Mystic St. Patrick's Day

Shamrock Irish Symbols

The Harp

Irish Harp

The harp, of the small portable type played by Celtic minstrels, is the oldest official symbol of Ireland. Through not as recognizable as the shamrock, the harp is widely used. It appears on Irish coins, the presidential flag, state seals, uniforms, and official documents. But the harp is most often associated with Guinness, which adopted the harp as its trademark in 1862.

Shamrock

The Shamrock

The shamrock is undoubtedly the most identifiable symbol of Ireland. Shamrock comes from the Irish Gaelic word Seamrog, a word that refers to the plant's three leaves. Legend has it that during a religious debate with the Druid priests, St. Patrick plucked a shamrock to demonstrate the mysteries of the Christian Trinity--three leaves held together by a single stem. Whether or not this story is true, the shamrock is regarded as the national plant of Ireland and always worn on St. Patrick's Day.

Shamrock

The Irish Flag

The Irish tricolor flag made its debut in 1848. It was based on the French tricolor; however, the colors were altogether Irish. One outside band was made green, the color that had long been used as a symbol of the Catholic majority. The other outside band, a stripe of orange, was chosen to represent the Protestant minority. And the middle band of white represented their unity. This flag is not the flag of the Republic of Ireland, which is also tricolor, but rather the flag that represents all of Ireland.

Irish Mystic Charms, Spells, and Incantations
Charms and invocations have been used in Ireland for centuries since the time of the Druids. These mystic formulas have come down to them through centuries of tradition; nobody would venture to laugh at them, or an evil fate would certainly fall on the scorner. For, above all things, fervent faith is necessary while the mystic words are uttered, or the charm will not work for good.

Place two keys on a sieve, in the form of a cross. Two men hold the sieve, while a third makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of the suspected party, and calls out his name loudly, three times over. If innocent, the keys remain stationary; but if guility, the keys revolve slowly round the sieve, and then there is no doubt as to who is the thief.

For Safety

For Barrenness

To Tame a Horse

To Attract Bees

To Extract a Thorn

To Find Stolen Goods