Dublin - Have you ever stopped to wonder why the shamrock is the symbol of Ireland or why Celtic cross looks as it does?
Do you know the reason why there are no snakes in the whole of the Emerald Isle? Or how the Irish ditched their pagan ways and took Christianity onboard.
Yes, there’s much for the Irish to be thankful for. And it’s all down to one man – the patron saint of Ireland – Saint Patrick.
Legend has it that a young Patrick (he wasn’t even Irish but was born in Britain) was captured by Irish pirates when he was 16 years old. He spent six years in slavery, working on a sheep farm in the chilly Irish countryside before escaping and making his way back home. During his time as a slave he found God and vowed to return to Ireland and convert the pagan Celts to Christianity. And he spent the rest of his life doing this.
So where does the shamrock fit in? Undeniably this little plant is an ubiquitous symbol of the luck of the Irish and thus Ireland itself. And it is said Patrick used this three-leaved clover to explain the Holy Trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost to the heathens and converted them to Christianity.
And the snakes? It is true that Ireland is not home to any known snake species and the only place you’re likely to find one is in a zoo or a pet shop. So what is the connection? According to written texts which are very subjective it is said that Saint Patrick chased all the snakes out of Ireland. Realistically Ireland does not have the climate to support snakes who are cold blooded reptiles. The accepted theory is the snakes represent evil and paganism and by ‘driving them out’ Saint Patrick freed this island from them.
Celtic crosses are yet another nod by Saint Patrick to the pagan past of Ireland. The design incorporates the sun, worshipped by pagans, and intricate Celtic symbols representing a union combining elements of Christianity and Paganism for the new converts.
And the fifth thing you didn’t know about Saint Patrick? He is credited with inventing the Leap Year tradition.
According to tradition an Irish nun was frustrated that women could not propose to men. After taking her concerns to Saint Patrick his solution was that women should be able to, but only on the 29th of February. Believe it or not?
Saint Patrick is such a big deal to the Irish that he even has his very own celebration day. Come March 17 every year people of Irish decent all over the world (and Ireland in particular) spend this day celebrating his life and all that he brought to Ireland. On this day there are parades, parties, green Guinness, people dressed as leprechauns and lots of general merriment.
If you want to join in the fun and discover why the world goes crazy for everything green on March 17, there’s no better place to celebrate than in Ireland.
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IOL, adapted from a press release.