Shamrock

is not FOUR-leafed clover. Shamrock has only three leaves: that's why St Patrick used it to teach the concept of the Trinity.

I have been browsing in-world and on SLX and am astonished how many content creators aren't aware of this, and proudly present their four-leafed clover items as ideal St Patrick's Day gifts. Many of these products are beautifully made; there are textures to die for, but that extra leaf spoils them for me.

There are so many designers who get it wrong that I'd be IM-ing all day if I contacted them. Hope some of them are reading this.

Please don't flame me - I know this isn't a question. I know it probably would be more appropriate for the Content Creation forum, but the way the forums are at the moment, I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon. The extra leaf peeved me last year as well - maybe my post will ensure I don't have a conniption in 2009, and can buy some of those lovely things.

Happy St Patrick's Day everyone (for tomorrow).

technically you're only half right, both are clover, it's just considered lucky to have four leaves because of their rarity. the word shamrock is actually derived from the Irish "seamróg" meaning 'young clover' acording to various wiki's

sorry you're having trouble finding a 3 leaf variety for you own needs, the 4 is very popular (luck always is). maybe just ask the maker to tweak one for you? or buy a mod one

I love posts like this, I learn so much!

It's the number of leaves that bothers me. Four-leaf clover is considered lucky, but it is the 3-leaf shamrock that is associated with St Patrick because, as I mentioned, he used it to illustrate the idea of the Trinity.

I tend to be a bit obsessive about detail

I should add that there are a lot of very talented content creators who get it right, and I've probably bought most of their stuff, hehe.

Check out http://www.geocities.com/enchantedforest/cottage/2595/shamrock.html

The following is taken from the site:

"Three is Ireland's magic number. Hence the Shamrock.

Crone, Mother and Virgin.
Love, Valour and Wit..
Faith, Hope and Charity.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Numbers played an important role in Celtic symbolism. Three was the most sacred and magical number. It multiplies to nine, which is sacred to Brigid. Three may have signified totality: past, present and future / behind, before and here / sky, earth and underworld.

Everything good in Ireland comes in threes. The rhythm of story telling in the Irish tradition is based on threefold repetition. This achieves both intensification and exaggeration. Even today in quality pub talk, a raconteur can rarely resist a third adjective, especially if it means stretching a point."

*Crone, Mother and Virgin.
Love, Valour and Wit..
Faith, Hope and Charity.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit*

thats 12

LOL

I am reading this! I sell items with both shamrocks and 4-leaf clovers as holiday decor. I don't call a 4-leaf clover a shamrock, though - I know there's a difference.

I won't flame you, since you're trying to be helpful. HOWEVER - please note that many people do associate 4-leaf clovers with St. Patrick, historically accurate or not, and it's part of the holiday spirit for them, therefore content creators are just giving people what they want. And when you think about it, did Jesus have anything to do with Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny? No, but it's still part of the celebration for many people.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you too. I am sending you some shamrock earrings I made (with THREE leaves) in world because you really do seem to care about the holiday and its meaning.

Puppet that is really kind of you.

To be honest, I had never heard of anyone associating 4-leaf clover with St Patrick's Day until I looked for holiday stuff on SL, LOL. But then I am part Irish, so I grew up with the legend and the holiday.

Santa Claus is a recognized part of the Christmas tradition though, because it recalls St Nicholas giving to the poor. As for the Easter bunny, I'm guessing that may be a hangover from the pagan tradition. I must look that up. But just think for a moment - if someone decided to create crosses for SL Christians to wear in-world, and they made them x-shaped, doubtless someone would say something. Historically. we don't really know what the cross looked like, but the familiar form is an accepted symbol of Christianity. The shamrock has become such an important symbol _only_ because St Patrick used it to illustrate the Three-in-One.

Thanks again, Puppet, I'll wear the earrings proudly.

You're very welcome. Seems like us mutt Americans bastardize every holiday. Maybe we get confused because we have too many traditions to deal with, so we just mix 'em all up.

LOL Sounds like fun.

PS: If we still had HTML in this forum I would have used green, LOL

are so cute!

They're on SLX if you want a pair: http://www.slexchange.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=591254

It annoyed me too... but then everyone else was doing it so I decided if you cant beat/correct them, join them

I should be ashamed of myself really.


**Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit!**

It's probably an American thing because many of us grew up with commercials for a sugar infested breakfast cereal featuring green four leaf clover dried up marshmallows with a cartoon leprechaun as the spokesperson.

I do know why this would bother you. I was cruising YouTube a while back and found some charming videos of chimpanzees. The comments invariably referred to them as monkeys. In the grand scheme of things does it really matter? Maybe not, but I wonder what other fundamental concepts these people don't get -- and are they allowed to vote?

Thanks for setting me straight on the Shamrock issue. I have never made them or planned to use them in any way, but I am mostly of Celtic descent and it's good to know these things.

You're right-- rabbits are an ancient fertility symbol, because they give birth to large litters in the spring.


Mmmmmm, Lucky Charms.

Schools are starting to call the holiday 'leprechaun day' so this complaint is the least of your worries.

I am obsessed with St Paddy's day. Its my fave holiday of the year i think, with V-day a close second. But then I have very good reason lol.

This has annoyed me too in the past, but now i just go with it. I figured it was too much hassle for me to keep setting people straight lol. Plus, 4-leaf clovers are lucky...and I could do with luck occasionally lol.

/me wonders if she can get Lucky Charms in England....

Four-leaf clovers and shamrocks are the least of my worries right now....

I'm just praying that the miserable rain we're having in Dublin will hold off tomorrow for the parade...

As for 'Lucky Charms'.....Claire, stay away from them, after one morning of eating them for breakfast, your teeth will fall out the next day.....lol

Sun, despite the Russian name (which originated for a certain reason a looonnnngggg time ago on IRC and has been my online nick ever since) I'm a redheaded Irish lass (well, American but proudly of Irish descent) who has been fortunate enough to visit the Emerald Isle and I really appreciate this post.

And umm....I've been told I was conceived on St. Patrick's day....and my birthday is Christmas Eve. (Probably tmi but another reason St. Patrick's day is special for me.)

O M G please tell me this is a cute joke.

Dont you remember? St Paddy has to wet the shamrock before the Irish wet their throats!

Send it down to me. I will not be taking part in the Cork parade.. marching up Patricks street like an eejit while getting drenched, instead I'll be curled up on the sofa playing with the puppy!




I too hope "Leprechaun Day" is a joke

The thought of my parents in the act of concieving me would not make the day "special"


*shudders*

parents are human too....

I like adding sugar on top of my Lucky Charms. Though I rarely eat Lucky Charms.

Just saying. And my teeth stubbornly refuse to budge from my mouth. Bad teeth!

Send some rain to me. We have not any rain so far this year.

Not in pagan Britain and Ireland they weren't. No rabbits in Britain until after the Norman Conquest almost certainly, earliest references to them in literature or records are 12th or 13th century.

Pagan tradition used hares as fertility symbols, for their fecundity and their very public mating rituals probably.