St. Patrick's Day
Superstitions, Fascinating & Fun Facts
Behind the Blarney!
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW:
Dr. Donald Dossey, internationally known expert and author of HOLIDAY FOLKLORE, PHOBIAS AND FUN: MYTHICAL ORIGINS, SCIENTIFIC TREATMENTS AND SUPERSTITIOUS "CURES".Have you ever wondered:
Who St. Patrick really was and what is the biggest blarney of all?
What the lore is behind the shamrock symbol?
Whether leprechauns ever existed?
Why green was chosen as the holiday color?
What kinds of phobias surround St. Patrick's Day?
How the folklore of the Blarney Stone got started?
For the answers to these or any other fascinating St. Patrick's Day
superstition and folklore questions, ask Dr. Donald Dossey, author of HOLIDAY
FOLKLORE, PHOBIAS AND FUN: Mythical Origins, Scientific Treatments, and
Superstitious "Cures." As an entertaining
historian-folklorian, he will share some of the ancient superstitions and
humorous rituals surrounding this day when "everybody is Irish!"
St. Patrick's Day Phobias
But along with the superstitions and folklore fun comes some frightening
phobias. Did St. Patrick suffer from incurable ophidophobia? Do you? Will
you develop ochilophobia or phonophobia by carousing with the
rowdy Irish? How can you protect yourself from that rarest of Irish phobias -- mythophobia?
Don't worry, St. Patrick's Day isn't just for the Irish! "Even if you don't
know what a shillelagh is or where it comes from, you can guarantee yourself
years of good luck this St. Patrick's Day," says Dr. Dossey, "by
throwing nine straight willow rods towards the rafters and catching them coming
back down while standing on one leg with one hand behind your back!"
Because he offers you more than one angle! Many are fascinated by the origins and humorous folklore superstitions of the holidays; others by the phobias and stresses surrounding them. Many prefer both! Dr. Dossey has appeared on OPRAH WINFREY, GERALDO, CNN, THE OTHER SIDE, HARD COPY, and many more. He, as a resident of Asheville, NC and folklorian historian, has extensively researched legendary origins of the folklore, superstitions and phobias surrounding our holidays as well as unusual, often hilarious, old-timey superstitious "cures" for these fears. He is known as the Holiday Superstition and Folklore Reporter and has been described as "the Will Rogers with a Ph.D."
AVAILABILITY: Travel nationwide by arrangement or by telephone.
CONTACT: Howard Geer, Publicist, for suggested questions and bookings (828) 258-1311 or drdossey@drdossey.com
SUGGESTED QUESTIONS
1. Who was St. Patrick really?
2. Where did the name came from?
3. What is the biggest blarney of all about St. Patrick' Day?
4. What is the early spring holiday is all about?
5. Did St. Patrick really drive the snakes out of Ireland or is that just more blarney?
6. Who were the native Druids and how did he treat them?
7. How did Patrick become a saint?
8. Where did the folklore of the Blarney Stone come from?
9. What did the original symbol of the shamrock mean?
10. Is the 4-leafed clover is a relative of the shamrock?
11. Why was green chosen as this holiday color?
12. Did the leprechauns at one time actually exist? Is the saying, "You ol' coot!" related?
13. What is the shillelagh is and where did it originally come from?
14. What kinds of phobias surround St. Patrick's Day?
15. What are some of the prediction, omens and superstitious rituals associated with this day when "Everybody is Irish?"
16. Does throwing nine straight willow rods towards the rafters and catching them coming down while standing on one leg with one hand behind your back really bring good luck?
CONTACT: Howard Geer (828)258-1311or drdossey@drdossey.com
Return to Top of Page