Ireland and the Irish have become synonymous with good luck. Whether you cite superstitions, symbology, or just some very well-known sayings, people think that the Irish are a particularly lucky people. However, the saying ‘The Luck of the Irish’ wasn’t originally meant to be complementary, nor was it popularised by the Irish. Yet, it’s very much a theme or a presentation that’s used tapped into often and is the quintessential Irish depiction.
Delving into this, we’re looking at the real meaning behind the ‘Luck of the Irish’ saying and where it came from. After that and seeing its influence on our everyday lives, so that anyone who truly wants to get themselves some good luck from Ireland, we’ll explore a famously lucky location on the Emerald Isle that can still be visited today.
The Luck of the Irish has carried for centuries
Today, the Luck of the Irish is commonly seen as pointing to the Irish being particularly lucky. Ireland is often associated with good luck, and a great deal of that comes from the Irish theme being so popular in games of chance. Among the slots online at Paddy Power, the lucky Irish theme and its associated symbols are certainly prevalent.
There’s Rainbow Jackpots Megaways with its rainbow, pots of gold, leprechaun, and pixie, as well as 19 distinctly Irish Paddy games. Given how entertainment depicts the Irish and how lucky symbols are classically tied to the Irish, it makes sense that most people would think that it’s a positive superstition, even if the games are based on randomness. In some ways, it was a positive saying at its inception, but thinking about the time period, it was almost certainly derogatory.
As has been relayed by Irish Central, author and associate professor of history Edward T. O’Donnell finds that the phrase comes from miners who saw Irish and Irish-American workers strike gold and silver often during the 19th Century. Some would see it as a comment on the hardworking nature of the Irish coming over to find their fortunes in the Gold Rush, but more likely, it was spawned from jealousy for the fortunes the Irish picked up.
Ways to explore rich Irish traditions
Finding a clover with four separate leaves is one of the most well-known symbols of Irish luck. The shamrock itself, which is the regular three-leafed form, is the national flower of Ireland, so it makes sense that the possible Druid-held beliefs of its luck when there’s an abnormal fourth lead would bring luck. Of course, you don’t just have to be in Ireland to find a four-leafed clover.
To experience a unique flavour of Irish heritage, you’ll need to head to County Cork. Quite close to the city of Cork, all you need to do is get to Blarney, scale the medieval Blarney Castle, and then roll into a weird position to kiss a stone. Now confirmed by Glasgow University to be authentic and 100 per cent Irish, you need to lay on your back, shuffle a bit over the edge, and kiss the Blarney Stone upside-down.
This, they say, will grant you good luck in the form of the ‘Gift of the Gab,’ which makes you more eloquent. It might not be the Luck of the Irish, but kissing the Blarney Stone is one of the more unique ways to experience Irish culture.
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