We’re coming up to St. Paddy’s Day on the 17th of this month, the traditional date of the death of St. Patrick of Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day started as a religious holiday, but has become absorbed by the culture as a reason to celebrate by the Irish, descendants of Irish, and others who wish they were. There are some interesting “facts” you may or may not know.
Leprechauns, who had nothing to do with St. Patrick, have become an icon of the holiday. They were probably the product of the Celtic imagination hundreds of years ago. Their original Irish name is “lobaircin,” or “small-bodied fellow.”
As their fame evolved, they became tiny men of fantasy who love to play tricks, which they use to protect their fabled pot o’ gold at the end of the rainbow. They live solitary lives and are said to be extremely difficult to catch if you want to steal their treasure from them. They are also said to be incredibly agile despite being old, wrinkled, and ugly. They have red beards and often spend their time cobbling shoes when they aren’t pulling tricks.
Many babies born on March 17th have been named Patrick or Patricia by their parents. You may know one.
If you want to see a movie celebrating the Irish, check out “Finian’s Rainbow,” a lovely musical fantasy filmed in 1968 starring Fred Astaire and Petula Clark.
If you’re one of those who observe the day by the wearin’ o’ the green, enjoy!