Get ready to sham-rock your knowledge! St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with some fun and fascinating trivia? From the origins of the holiday to the symbolism behind shamrocks and the surprising truth about leprechauns, these ten St. Patrick's Day trivia questions will test your knowledge of all things Irish. So, grab your greenest gear, pour yourself a pint (of something!), and let's dive into the fun facts behind St. Patrick's Day.
Why is St. Patrick's Day celebrated on March 17th?
The patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick died on March 17th, 461 CE.
In what century was the first St. Patrick's Day parade in Ireland?
The surprising answer is the 20th century! It wasn't until 1903 in Waterford, Ireland. St. Patrick's Day had primarily been seen as a religious observance until Irish immigrants in the United States began shifting it to a secular holiday the world over.
According to Irish lore, what animal did St. Patrick drive out of Ireland?
St. Patrick is said to have driven the snakes out of Ireland. The story was made up to symbolize St. Patrick's efforts to rid Ireland of pagan rituals.
On St. Patrick’s Day, what do the three leaves of a shamrock symbolize?
There are 2 answers to this. According to legend, Saint Patrick used the shamrock to illustrate the concept of the Holy Trinity to potential converts, so the 3 leaves represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. It can also symbolize the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity/love.
You'll see "Erin go bragh" on many St. Patrick's Day celebration banners. What does it mean?
It's a simple phrase that means "Ireland forever".
Every year since 1962, the Plumbers Union of what city dyes the local river green for St. Patrick's Day?
You can witness the Chicago Plumbers Union using 40 pounds of green vegetable dye to turn the Chicago River green in this annual St. Patrick's Day tradition.
Green wasn't always associated with St. Patrick's Day. That didn't happen until the 17th century. What color was associated with the holiday originally?
Blue was the original color of St. Patrick's Day. The significance of blue dates back to early Irish mythology when the sovereignty of Ireland was often represented by a woman dressed in a blue robe.
What would you call a female leprechaun?
Trick question! There are no female leprechauns! There are only male ones. (We're unclear on how they make more leprechauns!)
More than 13 million pints of Guinness will be drunk on St. Patrick's Day. Throughout the year however, there are 2 countries that drink more Guinness than Ireland. One is the UK. Name the other one which is located in Africa.
The other country that drinks even more Guinness than Ireland is Nigeria. Who can blame them!
What do the 3 colors of Ireland's flag represent?
• The green represents the Catholic Christian religion and symbolizes the Irish nationalist (Gaelic) tradition.
• The orange represents the Protestant Christian religion and the minority Protestants who supported William of Orange
• The white in the center represents peace, hope, and harmony. It symbolizes the hope for a lasting peace between Catholics and Protestants.
Will you be celebrating St. Patrick's Day?
Yes, of course!
No, I just like trivia!
What other St. Patrick's Day trivia questions should we include? Let us know in the comments below!