shamrock

In Search of St. Patrick's Day
By Kellie Underhill
 
"Top of the morning to you,
and the rest of the day to yourself!"
--Traditional Irish Greeting

On March 17th we celebrate a day dedicated to the patron saint of Ireland. Combing the Internet in search of information about St. Patrick as you might imagine uncovers thousands of sites dedicated to the man and his celebration. After visiting several sites, one soon discovers several schools of thought about his time and place of birth. St. Patrick was born sometime between 373 AD and 390 AD. Some say he was born in Wales while others point to Scotland, Rome or England. The only certain thing is Patrick was not born in Ireland.

As a boy, he considered himself a pagan. It wasn't until his teenage years when he was kidnapped from his village and sold into Irish slavery that he grew closer to God. Legend says God called upon him one day in the fields and told him where to run to catch a British ship. After spending six years imprisoned as a slave, Patrick escaped and went to study in a monastery.

May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you,
May the blessings of
Saint Patrick be with you.
- Irish Blessing

He studied in the monastery 12 years before God called him again, asking Patrick to return to Ireland and convert pagans to Christianity. He travelled the Irish countryside establishing monasteries, setting up schools, building churches and winning converts. He was so good at converting pagans the Celtic Druids became upset and arrested him often, but each time he escaped.

Unsubstantiated legend and Irish folklore surround St. Patrick. Some believe he raised people from the dead. Others say he gave a sermon that drove all the snakes out of Ireland. Of course, there were never any snakes in Ireland. Some people believe snakes are a metaphor for pagans and paganism is what Patrick really drove from Ireland.

St. Patrick

One legend says that during a pilgrimage at age 50, the devil tempted him but he resisted. God then sent an angel to grant him any request as a reward for his courage. He asked God to spare the Irish the horrors of the Judgement Day and allow Patrick to judge the Irish himself. So it has come to be known that Ireland will be drowned under a sea of water seven years before the end of the world.

When St. Patrick died, Irish clans fought over which one would receive the honour of having his final resting-place on their land. So his friends slipped away with his body and buried it in a secret grave. Some people believe they buried him somewhere in Downpatrick, County Down.

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on the anniversary of his death, March 17th 461 AD.

Traditionally, the Irish observed this day as a religious holiday. Because St. Patrick's Day falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. They waived Lenten rules against eating meat and people danced, drank, and feasted on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. Right up until the 1970's Irish laws demanded pubs close for March 17th. It wasn't until 1995 that the Irish government began a national campaign, using St. Patrick's Day to drive tourism and showcase Ireland to the rest of the world. Almost one million people took part in the St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin last year. Far from its religious roots, the festival is a huge celebration with parades, concerts, outdoor theatre productions and fireworks shows.

Today, people of all backgrounds celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Canada, the United States, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Russia and other countries all over the world.

There are many images and symbols associated with St. Patrick's Day including shamrocks, Leprechauns, the Blarney Stone and the wearing of the green.

The shamrock came to be associated with St. Patrick's Day because of tales telling about how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.

Green is the colour of spring, Ireland and the shamrock. So that is why people in North America associate wearing green with St. Patrick's Day.

Leprechauns are also associated with this holiday, although they have no ties to St. Patrick himself. The Leprechaun is an Irish fairy. He looks like a little, old man and stands only about 2 feet tall. Most times he is dressed like a shoemaker, with a cocked hat and a leather apron. According to legend, leprechauns are aloof and unfriendly. They live alone and pass the time making shoes. Every Leprechaun has a hidden pot of gold and if you can catch one, he can be forced to reveal where he has hidden his treasure. They're sneaky creatures though, treasure hunters must keep their eyes on a captured Leprechaun every second. The leprechaun will try to trick you into looking away and if you do, he vanishes along with all your hopes of finding the treasure.

Near a misty stream in Ireland in the hollow of a tree
Live mystical, magical leprechauns
who are clever as can be
With their pointed ears, and turned up toes and little coats of green
The leprechauns busily make their shoes and try hard not to be seen.
Only those who really believe have seen these little elves
And if we are all believers
We can surely see for ourselves.
- Irish Blessing

The Blarney Stone is set in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the Irish village of Blarney. The Lord of Muskerry built the castle in 1446. Its walls are 18 feet thick; a necessary measure at the time in order to thwart attacks. Thousands of tourists visit the castle every year. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of blarney or persuasive eloquence. Legend says an old woman cast a spell on the stone to reward a king who saved her from drowning. Kissing the stone while under the spell gave the king the ability to speak sweetly and convincingly. It's tough to reach the stone -- it's between the main castle wall and the parapet. Kissers have to stretch to their back and bend backward (and downward), holding iron bars for support.
If you would like to know more about the legend, lore, and festivities of the Irish this day, check out www.st-patricks-day.com where you'll find everything from parades to recipes.

May those that love us, love us.
And those that don't love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if He doesn't turn their hearts,
May He turn their ankles
So we will know them by their limping.
--An Irish Toast

Kellie Underhill is the editor of Bread 'n Molasses. Her writing credits include The Moncton Times-Transcript, The Brunswick Business Journal, The Atlantic Chamber Journal and The Reader magazine. Send comments about this article to editor@breadnmolasses.com.

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