section_path: Legends/Patrick banishes snakes from Ireland
section_name: Patrick banishes snakes from Ireland
paragraph_text: Patrick banishes snakes from Ireland
  
  Ireland was well known to be a land without snakes, and this was noted as early as the third century by Gaius Julius Solinus, but later legend credited Patrick with banishing snakes from the island. The earliest text to mention an Irish saint banishing snakes from Ireland is in fact the Life of Saint Columba (chapter 3.23), written in the late seventh or early eighth century. The earliest writings about Patrick ridding Ireland of snakes are by Jocelyn of Furness in the late twelfth century, who says that Patrick chased them into the sea after they attacked him during his fast on a mountain. Gerald of Wales also mentions the story in the early thirteenth century, but he is doubtful of its truthfulness. The hagiographic theme of banishing snakes may draw on the Biblical account of the staff of the prophet Moses. In Exodus 7:8–7:13, Moses and Aaron use their staffs in their struggle with Pharaoh's sorcerers, the staffs of each side turning into snakes. Aaron's snake-staff prevails by consuming the other snakes.
  
  Post-glacial Ireland never had snakes. "At no time has there ever been any suggestion of snakes in Ireland, so nothing for St. Patrick to banish", says naturalist Nigel Monaghan, keeper of natural history at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, who has searched extensively through Irish fossil collections and records.
  
  Ireland was well known to be a land without snakes, and this was noted as early as the third century by Gaius Julius Solinus, but later legend credited Patrick with banishing snakes from the island. The earliest text to mention an Irish saint banishing snakes from Ireland is in fact the Life of Saint Columba (chapter 3.23), written in the late seventh or early eighth century. The earliest writings about Patrick ridding Ireland of snakes are by Jocelyn of Furness in the late twelfth century, who says that Patrick chased them into the sea after they attacked him during his fast on a mountain. Gerald of Wales also mentions the story in the early thirteenth century, but he is doubtful of its truthfulness. The hagiographic theme of banishing snakes may draw on the Biblical account of the staff of the prophet Moses. In Exodus 7:8–7:13, Moses and Aaron use their staffs in their struggle with Pharaoh's sorcerers, the staffs of each side turning into snakes. Aaron's snake-staff prevails by consuming the other snakes.
  
  Post-glacial Ireland never had snakes. "At no time has there ever been any suggestion of snakes in Ireland, so nothing for St. Patrick to banish", says naturalist Nigel Monaghan, keeper of natural history at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, who has searched extensively through Irish fossil collections and records.