This St. Patrick's Day Wear Green And Stay Informed With These Fun Facts
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

This St. Patrick's Day Wear Green And Stay Informed With These Fun Facts

Don't just wear green, instead, know what it's all about!

604
This St. Patrick's Day Wear Green And Stay Informed With These Fun Facts
Pexels

On March 17th it'll be the day where we see green everywhere because it's St. Patrick's Day. We try to at least wear green earnings or a green shirt to avoid getting pinched. But, St. Patrick's Day is more than just wearing green.

Do you know why we celebrate Saint Patrick and what he did? Ever wondered why some people say "kiss me, I'm Irish" or what's the difference between a shamrock and a clover? Keep reading for some fun facts you must know about the holiday!

Who was Saint Patrick?

Saint Patrick was a Christian Missionary born in England by the end of the fourth century. His name was Maewyn Succat but switched to Patricius or Patrick when he became a priest.

At the age of 16, he was taken prisoner and brought to Ireland as a slave. There, he had a revelation from God. While asleep, God appeared in his dream and told him to leave Ireland. This led him to escape after six years and returned to England at 22.

He walked 200 miles and finally arrived home again. Here, he had another revelation. An angel spoke to him through a dream. The angel told him to become a missionary and return to Ireland. Determined to fulfill God's message, Saint Patrick attended a religious training and eventually became a priest.

Once in Ireland, he built churches, traveled the country and preached the Gospel along his disciples. He obeyed God's will and always kept spreading the message of Christianity. He is now known as the patron of Ireland and is an important Christian figure.

A myth about Saint Patrick is that he banished all snakes from Ireland. However, it is believed that there were never snakes in this country since it is surrounded by cold water, making it impossible for snakes to migrate. Metaphorically, this myth means that Saint Patrick actually expelled the evil (symbolized by snakes) from Ireland and brought a new message.

He died on March 17th, 461, at Saul, where he built the first church in Ireland.

Shamrocks and clovers are not the same

The iconic shamrock was used by Saint Patrick to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish people. It has three leaves, which symbolized the Holy Trinity: the first one meaning the Father; the second, the Son and the third, the Holy Spirit.

In Ireland, the shamrock is now a national symbol thanks to Saint Patrick. The word shamrock means "little or young clover" and comes from the Irish word "Seamrog."

However, keep your eyes open for four-leaf clovers. These are actually really hard to find since they are less common than shamrocks.

The first three leaves represent faith, hope and love; while the fourth one symbolizes luck. This is why it is believed these will bring you luck in St. Patrick's day!

The legend of the leprechauns

And who are those two feet tall shoemakers dressed in green? Leprechauns! These mythical creatures are Irish fairies. Their tales were passed down through generations and are very popular during St. Patrick's Day.

It is believed that leprechauns have their own pot of gold that can be found at the end of a rainbow. Also, according to an Irish legend, if you capture a leprechaun, he will grant you three wishes. But be careful! Leprechauns can be very tricky when dealing with them.

They used to wear red clothing, but it switched to green in the 20th Century when the color began to be related with Ireland. It is also believed that green would help them blend in the green Irish valleys and hide.

It is also said that wearing green would make you invisible to the leprechauns. These fairies would pinch all those who were not wearing the color. Nowadays, this is a popular tradition: we wear green on St. Patrick's Day to avoid getting pinched!

Before green there was... blue!

The color that predominates the most in St. Patrick's Day is definitely green. We see people wearing green, leprechauns in green, shamrocks and clovers which are green... even the Chicago River gets dyed green!

But, did you know it wasn't always green? The Order of Saint Patrick was founded in 1783. A light blue was chosen for it to differentiate it with the Order of the Garter's dark blue, and the Order of the Thistle's green. Saint Patrick can actually be seen wearing blue in his first representations.

Blue was switched to green for several reasons. One is due to Ireland's nickname being The Emerald Isle due to its green hills. Ireland's flag was also an influence on this shift. The green stripe represents the Catholic Irish; the orange, the Protestants; and the white, the peace between these both. The shamrocks are also coincidentally green as well.

"Kiss me, I'm Irish"

Have you heard this saying before? Well, it all goes back to Ireland's Blarney Stone, located on the top of Blarney Castle. It was built over 500 years ago. If you kiss the stone, it promises to prosper you with eloquence and persuasiveness.

One legend suggests that Cormac Laidir McCarthy, the builder of the castle, was in the middle of a lawsuit. He reached out to the Goddess of love and beauty, Clíodhna, who told him to kiss the stone before going to court. Once he did, he won the case. And because of this, he took the stone to his castle.

Another legend recounts Queen Elizabeth I requesting the land rights from the Lord of Blarny, Cormac Teige McCarthy. Cormac wanted to keep his rights but was worried since he was not the greatest at persuading. He encountered an older woman who told him that if he kissed the stone, it would grant him clear and eloquent speech. After he did so, he convinced the Queen and kept his territory.

Even Winston Churchill, who was a great orator, kissed the stone. But instead of traveling to Ireland, some people will say "kiss me, I'm Irish" to save you the whole trip!

So now you know the great meaning of the holiday. But still, remember to wear something green, if not... you'll get pinched! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71127
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132914
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments