I
received this as an email a while back, and I don't know who to credit for it.
Hope you enjoy it. The luck of the Irish to ye!
St. Patrick's Day is the most celebrated holiday in Ireland. True False
The shamrock is Ireland's national symbol. True False
Leprechauns are tiny elves who know where the pot of gold is hidden. True False
In Irish folklore, there's a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. True False
Leprechauns often work as cobblers. True False
The colors of a rainbow are traditionally said to be red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
True False
St. Patrick's Day, on March 17, is the Feast Day of Saint Patrick. True False
Saint Patrick was not actually Irish. True False Legend has it that St. Patrick drove all of the snakes out of Ireland. True False
Kissing the Blarney stone will give you the gift of diplomacy. True False
Finished? See below for your score and then see what your score means on the table below.
Answers
1. True. In the 5th century, St. Patrick christianized Ireland. St. Patrick is Ireland's Patron Saint.
2. True. St. Patrick made the shamrock popular throughout Ireland by using the three leaves to illustrate the Trinity, (the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) which led to its adoption as Ireland's national symbol.
3. True. Leprechauns, meaning "small bodies," have a long history in Irish folklore. Traditionally, they are mischievous, little men who can lead you to the end of a rainbow where a pot of gold awaits.
4. True. According to Irish folklore, if you ever find the end of a rainbow, you'll find a pot of gold.
5. True. Leprechauns traditionally work as cobblers.
6. True. A rainbow is a multicolored arc of light separated into bands of color that appear when the sun's rays are refracted. The resulting colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
7. True. Around the world, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, which is St. Patrick's feast day. Many communities hold parades, and some cities, such as Chicago, pour green dye into rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water.
8. True. St. Patrick was born around 373 A.D. in Scotland or in Roman Britain. He took his first breath of Irish air when he was captured by pirates and sold into slavery at age 16. He remained in captivity for six years, working as a shepherd. He escaped after a voice told him where he could find a getaway ship. He became a priest in France and later returned to Ireland when he was 60-years old.
9. True. It's said that St. Patrick drove all of the snakes of Ireland into the sea; however, the legend could be a figurative tale as the snake was a revered pagan symbol.
10. True. The Blarney stone is believed to have special powers. Lord of Blarney, Cormac McCarthy, who was known for his subtle diplomacy and ability to spin a tale was said to give Queen Elizabeth I, "a lot of Blarney," giving rise to the legend. The stone is still thought to bestow the gift of gab.
