I know it's hard to believe - and I hate to break the news - but St. Patrick's Day isn't about drinking beer and partying.  Not that it matters to most Wisconsinites, since basically every holiday is about drinking beer and partying here in the badger state.

But for those who care, St. Patrick's Day in Ireland actually honors the day St. Patrick died in A.D. 493.  For Catholics in Ireland, it's a family day that starts out with church services in the morning and usually a parade in the afternoon along with a big family dinner.  I'm told it's actually on par with Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.

 Patrick O'Neill, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, says green beer isn't an Ireland thing either.  In fact, he said Irish people find adding color to beer to be "strange, to say the least."  Guinness would actually be the beverage of choice.  And as for that corned beef and cabbage dinner, that's not accurate either.  O'Neill says dinner for the big day in Ireland is more likely to consist of a lamb or beef roast served with potatoes and vegetables.

By the way, if you're looking for a Guinness twist in the kitchen, check this out.