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8 Bonkers Things You Learn If You Visit Dublin On St. Patrick's Day

It's not all Guinness and silly hats...

Chances are you’ve sat in a pub somewhere around the world and had a pint of Guinness to toast St Patrick. Doing it in Dublin is better. MTV headed over to Ireland's capital city to experience the lunacy firsthand.Here are8 things that you’ll learn when you celebrate St Patrick’s day in Ireland.

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1. The Parade is EVERYWHERE

No excuses not to attend! Nearly every shop front, public building and private home is draped in national pride in the lead up to the big day. Green balloons adorn the high streets and people lace the front of their houses with Irish bunting. With 500,000 people coming into the city for the day it makes sense to jazz the place up a bit.

2.The facts and the myths are one and the same

The Irish are famous for turning what could be a two word answer into a conversation that could last for days. Ask a question about St Patrick’s day or Dublin and you are guaranteed a well informed response followed up by the “real reason” something has come to be. Case in point, the brightly coloured doors dotted around the city are a feature of Georgian architecture.But really, how else are you going to know your house from a neighbour’s after 12 pints of Guinness?

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3.The Lord Mayor rides in style

There are certainly no frills when it comes to transporting the Lord Mayor of Dublin (currently Críona Ní Dhálaigh) through the St Patrick’s Day parade. She straight up Cinderella’s her way through the crowd.

4.People willdo whatever it takes to get a good vantage point

Don’t be surprised ifyou see people piggybacking statues, standing on disused telephone boxes or lounging in trees along the parade route. People wait for hours in the cold to see the razzamatazz and nothing will stop them from getting the best view.

5.You’ll feel like even more of a tourist if you don’t dress up

A green scarf and a four leafclover sticker just wont cut it for the parade. The Irish pull out all the stops for St Paddy’s day. Painting your face green, spending your month’s paycheck on a velvet green suit with top hat, or getting a full body tattoo of the Irish flag just might make the grade.

6.St Patrick’s day is not just for Ireland

St Patrick’s day is celebrated in some 300 countries across the world, and many of these take part in the parade. People and groups from around the globe apply to be part of the parade and a select few prepare for months even up to a year to be part of the prestigious walk. There are few national holidays that can boast the global reach that St Patrick’s day does. On March 17, the world turns green.

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7.Dublin is jam-packed full of young'uns

We bet you didn’t know that Dublin is the world’s youngest city. With fouruniversities and a buzzing nightlife the city has more young people than you can poke a pot'o'gold at. And they all turn out in droves for St Patrick’s day, both in the parade and beside it.

8.You will leave wishing you were born an oirishman/woman

Being in Dublin for the St Patrick’s day parade will leave you swelling with national pride for a country you weren’t even born in. If you have ever celebrated St Patrick’s day (and you’d be hard pressed to meet someone who hasn’t),there really is no better place to do it. Guinness in hand, “top of the mornin"srolling off your tongue and a guaranteed smile from start to finish -you’ll wonder why you’d never done it before. Head to Ireland.com to find out more about sorting your next Irish AF holiday.

Written by ElizabethLloyd Canvin.

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