Melissa's Mess of Shamrocks

March 17

Hi there!!! Glad you stopped by my St. Patrick's page!!! I really don't know too much about this holiday, but I'm learning. I've been surfing the web trying to find out stuff about the Wearin' O' the Green and here's what I've found.

Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland

Saint Patrick wasn't even Irish! He was born around 373 A.D. either in Roman Britain or near the town of Dumbarton, Scotland. His real name was Maewyn Succat. His Gaelic family had migrated to Britain. Since Britain had become Christian, he was baptized and called Patricius. At the age of 16 he was kidnapped by pirates and was sold into slavery in Ireland. He worked there as a shepard for six years. During this time he began to have religious visions.

Patrick escaped, but returned, determined to convert the Irish to Christianity. He did missionary work in Ireland for 40 years. Some say that he used the leaves of the shamrock to explain the Trinity. Others say that the Irish wore the shamrock for it's resemblance to the Cross and that its association with the Trinity came later.

A popular misconception about St. Patrick is that he banished the snakes from Ireland. But research says there were never any snakes there TO banish. From what I understand, the Norse word for toad is "paud". When the Nordic people came to Ireland they notice that there were no toads. When they heard of a man whose name was "Paudrig" (Patrick) they thought this meant "toad-expeller". This was expanded to include snakes and thus a legend was born.

The Leprechaun

The leprechaun is an Irish fairy. He looks like a small old shoemaker. He's unfriendly and lives alone like a hermit. The sound of his shoemaker's hammer is often his undoing. If caught by a treasure hunter, he can be forced to reveal his pot of gold, but only if you can keep looking him in the eye. If you look away, he will disappear, the treasure lost to you forever. (Unless you are able to catch him again!)

The Blarney Stone

(Well, I don't have a picture of it, but here's what I've learned about it.) The Blarney Stone is a stone in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Legend has it that an old woman cast a spell on the stone to reward a king who had saved her life. Kissing the stone gave the king great oratory ability (the gift of "Blarney").

An Irish Blessing

May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow,

And may trouble avoid you wherever you go.

Another Irish Blessing

May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.

Okay, enough with the history lesson, on to the fun stuff!!

Here are some links to St. Patrick's Day fun:

Send a St. Patrick's Day card.

LOTS of St. Patrick's fun. Mazes, puzzles, clipart, coloring.

Ok, here's where I got all my St. Pat's graphics. I am NOT talented enough to create my own. Believe me the people who can make graphics have my respect. It's tough. I've tried.