While many of us associate one thing and one thing only with St. Patrick’s Day, the holiday actually encompasses many more quirky traditions that do not include fermented beverages. Check out how some of these festive customs came to be!
The Shamrock
In ancient Ireland, the shamrock, often referred to today as the clover, was the symbol of the rebirth of spring and, therefore, considered a sacred plant. Later, during England’s colonization of Ireland, the Irish wore the shamrock to symbolize their Irish pride and resistance of English rule. And, perhaps most importantly, St. Patrick used the shamrock in his teachings of Catholicism (he used it as a symbol of the Holy Trinity).
Wearing Green
Believe it or not, blue was actually first associated with St. Patrick’s Day! However, the transition to green may be attributed to Ireland’s reputation as “The Emerald Isle,” the green in the Irish flag, or the shamrock St. Patrick used to preach the Catholic faith. (The color is also said to make you invisible to leprechauns!)
The Leprechaun
Originally called the “lobaircin” (meaning “small-bodied fellow”) in Celtic folklore, the leprechaun was merely a fabled fairy-like man characterized by grumpiness and deception used to protect his treasure. The leprechaun was never associated with the St. Patrick or St. Patrick’s Day until a 1959 Disney movie titled Darby O’Gill and the Little People illustrated leprechauns as friendly and kind – linking them from then on to both the holiday and Irish culture.
Corned Beef and Cabbage
The cabbage is the only traditional part of this “customary” St. Patrick’s Day meal. Corned beef is actually a relatively recent addition to the St. Patrick’s Day spread. The two only began to be associated with each other in the early 1900s when Irish immigrants substituted corned beef for the more traditional Irish bacon in order to save money.
Sources:
http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day-symbols-and-traditions
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/15/st-patricks-day_n_1348003.html
Photo Sources:
http://www.holidayinsights.com/stpat/shamrock.htm
http://ferrebeekeeper.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/leprechaun-mascots/