The Shamrock, St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland
St. Patrick's Day is almost here! While you're gearing up to celebrate, have you ever wondered why the shamrock became one of the main symbols for both St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland? Here's a brief history of how that came about. Saint Patrick was born in Roman Britain (probably modern-day Scotland) at around 385 AD. When he was 16, he was captured and enslaved by Irish pirates, and brought to Ireland to work as a shepherd. He managed to escape, and returned to his family. He became a Roman Catholic priest and eventually a bishop. He returned to Ireland as a missionary and converted the people there to Christianity. According to Irish lore, he used the shamrock (a type of three-leaf clover) to explain the Holy Trinity. Saint Patrick died March 17, 461 AD. March 17 became a religious holiday in Ireland. In the 17th century, the Irish began wearing shamrocks in their hats while celebrating the saint’s feast day. During the 18th century, the shamrock became a symbol...
.jpg)
