ON ST Patrick’s day, millions of people around the world will wear a sprig of “shamrock”. The tradition dates back many centuries, and the small, three-leafed (or trefoil) plant is famously a symbol of Irishness. Yet to scientists, it’s all a bit of a sham because – whisper it – botanically speaking, there is no such species as shamrock.
Check out this post by Mary Mulvihill in the Irish Times to learn more about the sham behind the shamrock.
