You’re in Luck: St. Patrick’s Day Folklore and a Special Offer

Do you know why we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as a day of luck and good fortune? We’re pleased to share some fun facts and folklore about the luck o’ the Irish and extend a lucky charm to you: a special tuition offer.

According to history.com, St. Patrick’s Day observes of the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The holiday has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture with parades, special foods, music, dancing, drinking and plenty of green. Of course, there’s also the symbols that we now associated with St. Patrick’s Day. Here’s some history on them:

• The shamrock: The shamrock, which was also called the “seamroy” by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. By the seventeenth century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism. As the English began to seize Irish land and make laws against the use of the Irish language and the practice of Catholicism, many Irish began to wear the shamrock as a symbol of their pride in their heritage and their displeasure with English rule.
• The snake: It has long been recounted that during his mission in Ireland, St. Patrick once stood on a hilltop , and with only a wooden staff by his side, banished all the snakes from Ireland. The reality is that the island nation was never home to any snakes and the banishing was really a metaphor for the eradication of pagan ideology from Ireland and the triumph of Christianity.
• The Leprechaun: The original Irish name for these figures of folklore is “lobaircin,” meaning “small-bodied fellow.” It's likely that the leprechaun extended from the Celtic belief in fairies (tiny men and women who could use their magical powers to serve good or evil). In Celtic folktales, leprechauns were cranky souls, responsible for mending the shoes of the other fairies. Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore, leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure.

With those facts, it’s time to discover some luck of your own.

Save $50 on your next online certificate course with Knowledge Bureau.

Use code: 20LUCK

Offer expires March 17.

COPYRIGHT OWNED BY KNOWLEDGE BUREAU INC., 2020.

UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IS PROHIBITED.