Hunting The Elusive Shamrock

Along with parades and pub parties, you will see a ton of little green plants adorning outfits this St.Patrick 's Day. The little plant called the Shamrock is a symbol of Irish pride and Christianity. The Shamrock is the National Flower of Ireland and before the time of Christianity, the Shamrock was widely accepted as a symbol of the phases of the moon. At the time of Saint Patrick, the Shamrock, or clover, became recognized as a religious symbol.The plant was reportedly first recorded as early as 1726 and according to legend, the plant was used by Saint Patrick to illustrate the Christian doctrine of the Trinity : The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. According to legend, two differing stories explain Saint Patrick's connection to the clover. One story describes Saint Patrick who stood on a mound of clover and plucked a clover to explain the Trinity, converting many people to Christianity that day. The second story begins with St.Patrick planting clover all over Ireland in order to chase off snakes. Although there is no historical evidence of Saint Patrick's connection with the Shamrock, his image almost always includes him holding the three-leaf plant!