Patrick was first brought to Ireland from Britain as a slave. It was during his [...]]]> The Shamrock (Unofficial) Symbol of Ireland

The Shamrock and St. Patrick - The Shamrock grows in Ireland and is easily recognisable by its three heart shaped leaves. The shamrocks worldwide fame is directly linked to Irelands patron saint, St. Patrick.

Patrick was first brought to Ireland from Britain as a slave. It was during his time working as a pig farmer under his uncaring master that he turned to God for comfort and company. He prayed day and night, as we worked, as he ate, in everything he did. Then, one day, God spoke to Patrick and told him of a ship that was anchored near by. With God’s guidance Patrick managed to gain access to the ship and make good his escape from Ireland and slavery.

Patrick fled to a monastery in France and devoted his life to God. However, God had other plans for Patrick and in time he spoke to Patrick and told him to return to Ireland and to preach Christianity to Irish people. So, as a missionary Patrick returned to Ireland and brought Christianity to the pagan Irish.

It was during his efforts to convince the Irish of the power of the One God that Patrick first employed the use of the modest Shamrock. The pagan Irish had many Gods that they revered and Patrick had a tough time convincing them that his God could be more powerful than several Gods. It was on one such occasion while trying to argue his case with an Irish tribal chief and his people that Patrick spotted a clump of Shamrock growing near by. Pinching a single Shamrock from the ground he explained that God was, in essence, similar to a shamrock. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost were each represented by one of the three leafs on the Shamrock. Just like the three leaves, distinctly separate for each other, combined they made up the whole shamrock. So too did the three separate entities of God make up the one Almighty God.

Well this must have appealed to the Celtic Irish who respected nature and power. Imagine a God that was actually made up of three Gods! Almighty indeed. In typical Celtic manner, the Irish quickly adopted this new God into their belief system. Since that day, the uniquely Irish Shamrock has a place in the hearts and minds of the Irish for evermore.
Modern Popularity Of The Shamrock

There is a little more to say on the Shamrock’s modern popularity as a symbol of all things Irish. A long time after St. Patrick’s work had been done the Shamrock was put on the world stage and became an internationally recognised symbol of Ireland.

After the establishment of the Irish Republic in 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland, and the Irish Civil War; Irelands first Taoiseach Eamon deValera looked for ways to quickly establish a unique Irish identity for the nation. The Shamrock and Harp were brought to the fore as symbols of Ireland and the Irish people. This was done more so to help focus the Irish people on their rich culture and heritage than for the world at large. The Irish emigrants brought this national symbol with them as ‘they spread their grey wing upon every tide’, making the humble Shamrock the internationally recognised symbol of Ireland that it is today.

So, on this St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th) make sure you join in the festivities with “the wearing of the green” and remember the humble origins of the famous Irish Shamrock.

Copyright © Peter McCormack, www.Our-Ireland.com

The history of St Patricks Day, which started out as a Holy Day for the Irish Catholics in the 10th or 11th century, goes all the way back to the late 3rd century when a small boy was born in Roman England by the name of Maewyn.

Maewyn and his [...]]]> Saint Patrick

By Niall Cinneide

The history of St Patricks Day, which started out as a Holy Day for the Irish Catholics in the 10th or 11th century, goes all the way back to the late 3rd century when a small boy was born in Roman England by the name of Maewyn.

Maewyn and his family lived in a small town where his father was a soldier in the army, and a member of the town government. Some accounts say that Maewyn was an agnostic and some say that his family was Christian, but weren’t very strong in their faith. Either way, it doesn’t really matter because it was what happened later in his life that gained him his notoriety.

When Maewyn was only 16, there was a raid on his village from Ireland, in the Irish Sea. They captured Maewyn and many of the villagers, and took them back to Ireland as servants and slaves for the local Irish.

It was here in captivity that it is reported that Maewyn accepted God, and began to talk to him. In fact, legend has it that he often spoke to God in prayer up to one hundred times a day. And Maewyn was under the authority of a Celtic family, so he learned the Celtic language and how to speak it fluently. Six years later, when he was 22, Maewyn escaped from his servitude, and ran to France. There he joined a monastery and under the direction of the Bishop of France, he studied the Bible. It was this Bishop who gave him the name Patrick. Legend has it that while Patrick was here in the monastery, he heard angels calling him back to Ireland.

After spending 12 years in the study of theology and Catholic Laws, he departed and went to Ireland to preach to a heathen nation. He spent 30 years in evangelistic and missionary work across the land. He won many converts over, healed people, and it was even said that he raised some people from the dead. Everywhere he went he announced God, and he built many schools and churches to help promote the Catholic religion. Legend has it that angels followed him everywhere, and even told him where and how to go.

After 30 years of missionary work, he died on March 17th. This is the day that has gone down in history as St. Patrick’s Day, for the patron saint of Ireland.

St. Patrick’s Day today has grown into much more than just a Holy Day for Catholics. Strict Catholics around the world though do remember St Patrick, usually in an early Mass on March 17th. But everyone joins in as a celebration of St. Patrick’s Day and becomes Irish for the day. It has now become a celebration of spring with parades special Irish meals, green tinted drinks and beer, etc. “The wearing of the green” and the Leprechaun have come about over the years to be Good Luck and prosperity to all and everything green typically represents the turning to spring – green is the color of life.

So, with one day to be Irish, take advantage, and have a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day.

Related: Find out How The Shamrock Became A Symbol Of Ireland.

Niall Cinneide loves to celebrate St Patricks Day. He publishes views, information and St Patricks Day News at St Patricks Information.

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