But there is a lot we bet you didn't know about Ireland's patron Saints to start with scene Patrick wasn't even Irish.

He was born around the fifth century in Britain, then part of the Roman Empire.

At 16 he was kidnapped by Irish Raiders and spent six years in captivity.

He converted to Christianity and later returned to Ireland to spend the rest of his life working as a Christian missionary.

After Patrick died on March 17th 461 he was largely forgotten until mythology and legend grew, and centuries later he was honored as the patron saint of Ireland.

According to one famous myth, Patrick drove all the snakes from Ireland.

Story symbolized Patrick cleansing the island of paganism.

There's just one problem.

Ireland never had any snakes to begin with.

The Emerald Isle.

It's surrounded by water to frigid for snakes to migrate there, whether from Britain or anywhere else.

According to another famous story, Patrick used the three leaves of the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity.

As a result, people in 18th century Ireland started wearing shamrocks on March 17th to signify their Irish Christian fried.

That tradition later grew into wearing green clothing.

Ah, popular Saint Patrick's Day custom.

Today, those shamrocks don't really exist.

We know them as any one of several three leaf plants, such as wood, sorrel or white and yellow clover.

As important as ST Patrick is Toe Irish history, we bet you didn't know the tradition of celebrating March 17th with parades actually started in America.

Parade tradition really took off after the Great Potato famine hit Ireland the 18 forties, sending hundreds of thousands of Irish immigrants pouring into New York, Boston and other American cities.

The first record of a ST Patrick's Day parade in New York dates to 17 62 when a group of Irish soldiers serving with the British marched a few blocks to a tavern in lower Manhattan.

Today, it's the largest and longest ST Patrick's Day parade, boasting close to 200,000 participants and nearly three million Spectators each year.