SuperJeweler has compiled seven of our favorite facts about Ireland and the wonderful people who call it home. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by brushing up on your knowledge of the Emerald Isle.
1. Ireland and the Americas
According to Irish legend, an Irish monk by the name St. Brendan undertook an expedition by sea that led him to discover the new world in the sixth century. That would mean he beat the vikings by 500 years and Columbus by nearly 1,000! As the legend goes, St. Brendan set out from Ireland in search of the garden of Eden. He returned after seven years with a fantastic tale that included sheep the size of oxen and fire-ball wielding giants. How much was truth and how much good old Irish story telling? We may never know.
2. Newgrange Passage Tomb
One of the oldest man-made structures in the world, this neolithic tomb dates back to approximately 3200 BC, and is older than both Stonehenge and the Pyramids at Giza. The structure contains some of the best examples of neolithic art by way of ornate kerbstones. It’s most notable feature, however, is the famous roof box. The roof box is a small opening situated just above the entrance to the passage. At dawn on the Winter solstice, the roof box allows a shaft of light to enter and illuminate the entire length of the entrance passage.
3. The Sea Queen of Connacht
Grace O’Malley was the chieftan of a clan in Western Ireland during the 1500’s. Upon the death of her father, she inherited the family’s shipping business – though some would refer to the sea trade at the time as piracy. A highborn member of Irish nobility, Grace acquired much wealth over her lifetime and was said to have conducted her fleet of ships much like an army to great success. She also used her wealth and fleet at every opportunity to limit English control over her region of Ireland. Some of the legends surrounding her claim that she once kidnapped an Earl in retaliation for his grandfather’s social slight, as well as one story that has her giving birth at sea and leading her fleet into battle (and winning) the following day.
4. Vampires
Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, was an Irishman working as a civil servant at the time that he penned his most famous novel. Most speculate that Dracula was based on the 15th century life of The Prince of Wallachia, also known as Vlad the Impaler. Others, however, believe his inspiration was discovered closer to home. The novel was set in both Transylvania and England, but Stoker himself never traveled further from Ireland than Vienna, and there are no indications that his notes show any particular interest in Vlad. Some believe that he drew inspiration from the Irish folktales of Abhartach, a brutal warlord of the 5th century. According to the legends surrounding him, Abhartach was believed to have risen from the grave and demanded bowls of blood from his subjects – usurping the energy of the living to sustain his undead existence.
5. Shamrocks
Many of us hailing from outside the Emerald Isle believe that the shamrock is the national symbol – but we’re wrong. The Celtic harp represents Ireland. St. Patrick, whose real name is believed to have been Maewyn Succat, had poor writing skills and was quite self conscious. He is supposed to have used visual props to help explain ideas and concepts to pagans of the time that he was attempting to convert. According to lore, he illustrated the idea of the Holy Trinity with the shamrock. This analogy is credited with helping non-Christians understand the concept of a single God with three aspects. The shamrock was further melded into St. Patrick’s Day lore with the tradition of wearing a shamrock for luck on the seventeenth of March. At the end of the day one would “drown the shamrock” by covering it with whisky and drinking it down.
6. Legend of Hy-Brasil
Look on ancient maps dating back to the early 1300’s through the 1800’s, and you’ll find an island off the coast of Ireland labeled Bracile, Sola De Brasil, or Hy-Brasil. While there is no proof that the the island exists – or ever did – there are accounts from such noted sea captains as John Cabot (in 1497) and John Nisbit (in 1674) who claimed to have located the mysterious island. According to legend the island was shrouded in mist that lifted only once every seven years, though the land could never be reached. John Nisbit not only spotted the island, but stated that he and four of his passengers spent an entire day on Hy-Brasil, which he said was populated by black rabbits and a magician who lived in a castle alone on the island. The last supposed sighting of the island was in 1872 by T.J. Westropp and his family who all said they saw the island materialize out of the mist and then disappear once again. Some think that rather than reaching the new world as legend has it, St. Brendan actually landed on the shores of Hy-Brasil.
7. Snakes
Last but not least are the snakes of Ireland…or the lack thereof. Legend claims that St. Patrick himself was responsible for driving the snakes from the island and into the sea for attacking him as he attempted to fast. The truth is that snakes never existed on the island – and Ireland isn’t alone. Other places that are snake-free include New Zealand, Iceland, Greenland, and Antarctica. In addition to snakes, you also won’t find other species in Ireland that are found in other parts of the UK, such as weasels, skunks, and roe deer.