Why do we wear green?

Until the 19th century, blue was the common color found with Saint Patrick. The color green became a symbol for Ireland because of its abundant green landscape. The color has become a national color of Ireland and is thought to bring luck to those who wear it. On Saint Patrick's Day, Irish children began the tradition of pinching those who forgot to wear green. So be sure to not forget your green on March 17th!!

Why do we see shamrocks??

As Saint Patrick tried to teach the Irish about God and the Trinity, he picked up a shamrock. He explianed that the 3 leaves on the shamrock are like the 3 parts of the trinity: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost. The stem, Patrick explianed, stood for God, who is the beginning of all creation. This visual representaion of the trinity helped the Irish to know and understand God. People began to wear shamrocks on their clothes as a symbol of their Christianity.

Ireland: Land of the Irish!

It is believed that people began living in the land that is now Ireland around 6000 BC. This was primarily a pagan country, one that does not believe in God, until Saint Patrick arrived and began to teach the Irish. Today Ireland is home to about 3 1/2 million people. Most people speak English; however, those who live on the Western coast often times speak Irish.

The flag of Ireland consists of three colors: green, white, and orange. The green represents the Catholics, the Orange represents the Protestants, and the white represents the hope for peace between the two.

For more history of Ireland and a fun quiz go to: http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=mini_home&mini_id=1082

The Irish Blessing

The Irish are famous for many known blessings. The most popular says:

May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields and, Until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

This blessing is often attributed to Saint Patrick, but there is no way to know for sure.

To check out more Irish Blessings and other fun activities go to: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2328/stpatty1.htm

Who is Saint Patrick?

Saint Patrick was born in Britain near the end of the 4th century. When Patrick was 16 years old he was taken as a prisoner by the Irish. They put held him in Ireland for 6 years. During this time he was left all by himself. Out of loneliness, he turned to religion for comfort. He grew in faith and held very strong Christian beliefs. He dreamt of teaching others about his faith in hopes that they too would know God. Patrick received a vision from God telling him to escape. Once he escaped, he began studying Christianity. Patrick was instructed to convert the Irish to Christianity. After Patrick’s death on March 17th, in about 460 A.D., Patrick was named a Saint. He is now the patron saint of Ireland and is celebrated each year world-wide on March 17th.