Notes and queries: What did St Patrick banish from Ireland – snakes or Druids? More pop rhyme crimes; Why Americans invented the hamburger

What did St Patrick banish from Ireland – snakes or Druids? More pop rhyme crimes; Why Americans invented the hamburgerIt is said that St Patrick banished all snakes from Ireland. Is it correct to assume there are no grass snakes or adders there?Nothing to do with old St Patrick – just that reptiles and amphibians have never (or, at least, have not yet) repopulated Ireland after the last ice age. The same is true of Iceland; Boswell states that it was Dr Johnson's party piece to recite the w...

Read full article Share article