Irish Charms and Symbols
There are many charms and symbols associated with Ireland going back
to the Celtic times. Here are a few.
Shamrock
Ireland is known for being a magical land, because of its beliefs
in fairies and leprechauns. It is a very beautiful island and is associated
with the colour green. The shamrock is believed to be lucky and also
encourages health and wealth. It is associated with the Holy Trinity
- The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit. The four-leafed clover
is also thought to be lucky. The 'Luck of the Irish' is talked about
all over the world.
Leprechauns
You can buy leprechauns all over Ireland, from ornaments,
for your home, or gold and silver charms that you can wear. The
Irish believe that if you catch a leprechaun, he will lead you to
a 'pot of gold' to claim his freedom, but be careful, because he
has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. Catching a leprechaun is not
as easy as it sounds.
Shillelagh
It was thought that a Shillelagh was a weapon and used to keep
burglars away. It resembles a large pipe shaped club, and can be
decorated with ribbons and shamrocks. It can still be hung behind
the front door today to ward off intruders and bad luck.
Claddagh Rings
The Claddagh Ring dates back to 1700, and was devised
by Richard Joyce of Galway. It was used as a wedding
ring and an heirloom which was handed down from mother to daughter.
The Claddagh Ring is a very popular symbol of Ireland now. It has
a heart, with a crown over it, held by two hands. It has been worn
in Ireland recently as a dress ring, and can be found in silver
or gold and can have precious stones in the heart, surrounded by
diamonds. It is now, in the 2000s, being used again as a wedding
ring. Also Celtic designed rings have become very popular, both
as dress rings and wedding rings.
Snakes
Ireland is known for its lack of snakes, according to legend, St
Patrick banished snakes from Ireland. The snake symbolises earth
energy and healing.
Celtic Cross
Celtic Crosses can be seen all over Ireland, and can be plain
or engraved. They can be painted or carved onto buildings for protection.
They can also be bought to wear as jewellery.
Harp
The harp encourages fluent, articulate speech and power of persuasion,
known as the 'gift of the gab', and goes back to Druidic Ireland
and believed to be a symbol, of the bard, a magical Celtic storyteller.
Legend tell us the first harp was owned by Dagda, a chief among
the Tuatha De Danaan (the faery race of Ireland). At one time during
a war with the Fomorians, the gods of cold and darkness, his harp
was stolen but later recovered by Lugh and Ogma. When it was returned
it had aquired two secret names and the ability to call forth summer
and winter. From then on, when Dagda played, he could produce a
melody so poignant, it would make his audience weep, he could play
an air so jubilant it would make everyone smile, or bring forth
a sound so tranquil, it would lull all who listened to sleep. So
thus did the harp became the dispenser of Sorrow, Gladness and Rest
Another tale about the earliest harp music is about Boand the
wife of the Dagda Mor. As Boand gave birth to the Dagda's three
sons, the Dagda's harper played along to ease the woman's labor.
The harp groaned with the intensity of the pain as the woman's first
child emerged, and so she named her eldest son Goltrai, the crying
music. The music made a merry sound as Boand's second son was born,
and so she named the child Gentrai, the laughing music. At last
the final infant emerged to music that was soft and sweet. She called
the child Suantri, the sleeping (or healing) music. These three
strains of music are still found in the repertoire of Celtic musicians
-- as echoed by the Scots-English ballad recounting the trials of
King Orfeo (a harper in the oldest songs, a fiddler in later variants)
who played three strains of music before the king of the faery underworld:
the notes of joy, the notes of pain, and the enchanted faery reel.
The harp has been featured on Irish Coins since the 1530's.
Some of these images have been taken from
www.wtv-zone.com/ IrishRose/irishGifs.html
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