The Wacky and Wierd of St Patricks Day

Traditionally blue was the national color of Ireland instead of the popular green color of today. This was because before the 1600s during Saint Patrick’s time, Ireland was under British rule and Henry the eighth was King and his flag was blue. The great Irish rebellion happened in 1641 allowing Ireland to secede from the British Empire. Felim O’Neill helped lead the rebellion and used green shamrock on his flag. Later on in the 1790s much more poems and song were written about the importance of wearing the color green making sporting the color even more popular. Jump forward to the 19th century and we see people from Ireland immigrating to the United States for better job opportunities and these Irish immigrants would flaunt the color green as a representation of pride in their home country.

Wearing green isn’t just a point of pride but it was also intended to ward off any unwanted pinchers. Irish people take their heritage seriously and that plays a large role in the reason why people get pinched not wearing green on st. Patrick’s Day. It is considered disrespectful therefore a pinch is appropriate punishment. it’s meant to remind those not wearing the color to be more bold and prideful of their Irishness. In addition to this, the color green is also meant to protect against leprechauns and fairies. In the early 1700s people in Ireland believed these mystical creatures would pinch you if you didn’t wear the country’s favorite color. Wearing green was said to make you invisible to the mischievous creatures making pinching impossible.

So, where does the pot of gold fit into the story of St. Patrick’s Day? Legends about pots of gold buried at the ends of rainbows originate from long ago. Vikings invaded Ireland in 795 AD and were known for looting and burying gold and other treasures in undisclosed locations. The legend of pots of gold began when they eventually departed the shores of Ireland, leaving some of their stolen gold behind. Folklore depicts leprechauns as mistrustful creatures who detest humans. According to legend, leprechauns found the abandoned gold and buried it again so no human could ever find it. The old folktales tell us that there is a pot of gold hidden where the end of any rainbow touches the earth.

In another Irish folklore, leprechauns were portrayed as shoe cobblers for other fairies and were paid for their work in gold coins. The legends say that leprechauns kept their gold hidden, and if a human were to catch the leprechaun, the human could force him to reveal where he hides his pot of gold. Of course, the leprechaun always vanishes before revealing their hiding spot, but the legend continues to be shared through the generations. Even though leprechauns and gold have no association with St. Patrick himself, they have become some of the most recognizable symbols of St. Patrick’s Day today.

Celebrating St. Patricks day with Flippysox!