Saturday, March 7, 2009

The Shamrock

The shamrock has been used to symbolize Irish pride. The three leaves of the shamrock, it is said, was used in St. Patrick's time, to symbolize the Trinity. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as three persons in one Godhead. This is at the core of the Christian religion.
Being partly Irish by heritage, I find Irish history interesting. I read recently that St. Patrick was captured and enslaved as a young boy and taken to Ireland to tend the sheep. Eventually he made his way back home, but later in life, as a priest, came to Ireland to preach Christianity and convert the Pagans.
The Irish have many sayings, blessings, poems, authors and have given much to the world. They have long been known as having famous authors. A few are: James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, Jonathan Swift, and on and on. More recently there are the Irish dancers on tour and singing groups. Angela's Ashes is a book that people of Irish heritage should like to read.
Many of the settlers in NYC became policemen and firemen and many lives were saved by these brave men and women.
As you wear your green, eat your corned beef (or Irish bacon), and cabbage, drink the green beer and watch the parades, find something to read about Ireland and the Irish in America.