Why did St. Patrick drive the snakes out of Ireland?

Answer 1

Scientists have found no fossil evidence that snakes ever lived in Ireland. The snakes were symbolic of the pagan gods being worshiped by the Druids. Through his missionary work, Patrick was able to drive these 'snakes' from Ireland.

Answer 2

In religious lore the snake (or serpent) represented evil, godlessness and the devil's will (e.g., offering the apple to Adam). St. Patrick has been heralded as devoting his life to converting the pagans (or godless) to Christians. Thus, driving away evil. Symbolically this is shown as Patrick driving the "snakes" out of Ireland.

Answer 3

We cannot know whether St Patrick did or did not drive the snakes out of Ireland. There are certainly no snakes there now nor is there any evidence that there ever was. However England has snakes so it is difficult to explain why is it that Ireland does not. Physically it is impossible to remove every species of such a small and hard to locate creature from an area the size of Ireland, only with supernatural help could it have been accomplished.

Answer 4

Legend says Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. However, scientists tell us that snakes have never lived in Ireland. The snakes are thought to be symbolic of the Druid pagan gods that Patrick 'drove' out of Ireland by converting the people to Christianity.

Answer 5

There never were any snakes in Ireland, which people thought was odd, because there are snakes in Ireland's nearest island neighbor, the UK. So people invented the myth that St. Pat ran the snakes out.

Answer 6

Ireland has never had snakes. They are symbolic for the pagan Druid gods that St. Patrick drove from Ireland by converting the country to Christianity.
Legend teaches that he did. There are no snakes found in Ireland today.

Answer 7

St Patrick was supposed to have driven snakes out of Ireland. However, this is a pure legend as there is no evidence that snakes ever inhabited Ireland going back until the end of the last ice age - more than 10,000 years ago. The term snake is thought to be symbolic of the pagan religion of the Druids, who Patrick converted to Christianity.

Answer 8

Scientists have found no fossil evidence that snakes ever occurred in Ireland. The story of Saint Patrick driving the snakes fro Ireland is an allegory and the snakes represent the pagan gods he banish from the country by converting the populace to Christianity.

Answer 9

If it had really happened, it would have to have been before the year 464. However, this is a pure legend that has grown up around the saint and most likely never happened. There is no fossil record of snakes ever occurring in Ireland. This is much like the legend that St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) lived at the North Pole and flew around the world with a magical sleigh and reindeer.

Answer 10

It is said that Patrick stood on an Irish hillside and delivered a sermon that drove the island’s snakes into the sea. It’s true that Ireland is snake-free, chances are that’s been always the case. People believe the snake story is an allegory for St. Patrick’s removal of pagan worship.