Antique St. Patrick’s Day Postcards Celebrate Irish Pride
St. Patrick was a 5th Century Romano-British bishop and missionary in Ireland. In his autobiographical work, Confessio, he describes being captured by Irish pirates when he was about sixteen. Taken from his native Britain and sold as as a slave in Ireland, Patrick eventually managed to escape, return home, and become a cleric. He later went back to Ireland permanently, and in time became a bishop. Legend credits him with using the shamrock to explain the concept of the Trinity to the Irish.
The feast of St. Patrick is March 17th. In the early centuries of Christianity, people who lived holy lives were often recognized locally or regionally as saints before the process of canonization became more formal. St. Patrick’s fame was wide, and he is recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, and a few other denominations.
As years went by, St. Patrick became so closely associated with Ireland he became a patriotic symbol of the country, along with the shamrock and the color green. For many, March 17th is a secular celebration of Irish identity and culture.
Irish immigrants brought their festive observance of St. Patrick’s Day to America. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, here are some antique postcards commemorating the holiday. Some speak to fond remembrance of Ireland by those who left it behind, or a reverence for the storied land of parents or grandparents. All show pride in Irish heritage.
A young woman pins a shamrock on a young man’s lapel on this antique “Erin Go Bragh” postcard. “Erin go Braugh” is the anglicisation of the Irish phrase “Éirinn go Brách” and is used to express allegiance to Ireland. It is most often translated as "Ireland Forever.” This card was never postmarked but the divided back places it after March 1907 but before 1915. From my personal collection.
This Tuck postcard, postmarked Mar 15, 2:30 PM, 1911, depicts a castle and a large shamrock, framed by many small shamrocks. The verse reads: “Chosen leaf, Of Bard and Chief, Old Erin’s native Shamrock.” From my personal collection.
A bearded man plays a gold harp on this “St. Patricks Greeting” embossed postcard. The divided back dates it 1907 to 1915.
A young woman, with golden shamrocks on her gown, plays a gold harp on this postcard. She appears to have been printed by the same company as her male counterpart above, also circa 1907 to 1915.
“St Patrick’s Day Greetings” postcard with bishop’s mitre and staff --emblems of the 5th Century saint -- with blossoms and shamrocks framing a dreamy Irish landscape. This card is postmarked Mar 8, 1910. From my personal collection.
“Flag of Old Erin!” postcard from Raphael Tuck & Son’s “Shamrock Series,” postmarked Mar 16, 10 PM, 1910. From my personal collection.
A girl plays a silver harp in on this “Dear Irish Memories” embossed postcard, postmarked Mar 11, 6-9 PM, 1910. From my personal collection. The verse above the “Erin Go Bragh” medal reads:
A bit o’ Blarney and lakes o’Kilarney Will stir each Irish heart. For they bring memories, Bring back sweet memories that no earthly power can part.
“My own little Colleen” Tuck postcard, postmarked Mar 15, 2:30 PM, 1913. The young girl wears a green skirt, a white blouse, and a red cloak, along with light green shoes adorned with red bows. I have seen other St. Patrick’s Day cards from this time period showing women and girls wearing red cloaks, or with red shawls on their heads, including the example below. From my personal collection.
"Greeting. With kind thoughts of the Old Country” St. Patrick’s Day card, showing a girl or woman, her head covered by a red shawl, on a donkey by a Celtic cross and a thatched cottage, with a harp, shamrocks, and the Irish motto, spelled “ Erin go brat.” Like many postcards of the day, this one was printed in Germany. The divided back dates it from March 1907 (when the US Post Office began allowing divided cards to be used) to sometime before 1915. Germany printed beautiful postcards, but World War I stopped the presses, so this one is from before 1915.
Flowers and shamrocks frame a church in this scene from an embossed postcard printed in Germany. The back is not divided in half, although lines do create a big area for the address, and a smaller area for a message, indicating this card was printed before 1907. From my personal collection.
Embossed St. Patrick’s Day card published by John Winsch & Co., printed in Germany. Artwork by Samuel L. Schmucker features a lady in a green dress with shamrocks, with green stockings and shoes, sitting on a huge tall hat with a pipe in the narrow hatband, and three giant shamrocks behind her. The verse below reads:
The Scots man loves the Thistle The Englishman the rose -- But the Irish man loves the spot Where the Shamrock grows.
The divided back and German printing place this card after March 1907 but before 1915.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all who celebrate!