Why should it matter if I'm a guest? Are guests not allowed to discuss something like this at Mudcat, because of the sad state of affairs in Northern Ireland (and the tendency of certain Mudcat MEMBERS to get in flame wars over it?)

I should have added to my last post at 01:36 PM, that there was even a report of this wearing of the orange phenomenon in the news reports locally here in the Twin Cities, along with the requisite "St Paddy's Day bar interview" of people wearing orange in a Minneapolis bar.

Just seems that in the last few years, there has been a rise in this practice, and that there certainly is folklore about orange being a taboo color on St. Patrick's Day.

So, is this a common thing? I doubt it. Is it rooted in popular mythology and lore surrounding the holiday? Absolutely--as much as the pinching someone who isn't wearing green (which is where this started for me today--see the other St Paddy's thread with contributions by Azizi about this) is, at least.