To what extent is the lack of snakes in Ireland caused by St. Patrick and how can this be improved in the future
Introduction
For numerous years and numerous reasons, many blame the fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop of Ireland, St. Patrick for the lack of these elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes. However, recent studies and articles convey that in fact St. Patrick had nothing to do with the abolishment of snakes. This essay will examine the verified and valid facts and details of the lack of snakes in Ireland by examining the treatment of these reptiles from the Ice Age and years after that.
Ireland and Snakes
Ireland, a country of Western Europe and occupying five-sixths of the westernmost major islands of the British Isles, has no snakes. In fact, there are no snakes in Ireland, and there never have been. According to Irish lore, Ireland used to have snakes, until St. Patrick chased them all into the ocean hundreds of years ago. But according to the fossil record, snakes have never made Ireland home. Snakes are found on almost every continent on earth, with the sole exception being icy Antarctica. Moreover, they have the ability to survive in any climate, ranging from the dense humid rainforests to the dry deserts explaining the reason why snakes thrive all over the world, with approximately 3500 snakes found worldwide. This complete lack of snakes means that there has never been a total ban on the importation of snakes ever implemented, therefore the desire to own a pet snake can be fulfilled in this country.
