why is a shamrock the symbol of ireland
A shamrock is a young sprig, used as a symbol of Ireland. Saint Patrick, Ireland's patron saint, is said to have used it as a metaphor for the Christian Holy Trinity. The name shamrock comes from Irish seamróg (ˈʃamɣɾɣoːɡ), which is the diminutive of the Irish word for plant (seamair) and means simply "little plant" or "young plant".