Esoteric Irish/St. Patrick's Day Trivia

Which of the following is the chemical symbol for 'gold?'

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Ignoring the myth about St. Patrick, what's the real reason there are no wild snakes in Ireland?

• Following the last Ice Age, Ireland split off from the European land mass before Great Britain did. The snakes that recolonised Britain didn't arrive until it was too late to cross over.

• Clover releases unique chemicals into Ireland’s soil that are toxic to snakes, preventing them from establishing a population.

• Ireland’s consistently cool and damp climate creates an environment unsuitable for snakes, as they require warmer temperatures to regulate their body heat and thrive.

• Before settling in its current location, Ireland was a floating landmass that remained disconnected from surrounding continents, making it impossible for snakes to migrate there.

The production of much more pheomelanin than eumelanin in the bodies typically results in...

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According to legend, what blessing does one receive from kissing the Blarney Stone?

• The gift of eloquence

• The gift of beauty

• The gift of invisibility (but only when no one is looking at you)

• The gift of wealth

Shamrocks are clovers, and clovers are a type of...

• Grain

• Fungus

• Berry

• Flower

In the 9th Century Irish poem, who or what is "Pangur Bán?"

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From longest wavelength to shortest, what is the correct order of the 7 colors of the rainbow?

• Purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red

• Red, vermilion, orange, amber, yellow, chartreuse, green, cerulean, blue, lavender, purple

• red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo

• red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet

What was the cause of the Great Irish Potato Famine in the mid 1800s?

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What causes freckles?

• Small scars left behind after skin pores release excess heat, similar to how metal changes color when exposed to extreme temperatures.

• A buildup of iron in the skin, which oxidizes and creates dark spots over time.

• An overproduction of melanin produced by skin cells in response to UV radiation.

• A genetic mutation that makes certain skin cells produce pigment only during the night.

I have green eyes. Do I still need to wear green on St. Patrick's day if I want to avoid getting pinched?

• I should wear green regardless because it's my favorite color.

• Yes, but only because I'm not actually of Irish descent.

• No, I don't have to wear green because no one can pinch me anyway because I'm too hard to catch.

• What? Come on. Don't pinch people without their consent.