Did you know that St. Valentine is (literally) in Ireland?
Many visitors to Ireland are surprised to discover that the remains of St. Valentine lie in the heart of Dublin. Those who follow our blogs or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest will know we love sharing lesser-known Irish stories, in our own unique Anam Croí Ireland Tours way. And yes, we generally adhere to the great Irish tradition of ‘never letting the truth get in the way of a good story’.
This time though, it’s all fact. His remains have lain in the heart of Dublin since the 19th century. We’ll come back to that, but let’s first take a look at the man behind Valentine’s Day and how the tradition began.
A Tradition Through the Ages
Some (usually cheapskate boyfriends/partners/husbands😍) may argue that St. Valentine’s Day is simply a lot of commercialised hogwash – an opportunity for card and flower retailers, restaurants and chocolate manufacturers to enhance profits.
But it really does go so much deeper than that. It’s believed the tradition of lovers celebrating February 14th predates the foundation of Hallmark by some 600 years!
The Story of Saint Valentine
The February 14th link is, in truth, a rather unfortunate one. It marks the date Valentine was put to death on the orders of Roman Emperor Claudius. Why? Simply for marrying people!
At the time, newly married men were forbidden from travelling for the first year of marriage to encourage them to settle and start families. This though, made it harder for the emperor to muster armies to defend the empire. His solution? Ban marriage altogether.
Just as well the Romans never came to Ireland!
The First Valentine’s Card
During his incarceration, Valentine began to educate the blind daughter of his jailer. The night before his execution he wrote her a note, signing it “your Valentine”. When she opened it, a crocus fell from within, and her sight was restored.
From a church perspective, the celebration of his feast day dates back to the very end of the 5th century.
As well as lovers, St. Valentine is also the patron saint of bees.
The Honeymoon Connection
The term ‘Honeymoon goes back to medieval times. On marrying, the happy couple would be gifted a supply of mead – made from fermented honey. They were given enough to last one full moon cycle – a month.
Mead was believed to aid fertility. And so, after one month it was hoped that the newlyweds would be announcing a pregnancy. Mead, of course, is also known as ‘the nectar of the gods’.
You can learn more about this tradition on both our 6 Day Southwest and 12 Day ‘The Full Irish’ tours. Kinsale Mead is an experience included on both itineraries.
How Valentine got to Dublin
In the 19th century, Dublin priest Fr. John Spratt gave an oration in Rome. So impressed was Pope Gregory XVI, that he presented him with the remains of St. Valentine. Spratt went on to become one of the driving forces of the temperance movement. Ironically, just a few months before his death, physicians prescribed alcohol as a cure for his gangrenous foot. He stout-heartedly (‘scuse the pun) declined. Saying he would rather die than let it help him live a little longer.
St. Valentine’s relics were brought to Whitefriars Street Church in Dublin in 1836. Over time, they were largely forgotten, until the church was being renovated in the 1950s, when they were placed in their current location.
The statue above the casket, carved at that time, depicts Valentine holding a crocus. The casket itself contains the seal of the Vatican – quiet evidence of Ireland truly holding Valentine dear to our hearts.
Things to do in Dublin
Saint Valentine is just one of the many unusual sights and stories you can stumble upon while rambling around Dublin. We provide all our clients with a curated list of wonderful Dublin attractions – many of them free – to explore at leisure before or after one of our great escorted tours of Ireland.