WHY AREN’T THERE ANY SNAKES IN IRELAND?

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St. Patrick didn’t banish all the snakes from Ireland, there were never any snakes in Ireland, to begin with.

Legend tells it that in addition to introducing Christianity to Ireland, St. Patrick banished all the snakes from the Emerald Isle, chasing them into the sea from atop a cliff where he had undertaken a 40-day fast.

As beloved as this element of St. Patrick’s story may be, a brief scientific inquiry and look back through history – such as the one National Geographic conducted in 2014 – reveals what while St. Patrick did a great many things, sending snakes slithering away from Ireland was not one of them.

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Published:
12.27.17 13:21
Category:
Informational