Upon folklore
In getting ready to write my column for you today, I looked at my ancestry to double check how Irish I actually am. In my findings, I see that my greatgreat- grandmother and grandfather (maternal side and yes that contines onto my grandmother’s maternal side) gathered their family and made their voyage over from Ireland around 1846. From my father’s side, my known lineage extends over to Lithuania, my last name’s origin. Paternally speaking, my grandmother’s father was born in Russia and mother was born in Lithuania; my grandfather’s parents were both born in Lithuania. So technically I am a third generation American as my greatgrandmother and great-grandfather came to the US in 1910.
Is that a lot to take in and compute? It kind of is for me. Even though I don’t have percentages of nationalities listed before me I do try to keep my heritgae alive. So, for every Saint Patrick’s day I like to honor my ancestors before me who went through the great famine and had to change their entire lives for the hope to see a better tomorrow and future.
Even though I am very Lithuanian, as you can see, I don’t like to keep my Irish-ness dormant. I remember always loving this holiday for the folklore of leprechaun’s running about, protecting their pot o’ gold and making shoes. The stories about following rainbows and the little giggles of mystical creatures that no one can seem to catch. However, if one were to catch the mischevious creature he would have to grant his finder three wishes. Folklore says that you have to be cautious though when wishing, because the leprechaun might just turn you into the thing that you ask for.
With all the silliness aside, Saint Patrick’s Day is a day to honor Saint Patrick. Interestingly enough, Patrick wasn’t actually his real name. According to biography.com and many other sources Patrick was named Maewyn Succat and was born in Britain around the year of 386. When he was 16 years of age, it is said that Irish pirates captured Maewyn and he was sold into slavery. During his time in enslavement he dreamed of freeing not only himself, but the many who where with him and he kept his faith in Christianity alive. When he was able to escape, he found penance at a church in France where he studied and entered into the preisthood. Thus changing his name to Patrick, which is derived from the Latin term “father figure.”
His life was full of spreading Christianity into Ireland. It is also said that he drove the snakes out of Ireland and helped explain the Holy Trinity with the clover, or shamrock. So many tidbits and history to explore and only a small space to fit it all in.
Even though I only graze the subject of who Saint Patrick was and the legendary creature, the leprechaun, I hope I was able to teach some new things about the upcoming holiday. Don’t forget your corn beef and cabbage on Friday and enjoy a pint or two of Guiness. Just remember you might see a little red-colored leprechaun running around and if you catch him, you could wish for his pot of gold. Or some new shoes.
Seeking
W
onder
