The month of March is often associated with St. Patrick's Day and, by extension, Ireland and the Irish. While this holiday has some controversy surrounding how it should be celebrated, there are many things that have been Americanized and, around the world, there are many things that people believe came from Ireland... but didn't.
Ireland is known for many things but most of us don't even bat an eye over the consideration that not everything sporting a shamrock or featuring a leprechaun necessarily came from the Emerald Isle. Even some of the most common dishes that we sternly believe came from Ireland actually got their start elsewhere, and many aren't even inspired in the slightest by Ireland's culture or history. When it comes to Ireland being more of a brand than an origination, there are some things people should be aware of - especially the fact that none of these listed even had an ounce of true Irish in their creation.
Green Beer
Believe it or not, while Ireland has been known to dye its rivers green, the beer that shares the same color is not, actually, Irish. Green beer is wholly an Americanized aspect of the drink and in Ireland, there are actually some pretty hefty controversies over whether or not it's too commercial or just comically tributary.
For the most part, though, many Ireland natives don't believe in or condone the act of dying their pints a certain color, to the point where it's actually laughable. You won't likely see this tradition at pubs filled with locals or as a way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, so don't think this is a tradition that made its way overseas.
Corned Beef And Cabbage
It's mind-blowing to know that the one dish that everyone seems to make in celebration around the world is not actually an authentic, or traditional, Irish dish. In fact, corned beef was only used as a potential substitution for the real meat of choice, which is Irish bacon.
And Irish bacon is actually ham, which doesn't even come from the same animal that corned beef does - meaning it's a wildly misleading dish that's made to celebrate the country's patron saint holiday. Furthermore, while cabbage is a dish served in Ireland, it's actually more common to see a dish called colcannon, which consists of creamy mashed potatoes combined with cabbage or kale.
The Measurement Of A Pint
The Irish might use the word 'pint' quite a bit when talking about their after-work drinks and pub outings, but this term didn't actually originate here. In fact, the word pint comes from the Latin word for 'painted,' which is 'picta.'
The term 'pint' caught on because the word 'painted' is in reference to the painted marking on the side of the pint glass depicting a one-pint volume measurement. Therefore, the traditional Irish pint is nothing more than a Latin derivative for the measurement of the liquid that goes in it.
Saint Patrick
While Saint Patrick became the patron saint of Ireland, the saint was not actually born in Ireland. Rather, Saint Patrick was born in Rome when the Roman Empire was in power. Therefore, although he's associated with saving the country and driving out hoards of snakes, he was not actually born an Irish native. This is a minor detail, however, in the grand scheme of things and when celebrating St. Patrick's Day, Saint Patrick is as much a part of Ireland as the shamrock is its hillsides.
Lucky Charms
Granted, it's pretty obvious that Lucky Charms have absolutely nothing to do with Ireland. However, that doesn't mean that some people don't associate the marshmallow-filled cereal with the land of green and tiny men referred to as leprechauns.
The cereal itself is just a gimmick to advertise 'lucky' marshmallow shapes, such as rainbows and shamrocks, and obviously, it works. It's a favorite of kids everywhere, and definitely not specific to Ireland.
The Shortening Of St. Patrick's Day As 'St. Patty's Day'
Outside of Ireland, it's not uncommon to see the use of 'St. Patty's Day' instead of the full spelling of 'St. Patrick's Day.' Considering this is still a holy day in Ireland, many locals will get very agitated when the day is referred to in this way since the name Patty is traditionally short for the name Patricia. Alternatively, if the name Patrick was going to be shortened, the proper nickname would be 'Paddy' as the name Patrick is spelled Pádraig in Ireland.