It’s not just because we’re all a little worn out from Lenten observances, that we want to have a little fun come March 17th! St. Patrick’s Day kicks the gloomy winter out the door and lets in lots of fun and laughter – always a good tonic for the soul! Let’s see if I can surprise you with some St. Patrick’s Day lore!
Let’s start with the man himself, St. Patrick! He had an interesting life, not quite what you might expect, but here’s the rundown on his biography:
- Was born in Scotland or Wales to Roman parents (remember they occupied Britain for a while) around 390 AD and he was named Maewyn Succat.
- His parents had converted to Christianity but he claimed to have been an atheist in his early years.
- Irish raiders attacked their home when Maewyn was just 16 and they took him back to Ireland as a slave. He lived as a slave for six years.
- Maewyn fled to England and began religious instruction progressing to the point that he became a priest and missionary. He took the name Patricius at that point, Latin for Patrick.
- Ironically, Patrick returned to Ireland around 431 AD, to begin preaching. Christianity had made a foothold at that point, but St. Patrick would be the one to bring it to full fruition.
- He taught the concept of the Holy Trinity on the leaves of a
Irish Shamrocks shamrock which has 3 leaves, unlike a clover which could have 4 leaves. Some refute this claim, but as it fits perfectly with the concept of the Holy Trinity, I’m going to let this claim stand.
- Did he drive the snakes out of Ireland? Unlikely since there were no snakes living on the island ever, according to the fossil record.
- Originally St. Patrick wore blue. In fact, back in the day, Knights of
Order of St. Patrick robes in St. Patrick’s Blue. the Order of St. Patrick wore what was called “St. Patrick’s blue.” The color green didn’t become linked to the saint until the late 18th century when the color was linked to the Irish Independence movement.
- Originally in Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day was a somber holy day without all the festivities associated with it today. Irish immigrants started hosting St. Patrick’s Day parades as a show of pride in their heritage and many years later that has become the festive, raucous celebrations we see today. In fact, today the celebration is more a secular homage to Irish culture rather than a religious event.
Foods of St. Patrick’s Day
In America, corned beef and cabbage is the staple for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. The funny thing is, the Irish never ate it back in the day. Cows were too valuable to kill so they mostly ate pork and bacon. So they’d be cooking some kind of pork dish for their St. Patrick’s Day dinners.
Some believe that in America, the Irish learned about corned beef from their Jewish neighbors. Somehow, after that, corned beef became the standard meal for this special celebration.
I have Irish friends who have told me that they never served corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day. Instead, they all make a roast beef. How the times have changed!
Irish soda bread used to be a very somber affair. It basically contained four ingredients: flour, baking soda, buttermilk, and salt. In order for the bread to be considered “lucky” the baker had to be sure to cut a cross on the top so as to “let the devil out.” That also allowed the bread to release steam so it didn’t explode. The cross was seen as warding off the devil and protecting the household.
Nowadays, bakers include some eggs, butter, raisins, seeds, and sugar in their soda bread to make it extra yummy!
Wearing of the Green
It’s no surprise to learn that wearing something green on St. Patrick’s Day will bring you good luck! But if you forget to don some green you should be aware that you might just get pinched.
Legend has it that if you wear green, Leprechauns can’t see you. So, if you don’t have any on, they’ll see you. And that’s where the mischief begins! But Leprechauns aren’t the only ones allowed to pinch people who forgot to wear some green. Yes, humans can do it too, but you probably want to be discreet where you pinch people, or you may wind up in jail!
15 Mysterious Irish Destinations
Just in case you get the urge to venture to the beautiful Emerald Isle, here’s a list of mysterious destinations that you might love to visit!
Hill of Tara: County Meath. Seat of the Celtic High Kings of Ireland. Neolithic graves lie beneath the carved landscape and the area is believed to be the entrance to a world of eternal joy.
Giant’s Causeway: County Antrim. A beautiful array of basalt columns naturally built by volcanic activity in ages past. Some think that the Irish Giants made it, and who can blame them?
Dunluce Castle: County Antrim. This medieval fortress sitting right on the ocean looks ripe for several juicy ghost tales. One says that the kitchen fell off into the sea killing the cooks whose spirits may still lurk there. Another is an English captain who was defeated there and still haunts the fortress. Yet another tells of the screams of Maeve Roe
who was locked in a tower because she didn’t want to marry a man she didn’t love. Her true love rescued her and took her away in a rowboat from the “Mermaid’s Cave” which lies under the fortress. But alas, they didn’t make it; the waves dashed their boat on the rocks.
Stone Circles: All of Ireland. The druids built stone circles all over Ireland and they are thought to be mysterious as they often line-up with the winter solstice. Sometimes human remains are buried in the circles. Despite the mysterious and somewhat melancholy nature of the stones, they blend beautifully with the lush landscape.
Glendalough: In the 6th century, St. Kevin came to the valley of the two lakes so he could live as a hermit in peace and quiet. There is still a small church there and a tower named “St. Kevin’s Kitchen,” although no food was ever cooked there. It’s a beautiful place for rest and relaxation.
Loftus Hall: County Wexford. Regular ghost tours are conducted here because of the Hall’s history and reputation. It’s said a young woman met the devil there during a card game!
Fairy Trees: Beware the lone hawthorn tree that you see in the middle of the field. Many believe these trees are home to the “wee folk.” Even the landowners won’t cut them down. Best to keep a sharp eye out for any of the wee folk that might be passing by on their way to their home, the fairy realm.
Dun Aengus: This place is a Bronze Age fort lying on the cliffs of Inishmore, which is one of the Aran Islands off the coast of Galway. People living in the area still speak Irish and keep up the old Irish traditions. It’s a beautiful place and worth seeing.
Rock of Cashel: County Tipperary. This majestic castle rises-up out of the Golden Vale, an area in County Tipperary. Legend says that the devil took a bite out of a nearby mountain and spit it out, thus creating the rock on which the castle stands. The castle dates to the Medieval period, but it’s said that St. Patrick converted the pagan King Aengus to Christianity here. It seems St. Patrick accidentally jabbed the King with the pointy end of his staff but the King took no offense; he thought it was part of the ceremony.
The Burren: County Clare. This area is strewn with limestones and ancient tombs. Some describe it as looking more like a moon-scape. One of the tombs, called Poulnabrone, is said to look like a portal to another world. Twenty-one people are buried in this grave and scientists tell us it has been used for 600 years.
Shannon Pot: County Cavan. This the area where the Shannon River, Ireland’s longest river, is born. Mountain streams flow down into it. Naturally, the area has its own mythology and is now part of the Arch Caves Global Geopark.
Charles Fort: County Cork. One of the most famous Irish ghosts lives in this fort, the White Lady of Kinsale. It seems her new husband was shot to death because he fell asleep on duty on their wedding night. Beyond consolation, the bride threw herself off the battlements. Her spirit has been roaming the fortress ever since.
Skellig Michael: County Kerry. This area is described as a “craggy island jutting out of the sea” and is so steep, it’s nearly uninhabitable. That didn’t stop Irish monks from building a monastery there, though, right on the mountain top. You can only reach the island by boat and there are 600 steps (said to be slippery) to the top. And beware – there are no facilities.
Newgrange: County Meath. Newgrange is a huge grassy mound that is actually a Stone Age passage tomb dating back 5,000 years. Scientists tell us it’s older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt. Tourists can view the inside of the passages. The tomb becomes filled with light during the winter solstice, thanks to some clever Neolithic engineering.
Round Towers: All around Ireland you’ll see round towers dotting the landscape. They date to the Medieval period but the strange thing is, there are no doors. They’re often seen around churches and monastic enclaves, and they speculate they were used as bell towers, lookouts, beacons for visitors, and a place to hide from marauders. But how did they get inside? Probably by using a ladder or rope to reach the highest opening and then pulling the ladder/rope up after them. Clever!
Do any of these places make you want to visit Ireland? What intrigues you most about this wonderful country?
Wishing all the Friends of CryptoVille a Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Stay safe and relax a bit and enjoy life again!
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References
https://worldstrides.com/blog/2017/03/9-interesting-st-patricks-day-facts/
https://www.rd.com/advice/travel/most-mysterious-sites-of-ireland/
https://www.history.com/news/st-patricks-day-myths-debunked