Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Snakes in Ireland?

Who is Saint Patrick, and did he drive the snakes out of Ireland?

Yes and then the snakes moved to America and they became your politicians.

Actually, he drove out the Norwegians. They had settled down from raiding and pillaging and stayed on in Ireland. Eventually it came to pass that they were creating a shortage in the potato supply, what with potato pancakes and lefse. Annoyed at this, the indigenous population came to St. Pat for assistance. He called all of the Norwegians together and said to them, "All you Norwegian people, you go to hell!" So they packed up and moved to North Dakota.

Disclaimer: my wife is from North Dakota and has many relatives there. I think that they are a fine people who have a sense of humor. I also think that it a wonderful area.

You never cease to amaze me John.

My wife says the same thing. Of course, she sighs and shakes her head when she says it.

Ha!! Very funny! My grandmother never told me that she spent time in Ireland.

That is just too freekin funny!

*tears rolling down my cheeks*

They figure there never was snakes in Ireland, IIRC the Irish Sea is deeper than the English Channel so whereas a snake could crawl from France to England when sea levels were lower than they are today, there never was an opportunity for snakes to crawl to Ireland as the ice sheets retreated.

What Saint Patrick didn't like was birds, starting with woodpeckers, but a general decline in religious values has allowed woodpeckers back in...

https://www.irelandswildlife.com/great-spotted-woodpecker-ireland/

You wouldn’t think a narrow strip of water like the Irish sea could present much of a barrier to birds, but relatively sedentary species like the tawny owl, willow tit, marsh tit, nuthatch and others are notably absent. Perhaps the most curious gap in Ireland’s avifauna though, until recently at least, was the complete absence of woodpeckers.


....prob'ly tits are next.

I like KFC taters and gravy. That make me Irish ?

No, just fat.

Thumbs down sign.

Sorry. Couldn't just walk past that open door.

ST.Patrick when he first came to Ireland was a slave in Ireland and was English not Irish, he worked his way up after many years to become free and loved Ireland so much stayed and he became known as ST. Patrick. there is a long story about ST.Patrick and very interesting too. anyway HAPPY ST.PATRICK DAY !

St Patrick was taken as a slave by Irish raiders but later returned as a priest to bring Christianity to the pagan Irish. The "snakes" he cast out of Ireland was actually the pagan beliefs of the Druids. It is said the shamrock was used to explain the Holy Trinity. That is at odds to other stories I have heard utilizing the pagan sign of a circle made of the thumb and forefinger. Maybe the one was used in one part and the other in the rest as St Patrick seemed to spend most of his time in the north.

Yea the old catholic church put a little positive PR spin on that tale. Considering there are NO native species of snakes in Ireland.

I am sure if they drink enough booze, they see snakes. LOL

I don't think the Irish are the only ones that do that.

Why?, do I feel like Edgar Bergan, to 5sdad's Charlie McCarthy? I should learn,--------------someday.