This was followed by an “official” parade in New York in 1766. Legend says St. Patrick drove all the snakes from Ireland. True, there are no snakes anywhere on the island- but there have been none since before the last Ice Age! The priest John Colgan began work on a six-volume Irish ecclesiastical history in the 17th Century, including the lives of the saints. This is one of the best known St Patrick legends. The British people, on the other hand, has three different types of snakes living in their homeland. Everyone's heard the basic story: There are no snakes in Ireland because St. Patrick drove them away. On St. Patrick's Day, here's the real reason Ireland has no snakes St. Patrick's Day celebrates the patron saint of Ireland, who, according to legend, banished snakes from … The myth is that the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, chased away all the snakes from the Emerald Isle back when he was introducing Christianity in the region. "There are no snakes in Ireland for the simple reason they couldn't get there because the climate wasn't favorable for them to be there," he said. There are no snakes in Ireland (Picture: Alamy) St Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year in honour of the Patron Saint of Ireland. In it, he tells how Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland by luring them to the sea where they were drowned. Medieval legend and lore says it wasn't just snakes that St. Patrick drove from the Emerald Isle. The story goes that St Patrick had subjected himself to a 40-day fast on the top of the mountain now known as Croagh Patrick. It ain’t because of Saint Patrick. A famous legend from the life of St. Patrick explains how he banished snakes from the entire country of Ireland after praying on top of the mountain Croagh Patrick during the 40 days of Lent. According to Nigel Monaghan, naturalist and keeper of natural history at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, “At no time has there ever been any suggestion of snakes in Ireland, so [there was] nothing for St. Patrick to banish.” St. Patrick supposedly chased the snakes into the sea after they began attacking him during a 40-day fast he undertook on top of a hill. There are no snakes in Ireland (Picture: Alamy) St Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year in honour of the Patron Saint of Ireland. Legend says St. Patrick drove all the snakes from Ireland. St Patrick banishes the snakes from Ireland . According to legend, St. Patrick drove all the snakes, or in some translations, "toads," out of Ireland. Latest. As he came down after finishing his fast, he saw snakes gathering in front of him. St Patrick banishes snakes from Ireland. The legend is actually an allegory about his successes in converting Ireland to Christianity. While that's not entirely true, both the full legend and the science behind Ireland's distinct lack of snakes is fascinating stuff. March 17, 2015. Even if there are no snakes in Ireland, a snake fossil would have proved that snakes did indeed exist there once. The absence of snakes in Ireland gave rise to the legend that they had all been banished by St. Patrick chasing them into the sea after they attacked him during a … In reality, this probably did not occur, as there is no evidence that snakes have ever existed in Ireland… Today, there are no snakes in Ireland and that, according to legend, is thanks to St Patrick. (Image by Jim Heimann Collection/Getty Images) It wasn’t until the 1630s that 17 March, the traditional day of St Patrick’s death, was added to the Catholic breviary (a book of prayers) as the Feast of St Patrick. Technology. In reality, this probably did not occur, as there is no evidence that snakes have ever existed in Ireland, the climate … The legend is actually an allegory about his successes in converting Ireland to Christianity. Probably as famous as the story of the shamrock is the legend of Saint Patrick driving all the snakes of Ireland into the sea where they drowned. “If I have any worth, it is to live my life for God so as to teach these peoples.” - St. Patrick Legend has it that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland.