Ireland Legends And Lore
The Irish has a rich cultural history, ranging from stories or faeries and leprechauns to the illustrious Saint Patrick who rid the famous Emerald Isle of snakes. From the religious to the ancient pagan, the legends and lore of Ireland are a fantastic way to learn more about the culture of this tiny island nation.
The shamrock, the plant with three leaves, is considered a symbol of Ireland. Saint Patrick equated the three leaves with the symbolism of the holy Christian trinity the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. This symbol was said to have mystic powers of healing and protection. No wonder, it is often carved into graves.
Green is the colour of Ireland. Its nickname Emerlald Isle is also a reflection of this.The colour green is believed to be the color of life and spring and the Irish use it to express their patriotic fervor. Ireland is full of greenery because of its wet waether, hence the name Emerald Isle.
The leprechauns are the tiny enchanted people who are a source of many a famous legends of Ireland. They are often associated with rainbows and pots of gold, because they guard the treasures from the lucky people who find the end of the rainbow. These leprechauns are little pranksters who amuse kids and grown ups alike, though some think they are troublemakers and rogues. Anyway, when you see a rainbow next time, see if you can catch the leprechaun!
The Blarney stone is a legendary rock that rests in the famous Blarney Castle. During the reign of England s Queen Elizabeth I, the reagent tried to influence the Lord of Blarney to English rule. The poor Lord did not have the gift of eloquence, and was worried about going before the ruler. A wise woman instructed the Lord to kiss the Blarney stone for the gift of gab. He kissed the stone, traveled to London, and successfully made his plea before the Queen.
The ancient Irish commemorated a holiday on 31'st of October(Hallow's eve) called Samhain. They marked it with a big feast and ritualistic bonfires. Because of their deep rooted faith in spirits, they dressed in different costumes to mislead them while returning home.
Finn McCool is famous as the friendly Goliath who guarded the Emerald Isle against any attack. Folklore are full of accounts of Finn's battle against a monstrous Scottish giant in which he took out a big chunk of earth and threw it at the Scottish giant. This created a big hole which was soon filled with water and is now known as Lough Neagh, Ireland's biggest water body.
Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland has the most popular legend attached to his name. Saint Patrick worked with the Roman Catholic Church to convert pagans to Christianity in the fifth century. He was always on the run since he had upset the Droids and was often imprisoned. He is said to have rid Ireland of snakes, as he set a curse upon the serpents, making them drown in the sea.
By: Glenda Jao
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Glenda Jao is the chief editor for F ireland, the web's premier resource for information about ireland, For more articles on ireland visit: www.folkireland.com/articles
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