03/17/2026
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Here are five fun facts about St. Patrick’s Day that might not know.
1. The Original Color Was Blue: Before green became associated with Irish nationalism in the late 18th century, the color specifically associated with St. Patrick was a light shade of blue.
2. The First Parade Was in America: Contrary to what many think, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was not in Ireland, but in the Spanish colony of St. Augustine, Florida, on March 17, 1601.
3. Corned Beef is an American Invention: The tradition of eating corned beef and cabbage is an American-Irish invention. Immigrants in the US, particularly in New York City, used it as a cheaper substitute for traditional Irish pork/bacon and cabbage.
4. Shortest Parade: The village of Dripsey in County Cork, Ireland, once held the world’s shortest parade—spanning only 77 feet, between two pubs.
5. The Shamrock Story: Legend says St. Patrick used the three-leaf shamrock (not the four-leaf clover) to explain the Holy Trinity (father, son, holy spirit) in Christianity.
