1. The shamrock is the symbol of holy trinity taught by Saint Patrick to the pagans.

2. Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dish.

3. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in the United States on March 17, 1762, when Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City.

4. More than 100 St. Patrick's Day parades are held across the United States; New York City and Boston are home to the largest celebrations.

5. The practice of turning the Chicago river green  on Saint Patrick's day started in 1962.

6. As a traditional religious day, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17 until the 1970s.

7.Today, approximately 1 million people annually take part in Ireland ‘s St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin

8. On St. Patrick’s Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast–on the traditional meal.

9. St. Patrick’s Day parades became a show of strength for Irish Americans when they migrated to the US, as well as a must-attend event for a slew of political candidates.

10. Today, many Catholic places of worship all around the world are named after St. Patrick, including cathedrals in New York and Dublin city.