It is said that shamrocks grow where snakes cannot live — and since St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland, shamrocks spread across the land in their wake.
But there are older stories about St. Patrick still told in Ireland.
His footprints, some say, can still be seen on the rocks by the harbor at Skerries. And once, a chieftain named Dichu drew his sword to strike the saint down. At the very moment he raised his arm, it went rigid and would not move — and it stayed that way until Dichu swore obedience to St. Patrick. Then St. Patrick taught him to be kind.
Another legend tells of the idol-worshippers. St. Patrick walked into their hall and found them gathered around a tall stone pillar, the chief idol at the top covered all in gold and silver, twelve more idols arranged in a circle around it. St. Patrick struck the chief idol with his crozier — and it crumbled to dust.
