Saint of the Emerald Isle
St. Patrick is remembered for driving the snakes out of Erin, but there’s so much more! How about the national dance (Irish jig), fun-filled limericks and jocularity credited to all Irish celebrations, most notably St. Patrick’s Day.
One legend that surrounds St. Patrick is that he used the shamrock to teach about the Trinity — the stem represented the divine nature, and three leaves the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This resulted in the custom called “the wearing of the green.” By the 17th Century Irish Catholics wore shamrocks on their lapels when they celebrated the feast of St. Patrick.
The first St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated in Boston in 1737, and today it is celebrated in such countries as Japan and Russia.
Originally corned beef and cabbage was the traditional meal served on Easter Sunday in rural Ireland. It was meat that could be preserved during the winter.
Patrick did missionary work in Ireland for 30 years with remarkable success — he is credited with its entire Christian conversion.
For her first day in the White House, former First Lady Michelle Obama, a native of Chicago, requested the water of the fountains at the White House be dyed green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Wonder what color green it is today?
This writer of French-Irish descent wrote a contemporary limerick for your jocularity:
All dancing ladies publicly celebrating
The revered saint’s events
Should take care their skirts are short enough
To display their wee knee wiggles,
But long enough to hide their “lucky charms.”
To all, have an emerald green day!
Thane Cornell
Carson City