Is green beer safe? 7 Things you MUST know for St. Patrick’s Day 2008

It’s often said that everyone is a little bit Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.

The parades and parties are fun, but what is the point of this popular Irish holiday? Do we have to listen to U2? And, most of all, how safe is green beer?

Find out with a few things you probably didn’t know about St. Patrick’s Day…

7 St. Patrick’s Day 2008 Facts

1. Irish Music=U2?
No, you don’t have to pretend to like U2 or Sinead O’Connor just because it’s St. Patrick’s Day. In addition to free Celtic and Irish music downloads, there are plenty of other Irish bands to check out—including political rockers Black 47, rowdy pub brawlers the Pogues and mellower countrymen the Frames (leader Glen Hansard just won an Oscar for his work with Marketa Irglova in the movie musical, Once (soundtrack downloads here)).

2. Is Green Beer Safe?
While the green food coloring added to beer is harmless, the fact that the green stuff is usually added to low quality brew is nearly sacrilegious. On this holiday celebrating all things Irish, it’s best to drink a responsible amount of a quality beverage, like the traditional Guinness, rather than to gorge on green bargain beer (it might seem like a good idea, but you’ll pay for it Tuesday morning). Historically speaking, it might be wise to avoid British brews as well.

3. Where’s the best St. Patrick’s Day Parade?
St. Patrick’s Day comes from Ireland, but the largest parade for the day is held in New York City, features over 150,000 participants and is viewed by over 2 million spectators. The first official one in NYC was held in 1766, making in the second-longest running in the country, second to Boston, where the parade debuted in 1737. Of course, the folks of Dublin, Ireland likely have rights the title of best parade, even if it isn’t the biggest.

4. Where are the Shamrock Shakes?
While it really has nothing to do with Ireland or St. Patrick, Shamrock Shakes became a St. Patrick’s Day tradition for McDonald’s fans in 1980s. The fast-food chain made the lightly mint flavored shake available from February to March in recognition of St. Patrick’s Day. However, in recent years the novelty shakes have become increasingly hard to come by, inspiring fans to launch websites such as this in an attempt to bring back the treat, or finding out where it’s offered.

5. Do You Have to Wear Green?
Many revelers choose to wear green on this day as a tribute to the Emerald Isle, but it’s perfectly acceptable to wear any of the colors represented in the Irish flag—green, white and orange.

6. Who was St. Patrick?
Sources ranging from Wikipedia to the History Channel are quick to point out that details surrounding St. Patrick’s life are sketchy, and much of his story has been obscured (or enhanced) by legends. In short, he was a missionary in the 5th Century, and is recognized as the patron saint of Ireland (along with Brigid of Kildare).

St. Patrick is often attributed with driving the snakes from Ireland, however, since Ireland was never home to snakes, it’s likely that “snakes” is a metaphor for some non-Christian religions that are sometimes represented by a snake or serpent image.

It is sometimes stated that St. Patrick was the first to use a shamrock (three-leaf clover) in order to teach the idea of the Holy Trinity to his followers. It is also believed that he invented the icon of the Celtic Cross, an image of a cross with a sun incorporated into the design.

While not everything about St. Patrick is known for certain, it’s a pretty safe bet that he has nothing to do with putting green dye in beer or wearing big green Dr. Suess hats.

7. When is St. Patrick’s Day 2008?
St. Patrick’s Day typically falls on March 17—the date St. Patrick is thought to have died circa 460 A.D. Sometimes the date is moved if it is in conflict with other religious celebrations such as Palm Sunday. This year, St. Patrick’s Day is Monday March 17, 2008.

Check back soon for more fun facts and free music.
Leave a comment and let us know how you’ll celebrate St. Pat’s this year
and what music you’ll be listening to!