The Legends and Lore of Ireland

The people of Ireland have an illustrious cultural history, full of stories of faeries and and the great Saint Patrick who freed Emerald Isle from snakes. The folklore and traditions which encompasses Ireland's religious as well as ancient pagan past are a beautiful way to know about its rich cultural heritage.

People often relate the symbol of shamrock with Ireland. It is believed that Saint Patrick used this commonly found plant to espouse on the theory of the Christian trinity of father, son and the holy ghost. Shamrock plant is made of three leaves and is believed to have supernatural power of healing and protection. This is why it is commonly found engraved on graves.

Green is the color of Ireland. Its nickname Emerlald Isle is also a reflection of this.The color 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 weather, hence the name Emerald Isle.

Perhaps the most famous legend that stems from Ireland is that of the leprechaun. These tiny enchanted people are often associated with rainbows and pots of gold, as they guard the treasures from people who are so lucky to find the end of the rainbow. Usually, leprechauns are troublemakers and rogues, who mean no harm but only perform pranks to delight children and adults alike. Next time you see a rainbow, try to catch the leprechaun!

The Blarney stone in the famous Blarney Castle has a legend attached to it. It is said to have bestowed the gift of eloquence to Lord of Blarney when the reagent of England's Queen Elizabeth I tried to influence him to English rule. The poor Lord did not know what to say to the ruler. A wise woman told him to kiss the Blarney stone and he succeeded in making his plea before the Queen.

Samhain was celebrated by the ancient Irish on the All Hallow's Eve. On 31 October every year, they held a great feast along with a ceremonial and lighting and putting out of bonfires. They would dress in a disguise to fool evil spirits on their way home.

Finn McCool is best known as the friendly giant of Ireland that protected the fair isle against attack. It is believe Finn fought against an evil giant from Scotland by extracting a large clod of earth and throwing it at the big Scot. The hole left soon filled with water and left Ireland’s largest body of water, Lough Neagh.

The most popular legend hailing from Ireland is that of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Born in the 5th Century, Saint Patrick worked with the Roman Catholic Church to convert pagans to Christianity. Upsetting the Droids, Saint Patrick was often on the run and escaping from various prisons and jails. The saint is credited with ridding Ireland of snakes, as he set a curse upon the serpents, causing them to flee into the sea and drown.

Article Source: http://www.article-voip.com

Glenda Jao is the chief editor for F Ireland, the #1 source on the internet for information about Ireland, For more articles on Ireland visit: www.folkireland.com/articles

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