This and every Saint Patrick's Day, we appreciate the Irish spirit and outlook on life. Whether you are 100 percent Irish or not at all, here's why you should say "Erin go Bragh" this week:
1. If you’re looking for some of the most stunning views in the world, Ireland is the place to go.
2. The Irish have the second highest per-capita consumption of beer after the Czech Republic—an average of 131.1 liters of beer per year. With famous Irish breweries like Guinness, can you blame them?
3. Ireland has one of the highest rates of church attendance in the world. Even Jesus loves the Irish!
4. The Republic of Ireland was ranked the third most tolerant nation in the world. Even though 88 percent of citizens identify as Catholic, the Irish are widely known for their acceptance of all races and sexual orientations.
5. Ireland consistently ranks within the top 20 when measuring citizens’ happiness, beating out the British, French and Italians.
6. In a 2014 CNN poll, the Irish were voted as having the seventh most desirable accent in the world.
7. Gaelic, though not widely spoken, is a beautiful and meaningful language. Nothing is quite as moving as the phrase “Cha deoch-slàint, i gun a tràghadh” (It’s no health if the glass is not emptied).
8. Kurt Cobain, Georgia O’Keeffe, Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Alfred Hitchcock, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John F. Kennedy and Tom Brady are all of Irish descent.
9. Dublin is one of the most historically rich and beautiful cities in the world. Home to literary geniuses Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw, it is one of six cities in the world to be named a UNESCO City of Literature. Dublin’s Phoenix Park is the largest park in Europe, and the city alone is reported to have over 1,000 pubs. The Guinness Storehouse, a Dublin-based icon, is one of Europe’s most visited tourist attractions.
10. We know our potatoes. Whether mashed, baked, chipped, skinned or roasted, you can thank the Irish for the beauty that is potatoes. The Irish themselves are said to eat between seven and 14 potatoes a day!
Being Irish means something different to everyone, but world-wide, the Irish know how to appreciate life. Happy Saint Patrick's Day, and sláinte!