(Irish Blessing)
The origins of the shamrock are lost in antiquity, but legend suggests that
it was used by St. Patrick in the fifth century to demonstrate the meaning
of the Trinity. The shamrock is found on Irish medieval tombs and on old
copper coins, known as St. Patrick's money. The plant was reputed to have
mystic powers... the leaves standing upright to warn of an approaching
storm.
It is said that Patrick had a time of it trying to convince the people he
met in Ireland to believe in the Holy Trinity. Reflecting for a moment,
Patrick plucked a shamrock from the earth, and pointed to the three leaves
on the shamrock, living proof of the Holy Trinity. Since then, the Shamrock
has become the symbol of the land of Ireland.
Only one thing is certain about the shamrock, worn by millions on St.
Patrick's Day. The word is derived from the Irish 'seamrog', meaning 'summer
plant', and it remains Ireland's most famous symbol.
A tiny wild green trefoil that comes up out of a blown-in seedpod,
uniquely on this island? or...Dutch Clover, or Wood Sorrel
The Shamrock is a fragile little plant, and doesn't keep long out of its
habitat. A fresh sprig in the morning will have dried and withered by noon,
and can look a bit limp. Recently some bright sparks have invented a little
lapel sachet in which the Shamrock is both grown and worn, and will bloom
until the last of Patrick's Pot is drunk. The Irish have had a few
difficulties translating ingenuity into gold over the last few thousand
years, but being Green wasn't one of them.
The Shamrock is not an official emblem of Ireland. That honour is reserved
for The Harp. But it is used as a popular 'national' brand by all sorts of
State Bodies and commercial concerns. Probably the most visible of these
internationally is the Irish national airline Aer Lingus, with its
heart-shaped trefoil on the tail of each plane. On St. Patrick's Day every
year, Aer Lingus flies fresh shamrock to Irish Embassies all over the globe
for their traditional National Day diplomatic parties. Irish uniformed
personnel everywhere are also presented with Shamrock to wear for the day.
In written English, the first reference to the Shamrock dates from 1571, and
in written Irish, as seamrog, from 1707. As a badge to be worn on the lapel
on the Saint's feastday, it is referred to for the first time as late as 1681.
The Shamrock was used as an emblem by the Irish Volunteers in the era
of Grattan's Parliament in the 1770's, before '98 and The Act of Union. So
rebellious did the wearing of the Shamrock eventually appear, that in Queen
Victoria's time Irish regiments were forbidden to display it. At that time
it became the custom for civilians to wear a little paper cross coloured red
and green.
As a symbol of Ireland it has long been integrated into the symbology of the
United Kingdom, along with the Rose, the Thistle and the Leek of England,
Scotland and Wales. So today, on St. Patrick's Day, a member of the British
Royal Family presents Shamrock to the Irish Guards regiment of the British
Army.
Three is Ireland's magic number. Hence the Shamrock.
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.
"Three accomplishments well regarded in Ireland: a clever verse, music on
the harp, the art of shaving faces."
