Fun facts and a gift for Saint Patrick’s Day! ☘️

Happy Saint Paddy’s Day! ☘️

Saint Patrick’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays in the world, with millions of people donning green and taking to the streets to celebrate the Irish culture. But how much do you really know about the holiday? Here are the top 5 fun facts about Saint Patrick’s Day that you may not have known:

  1. Saint Patrick wasn’t even Irish

Although Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, he was actually born in Britain around AD 390. His parents were Roman citizens living in Britain and were not Irish. Saint Patrick was captured by Irish raiders and brought to Ireland as a slave, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning home.

  1. The original color associated with Saint Patrick was blue, not green

The color green only became associated with Saint Patrick’s Day in the 17th century. Before that, the official color of the holiday was blue. The reason for the switch is unclear, but it may be due to the fact that green is the color of Ireland’s flag and its lush landscape.

  1. The first Saint Patrick’s Day parade was held in New York City

While Saint Patrick’s Day has been celebrated in Ireland for centuries, the first parade in honor of the holiday was actually held in New York City in 1762. Today, the New York City parade is the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade in the world, with over two million spectators.

  1. Corned beef and cabbage isn’t really an Irish dish

While corned beef and cabbage is often associated with Irish cuisine, it’s not actually an Irish dish. It’s more of an Irish-American tradition that evolved from the Irish tradition of eating bacon and cabbage. Irish immigrants in America found that beef was more affordable than bacon, so they started using corned beef instead.

  1. Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in more countries than any other national holiday

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in more countries than any other national holiday in the world. It’s not just celebrated in Ireland and the United States, but also in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries with significant Irish populations.

So there you have it – five fun facts about Saint Patrick’s Day that you may not have known. Whether you’re Irish or not, Saint Patrick’s Day is a fun holiday to celebrate, so have a pint of green beer and join in the festivities! And to make your holiday complete, here’s a collection of mystery books that take place in Ireland and that will surely make your weekend even better, whether you choose to try them separately:

Or in a box set:

The first FREE story is on me!

Cheers,

Melinda

☘️ Something special for Saint Patrick’s Day! ☘️

Saint Patrick’s Day is by far the most famous Irish holiday, and it has come to be celebrated all over the world. Saint Patrick was a 5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary whose name marks the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. Today, he is the foremost patron saint of Ireland. On March 17 many people across the globe celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with parades and festivals, Irish traditional music sessions, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks. At the end of the celebrations, a shamrock is put into the bottom of a cup, which is then filled with whiskey, beer, or cider. It is then drunk as a toast to Saint Patrick, Ireland, or those present. The shamrock would either be swallowed with the drink or taken out and tossed over the shoulder for good luck.

As fun as this sounds, no wonder so much of the world celebrates Saint Patrick’s Day!

I’ve become fascinated by Irish culture through several Nora Roberts books, so much so that I’ve decided to create my own series that takes place in Dublin. The Irish Garda Squad is a series of detective mysteries/police procedural books with a touch of romance. Each book features exciting new characters and follows the journeys of the Irish Police detectives, the complicated cases they solve, and the challenges these cops face in their personal lives.

All the stories can be read as stand-alone novels, in any order.

The first two books, Dare Game and Killer Score, have both received Crowned Heart Reviews of Excellence from Ind’Tale Magazine, a distinction that is not given lightly. I’m particularly proud to have gotten two such reviews for two books in a row, and I hope the third Garda book will live up to the standards.

To be honest, I planned to release Silent Strike, the next Garda book, today on March 17, but I weaved such a twisted plot I got tangled in it myself. 😂 After many ups and down, I’m finally working on the last chapters, and with a bit of luck from Saint Patrick himself, I will be releasing the book in April. If you’d like to be notified when it’s published, make sure you follow me on Amazon and BookBub, or subscribe to my Newsletter.

If you haven’t checked out the published books yet, you can find them on Amazon and read them for free in Kindle Unlimited.

I hope you have a wonderful day, whether you celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day or not. We could all use a bit of luck right now. 😉

Stay safe and read books!

 

Hugs,