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St. Patrick's Day By the Numbers

St. Patrick's Day By the Numbers

Did you know that 34.7 million U.S. residents claim Irish ancestry, but nearly 122 million Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day? Explore the history of this popular holiday with facts about parades, traditions and its religious roots.

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Interactives (1)

Videos (13)

  • Ask HISTORY: Was St. Patrick Irish?
    Ask HISTORY: Was St. Patrick Irish?

    Video Clip (2:04)

    St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, but was he really Irish? Get the answer now.

    Video Clip (2:04)
  • Bet You Didn't Know: St. Patrick's Day
    Bet You Didn't Know: St. Patrick's Day

    Video Clip (2:24)

    Get the real story about this beloved Irish holiday and the patron saint it's named after.

    Video Clip (2:24)
  • Deconstructing History: Ireland
    Deconstructing History: Ireland

    Video Clip (2:21)

    From Ireland's national symbol to its average beer consumption, get the facts on the Emerald Isle.

    Video Clip (2:21)
  • Deconstructing History: St. Patrick's Cathedral
    Deconstructing History: St. Patrick's Cathedral

    Video Clip (2:15)

    Get the facts on this iconic New York City landmark.

    Video Clip (2:15)
  • History of St. Patrick's Day
    History of St. Patrick's Day

    Video Clip (3:17)

    Distinguish St. Patrick's Day myths from reality and find out why this holiday is celebrated by millions of Irish people around the world.

    Video Clip (3:17)
  • NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade
    NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade

    Video Clip (2:00)

    The St. Patrick's Day Parade on Fifth Avenue is a New York City tradition, but did you know the first one was held even before the Declaration of Independence was signed?

    Video Clip (2:00)
  • Corned Beef and Cabbage
    Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Video Clip (1:09)

    How did corned beef and cabbage become a St. Patrick's Day staple? It didn't start in Ireland.

    Video Clip (1:09)
  • St. Patrick
    St. Patrick

    Video Clip (0:59)

    He converted the Irish to Christianity, but there's quite a bit most people don't know about Ireland's patron saint.

    Video Clip (0:59)
  • St. Patrick: Why Green?
    St. Patrick: Why Green?

    Video Clip (1:07)

    Green was not the first color associated with St. Patrick, so just how did green come to represent this holiday?

    Video Clip (1:07)
  • Leprechauns
    Leprechauns

    Video Clip (1:18)

    These mythological beings have appeared for centuries in Irish folklorethe pot of gold didn't come until much later.

    Video Clip (1:18)
  • Shamrocks
    Shamrocks

    Video Clip (0:53)

    Are shamrocks really lucky? The real history of this little green plant is steeped in religion, heritage and Irish national pride.

    Video Clip (0:53)
  • Irish Stew
    Irish Stew

    Video Clip (3:35)

    In this Holiday Foods video clip, we learn about what people traditionally eat during St. Patrick's Day. One of the most popular dishes is a hearty Irish Stew. Famous Fat Dave talks about the history of St. Patrick's Day and its traditions.

    Video Clip (3:35)
  • Holiday Foods: Corned Beef and Cabbage
    Holiday Foods: Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Video Clip (3:31)

    In this Holiday Foods video clip, we learn about what people traditionally eat during St. Patrick's Day. The traditional meal that is eaten on St. Patrick's Day is corned beef and cabbage. Famous Fat Dave talks about the history of St. Patrick's Day.

    Video Clip (3:31)

Photo Galleries (2)

  • St. Patrick's Day
    St. Patrick's Day

    12 Photos

    Explore St. Patrick's Day celebrations around the world, from the parades in Dublin and Boston to green rivers in Chicago and folk dancing in Moscow.

    (12 Photos)
  • Mardi Gras and Carnival
    Mardi Gras and Carnival

    14 Photos

    A photo slideshow of the celebration of Mardi Gras.

    (14 Photos)

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Read More about St. Patrick's Day Toasts

Toast your friends on St. Patrick's Day with these traditional sayings.

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