Irish Gifts and Decor - Meaning of Claddagh, Shamrocks, St. Patrick's Day

Irish Gifts & Decor

Our Irish Gifts and Decor are sure to please any Irishman and are the perfect gift idea for the upcoming holidays or for celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Our Irish Gifts or Irish Decor may include Irish symbols, such as, the claddagh, shamrocks, leprechauns, pot of gold, or lucky charms. Have you ever wondered about the history of these symbols or St. Patrick's Day itself? If so, read on.....

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The Claddagh is a symbol of

love, friendship, and loyalty!

The Claddagh symbolizes love, friendship, and loyalty. In the seventeenth century the symbol was first displayed on a ring which was exchanged between friends or lovers. The heart was to symbolize love, the hands personified friendship or faith, and the crown signified loyalty or fidelity.

When worn on the right hand with the heart facing out, the heart is still searching for love. When worn on the right hand with the heart facing in, he or she may have found their love. Placing the ring on the left hand with the heart facing in indicates they are happily married with love, friendship, and fidelity.

	Today, a gift with a claddagh symbol is given to show affection, respect, love or loyalty.

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The shamrock illustrates

the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

St. Patrick, in an attempt to convince the people he met in Ireland to believe in the Holy Trinity, plucked a shamrock from the earth. He pointed to the three leaves on the shamrock explaining they were living proof of the Holy Trinity. Since then, the shamrock has become the symbol of Ireland.

According to Irish folklore, finding a stem of clover with 4 leaves will bring you good luck, but finding a clover stem with more than 4 leaves will bring you bad luck.

A personalized shamrock slate makes

a great gift for your favorite Irishmen!

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St. Patrick died on March 17

and the Irish people

set aside this day to mourn.

St. Patrick is credited with converting Ireland to Christianity. Patrick felt that he was called by God to perform an important mission. He believed it was his duty to go to Ireland and convert the Celtic people to the Christian religion. He later became the patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick's Day is a celebration of his life and . Americans have inherited this custom. On St. Patrick's Day in the United States, millions of people celebrate whether they are Irish or not!

Let this Celtic Cross Slate

be a sign of your Irish Christianity.

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As a St. Patrick's Day symbol,

the leprechaun is a smiling,

merry little elf.

However, legend tells us that he is very tricky, always grumpy, and untrustworthy! In ancient myths, the leprechaun guards a hidden pot of gold which humans try to find, but they never succeed. As one story goes, an Irishman caught a leprechaun and managed to make him reveal which tree his pot of gold was buried under. The Irishman tied a red handkerchief around the trunk of it so he would remember the location while he went to find a shovel. When he returned, he found that the leprechaun had tied a red handkerchief (exactly like his own) around every other tree in the forest!

With his pot of gold

and his mug of beer, this fellow

brings a smile to your face,

whether you're Irish or not!

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The true Irish blessing

is "not" in the pot of gold!

Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you,
may the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and the rain fall soft upon your fields,
and until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

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