20176 St Patrick

This smurf was first sold as a seasonal figurine in the US with articlenumber
6580 in 1982/83. Then made in green material. In 1986 the new variation with
brown jacket was made and then the material changed to blue. Always made
in Portugal though. Between 1986 and 1989 the hatband was painted red.

About St Patrick:
”In 432, Patrick returned to Ireland, though as a bishop, to Christianise the Irish
from their native polytheism. Irish folklore tells that one of his teaching methods
included using the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Christian doctrine
of the Holy Trinity to the pre-Christian Irish people. Originally, the colour
associated with Saint Patrick was blue. Over the years the colour green and its
association with Saint Patrick’s day grew. Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn
in celebration of St Patrick’s Day as early as the 17th century.The wearing and
display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs have become a ubiquitous
feature of the day. In the 1798 rebellion, to make a political statement, Irish
soldiers wore full green uniforms on 17 March in hopes of catching public attention.
The phrase ”the wearing of the green”, meaning to wear a shamrock on one’s
clothing, derives from a song of the same name.”

 

Dot variations: White

Known variations:

1. Portugal. Green jacket
2. Portugal. Brown jacket, with red hatband
3. Portugal. Brown jacket
4. Portugal. Brown jacket. CE under feets
5. Portugal. Brown jacket. CE on back of clover

    

   Other variations:

1. Fakes
2. Raws