St. Patrick's Day
is one of the most globally celebrated Saints days.
Across the world, there are
green festivities on March 17th,
as far and wide as Japan, Argentina, and Russia.
St. Patrick's Day is widely celebrated
for a number of reasons.
The most significant being Irish mass-migration.
There are approximately 70 million
people on Earth with Irish blood.
Emigration has been part of Irish history
since at least the Middle Ages.
But it peaked during the Irish famine of the 1840s.
A quarter of the population left seeking new lives,
mostly in America, the United Kingdom,
Canada, and Australia.
Surprisingly, St. Patrick's day,
as we've come to know it, was invented in America.
In 1762, Irish soldiers marched through New York City,
beginning the traditional St. Patrick's day parade.
Today, parades are held in many different countries
with revelers downing 13 million pints of Guinness.
But there's another secret to the
success of St. Patrick's day.
Irish pubs.
It's estimated there are 8,500 Irish pubs around the world,
from Nepal, to Dubai, and even Mongolia.
The deluge of drinking establishments is thanks,
in part, to Guinness, who in the 1990s began exporting
its concept of the Irish pub around the world,
providing designs and advice to aspiring publicans.
And, if they wanted it, even shipping them a pre-built bar.
In the past 25 years, Guinness has helped
open pubs in more than 150 countries around the globe.
The Irish government is trying to capitalize
on the country's growing fame.
This year, its ministers will travel
to over 50 different nations and cities
to promote their country.
And it's working.
Brand Ireland is now one of the
fastest growing nation brands in the world.
Sláinte!