# Did Saint Patrick Really Banish Snakes From Irleand?



## News Bot (Mar 12, 2010)

*Published On:* 12-Mar-10 12:10 PM
*Source:* digg
*Category:* Arts & Culture

Did Saint Patrick banish snakes from Irleand? It's the season where folks celebrate St. Patrick, the man best known for banishing snakes from the green fields of Ireland.












*Go to digg Page*


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## schizmz (Mar 12, 2010)

:shock:


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## grannieannie (Mar 12, 2010)

I thought the reason for St.Patricks Day was that he brought Christianity to Ireland.


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## grimbeny (Mar 12, 2010)

I have heard the story before several times, i guess you are right though grannie, the article finnishes with:

"So why has St. Patrick been so heavily hailed as the hero that banished snakes from Ireland? Well, some believe that the snake was a symbol of paganism and it is St. Paddy that can be accredited for ridding Ireland of paganism and bringing Christianity to the green isle."


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Mar 12, 2010)

Im pretty sure, where ever the christian god botherers went back then, there was an open season declared on snakes
...


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## -Peter (Mar 12, 2010)

Literal wording has St Patrick ridding Ireland of worms.
If you see portrayals of him from the time he is holding a large packet of Conbantrin.
Fact is it was just another English invasion like all the subsequent ones.


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## ShadowDragon (Mar 12, 2010)

grannieannie said:


> I thought the reason for St.Patricks Day was that he brought Christianity to Ireland.


 You got it Annie, the snake is simply the personification of evil. Like the serpent who tempted Eve.


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## jessb (Mar 12, 2010)

-Peter said:


> Literal wording has St Patrick ridding Ireland of worms.
> If you see portrayals of him from the time he is holding a large packet of Conbantrin.
> Fact is it was just another English invasion like all the subsequent ones.


 
:lol::lol::lol: Gold!

It is also similar to the story of St George (England) slaying the dragon (Wales) Basically it is an analogy for the way the English have invaded and settled other nations, replacing a nationa's traditional faith and culture with Christianity, fish and chips and football hooliganism.


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## naledge (Mar 13, 2010)

ShadowDragon said:


> You got it Annie, the snake is simply the personification of evil. Like the serpent who tempted Eve.



It didn't hurt that there have been no wild snakes in Ireland since like 500 AD or something.

Oh Whacking Day, oh Whacking Day.


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## slim6y (Mar 13, 2010)

"gvoakes on 03/11/2010 Noooo don't banish snacks  "

I'm guessing this is a case of an obese kid with poor English skills....


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## schizmz (Mar 13, 2010)

there are 3 places on earth with no snakes.. go!.."race to wiki"


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## slim6y (Mar 13, 2010)

Ireland, Antarctica and New Zealand  (no need for Wiki)


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## schizmz (Mar 13, 2010)

nope..better check wiki ;p


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## Fuscus (Mar 13, 2010)

jessb said:


> :lol::lol::lol: Gold!
> 
> It is also similar to the story of St George (England) slaying the dragon (Wales) Basically it is an analogy for the way the English have invaded and settled other nations, replacing a nationa's traditional faith and culture with Christianity, fish and chips and football hooliganism.



Don't forget warm beer!
(And they wonder why they then get kicked out!)


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Mar 13, 2010)

New Zealand has sea snakes.


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## mebebrian (Mar 13, 2010)

Posted by mandokeith on Mar 12, 2010, 09:24 AM EST If lizards are evolved snakes then why are there still snakes? They should have all evolved into lizards by now. Evolution is a lie, God created snakes, lizards and everything else. Thank-you St. Patrick for driving them out!

Oh how these people make me laugh, these are the same folk who think dinosaurs are all just a big hoax! And science is evil and blah blah blah and my imaginary friend is better than your imaginary friend so lets blow each other up to prove it.


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## Wallypod (Mar 13, 2010)

Pretty sure that not all Christians think that that old trex is a hoax mebebrian just putting it out there


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## mebebrian (Mar 13, 2010)

Wallypod said:


> Pretty sure that not all Christians think that that old trex is a hoax mebebrian just putting it out there



Oh i wasnt refering to just christians, religious extremistis of all kinds...


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## slim6y (Mar 13, 2010)

ssssnakeman said:


> New Zealand has sea snakes.



They're Lost Australian ones - do they count???

NZ definitely has NO terrestrial snakes. Antarctica definitely no snakes....

Greenland, Iceland, any other snake free land?

Up until WWII Guam was snake free too!


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## ShadowDragon (Mar 13, 2010)

slim6y said:


> Up until WWII Guam was snake free too!


Yep, but those whiney Guam-ites should just be happy now there's not so many noisy birds! :lol: Right? :shock:


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## jamesn48 (Mar 13, 2010)

I bet their arn't any falklands, fancy fighting for an island with no snakes:lol:Seriously i doubt there were any in Ireland to begin with, the only time in recent history is when it was connected to britain it was covered in a huge glacier, then when it seperated Ireland was an island and it's too coldd for sea snakes.


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## slim6y (Mar 14, 2010)

ShadowDragon said:


> Yep, but those whiney Guam-ites should just be happy now there's not so many noisy birds! :lol: Right? :shock:



Very true - snakes are so much quieter - there really is a bright side!


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## ShadowDragon (Mar 14, 2010)

I can just imagine them weighing up the situation. "Hmmmm, on the one hand, near total destruction of our native wildlife; on the other, no damned noisy birds at 4am. Oh yeah, we'll take some more BTS!".


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## shaunyboy (Mar 23, 2010)

*tell me about it !*



jessb said:


> :lol::lol::lol: Gold!
> 
> It is also similar to the story of St George (England) slaying the dragon (Wales) Basically it is an analogy for the way the English have invaded and settled other nations, replacing a nationa's traditional faith and culture with Christianity, fish and chips and football hooliganism.



tell me about it i'm stuck with them as my next door neighbours.were still trying to repell them to this day.
cheers shaun


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