2007-03-11 04:16:25 · 23 answers · asked by chockynutbar 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ St. Patrick's Day
Yes, it is legend, but I agree with the idea that the last ice age or similar natural event is what did them in.
Legends hold a certain romantic mystery and as such allow us a rather rich contact spot with the past.
--That Cheeky Lad
2007-03-11 16:08:10 · answer #1 · answered by Charles-CeeJay_UK_ USA/CheekyLad 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There were no snakes in Ireland even before St. Patrick landed. It is all geographical. When the Ice Age thawed Ireland, there were no snakes to begin with. Isolation on an island makes for a perfect snakeless habitat. St. Patrick legend is that he drove away evil from Ireland (in the image of the snake) to represent the evil Druid religion.
2007-03-12 21:48:00 · answer #2 · answered by adonisMD 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No wild snakes in Ireland since the land bridge disappeared with the melting of water after the last Ice Age. There are snakes in zoos and in the homes of people who, for some reason think they make great pets. And of course, as some people have already mentioned, we do have the type of snake known as the politician.
2007-03-14 14:15:00 · answer #3 · answered by scattycat 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the only snakes that we have in Ireland are the ones that hold government offices, who seem hell bent on building a road through one of the most important archelogical sites in the world. The story that St Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland is unfortunately just a myth, like the story that theres a leprauchan with a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow,or the story that Bertie Ahern(our gobshite prime minister)was actually born with a set of balls
2007-03-11 07:42:31 · answer #4 · answered by Irish_bi_female 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think the last Ice age had more to do with there being no snakes in Ireland. The North Atlantic is too cold for them to cross the English Channel after the Ice Age ended
2007-03-11 04:21:16 · answer #5 · answered by Samantha 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is indeed a truism
But some Irish folklore believes they
were replaced by the Queens
guard. St Patrick is no
longer around to cast them back
across the channel
2007-03-12 03:34:40 · answer #6 · answered by rushspeaks 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They switched over to Christianity for the main area - nicely, those "St." Patrick did no longer homicide for being Pagan besides - and now plenty of their descendants have long previous lower back into their very own tribal, classic and cultural type of Paganism. compelled conversions never artwork as they're an offense to no longer in basic terms the human spirit, yet in addition the gods themselves. whether it would not take place authentic away, the previous gods will call their very own lower back to them finally and interior the case of the Celts, it particularly is been many generations later. particularly some our snakey little Pagan friends stay interior the U. S. now. Celtic Paganism is enormously massive in this section. even so, it *is* California and we've each faith under the sunlight right here because of the fact we are a state that welcomes immigrants. Why do you think of *I* am right here? Me and my Heathenism does no longer be so welcome different places interior the U. S..
2016-11-24 20:17:22 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the same legend exists in the isle of man , St Patrick is said to have banished snakes which is why there are quite definitely no wild snakes in the isle of man (personally i think the government had them all executed because they knew to much about the seedy goings on in a British dictatorship !)
2007-03-11 04:25:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i'm pretty sure it's just a metaphor for the conversion of the pagan Irish into Christians. St. Patrick drove the evils of paganism from Ireland...
2007-03-11 06:37:25 · answer #9 · answered by aa.gabriel 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
no there are no snakes in ireland. not convinced it was st patrick who got rid of them though
2007-03-11 04:22:58 · answer #10 · answered by angela n 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋