on March 17. Originally a holiday exclusive to Ireland, the day has turned
into a global celebration of Irish heritage and culture along with everything
from leprechauns to corned beef and cabbage.
In honor of the holiday, here are a few surprising facts about St. Patrick’s
Day:
St. Patrick was… British! That’s right, the man who symbolizes all things
Ireland was actually born in Roman-occupied Britain in the 5th Century C.E.
Captured by Irish pirates as a teenager, Maewyn Succat was enslaved in
Ireland for a few years before escaping. He eventually returned to the
Emerald Isle, where he helped spread Christianity, eventually becoming
known as the Apostle of Ireland.
The Shamrock isn’t real. Perhaps the most popular symbol of St. Patrick’s
Day, the shamrock (or seamróg in Irish) plant doesn’t truly exist — though
there are several different species of clovers that are referred to as
shamrocks. Their connection to the holiday stems from the teaching of St.
Patrick. He used the plant’s three clovers as a way to explain the Holy Trinity
to his followers.
St. Patrick’s Day Parades began in America. Though the holiday is obviously
most closely associated with Ireland, the flamboyant public processions in
honor of Irish pride actually started in the U.S. The first St. Patty’s parade is
believed to have been in Florida in 1601, in a Spanish colony with an Irish
vicar at the time. Over the next two centuries the idea began to catch on.
The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Boston was held in 1732, while New
York’s event kicked off in 1762.
In honor of St Patrick's Day, Nunbelievable is offering a special promotion of
20% off orders over $50 (use code: GOLD20 at checkout) from Saturday,
March 11 to Friday, March 17, 2023.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
