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There are 196 countries in the world, yet none have a 'national holiday' as widely celebrated as Ireland's St Patrick's Day. So, what is it about St. Paddy's Day that makes everyone want to be Irish, at least for a day?
The reason is relatively obvious. Ireland, and more specifically the Irish, are simply the greatest people on earth. Supporting evidence from Ireland's culture and history includes:
- They do 'coffee' better than anyone
- They built the Brooklyn Bridge, and then half of NYC
- They invented the colour photograph, bacon, and the binaural stethoscope (worn well by George Clooney in almost every episode of ER)
- 44 million Americans claim Irish ancestry, and Americans are pretty awesome
- Halloween was derived from a Pagan Irish festival
- They gave the world U2, Oscar Wilde, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Day Lewis, and a very famous fish monger named Molly Malone.
- They've brought Irish pubs, aka Guinness, to the farthest corners of the earth, including Katmandu, Ushuaia, Baku, and a little place called Pawtucket.
But most importantly, the Irish are some of the most welcoming, light-hearted, hilarious people you'll ever meet. And who wouldn't want to emulate that?
Now that you've read some reasons to go to Ireland, immerse yourself in Irish culture on our Countryside of the Emerald Isle tour.