Since today is Friday the 13th, it’s the perfect time to pivot from “unlucky” superstitions to the “Luck of the Irish!” With St. Patrick’s Day landing next Tuesday, it’s time to separate fact from folklore.
From the Home office In St. Patrick, Missouri
Here are this Friday’s Top 10 fun facts to get you in the spirit—counting down from the good to know to the mind-blown.
10. St. Patrick Wasn’t Actually Irish
Plot twist! The patron saint of Ireland was actually born in Roman Britain (modern-day England, Scotland, or Wales). He didn’t arrive in Ireland until he was kidnapped by pirates at age 16. He eventually escaped, but later returned as a missionary.
9. The Original Color Was Blue
If you want to be a historical rebel, wear blue next Tuesday. Early depictions of St. Patrick show him in “St. Patrick’s Blue.” The shift to green didn’t happen until the 18th century when it became a symbol for the Irish independence movement and the “Emerald Isle.”
8. The Odds of a Four-Leaf Clover are 1 in 10,000
While the three-leaf shamrock was used by Patrick to explain the Holy Trinity, the four-leaf version is the one associated with luck. Mathematically speaking, you’ll have to sift through about 10,000 three-leafers before you find one “lucky” mutation.
7. There Are No Snakes in Ireland
Legend says St. Patrick chased all the snakes into the sea. Science says… there were never any snakes there to begin with. Being an island, Ireland was separated from the mainland during the last Ice Age before snakes could migrate over. The “snakes” in the story are likely a metaphor for paganism.
6. Chicago Dyes Its River Green for 5 Hours
Since 1962, the Chicago River has gone bright emerald for the holiday. It takes about 40 pounds of vegetable-based dye to turn the water green, and the recipe is a more closely guarded secret than the location of a leprechaun’s gold.
5. It Used to be a “Dry” Holiday
Believe it or not, for most of the 20th century, St. Patrick’s Day was a strictly religious holiday in Ireland, which meant all the pubs were closed. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the law changed and the Guinness started flowing freely on March 17th.
4. 13 Million Pints of Guinness Will Be Consumed
On a normal day, about 5.5 million pints of Guinness are downed worldwide. On St. Patrick’s Day, that number jumps to 13 million. That’s enough to fill more than two Olympic-sized swimming pools!
3. Corned Beef is Actually an American Tradition
In Ireland, the traditional holiday meal was back bacon or ham. When Irish immigrants arrived in America, they found that corned beef (sold by Jewish butchers) was a much cheaper alternative. The “traditional” meal we eat today is a classic Irish-American mashup.
2. There Are More Irish People in the U.S. Than Ireland
The population of Ireland is roughly 5 million. However, over 31 million Americans claim Irish ancestry. That means there are six times more “Irish” people in the States than in the Motherland!
And the # 1 St. Patrick’s Day Fact Is……
1. Leprechauns Were Originally “Middle Managers”
In old Irish folklore, leprechauns weren’t just cute guys in hats; they were the shoemakers of the fairy world. They are said to earn their gold by repairing the shoes of other magical creatures. So, if you catch one, you’re basically kidnapping a very wealthy cobbler.
Whether you’re dodging ladders in Luck, Wisconsin, or gearing up for the massive parade in Shamrock, Texas, we hope your transition from the “spooky” Friday the 13th to the “lucky” Tuesday the 17th is seamless.
Remember: luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity—and by “preparation,” I mostly mean remembering to put on a green shirt before you walk out the door on Tuesday morning.
Fun Fact for Today: Since it’s Friday the 13th, did you know the fear of this day is called paraskevidekatriaphobia? Try saying that three times fast after a pint of green ale!
Have a Great weekend,
David
