March 17th: the Irish Holiday

March 14, 2005

March 17th is the day generally celebrated as St. Patrick’s day by many Irish and many who wish they were Irish. The actual date is the the accepted date of his death. Patrick was not actually Irish himself. He was a Britain, the son of a Christian deacon, who had been sold into slavery to an Irish Druid. He lived and worked in Ireland as a shepherd for six years, until he walked 200 miles to the coast and escaped back to Britain.

It is widely acknowledged that the legend of St. Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland is false. There had been no snakes in Ireland since the previous Ice Age. It is generally understood that the “snakes” he cast out were the Druids, since the snake was a symbol of wisdom for the Druids. It must be wondered whether Patrick was not taking revenge against those who had enslaved him. Part of the methodology he used was to beat the Druids using a “Christianized” version their own magic . . . cursing fields and blighting crops and cursing the Druids themselves. He referred to Christ as his Arch Druid. As the Christianization continued, hundreds of Druidic texts were burned and there was general upheaval in society, and many of the Pagan Holidays and sites were given christian names.

Therefore, we have borrowed from some Heathen friends and declared March 17th as All Snake’s Day at Eye of Horus, in gentle memory of those whom Patrick cursed.

If you would like to read more about the history, check here:

Here is a terrific write-up of the Holiday and the history:
http://www.wintersteel.com/St_Patricks_Day.html

St. Patrick from a protestant point of view, here is a website where Patrick is derided for co-opting some pagan practices:
http://qumran.com/Holiday_Files/stpatrick.htm

St. Patrick from a pagan point of view:
http://crystalsands.wiccan.net/articles/stpat.html

Go SNAKES!

Posted by Jane Hansen | Filed Under Fresh News