St. Patrick was a Christian missionary who converted Ireland from paganism. He lived from the late 4th century A.D. to the mid 5th century A.D.
The legend says that St. Patrick miraculously drove (snakes)
from Ireland by banging a drum . The snakes may represent paganism, driven out of Ireland.
To explain the doctrine of the Trinity, St. Patrick compared a (shamrock) (similar to a three-leaf clover) with its three leaves to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost combined to make the holy Trinity. From that time the shamrock has been the symbol of the land. Irishmen wear it in their hats on the saint's day.
March 17th is the anniversary of the death of Saint Patrick. In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is a holy, religious time with praying, singing and dancing.
Saint Patrick's Day has been celebrated in the United States since the middle of the eighteenth century.
Ireland's nickname is "The Emerald Isle" because
the grass on the hills is so green. Everyone wears the colour green on St.
Patrick's Day to honour The Emerald Isle. Some of the biggest St. Patrick's Day
parades are in Chicago, Illinois, New York City, and Savannah, Georgia. The
city of Chicago celebrate by colouring their river green!
The (leprechan) is
Ireland's national fairy. Leprechauns are represented as shoemakers and are
often drunk. They are guardians of ancient treasures left by the Danes and keep
gold coins in pots that they hide at the end of a (rainbow). If you catch
a leprechaun, he will promise you (pots of gold) if you
let him go free. The (Blarney Stone) is a
stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the Irish village of
Blarney. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of
persuasive eloquence. It is difficult because you must lie down on your back
and bend your head backwards and downwards