Shamrock
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- This article is about the three leaf clover; for other meanings of the term, see shamrock (disambiguation)
The shamrock, an unofficial symbol of Ireland and Boston, Massachusetts, USA is a three-leaved young white clover, sometimes (rarely nowadays) Trifolium repens (white clover, known in Irish as seamair bhán) but more usually today Trifolium dubium (lesser clover, Irish: seamair bhuí). The shamrock was traditionally used for its medical properties and was a popular motif in Victorian times.
Badge of Ireland
The Shamrock is also used as a badge for sports teams, state organisations and troops abroad from Ireland - Aer Lingus, IDA Ireland, University College Dublin, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Fáilte Ireland use it as part of their identity. It is registered with the World Intellectual Property Organization as a symbol of Ireland. According to what the Oxford English Dictionary calls "a late tradition" (first recorded in 1726), the plant was used by Saint Patrick to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity. It has subsequently become an emblem of Ireland, but has official status in neither Northern Ireland nor the Republic of Ireland—the official emblem of the Republic is the harp. The English word comes from Irish seamróg, meaning young clover. The shamrock features on the passport stamp of Montserrat, many of whose citizens are of Irish descent.
References
Nelson, E. Charles; Loughin, Bernard, Shamrock: Botany and History of an Irish Myth: A Biography of the Shamrock in History, Literature, Music and Art. Boethius Press. ISBN 0-86-314199-4. A detailed history, including discussion of the identity of Shamrock.