What would St. Patrick think of dying the Chicago River green, the oldest Irish parade and the largest, held in New York City, green beer and Irish whiskey? St. Patrick’s Day history tells us that the celebration of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is held around the world on March 17th. For years, pubs were closed in Ireland as it was celebrated as a religious holiday. Beginning in 1995, the Irish Government began a campaign to get more tourism to Ireland by using the Saint’s holiday to tell the world about Irish culture.
What is green beer?
Simply put, green beer is beer plus food coloring. The colorful tradition dates back to around 1914 when one of the first accounts of the drink was recorded. While green beer became a holiday staple in the U.S., the drink never really made strides in Ireland.
What beer is used for green beer?
When making green beer, it’s best to use a light-colored beer. In Ireland, you’re more likely to find a dark stout, like Guinness, but for this drink, a lighter beer is preferred. (The lighter the color of beer, the easier it will be for the food coloring to mix in.) Depending on your desired hue, you may want to add another drop or two of food coloring.
Does green beer taste different from regular beer?
Since green beer is only made with food coloring and doesn’t have any other ingredients, it won’t taste any different from regular beer.
St. Patrick’s Day History
Celtic folktale tells us the stories about leprechauns, tiny figures who use their treachery to guard their treasures. They also have their own holiday and on May 13th, many dress us as fairies.
Many of us wear green on St. Patrick’s Day so as not to be pinched by a leprechaun! We believe shamrocks, a three-leaf clover, bring us luck. We eat corned beef and cabbage, memorize Irish blessings and we collect.
Collecting the Green and Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day
Is you aren’t ‘collecting the green’ you should start adding this fun collectible to your décor which is not just for St. Patrick’s Day.
You can find a lot of the collectibles in antique malls and online.
Shamrock jewelry, leprechauns, miniatures, gorgeous post cards and travel posters and most famous, Belleek.
I found the basket weave pattern to be the most popular.
r.
This hand-painted pottery was introduced in the 1880’s and is still being made today.
Hundreds of items to choose from includes bowls, serving plates, covered dishes, cake plates, vases, cups & saucers, and Christmas Elves to name a few.
St. Patrick’s Day history must include Irish coffee mugs as one example of the glassware and magnificent embroidered table linens to die for!
You can begin your collection with items such as collectible coins. And if Belleek is not your thing, try to find pieces of Carrigaline Pottery featuring horses and shamrocks.
Time to get out there and ‘collect the green’. Start Shopping and check out our quality Texas Antique Malls today!
