If you’re from Boston like I am, New York City, Chicago, and many other cities in America, you’re Irish on St. Patrick’s Day and all that this implies. That being said, most people outside of Ireland don’t know much about this day except for the part about wearing green and drinking Guinness. Here are some surprising facts:

Maewyn is the man.
Let’s start with the man himself. Although he’s well-known for bringing Christianity to Ireland in 432 A.D., St. Patrick was neither originally named Patrick nor Irish. According to legend, he was born Maewyn Succat to Roman parents in Scotland or Wales, but he changed his name to Patricius after becoming a priest.

Paddy or Patty?
Paddy is derived from the Irish Pádraig; Patty is the diminutive of Patricius. So, one could argue for either one, but say Patty around the Irish, and you might be expelled from the pub. So, it’s…Paddy. Definitely Paddy!

It’s not (really) about beer.
As you can imagine, St. Patrick’s Day has always been important in Ireland, but for most of the 20th century it was considered a religious holiday, which meant that the pubs were all closed! The day became a national holiday in 1970, which meant that pubs could stay open. According to one estimate, the total amount spent on beer worldwide on St. Patrick’s day is close a quarter billion!

Leprechauns: Magically delicious?
No, leprechauns didn’t find gold at the end of the rainbow. According to legend, they earned it by mending shoes. They are traditionally all male, mean, and unfriendly (like in the horror films). And they got thrown into this holiday simply by being Irish.

Shamrocks and green clothes and snakes– oh my!
St. Patrick became associated with the shamrock when he used the plant’s three leaves as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity. His original color was a rather flattering light shade of blue but changed to green after the holiday became linked to the Irish independence movement in the late 18th century. However, it’s doubtful that he drove out snakes. According to fossil record, Ireland has been too cold for snakes since the Ice Age. The snakes that St. Patrick drove out were purely metaphorical.

“I came here for code. Where’s the code?” Of course I made a demo to honor today.

Éirinn go Brách, everyone! Cheers, and stay safe.