Leprechauns Wore Red?! 5 Unexpected Facts about Irish History and Lore

Saint Patrick may be associated with rivers dyed green and a flurry of shamrocks these days, but his story is one that has compelled devotion and celebration for many centuries. Like the tale of Saint Patrick, Irish history and folklore is full of myth and surprising facts—some of which have had considerable influence on today’s culture. Read on for five things you might not know about the Emerald Isle. Sláinte!

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in…Florida? 

It has long been thought that the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was organized by Irish immigrants in Boston in 1737—or in 1762 by homesick Irish soldiers serving with the British in New York City. Yet a recent find in an archive in Spain has identified a much earlier celebration in the Spanish colony of Florida. In 1601, an Irish vicar in what is now the city of St. Augustine organized the first-ever recorded St. Patrick’s Day parade. It was more of a religious procession, though canons were festively fired for the occasion. The first parade to take place in Ireland wasn’t until 1903, in the southern city of Waterford, and Dublin finally hosted its own in 1931.

Ireland is permeated with myths of spirits and fairies, and the most famous of all are leprechauns. Yet their depiction as little bearded men decked out in green blazers and top hats is somewhat new. Before the 20th century, the mischievous shoemakers were described by numerous writers and poets—including W.B. Yeats—as wearing red jackets and cocked red hats. One theory about why leprechauns switched colors? As green became associated with Irish nationalism, it was only natural that Ireland’s native pranksters embrace their Emerald Isle.

Halloween is said to have its origins in an Irish cave. 

Perhaps it’s not surprising that a country known for druids and leprechauns is also considered the birthplace of Halloween. During the Gaelic festival of Samhain, which is said to have originated at a cave in Rathcroghan known as the “gateway to the Otherworld,” costumes and masks were worn to ward off wicked spirits. Rathcroghan isn’t the only ghoulish site on the island: the peat bogs across the Irish Midlands have famously yielded creepy “bog bodies”—Iron Age corpses that were incredibly well preserved by the cool, anaerobic conditions.

The RMS Titanic spent her first days in port—and her last—in Ireland. 

Advertised as “world’s largest liner” the Titanic was built in the shipyards of Belfast to accommodate upwards of 3,300 passengers and crew (though about 2,200 were on board when it sank). From Belfast, she headed first for Southampton, England, where her fateful maiden voyage to New York City embarked in April 1912. Before heading for the open sea, the Titanic visited Cherbourg, France, and made a final stop in Cobh (then known as Queenstown), a small village in Cork’s natural harbor, where 123 passengers boarded. You can trace the dramatic story of the ship at the excellent Titanic Belfast museum, situated on the Belfast docks where the vessel built. And the old White Star Line office where tickets were sold to those last to board is now a museum in Cobh.

Saint Patrick wasn’t Irish!

Saint Patrick may be Ireland’s patron saint, but when he first came to the island in the fifth century, he was a foreigner held against his will. Much of the British Isles had been part of the Roman Empire for centuries at that point, and Patrick was born of a Roman family in Britain.  As a teenager, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and brought to Western Ireland, where he spent six years as a slave herding sheep. He returned to the island by choice and spent the rest of his days traveling and preaching far and wide (though whether he actually saw or chased a snake is still up for debate).

There are many ways to travel to Ireland with Smithsonian Journeys! Learn more about our small ship cruises, walking tours, custom trips, and land-based journeys to the Emerald Isle.