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The colour green is synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day, much like the turkey to Thanksgiving. However if we we’re truly to garb in a manner fitting to St. Patrick, blue would be the appropriate colour Blue is St. Patricks colour, and historically the colour he was depicted in. The tradition of wearing green stems from the holidays association with Ireland.

In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday, but it’s not the only country to celebrate it this way. The Caribbean island Montserrat also declares a national holiday for St. Patrick’s Day, along with an entire week of festivities. In the 18th century there was a large influx of Irish catholics to the small Island, who have kept up the tradition. Have you ever noticed the similarities between Irish and Carribean accents?

St. Patrick was actually born in Roman Britain, and his real name wasn’t Patrick! His birth name was Maewyn Succat, but St. Maewyn’s day just doesn’t have the same ring to it does it? He was kidnapped by pirates and sold as a slave in Ireland. He learnt fluent Irish as a slave, and became a beloved figure of the Irish people.

St. Patrick’s Day parades are known the world over for their often extravagant size and length, but one village in Ireland holds the record for the shortest official parade. Dripsey in Co.Cork held a 77 foot parade, only spanning the short distance between the only two pubs in the village!

There is no evidence to suggest Ireland ever had a snake population at all! The Irish climate cannot sustain the life of large cold-blooded creatures such as snakes, and the remains of a native snake species have never been found. It is most likely that this most famous legend about St. Patrick owes more to the Irish peoples love of telling a good story and, and little to do with Patrick’s snake shooing prowess.