St Patrick's Day and the Shamrock Plant - Forever Entwined

Both St Patrick's Day and the shamrock plant are(God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
instantly recognised the world over as a kind ofGhost) but remained one God.
shorthand for Ireland. But just how did the feastAs the Celts converted, Patrick became greatly
of a 5th-century missionary and the ratherrevered and many legends attached to his name,
humble looking clover leaf achieve such status?even during his lifetime. It is likely that very soon
It all dates back to the Celts who lived on theafter his death, his anniversary - 17 March - was
remote far-western fringes of Europebeing remembered and celebrated as a Holy Day
(modern-day Scotland, Wales, Ireland, SW Englandby his followers, and in time, he was officially
and NW France) from about 300 BC. These earlyrecognised as patron saint of Ireland.
Celts attached great symbolic importance toHoly Days, even back in the medieval period,
certain numbers, and the most sacred andwere occasions for music, dance and drinking....
magical of all was number 3. Even their societyafter prayers, of course. But it was only on St
was organised in threes; they had three classes,Patrick's Day that the shamrock was worn on the
subdivided into threes, and their religious beliefslapel or hat band.
focussed on three main god and many lesserThis custom, and the festivities that accompany
triple divinities.Ireland's special day, were taken to all corners of
No one knows exactly where and when this beliefthe globe with wave after wave of Irish
in the mystical power of 3 originated, but theemigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries. They
young priest, Patrick, having previously spent sixcontinue in the slightly different form of parades
years in Ireland as a slave, would have been welland marches in many of the great cities of the
aware of this Celtic idiosyncrasy and predilectionworld. Surprisingly, though, the first St Patrick's
for the number when he returned to Ireland as aDay parade was held not in Ireland but in the USA
missionary in about AD 430.when, in 1762, Irish soldiers marched to music
This is when the shamrock plant enters the story.through the streets of New York.
Its name comes from the Irish word 'seanrog'The shamrock plant, forever entwined with the
meaning 'young clover' but there is nothingstory of Ireland's patron saint, went on to
especially Irish about it (it grows in manybecome the classic symbol of St Patrick's Day
countries). However, with its three leaves peraround the world. Whether painted in green
stem, it was guaranteed to attract the attentionmake-up on the cheek or adorning the lapel as a
of the Celts when, according to legend, Saintfresh sprig grown in the Emerald Isle, the
Patrick used it to illustrate the Christian concept ofshamrock is the badge of Ireland and a symbol of
the Trinity ie how one God divided into threepride to all of Irish heritage.