Shamrocks

Shamrocks

The cultural symbol I chose was the shamrock. A shamrock is a three leafed clover, usually a white clover. Since early times, the shamrock has been considered a good-luck charm by the Irish, and is still considered to be lucky by many nationalities. Before the Christian religion was introduced, shamrocks were known as the blessed plants of the Druids. The Celts were ancient residents of Ireland and the Druids were the priests of the Celts. They held the shamrock in high regards because its leaves formed a triad, or sense of harmony and because it was said to have driven away evil spirits. The legend of the shamrock is connected with the deportation of the serpent tribe from Ireland and was used as an aid to snake stings because snakes were never seen on three leaf clovers. Three was the mystical number in the Celtic religion, and the plant was also the holy sign of the Persian triads in Iran. The shamrock was first chosen as Ireland’s national emblem because St. P...