St Patrick’s Day Facts and Statistics for 2024

Last Updated on: January 8th, 2024



Here are a few of the most interesting St Patrick’s Day facts and statistics I was able to dig up in my internet travels. As always, be sure to check back in the future as I will be updating this post as new and updated stats become available.


St. Patrick’s Day is an annual cultural and religious holiday celebrated on March 17th, honoring Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is a public holiday in Ireland, and also widely celebrated in many other parts of the world, particularly in the United States and Canada, where many people of Irish descent live.

The origin of St. Patrick’s Day dates back to the early 17th century when it was made an official Christian feast day by the Catholic Church in honor of Saint Patrick, who is believed to have died on March 17, 461 AD. Saint Patrick is known for bringing Christianity to Ireland, and his feast day has been celebrated by the Irish for over a thousand years.

The day was originally a solemn religious holiday in Ireland, but over time it has become a more secular celebration of Irish culture and heritage, with parades, parties, and other festivities. Many people wear green on St. Patrick’s Day as a symbol of Irish pride, and it has become a popular day for drinking and socializing, particularly in the United States.

St Patrick’s Day Facts and Statistics

When did St Patrick live:

AD 385-461


St Patrick wasn’t actually Irish. He was from either Scotland or Wales


Saint Patrick’s real name:

Maewyn Succat


What is the significance of March 17th:

It was the day Saint Patrick died


When was green first associated with St Patrick’s Day:

the 1640s


When were Shamrocks first associated with St Patrick’s Day:

the 1680s


What did the Shamrock originally symbolize:

The Holy Trinity


Year of first New York City St Patrick’s Day parade:

1762


Number of people who march in the New York City St Patrick’s Day parade:

150,000-250,000


Number of spectators for the New York City St Patrick’s Day parade:

2 million


First year that green dye was dumped into the Chicago River:

1962


Amount of green dye used in the Chicago River each year:

40 lbs


Average annual spending on St Patrick’s Day:

$4.14 billion


Percentage of the American population that celebrate St Patrick’s Day:

39%


Annual average number of cards exchanged by Americans on St Patrick’s Day:

8 million


Estimated amount spent on beer on St Patrick’s Day:

$245 million


St Patrick’s Day was actually a dry holiday in Ireland until a law requiring pubs to shut down on the day was overturned in 1970.


Year the Shamrock Shake was first introduced by McDonald’s:

1970


Please note that some of these numbers are easier to find than others. Most of these fun facts come from internet reports and may not be official tallies. No information contained on DMR should be relied upon to make investment decisions. Basically, this is the best I can find and I don’t guarantee anything to be 100%.


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About Craig Smith

DMR Publisher. Director of Marketing by day and I run this little site at night. Other interests include Disney, Sports, 80's Nostalgia, LEGO, Star Wars and Tech Gadgets. Other sites include DisneyNews.us and VideoGamesStats.com.