This paper is
concerned with the symbolism, mythology and folklore connected with the figure
of St Patrick rather than with history or recorded facts about the life of the
flesh and blood saint. This examination focuses on the legends that built up
around the figure St Patrick and how these might be interpreted in relation to
popular conceptions of the saint and understandings of his cultural importance.
St Patrick features in many stories in the Irish oral tradition and there are
many customs connected with his feast day. These traditions have been given new
layers of meaning over time while also becoming tied to Irish identity both in
Ireland and abroad. The symbolic resonance of the St Patrick figure is complex
and multifaceted, stretching from that of Christianity’s arrival in Ireland to
an identity that encompasses everything Irish. In some portrayals, the saint is
symbolically synonymous with the Christian religion itself. There is also
evidence of a combination of indigenous religious traditions with that of
Christianity, which places St Patrick in the wider framework of cultural
hybridity. Popular religious expression has this characteristic feature of
merging elements of culture. Later in time, the saint becomes associated
specifically with Catholic Ireland and synonymously with Irish national
identity. Subsequently, St Patrick is a patriotic symbol along with the colour
green and the shamrock. St Patrick's Day celebrations include many traditions
that are known to be relatively recent historically, but have endured through
time because of their association either with religious or national identity.
They have persisted in such a way that they have become stalwart traditions, viewed
as the strongest "Irish traditions". The close connection between St Patrick
and emblems of national identity such as the shamrock and the colour green
makes these customs more authentic and valid in popular understandings of folk
tradition. It is especially interesting how particular traditions, like the
parade, have changed over time and taken on new meanings in different time
periods. The examination of St Patrick traditions gives interesting insights
into the cultural mechanism of invention and reinterpretation of tradition in a
general sense.