St. Patrick's Day Facts & Myths

St. Patrick's Day Myth vs Facts > FACT OR MYTH: Have shamrocks aluays been associated with freland? The ancient Irish the shamrock because it has three leaves, as they considered "3" to be a sacred number. also honored ancient sacred plant and believed the shamrock had the power to avert evil spirits. The Druids honored it as a The most famous shamrock legend says that, St. Patrick used the shamrock to help the pagan Druid High Priests and their followers comprehend the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - The All-in-One Almighty God. It is a symbol of the Trinity and the Cross for most Irish-Catholics During the days of Queen Victoria, the shamrock became a symbol of rebellion against the oppression of the Crown, when the Queen made it a capital crime to wear the shamrock on military uniforms, punishable by death. It was during this time that displaying the shamrock proudly on one's clothing became known as the "Wearing of the Green". In the 19th century, shamrock was used as a decorative symbol on everything Irish from churches, public buildings, clothing and furniture. Soon all things in Ireland displayed shamrocks in some way. The shamrock went beyond being a spiritual symbol and became a source of empowerment and national pride. The practice of wearing a shamrock dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Botanists say there's nothing uniquely Irish about shamrocks; most clover species can be found throughout Europe. > FACT OR MYTH: No snakes in freland, thanks to St. Patrick or the fce Age? St. Patrick supposedly chased the snakes into the sea after they began attacking him during a 40-day fast he undertook on top of a hill. The legend goes on to say that St. Patrick filled the Emerald Isle with lush shamrock fields to keep the snakes from ever returning. • When Patrick drives the snakes out of Ireland, it is a symbol of him forcing the old, evil, pagan ways out of Ireland [and] brought in a new age. • It's true no snakes exist on the island today, nor did they ever. Ireland is surrounded by icy ocean waters-much too cold to allow snakes to migrate from Britain or anywhere else. • Most scientists would say the most recent Ice Age ended 10,000 years ago, at this time the island was too cold for the reptiles to survive. After the Ice Age, surrounding seas may have kept snakes from colonizing the Emerald Isle. > FACT OR MYTH: Are leprechauns always cheerful and well-love? Original Irish name for these figures of folklore is "lobaircin," meaning "small-bodied fellow. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure. Leprechauns had nothing to do with St. Patrick or the celebration of St. Patrick's Day, a Catholic holy day. Legend has it leprechauns are always grumpy, untrustworthy and very problematic. Leprechauns are believed to be 2 feet tall old men who make shoes for fairies. It's been said it vou catch a leprechaun they can be forced into revealing the hiding spot of their pot of gold. ,WaCT DiSNEp In 1959, released a film called Darby O'Gill & the Little People, 1959 which introduced America to a very different sort of leprechaun than the cantankerous little man of Irish folklore. This cheerful, friendly leprechaun is a purely American invention, buí has quickly evolved into an easily recognizable symbol of both St. Patrick's Day and Ireland in general. > FACT OR MYTH: of Drinking beer is part the tradition. Americans have embraced their own St. Patrick's Day tradition of drinking large amounts of Irish beer or green beer. However this ritual has no real historical frish references at all St. Patrick's Day was created during lent, as a way to break from the religious rituals. Another reason to drink beer. > FACT OR MYTH: Wearing green has always been a tradition on St. Patrick's Day. Sometime in the 19th century, as St. Patrick's Day parades were flourishing, wearing the color green became a show of commitment to Ireland. Forgot to wear green on St. Patty's Day? Don't be surprised if you get pinched. It's an entirely American tradition that started sometimes around the 1700's. St. Patrick's revelers thought wearing green made oneself invisible to leprechauns . Anyone who was not wearing green would then be pinched by the leprachauns. People began pinching those who didn't wear green as a reminder. The hardest human pinch can't possibly compare to that of a red rock crab. An average adult male can grip an object with a force of 100 pounds per square inch (PSI). The seven-inch red rock crab can pinch with almost twice the force: 177 PSI. Ouch! Wearing green is strictly a U.S. custom, as the color green is considered unlucky in Ireland. Green is connected to the old green flag and a time when Ireland was not a free country. How the St. Patrick's Day parade came to be a tradition: St. Patrick's Day was essentially invented in America by Irish-Americans. Until the 1970s, St. Patrick's Day in Ireland was a minor religious holiday. A priest would acknowledge the feast day, and families would celebrate with a big meal, but that was about it. Irish charitable organizations originally celebrated St. Patrick's Day with banquets in places such as Boston, Massachusetts; Savannah, Georgia; and Charleston, South Carolina. Eighteenth-century Irish soldiers fighting with the British in the U.S. Revolutionary War held the first St. Patrick's Day parade Some soldiers marched through New York City in 1762 to reconnect with their Irish roots. The first parade on Saint Patrick's Day was organized in 1737 by the "Charitable Society of Boston", New York held its first parade in 1766. In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one official New York City St. Patrick's Day parade. Today, that parade is the world 's oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants. 3 million Each year, nearly 3 million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. ---- ---- ---. 1.5 %3D mile 100 Other parades followed in the years and decades after, including well-known celebrations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, primarily for flourishing Irish immigrant communities. Boston, Chicago Philadelphia and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades involving between 10,000 and 20,000 participants. Traditions on St. Patrick's Day The official airline of Ireland, Aer Lingus, flies freshly cut shamrock to the Irish Embassies all over the world so that Irish diplomats and uniformed personnel can uphold the Neng of the Green" tradition on their beloved Holiday. On any given day 5.5 million pints of Guinness, the famous Irish stout, are consumed around the world. On St. Patrick's Day. that number more than doubles to 13 million pints. A portion of the Chicago River is dyed green. The tradition started in 1962 when parade organizer Steve Bailey, head of a plumbers' union, noticed how a dye used to detect river pollution had stained a colleague's overalls a brilliant green, according t greenchicagoriver.com SUINNE PURE MAGIC = 1 million Good Luck Traditions KISSINO STONE Kiss the Blarney Stone; According to legend, kissing the Blarney Stone brings the kisser "persuasive eloquence" ("blamey"). "Because of the stone's location, it's no easy feat to kiss i One must bend over backwards and hold onto a metal bar. This famous stone is set in one of the walls in the tower of the Blamey Castle. It's thought that an old woman cast a spell on the stone as a reward to the King for saving someone from drowning. Under the spell, the King spoke eloquently. Wear green This color represents Ireland (the "Emerald Isle"). the shamrock, and spring. Find a four-leaf clover; The Druids believed that a four-leaf clover e help in spotting witches or other demons. St. Patrick's Day Around the World Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Pátrick's Day, especially throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many other locations far from Ireland, including e Japan, Singapore, and Russia. The Caribbean Island of Montserrat even declared Saint Patrick's Day a national holiday, a reflection of the large number of Irish exiles settling there take part in Ireland's St Patrick's Festival in , a multi-day celebration featuring %24 Approximately 1 million people annually parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows. Sources: http://news. about com/oTeelottsite htm?site=http://www.fantasy-ire 1/03/110316-saint-patricks-day-2011-march-17-facts-ireland-inish-nation/ and.com/shamrock-legend html http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080313-snakes-ireland.html http://www.americangreetings.comvevents/st-patricks-day pd http://urbanlegends.about.com http://www.americasnewsonline.com/did-st-patrick-drink-green-beer-on-st-patricks-day-or-st-pattys-903/ http://sfist.com/2011/03/16/post_11.php http://www.bwmag in/the-worldE2%80%99s-weirdest-underwater-stunts nic/offsite.htm?site-http://www.history.com/content/stpatricksday/history-of-the-holiday http://news.national hic.com/hews2009/03/090ck iht cks-day-facts.html http://www.riverdeep. http://goireland.about.com/od/historyculture/qupatrick_parade.htm St. Patrick's Day Myth vs Facts > FACT OR MYTH: Have shamrocks aluays been associated with freland? The ancient Irish the shamrock because it has three leaves, as they considered "3" to be a sacred number. also honored ancient sacred plant and believed the shamrock had the power to avert evil spirits. The Druids honored it as a The most famous shamrock legend says that, St. Patrick used the shamrock to help the pagan Druid High Priests and their followers comprehend the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - The All-in-One Almighty God. It is a symbol of the Trinity and the Cross for most Irish-Catholics During the days of Queen Victoria, the shamrock became a symbol of rebellion against the oppression of the Crown, when the Queen made it a capital crime to wear the shamrock on military uniforms, punishable by death. It was during this time that displaying the shamrock proudly on one's clothing became known as the "Wearing of the Green". In the 19th century, shamrock was used as a decorative symbol on everything Irish from churches, public buildings, clothing and furniture. Soon all things in Ireland displayed shamrocks in some way. The shamrock went beyond being a spiritual symbol and became a source of empowerment and national pride. The practice of wearing a shamrock dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Botanists say there's nothing uniquely Irish about shamrocks; most clover species can be found throughout Europe. > FACT OR MYTH: No snakes in freland, thanks to St. Patrick or the fce Age? St. Patrick supposedly chased the snakes into the sea after they began attacking him during a 40-day fast he undertook on top of a hill. The legend goes on to say that St. Patrick filled the Emerald Isle with lush shamrock fields to keep the snakes from ever returning. • When Patrick drives the snakes out of Ireland, it is a symbol of him forcing the old, evil, pagan ways out of Ireland [and] brought in a new age. • It's true no snakes exist on the island today, nor did they ever. Ireland is surrounded by icy ocean waters-much too cold to allow snakes to migrate from Britain or anywhere else. • Most scientists would say the most recent Ice Age ended 10,000 years ago, at this time the island was too cold for the reptiles to survive. After the Ice Age, surrounding seas may have kept snakes from colonizing the Emerald Isle. > FACT OR MYTH: Are leprechauns always cheerful and well-love? Original Irish name for these figures of folklore is "lobaircin," meaning "small-bodied fellow. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure. Leprechauns had nothing to do with St. Patrick or the celebration of St. Patrick's Day, a Catholic holy day. Legend has it leprechauns are always grumpy, untrustworthy and very problematic. Leprechauns are believed to be 2 feet tall old men who make shoes for fairies. It's been said it vou catch a leprechaun they can be forced into revealing the hiding spot of their pot of gold. ,WaCT DiSNEp In 1959, released a film called Darby O'Gill & the Little People, 1959 which introduced America to a very different sort of leprechaun than the cantankerous little man of Irish folklore. This cheerful, friendly leprechaun is a purely American invention, buí has quickly evolved into an easily recognizable symbol of both St. Patrick's Day and Ireland in general. > FACT OR MYTH: of Drinking beer is part the tradition. Americans have embraced their own St. Patrick's Day tradition of drinking large amounts of Irish beer or green beer. However this ritual has no real historical frish references at all St. Patrick's Day was created during lent, as a way to break from the religious rituals. Another reason to drink beer. > FACT OR MYTH: Wearing green has always been a tradition on St. Patrick's Day. Sometime in the 19th century, as St. Patrick's Day parades were flourishing, wearing the color green became a show of commitment to Ireland. Forgot to wear green on St. Patty's Day? Don't be surprised if you get pinched. It's an entirely American tradition that started sometimes around the 1700's. St. Patrick's revelers thought wearing green made oneself invisible to leprechauns . Anyone who was not wearing green would then be pinched by the leprachauns. People began pinching those who didn't wear green as a reminder. The hardest human pinch can't possibly compare to that of a red rock crab. An average adult male can grip an object with a force of 100 pounds per square inch (PSI). The seven-inch red rock crab can pinch with almost twice the force: 177 PSI. Ouch! Wearing green is strictly a U.S. custom, as the color green is considered unlucky in Ireland. Green is connected to the old green flag and a time when Ireland was not a free country. How the St. Patrick's Day parade came to be a tradition: St. Patrick's Day was essentially invented in America by Irish-Americans. Until the 1970s, St. Patrick's Day in Ireland was a minor religious holiday. A priest would acknowledge the feast day, and families would celebrate with a big meal, but that was about it. Irish charitable organizations originally celebrated St. Patrick's Day with banquets in places such as Boston, Massachusetts; Savannah, Georgia; and Charleston, South Carolina. Eighteenth-century Irish soldiers fighting with the British in the U.S. Revolutionary War held the first St. Patrick's Day parade Some soldiers marched through New York City in 1762 to reconnect with their Irish roots. The first parade on Saint Patrick's Day was organized in 1737 by the "Charitable Society of Boston", New York held its first parade in 1766. In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one official New York City St. Patrick's Day parade. Today, that parade is the world 's oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants. 3 million Each year, nearly 3 million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. ---- ---- ---. 1.5 %3D mile 100 Other parades followed in the years and decades after, including well-known celebrations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, primarily for flourishing Irish immigrant communities. Boston, Chicago Philadelphia and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades involving between 10,000 and 20,000 participants. Traditions on St. Patrick's Day The official airline of Ireland, Aer Lingus, flies freshly cut shamrock to the Irish Embassies all over the world so that Irish diplomats and uniformed personnel can uphold the Neng of the Green" tradition on their beloved Holiday. On any given day 5.5 million pints of Guinness, the famous Irish stout, are consumed around the world. On St. Patrick's Day. that number more than doubles to 13 million pints. A portion of the Chicago River is dyed green. The tradition started in 1962 when parade organizer Steve Bailey, head of a plumbers' union, noticed how a dye used to detect river pollution had stained a colleague's overalls a brilliant green, according t greenchicagoriver.com SUINNE PURE MAGIC = 1 million Good Luck Traditions KISSINO STONE Kiss the Blarney Stone; According to legend, kissing the Blarney Stone brings the kisser "persuasive eloquence" ("blamey"). "Because of the stone's location, it's no easy feat to kiss i One must bend over backwards and hold onto a metal bar. This famous stone is set in one of the walls in the tower of the Blamey Castle. It's thought that an old woman cast a spell on the stone as a reward to the King for saving someone from drowning. Under the spell, the King spoke eloquently. Wear green This color represents Ireland (the "Emerald Isle"). the shamrock, and spring. Find a four-leaf clover; The Druids believed that a four-leaf clover e help in spotting witches or other demons. St. Patrick's Day Around the World Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Pátrick's Day, especially throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many other locations far from Ireland, including e Japan, Singapore, and Russia. The Caribbean Island of Montserrat even declared Saint Patrick's Day a national holiday, a reflection of the large number of Irish exiles settling there take part in Ireland's St Patrick's Festival in , a multi-day celebration featuring %24 Approximately 1 million people annually parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows. Sources: http://news. about com/oTeelottsite htm?site=http://www.fantasy-ire 1/03/110316-saint-patricks-day-2011-march-17-facts-ireland-inish-nation/ and.com/shamrock-legend html http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080313-snakes-ireland.html http://www.americangreetings.comvevents/st-patricks-day pd http://urbanlegends.about.com http://www.americasnewsonline.com/did-st-patrick-drink-green-beer-on-st-patricks-day-or-st-pattys-903/ http://sfist.com/2011/03/16/post_11.php http://www.bwmag in/the-worldE2%80%99s-weirdest-underwater-stunts nic/offsite.htm?site-http://www.history.com/content/stpatricksday/history-of-the-holiday http://news.national hic.com/hews2009/03/090ck iht cks-day-facts.html http://www.riverdeep. http://goireland.about.com/od/historyculture/qupatrick_parade.htm St. Patrick's Day Myth vs Facts > FACT OR MYTH: Have shamrocks aluays been associated with freland? The ancient Irish the shamrock because it has three leaves, as they considered "3" to be a sacred number. also honored ancient sacred plant and believed the shamrock had the power to avert evil spirits. The Druids honored it as a The most famous shamrock legend says that, St. Patrick used the shamrock to help the pagan Druid High Priests and their followers comprehend the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - The All-in-One Almighty God. It is a symbol of the Trinity and the Cross for most Irish-Catholics During the days of Queen Victoria, the shamrock became a symbol of rebellion against the oppression of the Crown, when the Queen made it a capital crime to wear the shamrock on military uniforms, punishable by death. It was during this time that displaying the shamrock proudly on one's clothing became known as the "Wearing of the Green". In the 19th century, shamrock was used as a decorative symbol on everything Irish from churches, public buildings, clothing and furniture. Soon all things in Ireland displayed shamrocks in some way. The shamrock went beyond being a spiritual symbol and became a source of empowerment and national pride. The practice of wearing a shamrock dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Botanists say there's nothing uniquely Irish about shamrocks; most clover species can be found throughout Europe. > FACT OR MYTH: No snakes in freland, thanks to St. Patrick or the fce Age? St. Patrick supposedly chased the snakes into the sea after they began attacking him during a 40-day fast he undertook on top of a hill. The legend goes on to say that St. Patrick filled the Emerald Isle with lush shamrock fields to keep the snakes from ever returning. • When Patrick drives the snakes out of Ireland, it is a symbol of him forcing the old, evil, pagan ways out of Ireland [and] brought in a new age. • It's true no snakes exist on the island today, nor did they ever. Ireland is surrounded by icy ocean waters-much too cold to allow snakes to migrate from Britain or anywhere else. • Most scientists would say the most recent Ice Age ended 10,000 years ago, at this time the island was too cold for the reptiles to survive. After the Ice Age, surrounding seas may have kept snakes from colonizing the Emerald Isle. > FACT OR MYTH: Are leprechauns always cheerful and well-love? Original Irish name for these figures of folklore is "lobaircin," meaning "small-bodied fellow. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure. Leprechauns had nothing to do with St. Patrick or the celebration of St. Patrick's Day, a Catholic holy day. Legend has it leprechauns are always grumpy, untrustworthy and very problematic. Leprechauns are believed to be 2 feet tall old men who make shoes for fairies. It's been said it vou catch a leprechaun they can be forced into revealing the hiding spot of their pot of gold. ,WaCT DiSNEp In 1959, released a film called Darby O'Gill & the Little People, 1959 which introduced America to a very different sort of leprechaun than the cantankerous little man of Irish folklore. This cheerful, friendly leprechaun is a purely American invention, buí has quickly evolved into an easily recognizable symbol of both St. Patrick's Day and Ireland in general. > FACT OR MYTH: of Drinking beer is part the tradition. Americans have embraced their own St. Patrick's Day tradition of drinking large amounts of Irish beer or green beer. However this ritual has no real historical frish references at all St. Patrick's Day was created during lent, as a way to break from the religious rituals. Another reason to drink beer. > FACT OR MYTH: Wearing green has always been a tradition on St. Patrick's Day. Sometime in the 19th century, as St. Patrick's Day parades were flourishing, wearing the color green became a show of commitment to Ireland. Forgot to wear green on St. Patty's Day? Don't be surprised if you get pinched. It's an entirely American tradition that started sometimes around the 1700's. St. Patrick's revelers thought wearing green made oneself invisible to leprechauns . Anyone who was not wearing green would then be pinched by the leprachauns. People began pinching those who didn't wear green as a reminder. The hardest human pinch can't possibly compare to that of a red rock crab. An average adult male can grip an object with a force of 100 pounds per square inch (PSI). The seven-inch red rock crab can pinch with almost twice the force: 177 PSI. Ouch! Wearing green is strictly a U.S. custom, as the color green is considered unlucky in Ireland. Green is connected to the old green flag and a time when Ireland was not a free country. How the St. Patrick's Day parade came to be a tradition: St. Patrick's Day was essentially invented in America by Irish-Americans. Until the 1970s, St. Patrick's Day in Ireland was a minor religious holiday. A priest would acknowledge the feast day, and families would celebrate with a big meal, but that was about it. Irish charitable organizations originally celebrated St. Patrick's Day with banquets in places such as Boston, Massachusetts; Savannah, Georgia; and Charleston, South Carolina. Eighteenth-century Irish soldiers fighting with the British in the U.S. Revolutionary War held the first St. Patrick's Day parade Some soldiers marched through New York City in 1762 to reconnect with their Irish roots. The first parade on Saint Patrick's Day was organized in 1737 by the "Charitable Society of Boston", New York held its first parade in 1766. In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one official New York City St. Patrick's Day parade. Today, that parade is the world 's oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants. 3 million Each year, nearly 3 million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. ---- ---- ---. 1.5 %3D mile 100 Other parades followed in the years and decades after, including well-known celebrations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, primarily for flourishing Irish immigrant communities. Boston, Chicago Philadelphia and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades involving between 10,000 and 20,000 participants. Traditions on St. Patrick's Day The official airline of Ireland, Aer Lingus, flies freshly cut shamrock to the Irish Embassies all over the world so that Irish diplomats and uniformed personnel can uphold the Neng of the Green" tradition on their beloved Holiday. On any given day 5.5 million pints of Guinness, the famous Irish stout, are consumed around the world. On St. Patrick's Day. that number more than doubles to 13 million pints. A portion of the Chicago River is dyed green. The tradition started in 1962 when parade organizer Steve Bailey, head of a plumbers' union, noticed how a dye used to detect river pollution had stained a colleague's overalls a brilliant green, according t greenchicagoriver.com SUINNE PURE MAGIC = 1 million Good Luck Traditions KISSINO STONE Kiss the Blarney Stone; According to legend, kissing the Blarney Stone brings the kisser "persuasive eloquence" ("blamey"). "Because of the stone's location, it's no easy feat to kiss i One must bend over backwards and hold onto a metal bar. This famous stone is set in one of the walls in the tower of the Blamey Castle. It's thought that an old woman cast a spell on the stone as a reward to the King for saving someone from drowning. Under the spell, the King spoke eloquently. Wear green This color represents Ireland (the "Emerald Isle"). the shamrock, and spring. Find a four-leaf clover; The Druids believed that a four-leaf clover e help in spotting witches or other demons. St. Patrick's Day Around the World Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Pátrick's Day, especially throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many other locations far from Ireland, including e Japan, Singapore, and Russia. The Caribbean Island of Montserrat even declared Saint Patrick's Day a national holiday, a reflection of the large number of Irish exiles settling there take part in Ireland's St Patrick's Festival in , a multi-day celebration featuring %24 Approximately 1 million people annually parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows. Sources: http://news. about com/oTeelottsite htm?site=http://www.fantasy-ire 1/03/110316-saint-patricks-day-2011-march-17-facts-ireland-inish-nation/ and.com/shamrock-legend html http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080313-snakes-ireland.html http://www.americangreetings.comvevents/st-patricks-day pd http://urbanlegends.about.com http://www.americasnewsonline.com/did-st-patrick-drink-green-beer-on-st-patricks-day-or-st-pattys-903/ http://sfist.com/2011/03/16/post_11.php http://www.bwmag in/the-worldE2%80%99s-weirdest-underwater-stunts nic/offsite.htm?site-http://www.history.com/content/stpatricksday/history-of-the-holiday http://news.national hic.com/hews2009/03/090ck iht cks-day-facts.html http://www.riverdeep. http://goireland.about.com/od/historyculture/qupatrick_parade.htm St. Patrick's Day Myth vs Facts > FACT OR MYTH: Have shamrocks aluays been associated with freland? The ancient Irish the shamrock because it has three leaves, as they considered "3" to be a sacred number. also honored ancient sacred plant and believed the shamrock had the power to avert evil spirits. The Druids honored it as a The most famous shamrock legend says that, St. Patrick used the shamrock to help the pagan Druid High Priests and their followers comprehend the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - The All-in-One Almighty God. It is a symbol of the Trinity and the Cross for most Irish-Catholics During the days of Queen Victoria, the shamrock became a symbol of rebellion against the oppression of the Crown, when the Queen made it a capital crime to wear the shamrock on military uniforms, punishable by death. It was during this time that displaying the shamrock proudly on one's clothing became known as the "Wearing of the Green". In the 19th century, shamrock was used as a decorative symbol on everything Irish from churches, public buildings, clothing and furniture. Soon all things in Ireland displayed shamrocks in some way. The shamrock went beyond being a spiritual symbol and became a source of empowerment and national pride. The practice of wearing a shamrock dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Botanists say there's nothing uniquely Irish about shamrocks; most clover species can be found throughout Europe. > FACT OR MYTH: No snakes in freland, thanks to St. Patrick or the fce Age? St. Patrick supposedly chased the snakes into the sea after they began attacking him during a 40-day fast he undertook on top of a hill. The legend goes on to say that St. Patrick filled the Emerald Isle with lush shamrock fields to keep the snakes from ever returning. • When Patrick drives the snakes out of Ireland, it is a symbol of him forcing the old, evil, pagan ways out of Ireland [and] brought in a new age. • It's true no snakes exist on the island today, nor did they ever. Ireland is surrounded by icy ocean waters-much too cold to allow snakes to migrate from Britain or anywhere else. • Most scientists would say the most recent Ice Age ended 10,000 years ago, at this time the island was too cold for the reptiles to survive. After the Ice Age, surrounding seas may have kept snakes from colonizing the Emerald Isle. > FACT OR MYTH: Are leprechauns always cheerful and well-love? Original Irish name for these figures of folklore is "lobaircin," meaning "small-bodied fellow. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure. Leprechauns had nothing to do with St. Patrick or the celebration of St. Patrick's Day, a Catholic holy day. Legend has it leprechauns are always grumpy, untrustworthy and very problematic. Leprechauns are believed to be 2 feet tall old men who make shoes for fairies. It's been said it vou catch a leprechaun they can be forced into revealing the hiding spot of their pot of gold. ,WaCT DiSNEp In 1959, released a film called Darby O'Gill & the Little People, 1959 which introduced America to a very different sort of leprechaun than the cantankerous little man of Irish folklore. This cheerful, friendly leprechaun is a purely American invention, buí has quickly evolved into an easily recognizable symbol of both St. Patrick's Day and Ireland in general. > FACT OR MYTH: of Drinking beer is part the tradition. Americans have embraced their own St. Patrick's Day tradition of drinking large amounts of Irish beer or green beer. However this ritual has no real historical frish references at all St. Patrick's Day was created during lent, as a way to break from the religious rituals. Another reason to drink beer. > FACT OR MYTH: Wearing green has always been a tradition on St. Patrick's Day. Sometime in the 19th century, as St. Patrick's Day parades were flourishing, wearing the color green became a show of commitment to Ireland. Forgot to wear green on St. Patty's Day? Don't be surprised if you get pinched. It's an entirely American tradition that started sometimes around the 1700's. St. Patrick's revelers thought wearing green made oneself invisible to leprechauns . Anyone who was not wearing green would then be pinched by the leprachauns. People began pinching those who didn't wear green as a reminder. The hardest human pinch can't possibly compare to that of a red rock crab. An average adult male can grip an object with a force of 100 pounds per square inch (PSI). The seven-inch red rock crab can pinch with almost twice the force: 177 PSI. Ouch! Wearing green is strictly a U.S. custom, as the color green is considered unlucky in Ireland. Green is connected to the old green flag and a time when Ireland was not a free country. How the St. Patrick's Day parade came to be a tradition: St. Patrick's Day was essentially invented in America by Irish-Americans. Until the 1970s, St. Patrick's Day in Ireland was a minor religious holiday. A priest would acknowledge the feast day, and families would celebrate with a big meal, but that was about it. Irish charitable organizations originally celebrated St. Patrick's Day with banquets in places such as Boston, Massachusetts; Savannah, Georgia; and Charleston, South Carolina. Eighteenth-century Irish soldiers fighting with the British in the U.S. Revolutionary War held the first St. Patrick's Day parade Some soldiers marched through New York City in 1762 to reconnect with their Irish roots. The first parade on Saint Patrick's Day was organized in 1737 by the "Charitable Society of Boston", New York held its first parade in 1766. In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one official New York City St. Patrick's Day parade. Today, that parade is the world 's oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants. 3 million Each year, nearly 3 million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. ---- ---- ---. 1.5 %3D mile 100 Other parades followed in the years and decades after, including well-known celebrations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, primarily for flourishing Irish immigrant communities. Boston, Chicago Philadelphia and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades involving between 10,000 and 20,000 participants. Traditions on St. Patrick's Day The official airline of Ireland, Aer Lingus, flies freshly cut shamrock to the Irish Embassies all over the world so that Irish diplomats and uniformed personnel can uphold the Neng of the Green" tradition on their beloved Holiday. On any given day 5.5 million pints of Guinness, the famous Irish stout, are consumed around the world. On St. Patrick's Day. that number more than doubles to 13 million pints. A portion of the Chicago River is dyed green. The tradition started in 1962 when parade organizer Steve Bailey, head of a plumbers' union, noticed how a dye used to detect river pollution had stained a colleague's overalls a brilliant green, according t greenchicagoriver.com SUINNE PURE MAGIC = 1 million Good Luck Traditions KISSINO STONE Kiss the Blarney Stone; According to legend, kissing the Blarney Stone brings the kisser "persuasive eloquence" ("blamey"). "Because of the stone's location, it's no easy feat to kiss i One must bend over backwards and hold onto a metal bar. This famous stone is set in one of the walls in the tower of the Blamey Castle. It's thought that an old woman cast a spell on the stone as a reward to the King for saving someone from drowning. Under the spell, the King spoke eloquently. Wear green This color represents Ireland (the "Emerald Isle"). the shamrock, and spring. Find a four-leaf clover; The Druids believed that a four-leaf clover e help in spotting witches or other demons. St. Patrick's Day Around the World Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Pátrick's Day, especially throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many other locations far from Ireland, including e Japan, Singapore, and Russia. The Caribbean Island of Montserrat even declared Saint Patrick's Day a national holiday, a reflection of the large number of Irish exiles settling there take part in Ireland's St Patrick's Festival in , a multi-day celebration featuring %24 Approximately 1 million people annually parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows. Sources: http://news. about com/oTeelottsite htm?site=http://www.fantasy-ire 1/03/110316-saint-patricks-day-2011-march-17-facts-ireland-inish-nation/ and.com/shamrock-legend html http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080313-snakes-ireland.html http://www.americangreetings.comvevents/st-patricks-day pd http://urbanlegends.about.com http://www.americasnewsonline.com/did-st-patrick-drink-green-beer-on-st-patricks-day-or-st-pattys-903/ http://sfist.com/2011/03/16/post_11.php http://www.bwmag in/the-worldE2%80%99s-weirdest-underwater-stunts nic/offsite.htm?site-http://www.history.com/content/stpatricksday/history-of-the-holiday http://news.national hic.com/hews2009/03/090ck iht cks-day-facts.html http://www.riverdeep. http://goireland.about.com/od/historyculture/qupatrick_parade.htm St. Patrick's Day Myth vs Facts > FACT OR MYTH: Have shamrocks aluays been associated with freland? The ancient Irish the shamrock because it has three leaves, as they considered "3" to be a sacred number. also honored ancient sacred plant and believed the shamrock had the power to avert evil spirits. The Druids honored it as a The most famous shamrock legend says that, St. Patrick used the shamrock to help the pagan Druid High Priests and their followers comprehend the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - The All-in-One Almighty God. It is a symbol of the Trinity and the Cross for most Irish-Catholics During the days of Queen Victoria, the shamrock became a symbol of rebellion against the oppression of the Crown, when the Queen made it a capital crime to wear the shamrock on military uniforms, punishable by death. It was during this time that displaying the shamrock proudly on one's clothing became known as the "Wearing of the Green". In the 19th century, shamrock was used as a decorative symbol on everything Irish from churches, public buildings, clothing and furniture. Soon all things in Ireland displayed shamrocks in some way. The shamrock went beyond being a spiritual symbol and became a source of empowerment and national pride. The practice of wearing a shamrock dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Botanists say there's nothing uniquely Irish about shamrocks; most clover species can be found throughout Europe. > FACT OR MYTH: No snakes in freland, thanks to St. Patrick or the fce Age? St. Patrick supposedly chased the snakes into the sea after they began attacking him during a 40-day fast he undertook on top of a hill. The legend goes on to say that St. Patrick filled the Emerald Isle with lush shamrock fields to keep the snakes from ever returning. • When Patrick drives the snakes out of Ireland, it is a symbol of him forcing the old, evil, pagan ways out of Ireland [and] brought in a new age. • It's true no snakes exist on the island today, nor did they ever. Ireland is surrounded by icy ocean waters-much too cold to allow snakes to migrate from Britain or anywhere else. • Most scientists would say the most recent Ice Age ended 10,000 years ago, at this time the island was too cold for the reptiles to survive. After the Ice Age, surrounding seas may have kept snakes from colonizing the Emerald Isle. > FACT OR MYTH: Are leprechauns always cheerful and well-love? Original Irish name for these figures of folklore is "lobaircin," meaning "small-bodied fellow. In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure. Leprechauns had nothing to do with St. Patrick or the celebration of St. Patrick's Day, a Catholic holy day. Legend has it leprechauns are always grumpy, untrustworthy and very problematic. Leprechauns are believed to be 2 feet tall old men who make shoes for fairies. It's been said it vou catch a leprechaun they can be forced into revealing the hiding spot of their pot of gold. ,WaCT DiSNEp In 1959, released a film called Darby O'Gill & the Little People, 1959 which introduced America to a very different sort of leprechaun than the cantankerous little man of Irish folklore. This cheerful, friendly leprechaun is a purely American invention, buí has quickly evolved into an easily recognizable symbol of both St. Patrick's Day and Ireland in general. > FACT OR MYTH: of Drinking beer is part the tradition. Americans have embraced their own St. Patrick's Day tradition of drinking large amounts of Irish beer or green beer. However this ritual has no real historical frish references at all St. Patrick's Day was created during lent, as a way to break from the religious rituals. Another reason to drink beer. > FACT OR MYTH: Wearing green has always been a tradition on St. Patrick's Day. Sometime in the 19th century, as St. Patrick's Day parades were flourishing, wearing the color green became a show of commitment to Ireland. Forgot to wear green on St. Patty's Day? Don't be surprised if you get pinched. It's an entirely American tradition that started sometimes around the 1700's. St. Patrick's revelers thought wearing green made oneself invisible to leprechauns . Anyone who was not wearing green would then be pinched by the leprachauns. People began pinching those who didn't wear green as a reminder. The hardest human pinch can't possibly compare to that of a red rock crab. An average adult male can grip an object with a force of 100 pounds per square inch (PSI). The seven-inch red rock crab can pinch with almost twice the force: 177 PSI. Ouch! Wearing green is strictly a U.S. custom, as the color green is considered unlucky in Ireland. Green is connected to the old green flag and a time when Ireland was not a free country. How the St. Patrick's Day parade came to be a tradition: St. Patrick's Day was essentially invented in America by Irish-Americans. Until the 1970s, St. Patrick's Day in Ireland was a minor religious holiday. A priest would acknowledge the feast day, and families would celebrate with a big meal, but that was about it. Irish charitable organizations originally celebrated St. Patrick's Day with banquets in places such as Boston, Massachusetts; Savannah, Georgia; and Charleston, South Carolina. Eighteenth-century Irish soldiers fighting with the British in the U.S. Revolutionary War held the first St. Patrick's Day parade Some soldiers marched through New York City in 1762 to reconnect with their Irish roots. The first parade on Saint Patrick's Day was organized in 1737 by the "Charitable Society of Boston", New York held its first parade in 1766. In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one official New York City St. Patrick's Day parade. Today, that parade is the world 's oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants. 3 million Each year, nearly 3 million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. ---- ---- ---. 1.5 %3D mile 100 Other parades followed in the years and decades after, including well-known celebrations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, primarily for flourishing Irish immigrant communities. Boston, Chicago Philadelphia and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades involving between 10,000 and 20,000 participants. Traditions on St. Patrick's Day The official airline of Ireland, Aer Lingus, flies freshly cut shamrock to the Irish Embassies all over the world so that Irish diplomats and uniformed personnel can uphold the Neng of the Green" tradition on their beloved Holiday. On any given day 5.5 million pints of Guinness, the famous Irish stout, are consumed around the world. On St. Patrick's Day. that number more than doubles to 13 million pints. A portion of the Chicago River is dyed green. The tradition started in 1962 when parade organizer Steve Bailey, head of a plumbers' union, noticed how a dye used to detect river pollution had stained a colleague's overalls a brilliant green, according t greenchicagoriver.com SUINNE PURE MAGIC = 1 million Good Luck Traditions KISSINO STONE Kiss the Blarney Stone; According to legend, kissing the Blarney Stone brings the kisser "persuasive eloquence" ("blamey"). "Because of the stone's location, it's no easy feat to kiss i One must bend over backwards and hold onto a metal bar. This famous stone is set in one of the walls in the tower of the Blamey Castle. It's thought that an old woman cast a spell on the stone as a reward to the King for saving someone from drowning. Under the spell, the King spoke eloquently. Wear green This color represents Ireland (the "Emerald Isle"). the shamrock, and spring. Find a four-leaf clover; The Druids believed that a four-leaf clover e help in spotting witches or other demons. St. Patrick's Day Around the World Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Pátrick's Day, especially throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in many other locations far from Ireland, including e Japan, Singapore, and Russia. The Caribbean Island of Montserrat even declared Saint Patrick's Day a national holiday, a reflection of the large number of Irish exiles settling there take part in Ireland's St Patrick's Festival in , a multi-day celebration featuring %24 Approximately 1 million people annually parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows. Sources: http://news. about com/oTeelottsite htm?site=http://www.fantasy-ire 1/03/110316-saint-patricks-day-2011-march-17-facts-ireland-inish-nation/ and.com/shamrock-legend html http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080313-snakes-ireland.html http://www.americangreetings.comvevents/st-patricks-day pd http://urbanlegends.about.com http://www.americasnewsonline.com/did-st-patrick-drink-green-beer-on-st-patricks-day-or-st-pattys-903/ http://sfist.com/2011/03/16/post_11.php http://www.bwmag in/the-worldE2%80%99s-weirdest-underwater-stunts nic/offsite.htm?site-http://www.history.com/content/stpatricksday/history-of-the-holiday http://news.national hic.com/hews2009/03/090ck iht cks-day-facts.html http://www.riverdeep. http://goireland.about.com/od/historyculture/qupatrick_parade.htm