St. Patrick Wasn't Irish. We've said it before and we'll say it again . . . St. Patrick wasn't actually Irish! He was born in Scotland or Wales, and brought to Ireland as a slave. Also, his name wasn't Patrick . . . his given name was Maewyn.

Until 1970, Irish Bars Closed On St. Patrick's Day. In 1903, St. Patrick's Day was named a national holiday in Ireland. Nice tribute . . . but in Ireland, bars have to close on national holidays. That was overturned in 1970.

America Is Far More Irish Than Ireland. There are more than 35 million Americans with Irish ancestry. The population of Ireland is 4.2 million.

Four Out Of Five Americans Wear Green Today. And about 20 million, or about one out of 13, go to a bar.

It's Really Easy To Dye The Chicago River. The Chicago River is dyed green for St. Patrick's Day . . . and it only takes 40 pounds of green vegetable dye to do it. That green lasts for a few days.

There are only three places in the world where St. Patrick's Day is a public holiday. Ireland. (Logically). The Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. (Hmm...) And the Caribbean island of Montserrat. (Wait... what?)

St. Patrick's Day is called the "Super Bowl of keg theft." Bars go through kegs and kegs of beer today, and generally stash the kegs out back to make room for people in their bars. That, according to Andrew Mullen, a bar owner in Kansas City, Missouri, makes today the "Super Bowl of keg theft."

St. Patrick's Day is the eighth-largest card-sending holiday in the U.S. About 10 million people give out cards for St. Patrick's Day. That ranks behind, in order, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

St. Patrick's favorite color was blue. Not sure how anyone knows this.

There have been six "Leprechaun" movies. Six. All six have starred Warwick Davis.The rubber band was invented on St. Patrick's Day. In England of all places, in 1845, by a guy named Stephen Perry. (No, not THE Steve Perry. His journey wouldn't start for another 100 years. Get it?!? Journey??? Ok. I'm done.)

There are four places in the United States named Shamrock (West Virginia, Texas, Indiana, Oklahoma) and nine Dublin's.

Source: 11points.com

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