The colorful history of St. Patrick’s day includes: the color blue being interchangeable with green, Catholicism, leprechauns, and alcohol. Also shamrocks. Who could forget shamrocks?

St. Patrick’s Day originated in the early 400s in Ireland. The holiday’s namesake was famous for bringing Christianity to Ireland and casting out druid and pagan worshippers. Shamrocks represent the Holy Trinity, and St. Patrick used them to cast druids and pagans out of Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day has changed drastically since its beginnings.

Alcohol has always been a St. Patrick’s Day staple, but the origin is surprising. St. Patrick was staying at an inn, and the innkeeper gave him a glass of whiskey that was barely half-full. St. Patrick decided he would teach the man generosity by telling him there was a devil living in his cellar where he kept the alcohol. St. Patrick told the innkeeper the only way to get rid of the devil, and to redeem himself, was to fill all residents’ cups until they were overflowing. St. Patrick said the devil left and thus “drinking your full measure” was born. This became known as Patrick’s Pot.

However, for the majority of the 20th century, Irish pubs were closed due to St. Patrick’s Day falling on some of the days of the Catholic tradition, Lent. This meant that much of Ireland, the majority being Catholic, gave up alcohol, and there was even a bill that closed all pubs in Ireland on March 17. It was not repealed until 1961.

In Ireland, blue was used to represent the holiday, however, when St. Patrick’s Day was brought to America in the mid-to-late 1700’s, the nickname for Ireland, “The Emerald Isle,” stuck to the holiday.  There are even some Irish flags that still have the color blue incorporated for the holiday.

Maybe it is a good thing that changed though, or else everyone would be getting pinched for not wearing green on St. Patty’s because you will get pinched by the leprechauns. Leprechauns are Ireland’s unofficial mythological mascot, and all children know that catching the little guy brings wealth. Leprechauns are found in pop culture; there was even a horror movie about one.

The real kicker of what you do not know about St. Patrick ’s Day:  St. Patrick was neither Irish nor named Patrick. St. Patrick—if we can even call him that anymore—was born in Britain, and at 16, Irish raiders kidnapped him. Held captive for six years, when he finally escaped, he went back to England. It was not until he was older that he returned to Ireland as a missionary. As far as his name goes, he was born Maewyn Succat and later on changed it to Saint Patricius, the Latin name meaning father figure or priest.  Translated, Patricius means Patrick.