What is the symbol of Northern Ireland?
What is the symbol of Northern Ireland?
A country without a symbol is not a country. And Northern Ireland is not an exception to the rules. Its symbol is familiar to anyone who is even a little interested in the history of the United Kingdom. Trefoil was not chosen by chance. Behind him is a long, interesting story, which is worth getting acquainted with.
In order to make you a little clearer why the three-leafed clover became the symbol of Northern Ireland, you need to get acquainted with another no less, and even more important character - St. Patrick.
African-Irish British blood
Numerous characters stand behind odious figures. Northern Ireland is no exception.Patrick was born and raised in Roman Britain inthe town of Bannawem. According to historical information, it is one of the provinces during the reign of the Roman Empire in the British Isles. The young man is a normal person, without special divine prerequisites and aspirations to know the spirituality of everything and everything. Perhaps it would be so, if not for his captivity and subsequent slavery in Northern Ireland. The young man could not endure the hardships of imprisonment for a long time and fled. It must be said that it was not very successful, as it was seized and again the bondage bonds could not hold it. After counting that the divine holding had helped him, Patrick decided to accept the priest's order. And he began to preach in Ireland about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And here on the stage there is that same trefoil. Three leaves are the three hypostases of God. St. Patrick found something in common in this and, using the example of a three-leafed clover, explained the role of the Divine Trinity. Today, one can see images of a saint who has this plant in his hand. It is customary to represent it in this way. Even on a festive day, when a saint is celebrated, it is customary to dress in green clothes, make merry music parties, generously treat friends with beer and wear cross-stitches made of paper or cloth on clothes. Interestingly, earlier on this day throughout Ireland all drinking establishments were closed. But the holiday can not be forbidden, and the authorities eventually allowed the tradition to be respected by all true Irish people. And why he is an African, it becomes clear when you find out that in Nigeria he is revered no less than in Ireland.
Truth and fiction
Not all that is true, which is generally accepted. The trefoil has its defenders and opponents.Not all historians share the version of the roletrefoil in the sermons of Patrick in Northern Ireland. In the writings of the saint there is no indication of such facts. Therefore, it is commonly believed that clover is to some extent folk fiction that does not correspond to reality. Nevertheless, the trefoil became popular, and today it is one of the main symbols of Northern Ireland along with St. Patrick himself, a special Celtic harp, white crossed out red stripes flag and many others. One can not imagine a Russian without a tricolor flag, and a modern Irishman can not imagine without three green leaves of this simple plant, which played such a significant role in spreading the faith in God.
