You may claim that St. Patrick’s Day is your favorite holiday, but what do you really know about it?

Here are 5 questions to test your knowledge.

First question:

Leprechauns had nothing to do with St. Patrick’s Day until which American movie producer created a friendly, cheerful leprechaun character?



Answer: Walt Disney. Irish folklore describes leprechauns as cranky souls known for their trickery and protectiveness over their treasure. The friendlier American version of the leprechaun quickly evolved into a St. Patrick’s Day and Irish symbol.

Second question:

Which city is home to a St. Patrick’s Day Parade that is the longest running civilian parade in the world?



Answer: Nope, it’s not Dublin. It’s New York City. The first parade started in 1762 and now draws more than 2 million spectators.

Third question:

In Delaware, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, Irish is the leading ancestral group. How many U.S. residents claim Irish ancestry?



Answer: 34.7 million-nearly 9 times the population of Ireland!

Fourth question:

What river is dyed green every year in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day?



Answer: The Chicago River. The city of Chicago uses 40 pounds of green vegetable dye to turn the river green for several hours.

Fifth question:

St. Patrick is credited for bringing Christianity to Ireland. According to Irish mythology, which reptile did Saint Patrick banish from Ireland?



Answer: If you said snakes then you are correct. However, Ireland was never actually inhabited by snakes. The “banishing of the snakes” is symbolic of Saint Patrick’s eradication of pagan theology from the island.

PS: Please feel free to email this quiz to friends or family!

Tags: holidays

Tags: holidays
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