Hiss-tory rewritten: Ireland’s growing fascination with snakes

Historically, snakes have gotten a bad rap, but there’s a lot to love about these fascinating creatures, writes Jonathan deBurca Butler

Paula Hanrahan, director and founder of Kids Club Ireland says that snake and reptile handling has never been more popular.

After all the talk last weekend of our patron saint, legend would have us believe that while St Patrick was busy evangelising and helping the pagans of Ireland to follow the path of Jesus, he also took the time to banish snakes from these soon-to-be sacred shores.

The snake has had a long and grievous career as an agent of the devil, the provider of forbidden fruit, and a symbol of evil. The Emerald Isle St Patrick had in mind was better off without these slippery surrogates of sin. So they were banished, slithering away never to be seen again.