Enjoy these fun facts I found at about.com.
Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated to honor Saint Patrick, a missionary
credited with converting the Irish to Christianity. It is believed that
he was not even Irish. Some say he was born in either Scotland or in
Roman Britain. When he was around 60 years old, St. Patrick traveled to
Ireland and spread the Christian word.
The shamrock is one of Ireland's most famous symbols. It is said that
Saint Patrick used the shamrock, or seamorg, and it's 3 leaves to
explain the concept of the Trinity – the father, son, and the Holy
Spirit. The shamrock is also associated with good luck! Many people wear
shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day.
The legendary leprechaun is an elf-like creature. In most
representations he looks like a small, old man. Leprechauns like to
spend their time alone making shoes. They live in the woods and hide
from everyone, but maybe this has something to do with their mysterious
pots of gold! The leprechauns are said to keep their pots of gold at the
end of the rainbow. Some stories say if a leprechaun likes you, he will
share his gold. Others stories say you must catch a leprechaun, and
then he will take you to his pot of gold.
The famous Blarney Stone is not pretend, it really exists! It is set in
the wall of the Blarney Castle in the Irish village of, what else,
Blarney. You can visit and kiss the Blarney stone, but it is not an easy
fete. To reach the Blarney stone, you must lie down on your back and
bend your head backwards and downwards to reach it. It is said that
kissing the Blarney Stone will give you the gift of blarney, or speaking
convincingly to all you meet!
