The shamrock has landed! Officials from the Calvia council and Lions President, Adrian Elkinson, were at Palma airport this morning to officially collect the shamrock flown in especially for the Saint Patrick's day party in Santa Ponsa on Sunday.
The whole operation was organised by Adrian with the support of the council. Adrian thanked Ryanair for their support in bringing the shamwock to Mallorca.
Writing in today's Bulletin the Lions President spoke of the importance of Saint Patrick's day.
Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, in Irish "Lá Fhéile Pádraig".
Records show that a St. Patrick’s Day parade was held on March 17, 1601 in a Spanish colony under the direction of the colony's Irish vicar, Ricardo Artur. More than a century later, homesick Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched in Boston in 1737 and in New York City on March 1762.
Saint Patrick, who was born in the late 4th century, was one of the most successful Christian missionaries in history. Born in Britain to a Christian family of Roman citizenship, he was taken prisoner at the age of 16 by a group of Irish raiders who attacked his family’s estate. They transported him to Ireland, and he spent six years in captivity before escaping back to Britain.
Believing he had been called by God to Christianise Ireland, he joined the Catholic Church and studied for 15 years before being consecrated as the church’s second missionary to Ireland. Patrick began his mission to Ireland in 432, and by his death in 461, the island was almost entirely Christian.
Early Irish settlers to the American colonies, many of whom were indentured servants, brought the Irish tradition of celebrating St. Patrick’s feast day to America.
Americans of Irish ancestry celebrate their cultural identity and history by enjoying St. Patrick’s Day parades and engaging in celebrations that generally involve public parades and festivals, céili (Irish Dancing) and the wearing of green attire and shamrock.
Shamrock is a type of clover, used as a symbol of Ireland. Saint Patrick, one of Ireland's patron saints, is said to have used it as a metaphor for the Christian Holy Trinity. The name shamrock comes from Irish seamróg, which is the diminutive of the Irish word seamair and simply means "young clover".
Here in Mallorca specifically Calvia and Santa Ponsa, St Patricks Day has been established and celebrated since 2013 by the then Mayor Manu Oineva and organised by Calvia Townhall with many events on March 17th.
This year again there will be many events taking place in Santa Ponsa.
Go along and join in the celebrations enjoy a glass or two of Guinness, from one of the many bars.
Listen to Irish traditional music by the famous Raggle Taggle Gypsies, Mick the Fiddler plus other Irish musicians.
If you have heard the Irish talking about having great "craic", it means enjoyable social activity or having a good time.
Go along to Santa Ponsa join in the fun and CRAIC