In two recent movies, men who were down and out found comfort in a bottle of Irish Whiskey.

Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges as country singer Bad Blake has a taste for McClure's Irish Whiskey in "Crazy Heart." Richard Gere in "Brooklyn's Finest" keeps a bottle of Irish whiskey close to his bed right next to his gun.

American's enjoy Irish coffee, that's coffee with an Irish twist, usually Bailey's, and of course, who hasn't heard of (or indulged in) Ireland's traditional favorite beer, Guinness stout.

In the food category, Americans associate potatoes with the Irish because of the potato blight in Ireland that forced many Irish to leave their homeland for the United States in the mid-1800s. The Irish also get credit for corned beef and cabbage, but to many Irish, that dish is what pizza is like to Italians.

Although it's become an American tradition to eat corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day, it isn't the national dish of Ireland. That designation goes to Irish Stew, a hearty dish of mutton, potatoes and onions.

But whatever you eat to mark St. Patrick's Day, just avoid the green beer if you want to be authentic. After all, there's nothing particularly Irish about cheap American lager or green food dye.