Be the first to wish ‘Lá an Phádraig sona’ to your friends this year (that’s ‘Happy St Patrick’s Day’ for those not fluent in Irish Gaelic) and to liven up this year by the wearing of the green. Get ready for your St Paddy’s Day party with these 5 fun shamrock facts for your friends!
Image Credit
There’s No Shamrock Plant
If you go to a flower shop and ask for a shamrock, the florist will just be confused. All shamrocks are clover plants, but not all clovers are shamrocks. The word may come from the Gaelic for ‘little clover’ but no one knows which of the hundreds of clover plants is a ‘real’ shamrock.
The Shamrock Symbolises Irish Independence
In 1798, the Irish rebelled against English rule in a short and brutally curtailed rebellion. The popular Irish ballad, ‘The Wearing Of The Green’ celebrates the rebels, who often wore shamrocks. For many years, a simple shamrock was an illegal subversive symbol.
Image Credit
St Patrick’s Teaching Tool
The humble shamrock became the valuable teaching tool of Ireland’s patron saint. When spreading Christianity in Celtic Ireland, St Patrick used the three leaves of the shamrock to teach the Celts about the Holy Trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The shamrock was loved by another saint too; Ireland’s favourite female saint, Brigid, decided to stay in Kildare when she saw the beauty of the local clover blossoms.
The Celts Loved A Good Shamrock
St Patrick seemed to have learnt a trick or two from the Celts when he arrived in Ireland. Much like soda bread keeps away hunger, and a mens Irish Aran sweater such as https://www.shamrockgift.com/mens-clothing/mens-sweaters keeps out the cold, a three leaf shamrock keeps away evil spirits. The Celts of ancient Ireland worshipped triple deities such as Morrígan, and the shamrock may have been used as their sign long before Christianity came to Irish shores.
The Shamrock Belongs to Summer, Not Spring
On a visit to Ireland, you’ll see clovers growing and flowering all throughout the summer months. The word shamrock comes from the Irish Gaelic ‘seamrog’ which means ‘summer plant’. They’re a beautiful addition to any garden and a much loved treat for bees and butterflies. Bees can make tasty honey from clover flowers, so better get planting!