Happy

St. Patrick's Day

The Shamrock

was once actually called the "seamrock." It symbolized the cross and the blessed trinity. for the druids, before Christianity, it was a sacred plant because the leaves formed a triad.

Green is associated with St. Patrick's Day because of the color green for spring.

Irish blessings

The shamrock

there is a dear little plant that grows in our isle,
'twas saint Patrick himself, sure that set it;
and the sun of his labor with  pleasure did smile,
and with dew from his eye often wet it.
it grows through the bog, through the brake, through the mireland
and they call it the dear little shamrock of Ireland
(Irish Blessing)

An ancient Irish prayer

I arise today,
through god's strength to pilot me;
god's might to uphold me,
god's wisdom to guide me,
god's eye to look before me,
god's shield to protect me,
god's host to save me,
from snares of devils,
from temptation of vices,
from everyone who wishes me ill
afar and anear
alone in a multitude.
~from St. Patrick's breastplate.

"all hail to St. Patrick,
who brought to our mountains,
the gift of god's faith,
the sweet light of his love."

"May the enemies of Ireland
never eat the bread or drink
the whisky of it, but be tormented
with itching, without benefit
of scratching!"

"No saint is so good, Ireland's country adorning,
then hail to St. Patrick, today in the morning."

may your blessings outnumber
the shamrocks that grow,
and may trouble avoid you
wherever you go.

The leprechaun

near a misty stream in Ireland in the hollow of a tree
live mystical, magical leprechauns who are clever as can be
with there pointed ears, and turned up toes and little coats of green
the leprechauns busily make there shoes and try hard not to be seen.
only those who really believe have seen these little elves
and if we are all believers
we can surely see for ourselves.
(Irish Blessing)

St. Patrick

May St. Patrick guard you wherever
you go and guide you in
whatever you do -- and may his loving
protection be a blessing to you always.
(Irish Blessing)

St. Patrick's day celebration

Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter
lullabies, dreams and love ever after.
poems and songs with pipes and drums
a thousand welcomes when anyone comes.....
that's the Irish for you!
(Irish Blessing)

a blessing from saint Patrick

may the road rise to meet you,
may the wind be always at your back,
may the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rains fall soft upon your fields and,
until we meet again,
may god hold you in the palm of his hand

Erin go bragh

(Ireland Forever) 

I'll tell you a story of a row in the town,
when the green flag went up and the crown rag came down,
'twas the neatest and sweetest thing you ever saw,
and they played the best games played in erin go bragh.

one of our comrades was down at ring's end,
for the honor of Ireland to hold and defend,
he had no veteran soldiers but volunteers raw,
playing sweet mauser music for erin go bragh.

now here's to tom Pearce and our comrades who died
tom Clarke, mcdunna, mcdurmott, McBride,
and here's to Jan Connelly who gave his hurrah,
and placed the machine guns for erin go bragh.

one brave English captain was ranting that day,
saying, "Give me one hour and I'll blow you away,"
but a big mauser bullet got stuck in his craw,
and he died of lead poisoning in erin go bragh.

Old Kent and his comrades like lions at bay,
from the south Dublin Union poured death and dismay,
and what was their horror when the Englishmen saw
all the dead khaki soldiers in erin go bragh.

Now here's to old Dublin, and here's renown,
in the long generation her fame will go down,

and our children will tell how their forefathers saw,
the red blaze of freedom in erin go bragh.