Irish Symbols:
The Shamrock
The shamrock, one of the most widely recognized symbols of Ireland, has been considered good luck since the earliest of times. Legend says St. Patrick used the shamrock to teach pagans the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Just as three leaves make up one shamrock, three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) are in one God.
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The Four-Leaf Clover
The significance invested in four leaf clovers pre-dates Christianity, going back to the pagan period, when four leaf clovers were Celtic charms. Celtic dominance once extended across Ireland and much of Western Europe. It was the Druids (Celtic priests) who elevated four leaf clovers to the status of Celtic charms, allegedly potent against malevolent spirits. Their status as Celtic charms is the origin of the modern belief in their power to bestow good luck. On a four leaf clover, one leaf is for hope, the second is for faith, the third for love and the fourth for luck.
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