Why Is Shamrock Used As The Symbol Of The St. Patrick’s Day?

2023’s calendar for St. Patrick’s Day is coming next door which falls on 17th March. As a special cultural day, people across Ireland and the Irish diaspora across the United States, Canada, and Brazil have already planned a detailed fictitious celebration like other years. Since green is the trademark colour for the day and a 3-leaved Shamrock is emblemized of its celebration, you may wonder about the purpose and significance of the plant on the day. So, in this article, we’ve tried to unveil the reasons as well as folk ideas on the usage of shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day. 

What Is Shamrock & Why Is It Used On St. Patrick’s Day?

A shamrock is a trefoil or a small European plant with three-lobed green leaves, grows in summer days of a typical temperate climate. It is a part of the Plea-plant family, generally grows on pasturelands. Ideal examples of shamrocks are yellow clovers, white clovers, and rose-flowered white clovers.

The use of shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day is an age-old custom which was first propagated by St. Patrick himself; a Roman-British Christian in the 5th century who was the pioneer of spreading Christianity over Pagan religion in mainland Ireland. Splitting the adhesive, the name of the shamrock is derived from “semrog” or “summer plant” i.e. “luck of cherish”.

It is believed that St. Patrick choose the green shamrock as the emblem of the Holy Trinity and the propagation of education. Thus used as a figure of enlightenment against dark superstitions set of Irish culture at that time. Further to this, the trefoil is also taken as a bearer of good hope.  And amalgamating all these parameters, shamrocks eventually became the national symbol of Ireland and so as the St. Patrick’s Day emblem from the 17th century after its official establishment as a day of pious significance and wisdom.

Further to the specification of shamrocks only three-lobbed leaves are accepted. This is because, 3 is considered a number of significance in Ireland, especially among Celtic communities. So, to establish good hopes from all sides, this type of plant is selected.

How Shamrock Is Used To Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day?

There are multiple ways involved with the usage of shamrocks on St. Patrick’s day keeping the domination of green colour around. All these have been revealed below.

i. Wearing Green

Since green appears as the main colour for the day, its dominance of it is witnessed everywhere. There are two possible adhesive factors that work behind it. First of all, the depiction of St. Patrick’s portrait in a green robe and holding a shamrock in his right hand, followed by another prominent factor of substantiating green as the colour of the Irish Catholic Configuration. There are myriads of other Celtic tenets adhesive to this day. So, green is worn on this day in vibrant ways; such as by dressing, robes, caps, accessories, tattoos, and even putting real shamrocks on the shoulder.

ii. Through drinking

St. Patrick’s day has special involvement with drinking. As the day enacted lesser restrictions on Lenten food and alcohol. Thus, a horartory trend of drinking alcoholic beverages is one most popular customs for the day. However, with respect to shamrocks, people keep the leaf in the bottom of their glasses or take sips from a shamrock-themed glass. Other popular alcoholic beverages for the day which too served in green include Irish Whiskey, Celtic beer, and other country alcoholic beverages.

iii. Green Desserts, Beverages, Spl. Foods, And Cookies

Apart from dresses and alcoholic beverages, the effect of shamrocks is vivid in various food dishes as well. Such as green smoothies, beverages, desserts, shamrock-shaped cookies, and special food platters namely salads, classic Irish dishes, cabbage salads, etc.

Adhesive Dressing Customs On St. Patrick’s Day

As it’s already mentioned above green and shamrocks are two pivotal features of St. Patrick’s day, so there is a wide variation in dressing ideas seen on the day. While people don a flair variety of green cloaks as the staple apparel, other quirky accessories include a green wig, a green mask, like a clown’s, plenty varieties of dresses, and so on. Along with special dresses are designed for kids. Nowadays, most fashion houses dedicate a day to St. Patrick’s day by the marshalling plunge of green apparel and accessories at great offers. 

Hence with this, let’s assume you’ve got the crux of the impact of shamrocks on St. Patrick’s day and their usage. Although the home country of this festival is Ireland, it’s been observed that the ratio of involvement is more intense by the people outside Ireland and by the Irish diaspora. So, let’s cross our fingers and wish you a happy St. Patrick’s day before.