St. Patrick's Day by the Numbers

Top of the morning to you! St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year on March 17^th, which is date of the death of St. Patrick. For those of you who don’t know, St. Patrick is the person who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Many people wear green on St. Patrick’s Day. The green represents spring, shamrocks, and Ireland.

In the spirit of the holiday, below are some interesting and surprising numbers associated with St. Patrick’s Day.

• 4.2 Million- The total population of Ireland·         
• 36.9 Million- Number of U.S. residents who claimed Irish ancestry in 2009.
• $4 Billion- The amount that Americans spend on St. Patrick’s Day each year.
• 46%- Percent of adults who plan on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.
• 20%- Percent of adults who plan on having a drink to celebrate.
• 100 pounds- Pounds of green dye added to the Chicago River in 1962
• 1 out of every 10,000- The chance of a clover having 4-leafs instead of 3.
• 1976- The first year that St. Patrick’s Day was officially recognized.  

What are you doing to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year?