55 St. Patrick's Day trivia questions to quiz your Irish IQ (2024)

Think you know everything about St. Patrick's Day? If you do, now's your chance to prove it.

To test your Irish IQ, we've collected a list of St. Patrick's Day trivia questions and answers to quiz your skills.

For example, what animal is St. Patrick said to have chased out of Ireland? That's an easy one: snakes. Let's raise the stakes, shall we?

Can you name the oldest pub in Ireland? Or, what are the three leaves of a shamrock said to represent?

If you correctly guessed the answers to all those questions, you're either a "Jeopardy" trivia genius or have green blood pumping through your veins.

Regardless, we've got a whole list of St. Patty's tidbits to test your knowledge on Ireland, St. Patrick's Day traditions and a host of other fascinating facts that pay tribute to the Emerald Isle and, if you don't mind us saying, we think they're worth their weight in gold.

Pardon our St. Patrick's Day pun, we couldn't help tossing in a little humor in honor of March 17, a holiday well-suited to corny jokes about rainbows, magical elves and all things Irish.

Speaking of which, can you name the three colors of Ireland's flag? They're green, white and orange. You're welcome for the freebie. But for the rest of the answers to our fun and challenging trivia questions, you'll simply need to read on.

But before you begin, allow us to wish you, well, nothing but luck on your quest.

• Question: What's the tagline for the breakfast cereal Lucky Charms? Answer: "They're magically delicious."
• Question: What other name is St. Patrick's Day known as? Answer: The Feast of St. Patrick
• Question: What Irish phrase means "Ireland Forever?" Answer: Erin go bragh
• Question: According to legend, what animal did St. Patrick drive out of Ireland? Answer: Snakes
• Question: What are the three colors of the Irish flag? Answer: Green, white and orange.
• Question: What three pieces of equipment are necessary to play the Irish sport of hurling? Answer: A hurley (stick), sliotar (ball) and helmet.
• Question: What's the oldest pub in Ireland? Answer: Sean's Bar in Westmeath.
• Question: What's the symbol for gold on the Periodic Table of Elements? Answer: Au
• Question: What was the Viking name for Ireland's capital city of Dublin? Answer: "Dyflin," which later turned to "Dubh Linn."
• Question: What 2015 Oscar-nominated movie starring Saoirse Ronan is about a young Irish immigrant who moves to New York City in the 1950s? Answer: "Brooklyn"
• Question: According to folklore, what’s a leprechaun’s occupation? Answer: Shoemaker
• Question: What 1959 children’s movie helped shape the modern-day image of a leprechaun? Answer: “Darby O’Gill and the Little People”
• Question: Which breakfast cereal has “Lucky the Leprechaun” as its mascot? Answer: Lucky Charms
• Question: Which best-selling Irish band features Larry Mullen, Adam Clayton, the Edge and Bono? Answer: U2
• Question: Irish musician Gilbert O’Sullivan hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 with what song? Answer: “Alone Again (Naturally)”
• Question: Which Irish actor starred in the 1962 Oscar-winning movie “Lawrence of Arabia?” Answer: Peter O’Toole
• Question: Which song is known as the unofficial anthem of Dublin, Ireland? Answer: “Molly Malone”
• Question: What cheerful Irish greeting is often associated with St. Patrick’s Day? Answer: “Top of the morning to you”
• Question: According to Irish folklore, what will you find at the end of a rainbow? Answer: A pot of gold
• Question: What do the three leaves of a shamrock represent according to Irish tradition? Answer: The Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit)
• Question: According to Wallethub, how many pints of Guinness are consumed on St. Patrick’s Day? Answer: More than 13 million worldwide
• Question: What’s the estimated market value of a leprechaun’s pot of gold (1,000 coins)? Answer: $1.92 million
• Question: What's the average number of drinks consumed per person on St. Patrick’s Day? Answer: 4.2
• Question: According to the National Retail Federation, what percentage of people plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Answer: 54 percent
• Question: On average, how much money do consumers spend on St. Patrick’s Day? Answer: $42.33
• Question: Which St. Patrick’s Day activity is more popular: attending a parade or making a special dinner? Answer: Making a special dinner
• True or false: The first known St. Patrick's Day parade occurred in Ireland. Answer: False. The first recorded parade took place in St. Augustine, Florida.
• Question: What year did the first known St. Patrick's Day celebration happen in the U.S.? Answer: 1600
• Question: What ancient Celtic festival is thought to be the origin of Halloween? Answer: Samhain
• Question: What U.S. president was the first Irish Catholic to be elected to the office? Answer: John F. Kennedy
• Question: What water-loving dog breed is known for its curly coat and rat-like tail? Answer: Irish Water Spaniel
• Question: Ireland is the second largest European island. Which island is the largest? Answer: England
• Question: What is the capital of Ireland? Answer: Dublin
• Question: What's the official currency of Ireland? Answer: The euro
• Question: What common reptile is not naturally found in Ireland? Answer: Snake
• True or false: Patrick, Ireland's patron saint for which the holiday is named, is Irish. Answer: False. He was born in Roman Britain.
• Question: What meat and vegetable dish is a trademark St. Patrick's Day meal? Answer: Corned beef and cabbage
• Question: Which iconic New York skyscraper turns green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day? Answer: The Empire State Building
• Question: Which “Fifty Shades of Grey” star hails from Northern Ireland? Answer: Jamie Dornan
• Question: “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” written by Irish-born author C.S. Lewis, takes place in what mythical land? Answer: Narnia
• Question: Which U.S. city was the first to dye a river green in honor of St. Patrick's Day? Answer: In 1962, the city of Chicago dyed the Chicago River green.
• Question: What does Merriam-Webster call a leprechaun? Answer: "mischievous elf"
• Question: What must a leprechaun divulge if captured? Answer: Where to find hidden treasure
• Question: What year did New York City officially host the first St. Patrick's Day parade? Answer: 1762
• Question: Why is St. Patrick's Day celebrated on March 17? Answer: It marks the day St. Patrick died in 461 A.D.
• Question: Why do we wear green on St. Patrick's Day? Answer: It's most closely associated with Ireland's lush green landscape (Emerald Isle) and the country's desire to distinguish itself from the British in the 1700s.
• Question: What notable mystery book author was Grand Marshall for the New York St. Patrick's Day parade in 2011? Answer: Mary Higgins Clark
• True or False: St. Patrick was known to wear the color green. Answer: False. In renderings, the saint was often pictured in blue, otherwise known as "St. Patrick's blue."
• Question: Located in Northern Ireland, what popular TV show used a beech-tree lined walkway known as The Dark Hedges" as the road to King's Landing? Answer: "Game of Thrones"
• Question: Ireland's Curracloe Beach was used for which two Oscar-winning films? Answer: "Saving Private Ryan" and "Brooklyn"
• Question: As of 2019, what percentage of U.S. residents claim to have Irish ancestry? Answer: 9.2 percent or 30.4 million
• Question: Which U.S. county has the highest number of people with Irish ancestry? Answer: Cook County, Illinois
• Question: What North American waterway did the Irish immigrants help build? Answer: The Erie Canal
• Question: What’s a “curragh"? Answer: A type of wooden Irish boat used for fishing and transport.
• Question: What hearty Irish meal consists of red meat, carrots, onions and potatoes? Answer: Irish stew