14 Things You Never Knew About St. Patty’s Day

2. The Dude Wasn’t Even Irish

Here’s a shocker: the future St. Patrick was actually born in Roman Britain. Different accounts have him born in what is now geographically England, Scotland or, most likely, Wales (a town called Banwen is pretty convinced that’s where he’s from). No one knows for sure, but it surely wasn’t Ireland. In fact, as a teenager he was kidnapped into slavery by Irish pirates. He escaped after six years, but it was that harsh experience that bolstered his religious convictions.