Saint Patrick, Patron of Ireland
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St. Patrick and St. Patrick's Day
Shamrocks. Irish Soda Bread. Wearin' o' the Green. Saint Patrick's Day is one of my favorite holidays of the whole year. Even more than Valentine's Day, I look forward to this day when I think not only about St. Patrick but all things Irish and my Irish heritage. So follow along on a journey of discovery--who was St. Patrick, what is the authentic symbol to wear on St. Patrick's feast day, what are the foods and traditions and perhaps, a little about Ireland itself.
Contents of this lense are copyright 2006-2009 by Marguerite Manor.
Countdown to St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day: March 17, 2009
Shamrock or Four Leaf Clover?
Shamrock is the Authentic Symbol of Ireland
The Shamrock with its three leaves is the authentic Irish symbol and the appropriate symbol for St. Patrick's Day. Legend has it that when St. Patrick was called upon to explain the concept of the Trinity, he plucked a three-leaf shamrock to show that just as there was one stem with three leaves, so the Holy Trinity has three persons in one God. It is therefore, a theological as well as national symbol.The shamrock may be a clover or it may be oxalis (sometimes dismissed as a common weed--it is prolific.) Both have flowers, although very different in shape.
Clover will grow with grass to produce a lush, dense, soft lawn. Use red or white clover. The flowers look like pom-poms.
Oxalis has a diminutive almost dainty, white flower that is very pretty. It is the plant commonly sold around St. Patrick's Day as shamrocks, especially in grocery stores. It is the plant that I have used in the photographs that I have taken as the basis for my shamrock, Irish and St. Patrick's designs. Weed, or no, I love it.
Who Was St. Patrick?
St. Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland
To begin with St. Patrick wasn't Irish. He was born in Britain, taken captive as a boy by marauders and sold into slavery in Ireland. While in Ireland he tended sheep, lived among Druids learning their customs and finally escaped to take a ship home to Britain, after which he became a priest. Upon his return to Ireland he converted many people, including a high king. Two letters which he wrote in Latin are extant and a number of biographies have been written. Please see the links list for more extensive information given in the articles on Wikipedia and the Catholic Encyclopedia.
St. Patrick and Things Irish on Amazon
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Irish Food
Soda Bread and More than just Potatoes
Irish Soda Bread is the first thing I think of when I think of Irish food even though the potato played a greater role in Irish History. Cabbage is another classic and before the introduction of the potato to Ireland, peas, beans and oats were staples in the Irish diet. Oats, for a time, were the "rent crop", that is tenant farmers paid their landlords in oats rather than cash and the oats were exported to Britain. The farmers relied on potatoes. Irish oatmeal is delicious.
Since Ireland is an island, fishing and seafood abound. Today, Ireland is especially noted for excellent salmon and exports smoked salmon.
Today Ireland is a real gourmet food haven and Darina Allen's Ballymaloe is probably the most famous cooking school, but it is not alone.
Herbs, edible flowers, and vegetables are abundant in Irish gardens and farms.
Tea and Guinness (or ale) seem to the national beverages. The Irish brew their tea so that is is nearly as strong as our coffee. Definitely a wake-up brew.
While Corned Beef is a part of many American St. Patrick dinner celebrations, it isn't Irish. It was born in American big city delis and can be replaced with ham or salmon, if you prefer.
Since Ireland is an island, fishing and seafood abound. Today, Ireland is especially noted for excellent salmon and exports smoked salmon.
Today Ireland is a real gourmet food haven and Darina Allen's Ballymaloe is probably the most famous cooking school, but it is not alone.
Herbs, edible flowers, and vegetables are abundant in Irish gardens and farms.
Tea and Guinness (or ale) seem to the national beverages. The Irish brew their tea so that is is nearly as strong as our coffee. Definitely a wake-up brew.
While Corned Beef is a part of many American St. Patrick dinner celebrations, it isn't Irish. It was born in American big city delis and can be replaced with ham or salmon, if you prefer.
Irish Cookbooks at Amazon
More Irish Cookbooks on Amazon
Books on Ireland on Amazon
Irish Links
- foodireland.com
- Great place to buy Irish food and tea online.
- Irish Soda Bread
- A recipe for Irish Soda Bread. Irish Soda Bread is necessary to celebrating St. Patrick's Day. It is also delicious for breakfast or tea at any time of the year. Absolutely scrumptious toasted, it will soak up nearly as much butter as an English muffin.
- Irish Kitchen, Irish Soda Bread
- Darina Allen, Ireland's premier chef, has written a number of Irish food articles at this site. This one is about Irish Soda Bread and contains another recipe.
- King Arthur Flour Company
- Featuring Irish Soda Bread mix on the homepage. This is a wonderful company, one of America's oldest, family owned businesses. Exceptional quality products and a beautiful mail-order catalog.
- Leaflet Missal Company
- Source for beautiful St. Patrick statues, Irish rosaries, Celtic crosses and everything Catholic including Christmas and First Communion supplies. Another company with a beautiful mail order catalog.
- St. Patrick on Wikipedia
- Wikipedia article on St. Patrick can be found here.
- St. Patrick on the Catholic Encyclopedia
- The Catholic Encyclopedia has an extensive article on St. Patrick. There is a also a link to the Catholic Encyclopedia on CD-ROM, which can be purchased at this site.
- cafepress/margueritemanor
- My store at cafepress.com has Irish apparel and gifts all year long. Please check the St. Patrick's Day section and the Everything Irish section. Thank you.
- My Irish Film Festival
- Great Irish Film site on Squidoo maintained by irishlass.
Irish Genealogy on Amazon
Irish Plants and Gardens on Amazon
New Igo GREEN Tip of the Day
by margueritemanor
I am a lensmaster with a CafePress shop who is also a writer.
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