The first reference to the written word Shamrock can be traced back to 1571. In 1707, it was written in Irish as seamrog.
Numbers played an important role in Celtic symbolism and three was considered a magical number.
Love, Valour and Wit.
Faith, Hope and Charity.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Hence the Shamrock.
Three also signified totality as in:
Past, Present, Future.
Behind, Before, Here.
Sky, Earth and Underworld.
Eveything good or bad comes in threes.
The rhythm for story-telling in Ireland is told in threefold repetition. Of course, this will help to exaggerate a story by adding the third adjective to stretch the point of the tale.
I hope you enjoyed the tidbits about Shamrocks, Magical three and an Irish blessing for thee.
Irish Blessing:
“May God grant you always...A sunbeam to warm you, a moonbeam to charm you, a sheltering Angel so nothing can harm you. Laughter to cheer you. Faithful friends near you. And whenever you pray, Heaven to hear you.”
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!
Wonderful post! Happy St. Paddy’s day to you. 🙂