Irish Trivia Quiz for St. Patrick’s Day Bar Games and Contests

We are lucky this year to have St. Patrick’s Day arriving on a Saturday. Chances are you may find yourself celebrating the Irish holiday in your favorite bar, tavern or saloon. If want to kick-start the party, try out these 20 questions of Irish trivia. Topics run the gamut from history to pop culture and test your knowledge of all things Irish. They can be used to set up spirited bar games and contests. You can form teams or let anyone shout out the answers. Have awards for the winners or make the losers buy a round for the house. Be as formal or as raucous as you want. The choice is yours on how to play. May the luck of the Irish be with you.

Questions:

1. What are the names of the members of the Irish rock band U2?

2. What does “Erin go bragh” mean? (For extra credit: What language is it?)

3. What is the alternative title of the song “Danny Boy”?

4. What are the colors of the flag of Ireland?

5. What were the shapes of the marshmallow pieces in the original Lucky Charms cereal? (For extra credit: What does the leprechaun say as a sales pitch for the cereal?)

6. In the song “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,” what can you hear in the lilt of Irish laughter?

7. Notre Dame derives from what language?

8. What is the name of the Irish priest depicted by Spencer Tracy in the 1938 classic movie “Boys Town? (For extra credit: What is the Boys Town motto?)

9. Before baking Irish soda bread, why is a cross traditionally slashed in the top of the loaf?

10. What is the minimum number of years that Irish whiskey is aged?

11. What Irish singer tore up a picture of the Pope on live television?

12. In Irish folklore, what is the traditional profession of a leprechaun?

13. In the song “I’m Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover,” what does the fourth leaf represent?

14. In early television commercials for Irish Spring soap, a woman expresses her approval of the product by saying what phrase?

15. Movie idol Clark Gable was miscast in a 1936 movie portraying what Irish patriot?

16. What is the historical root definition of the word “whiskey”?

17. What type of meat goes into a traditional Irish stew?

18. What is the title of the final novel by Irish writer James Joyce which is known for its experimental language and free associations?

19. Where would you start looking for Irish moss?

20. What were the years of the Irish potato famine?

Answers:

1. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr.

2. Ireland forever. (Extra credit answer: Gaelic.)

3. Londonderry Air. The lyrics were written by an English lawyer named Fred Weatherly to a traditional tune.

4. Green representing Roman Catholics, orange representing Protestants and white in between representing living together in peace.

5. Hearts, moons, stars and clovers. Shapes added to later versions of the cereal included horseshoes, pots of gold, rainbows and red balloons. (Extra credit answer: “They’re always after ‘me Lucky Charms.” Or, “They’re magically delicious.”)

6. You can hear the angels sing. The lyrics are: “When Irish eyes are smiling, sure ’tis like the morn in spring. In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing. When Irish hearts are happy, all the world seems bright and gay. And when Irish eyes are smiling, sure they steal your heart away.”

7. French. Notre Dame means “Our Lady” in French.

8. Father Flanagan. (Extra credit answer: “There is no such thing as a bad boy.”)

9. To scare away the devil.

10. Four. The usual distilling age is 7 to 8 years. Premium Irish whiskies are aged many more years.

11. Sinead O’Connor.

12. A cobbler or shoemaker.

13. Somebody I adore. The lyrics are: “I’m looking over a four-leaf clover that I overlooked before. One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain, third is the roses that grow in the lane. No need explaining, the one remaining is somebody I adore. I’m looking over a four-leaf clover that I overlooked before.”

14. “Manly, yes, but I like it too.”

15. Charles Parnell in a movie titled “Parnell.

16. Water of life. It is a shortened version of the Irish word uisgebeatha. Uisge means water and beatha means life.

17. Lamb or mutton chops.

18. Finnegans Wake.

19. In the water. It is a seaweed found along the west coast of Ireland. Also called carrageen, it is used as a thickener in puddings, soups, ice creams, cosmetics and medicines.

20. 1845 to 1849.