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The Shamrock
There's a dear little plant that grows in our isle,
'Twas Saint Patrick himself, sure, that set it;
And the sun on his labour with pleasure did smile,
And with dew from his eye often wet it
It grows through the bog, through the brake, through the mireland
And they call it the dear little Shamrock of Ireland
(Irish Blessing)
Three is Ireland's magic number. Hence the Shamrock.
Crone, Mother and Virgin.
Love, Valour and Wit..
Faith, Hope and Charity.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Numbers played an important role in Celtic symbolism.
Three was the most sacred and magical number.
It multiplies to nine, which is sacred to Brigid.
Three may have signified totality:
past, present and future
behind, before and here
sky, earth and underworld.
Everything good in Ireland comes in threes.
The rhythm of story telling in the Irish tradition
is based on threefold repetition. This achieves
both intensification and exaggeration. Even today
in quality pub talk, a raconteur can rarely resist a
third adjective, especially if it means stretching a point.
What's good luck on Saint Patrick's Day?:
Finding a four-leaf clover
(that's double the good luck it usually is).
What do you get if you cross poison ivy with a four-leaf clover?
Pick a Shamrock for your own
Wearing green.
(School children have started a little tradition of their own --
they pinch classmates who don't wear green on this holiday).
Kissing the blarney stone.
An Irish blessing to take with you today:
May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow
And may trouble avoid you wherever you go.
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