Illustration by Sarah Pippins

This image represents the origins of Saint Patrick’s stories and ideas which are incorporated into the famous holiday celebrating Irish descent. Saint Patrick is actually a Roman Catholic from Britain who was kidnapped by the Irish at a young age. After he escaped he returned to Ireland to “drive all the snakes out.” Historians believe this to refer to Druidism and Pagan practices since druids were known to have snakes tattooed on their forearms. Saint Patrick also used the shamrock to represent the Holy Trinity which was actually first used to represents various goddess triplets such as Morrigan and her sisters, Macha and Badh. Ironically, the song, Wearin’ o’ the Green, which praises Saint Patrick reads this:

“So if the color we must wear be England’s cruel red; Let it remind us of the blood that Irishmen have shed; And pull the shamrock from your hat and throw it on the sod; But never fear, ’twill take root there, though underfoot ’tis trod.”