The bizarre reason Snickers bars went by an entirely different name in Ireland for years

Ever wondered where Snickers got their name from?

Made by the same brand, Mars Inc, the Snickers name actually goes back to the name of a horse which belonged to the founders of the Mars company Ethel and Frank. The story goes that the couple had invested in land and bought a 3,000 acre horse breeding farm while the then-named Mar-o-Bar company was planning on creating a new candy. They had an idea of what they wanted to do with the chocolate bar, but they had no idea what to name it – that is, until their favourite horse, Snickers, tragically died.   To pay tribute to their horse, they decided to name the new chocolate bar after him and so, Snickers was born. Snickers first appeared in stores back in 1930 and sold for just five cents across the US. Coated in milk chocolate and topped with caramel and peanuts, the bar was a hit in the States. That said, executives in the UK were initially nervous that the name of the bar could be too similar to ‘knickers’ and cause controversy durinf a more conservative time. That’s why Snickers were initially called Marathon bars in the UK and Ireland. In 1990, however, Marathon became Snickers once more and the Mars family horse of the 1930s was finally honoured again. This article originally appeared on JOE UK  Header image via Getty READ ON: - Strict restrictions on ownership or importation of dogs with cropped ears to be introduced - The 22 best private wedding venues in Ireland have been revealed - Woman gives up bridesmaid role after being hit with nearly €6k charge to be one