St. Patrick's Day quiz

Your current score...

1. St. Patrick’s day off

St. Patrick’s Day is an official public holiday in just three places: Ireland, Northern Ireland and where else?

2. St. Patrick on the move

According to St. Patrick’s own writings, he first went to Ireland as a teenage boy. How did he get there?

3. By the same author

Apart from his Confessio, only one other surviving literary work can be attributed with reasonable confidence to St. Patrick. What is it?

4. St. Patrick, USA

Which American city held the first St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the United States?

5. Drowning the shamrock

In Ireland, the shamrock is often worn on St. Patrick’s Day. Some wearers also follow an old custom called “drowning the shamrock”. How is this done?

6. Sham-rock?

The “shamrock” plant you buy for St. Patrick’s Day at your local nursery or grocery store is usually a wood sorrel (also called “oxalis”). It is sold as a shamrock because:

7. Festivity gap

At an old-fashioned St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Ireland, which of these would you not see?

8. Prequel

March 17 is the feast of St. Patrick, who is said to have driven the snakes out of Ireland. On March 16, some people celebrate St. Urho, who is said to have helped Finland in a similar way by driving out:

9. St. Patrick’s menu

In North America, a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dinner includes corned beef, cabbage, soda bread and boiled potatoes boiled. Which part of this meal would not have been traditionally served in Ireland?

10. The little people

Although they have no association with St. Patrick himself, the mischievous fairy folk called leprechauns are a well-known symbol of Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day. What is the leprechauns’ traditional occupation?