Bloody Well, Who Stole The ShamRocks?

By now several people have christened toilets with green urine from all the Irish beer they drank, while others reading this are wondering if such is true; the answer-merely ask a Leprechaun when you find him beneath a rainbow protecting the pot of gold. Good Ol’ St. Patrick’s Day! If only every Holiday was akin! We would as cheerfully embrace African American History Month, drink many a brown beer, and christen toilets with ebony urine. Wear buttons and t-shirts that say, ‘Kiss me – I’m African-American’. Oh well, the ‘luck of Irish’. Yea, right! Surely it isn’t all about partying and beer, nah! This is a spectacular holiday filled with Irish symbols, folklore, blessings, songs, and food. And foremost; March 17 is in honor of a Saint. “In his sixteenth year, Patrick was carried off into captivity by Irish marauders and was sold as a slave… Admonished by an angel he after six years fled from his cruel master… his heart was set on devoting himself to the service of God… The fame of Patrick's marvelous power of miracles preceeded him” Catholic Encyclopedia“By the eighth century he had become the patron saint of Ireland… March 17, …is believed to be his death date” Wikipedia and is the is the feast day the Roman Catholic Church celebrate Saint Patrick. In fact, Pubs used to be closed on March 17.! “In 1780, General George Washington, who commanded soldiers of Irish descent in the Continental Army, allowed his troops a holiday on March 17. This event became known as The St. Patrick's Day Encampment of 1780. Today, Saint Patrick's Day is widely celebrated in America by Irish and non-Irish alike.” By drinking green beer and partying! Bloody well, who stole the shamrocks? I went to Wal-Mart to find one freakin’ shamrock, only to be overwhelmed by everything else Irish. Irish mugs, shots glasses, Irish sweatshirts and t-shirts… Okay, so the ‘Big Foot’ Chain Store Stompers of Ma and Pa Shops know how to market. Disappointedly, not finding a shamrock would have been bloody well, except Wally World has to always incorporate two holidays, as if they might miss some green. Only this time I think they went too far! St. Patrick’s Day and Easter! There adorned on the cold shelves were the delightful Easter products. Fluffy Easter Bunnies with their adorable floppy ears and cute noses. Charming Easter Baskets filled with yummy goodies! And Irish shot glasses… scattered amidst my Easter bliss! What could one expect when the Irish paraphernalia was only on the next isle! St. Patrick may not have indeed driven the snakes out of Ireland, but someone needs to drive them out of Wal-Mart! No shamrocks and now blaspheming Easter! May all their toilets be stained green beyond reconstruction! BTW: One more Irish folklore; rumor has it, on March 17 some could have been partying with the Smurfs and drinking blue beer! Let me know Readers if you find any truth to this:

“The original colour of St. Patrick's Day was not green, but blue. It wasn't until the 19th century that green became Ireland's national colour.”