Luck O' The Irish

I was surprised when the husband of one of my grandmother's cousins wrote in the 1984 Adams County History Book that the Means were Irish. I had never heard that, nor suspected it. Grandma Delphia had certainly never alluded that she had Irish roots. But, indeed, many years later, after joining Family Search, I was able to trace her roots back to Ireland.

I don't know if she had a knack for finding four leaved clovers when she was young, but as an adult living west of Iveyville, she knew just where to look in her yard to find the symbol of luck. 🍀 Which is why I thought of her when I read this poem.

And while many people confuse the four leaved clover as one of the symbols of Ireland instead of the three leaved clover, I am not one of them.

4 leaves = luck

3 leaves = Irish shamrock

Four-Leaf Clover By Ella Higginson (1861-1940)

I know a place where the sun is like gold,
     And the cherry blooms burst with snow,
And down underneath is the loveliest nook,
     Where the four-leaf clovers grow.

One leaf is for hope, and one is for faith,
     And one is for love, you know,
And God put another in for luck—
     If you search, you will find where they grow.

But you must have hope, and you must have faith,
      You must love and be strong—and so—
If you work, if you wait, you will find the place
     Where the four-leaf clovers grow.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Grandma. I wish we'd known enough about your heritage to celebrate while you were still here. 💚🍀