A global survey from Guinness, the world’s number one stout, released today reveals that going out with friends and sharing a beer is one of the reasons that 80 per cent of people see the day as being so friendly, and 77 per cent believe it’s a great day to visit your local pub with friends. And if you are a bit fed up with the friends you’ve got, then over half (64 per cent) say it’s the best day for getting out there and making new friends and talking to new people (57 per cent).
A day to celebrate Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day is a day that brings people together, not only in Ireland, but around the world. According to Ireland’s Census Bureau, there are over 80 million Irishmen (and women) world-wide, yet only 4.2 million inhabit Ireland.
This means over 90 per cent of the world’s Irish population lives somewhere else and celebrates their heritage locally on St. Patrick’s Day. With Irish Spirit spanning the globe, the survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of Guinness, found that St. Patrick’s Day can bring out the best in us. One in five say that for them it’s the one day of the year when people actually greet you with a smile – so make sure to check your teeth in the mirror before heading out to your local pub or opt to send a Guinness to a stranger at the bar with a smiley face in the creamy head. Because according to the survey, St. Patrick’s Day is a day of the year that people make a special effort to be nice to those they don’t know (19 per cent).
Among those celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, 80 per cent agree it’s a day that makes them cheerful and happy. It’s a day that people loosen up and have fun (49 per cent) with music (35 per cent) and the atmosphere in the bars and on the streets (82 per cent) all contributing to making the day great.
Guinness estimates that at least 10 million glasses will be drunk on St. Patrick’s Day globally, that’s more than 100 glasses every second. A testament to the Irish heritage of the Guinness brand, the majority of respondents (78 per cent) chose Guinness as the drink most associated with the day.
