15 Interesting Facts About St. Patrick's Day

1. Saint Patrick was actually from Wales, not Ireland.

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2. Saint Patrick’s real name is Maewyn Succat.

(Photo via Irish Central)

3. At the age of 16, he was captured by a group of Irish pirates and was taken to Ireland as a slave.

(Photo via Ben-Hur)

4. He tended sheep in Ireland for 6 years before he escaped.

(Photo via ClydeStyle)

5. When he returned home, he studied Christianity and became a priest. He then took his teachings back to Ireland, where he established the Christian church.

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6. He changed his name to Patricius, which means “Father Figure.”

(Photo via Huffington Post)

7. Saint Patrick’s representative color is actually blue, not green.

(Photo via Hart Forth)

8. There are reportedly more than 13 million pints of Guinness being consumed on Saint Patrick’s Day alone.

(Photo via Food Republic)

9. In fact, a 2012 estimate pegged the total amount spent on beer for Saint Patrick’s day celebrations at $245 million. That’s quite a bar tab!

(Photo via Waterways Cruises)

10. From 1903 - 1970, most bars and pubs were closed on Saint Patrick’s Day because it was a considered religious holiday (or a “Dry Holiday”).

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11. “Drowning The Shamrock” is known to be good luck and is meant to give you a prosperous year.

(Photo via In the Know Mom)

12. Saint Patrick’s Day falls on Lent, but the restriction of drinking is lifted for the day.

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13. The harp is the national symbol of Ireland, not the shamrock.

(Photo via Britannica)

14. Saint Patrick used the shamrock to preach about the Holy Trinity.

(Photo via St. Thomas Church)

15. Your odds of finding a four leaf clover are 1 to 10,000 :)