Shamrock facts
- The shamrock is a trifoliate old white clover.
- Shamrocks are native to Ireland.
- The shamrock was originally chosen as the national emblem of Ireland because of the legend that Saint Patrick used the plant to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity.
- Most shamrocks, particularly the small-leaved white clover, Trifolium repens, nave been considered by the Irish as good-luck symbols since earliest times, and this superstition has persisted in modern times among people of many nationalities.
- Shamrocks or various artificial representations of the plant are worn on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17th of each year, by Irishmen in most of the countries of the world, particularly those having large population groups of Irish descent, such as the United States and Australia.
- The hop clover, Trifolium dubium, is widely accepted as the original shamrock picked by Saint Patrick, but several other clovers are also called shamrock, including the wood sorrel, Oxalis acetosella, and the black medie, Medicago lupulina.
- The name shamrock is derived from Irish seamróg.
- The shamrock was traditionally used for its medical properties and was a popular motif in Victorian times.
- Former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal nicknamed himself the "Big Shamrock" after joining the Boston Celtics.
- In
the fantasy novel series, Harry Potter, the fictitious Irish National
Quidditch team use the shamrock as part of their emblem.
