Mental Floss

Lucky Group of the Week

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Luck of the Irish
Luck of the Irish /

Every other week, we'll offer a special discount to a different group of flossers. If you don't qualify this time, don't worry a bit, because we'll most certainly get to you sooner or later. To kick things off, we're looking for people with Irish connections. Do you have ancestors from Dublin? Are you red-haired and freckle-faced? Do you use the word "wee" a lot? Does your last name begin with O'? Have you ever found a four-leaf clover? Is Lucky Charms your favorite cold cereal? (And if so, do you eat all the oat bits first and save the marshmallows for a huge sugar-buzz at the end of the bowl?)

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, feel free to comment below and let us know what your connection is to the Eire. Then mosey on over to the mental_floss store and enjoy 10 percent off almost everything! (Only bundled items are excluded, and they're already offered at bargain prices.) Use the coupon code "luckoftheirish" to save, but hurry; this offer ends Sunday, March 22 at 11:59 PM Eastern.

Enjoy the Irish facts that follow... and may St. Patrick always be at your side!

Lucky Group of the Week: The Irish!

  • The average adult citizen of Ireland consumes more than three times his or her weight in tea every year, more than any other nation on Earth.
     
  • When John F. Kennedy was sworn in as president in 1961, he placed his hand on a 19th-century Bible that his ancestors brought with them when they immigrated from Ireland. Both his mother and father were direct descendants of Irish immigrants. JFK became the first president to officially visit Ireland in June 1963.
     
  • In 1972, "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" became the first single released by Paul McCartney's "new" band, Wings. The song naturally reached the top spot in Ireland, but was banned by all official U.K. radio outlets. Even still, the song broke into the British Top-20.
     
  • In August 2008, Irish mountain climber Gerard McDonnell became the poster boy for the phrase "fame is fleeting." He'd just become the first Irishman to scale K2, the world's second-tallest mountain. He was trapped and killed by an avalanche on his descent, just a few hours after reaching the summit.