Do you have the luck of the Irish? Who doesn’t love the accent!
March 17th is St Patrick day! An annual celebration of the patron saint of Ireland. Usually the pubs here in sunny Portsmouth would be bursting with drinkers, celebrating the day in their own way and nursing hangovers the next morning. Not this year with the pubs closed in lock down, but I’m sure there will be many celebrating from home instead
St Patrick’s Day is the annual celebration of the patron saint of Ireland, St Patrick who is said to have died on March 17th
Myth has it that Saint Patrick was kidnapped from the UK & was brought over to Ireland in the 5thcentury aged just 16 years
St Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland and according to legend, he explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of the shamrock.
All over the world, the day is celebrated due to Irelands mass historical emigration where 2 million people were forced to leave Ireland due to the potato famine between 1845 and 1854
They travelled to the United States, the UK and Canada where the national holiday is continued to be celebrated.
According to google these are the facts!
Green is the colour of hope taken from the colour of the 4 leaf clover meaning luck when we see one. However blue was the original colour. in 1789, green become a symbol of Irish nationalism at the start of a series of rebellions against the UK, and with a growing sense Irish republicanism, it was seen as important way of distinguishing themselves from the colours of other British lands, particularly Scotland who donned a slightly darker shade of blue, and still do to this day.
Other reasons for using green are the fact that the country is often referred to as ‘The Emerald Isle’, as well as the belief that Ireland’s rolling rural landscape was simply more verdant than any other nations, and it seemed apt to adopt the colour green as a way of celebrating and illustrating typical Irish ness.
Despite the fact that green has well and truly kicked blue to the curb, there are still hints of Ireland’s past dotted around
The shamrock, which was also called the “seamroy” by the Celts was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolised the rebirth of spring. By the seventeenth century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism. As the English began to seize Irish land and make laws against the use of the Irish language and the practice of Catholicism, many Irish began to wear the shamrock as a symbol of their pride in their heritage and their displeasure with English rule
Music is often associated with St. Patrick’s Day and Irish culture in general. From ancient days of the Celts, music has always been an important part of Irish life. The Celts had an oral culture, where religion, legend and history were passed from one generation to the next by way of stories and songs.
After being conquered by the English, and forbidden to speak their own language, the Irish, like other oppressed peoples, turned to music to help them remember important events and hold on to their heritage and history. As it often stirred emotion and helped to galvanize people, music was outlawed by the English. During her reign, Queen Elizabeth 1 even decreed that all artists and pipers were to be arrested and hanged on the spot. Nice eh!
One icon of the Irish holiday is the Leprechaun. The original Irish name for these figures of folklore is “lobaircin,” meaning “small-bodied fellow.” Belief in leprechauns probably stems from Celtic belief in fairies, tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil. In Celtic folk-tales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore, leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much fabled treasure. Leprechauns have their own holiday on May 13, but are also celebrated on St. Patrick’s, with many dressing up as the wily fairies.
It has long been recounted that, during his mission in Ireland, St. Patrick once stood on a hilltop (which is now called Croagh Patrick), and with only a wooden staff by his side, banished all the snakes from Ireland.
In fact, the island nation was never home to any snakes. The “banishing of the snakes” was really a metaphor for the eradication of pagan ideology from Ireland and the triumph of Christianity Within 200 years of Patrick’s arrival, Ireland was completely Christianized.
So there you have it! I love an Irish accent and when I become Mrs Flaherty, I will have some Irish blood within me! Oh er Mrs!
The tarot card associated with luck is the Wheel of fortune. Known as the fortune card or card of destiny. When this card appears there is a positive change in the air, and lady luck is more on your side. Destiny plays a part in turning the wheel of fortune your way bringing about new opportunity, wisdom and change – offering your a chance to make some lucky breaks
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Mystic Blessings
Kate May Modern Day Mystic & Life Coach
