7 Random St. Patrick’s Day Facts, From Parades to Beer Consumption

Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

March 16th, 2023 12:00 AM

St. Patrick’s Day has a rich history, from its origins to how it’s celebrated all over the world.

In honor of the holiday, here are seven random facts about St. Patrick’s Day.

St. Patrick’s Day Facts

Saint Patrick wasn’t born in Ireland
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St. Patrick's Day has become a celebration of all things Irish, but the holiday's namesake wasn't even born in Ireland. He was born in Britain but was brought to Ireland as a slave when he was just 16 via kidnapping. While he would escape his enslavement, he would return to Ireland where he would be integral in converting the country to Christianity.
Pubs remained closed in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day until the 1970s.
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Bars often open incredibly early for St. Patrick's Day celebrations, but the pubs of Ireland weren't a factor in St. Patrick's Day celebrations because the day was viewed as a religious holiday. It wasn't until the 1970s when pubs in Ireland opened up for March 17 celebrations.
Boston and New York provided two important St. Patrick’s Day firsts in the United States.
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The very first St. Patrick's Day celebration took place in Boston and dates back to 1737, but the first St. Patrick's Day parade in the United States dates back to 1762 and took place in New York City.
Hot Springs, Arkansas has a unique claim to their St. Patrick’s Day parade.
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What's makes the St. Paddy's Day parade in Hot Springs, Arkansas so different? It's literally the shortest parade route measuring only 98 feet.
Over 30 million Americans claim Irish ancestry.
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Per the 2016 census, there were 32.3 million people in the United States whose ancestry is traced back to Ireland. The highest concentration of Irish Americans is found in Massachusettes, with 20.2 percent of residents claiming ancestry.
Millions of Guinness pints are sold on St. Patrick’s Day worldwide.
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Guinness sales understandably go up on St. Patrick's Day, but how many pints are sold? Per 'USA Today', 13 million pints were sold on March 17 in 2017 alone. Sláinte!
A proper pint of Guinness takes time to pour.
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There's no such thing as a quick pour of a pint of Guinness. In fact, to pour a perfect pint of Guinness from a tap, a glass is first filled at a 45 degree angle and must settle for 119.5 seconds before being topped off.

Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights