The saint and the shamrock

May the road rise up 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.
Ancient Irish Blessing

All things Irish have been to the fore these past few days. St Patrick's Day celebrations on Friday included parades both on the Emerald Isle and across the globe. Patrick is apparently one of the most popular saints worldwide. This may have something to do with the fact that St Patrick's Day usually falls in Lent. Since the early 17th century his Feast Day has been an opportunity to take a welcome break from the Lenten fast. Twenty first century publicans and chefs owe a debt of gratitude to this fifth century saint.

Patrick was an Englishman. At the age of sixteen he was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland where he stayed for six years tending sheep.  During those years his Christian faith grew and when he finally got home he trained to become a priest. He eventually returned to Ireland as a missionary and died there in 461AD. According to tradition, Patrick used the shamrock to explain the doctrine of the Trinity to the pagan Irish.

Shamrocks are still much in evidence on St Patrick's Day as since the eighteenth century the shamrock has been become something of a national symbol. Saturday saw Ireland deny England a Grand Slam victory in the Six Nations tournament. Rugby fans will no doubt know the logo of the Irish Rugby Football Union - a shamrock and a rugby ball. Ireland's national team draws players from both Ulster and Eire; where other symbols are controversial the shamrock is an emblem that all can accept.

Did Patrick really use the shamrock to explain the mystery of the Trinity? We'll never know but the unifying nature of this national symbol in sport, where tribalism is so often the order of the day, is an interesting footnote to his story.