. Patrick’s Day. 7. St. Patrick’s Day used to be a strictly religious and alcohol-free holiday in Ireland. 8. Saint Patrick wasn't actually Irish. He was born in Britain and kidnapped by Irish pirates at a young age. 9. In traditional Irish folk tales, female leprechauns don’t exist. 10. The U.S. has 32 million people of Irish descent, while Ireland’s total population is only 4.7 million