| Every country has a symbol that its citizens cherish | | | | patron saint of Ireland, set foot in Ireland, he looked for |
| and love. Some countries chose eagles as their | | | | a way to spread the word of God more effectively. |
| national symbol, others preferred land animals. | | | | He preached the concept of the Holy Trinity using the |
| Emblematic animals are usually the preference. | | | | shamrock. He stated that the Holy Trinity is much like |
| Ireland's most famous national symbol, however, is the | | | | the three-leaf clover: the leaves appear to be |
| shamrock. A shamrock is a three-leaf clover, not an | | | | independent of each, but upon closer inspection, they |
| animal. There are proofs, though, that as early as the | | | | converge on a single stem. He thought it was a good |
| 1500s, the shamrock has been very popular in Ireland. | | | | idea since clovers are everywhere in Ireland. Now, St. |
| So, what exactly is a shamrock? It seems that Irish | | | | Patrick is a holy man. When he used the shamrock in |
| exerts are not in agreement as to what specie of | | | | his teachings, inevitably, the shamrock rose in stature |
| clover a shamrock is. The only constant factor is that | | | | and acquired a certain level of holiness, too. |
| a shamrock is a three-leaf clover, but as for a really | | | | Given the popularity of the shamrock and the |
| definite definition, the debates are still raging. | | | | relevance that the Irish accord it, it's a surprise the |
| There is a story that goes that when St. Patrick, the | | | | shamrock didn't make it to the design of the Irish flag. |