St. Patrick's Day Facts and Myths

If you listen to The Morning News you know just about every St. Patrick's Day you'll hear Lance and me trying to speak with an Irish accent. It's pretty ridiculous but it's fun and I have to say I really enjoy listening to people speaking English with and Irish accent. I suggest the movie The Foreigner starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan for a good but occasionally blue example.

March 17th, 461 is considered the traditional date of death date of the 76 year old Saint Patrick .

According to Wikipedia, "Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Christian feast day commemorating Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland."

Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated in America, Canada, Ireland and the UK. In fact, the day is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival. With that kind of scale comes concerns that maybe the day has gotten too big for its Irish O'britches. "there has been criticism of Saint Patrick's Day celebrations for having become too commercialized and for fostering negative stereotypes of the Irish people."

What about the snakes and all that green? Were there Snakes? Not really but there were people -like the druids- the Church may have felt were a little "snakey".

How about the green? It's more about Ireland and politics than it is about Saint Patrick.

Wikipedia reports, "During the 1790s, green would become associated with Irish Nationalism...Ireland was described as "the Emerald Isle" for the first time in print in 1795.... The phrase "wearing of the green" comes from a song of the same name, which laments United Irishmen supporters being persecuted for wearing green.

There are plenty of Myths and Legends about St. Patrick and the annual fascination with all things "Irish". Check out these little known facts about St, Patrick's day.

Quick joke --Who's green, Irish and sits out on your deck? Paddy O'Furniture!!

Categories: History

St. Patrick’s Day Facts and Myths