Before the green beer and shamrocks, the original color of Saint Patrick was blue. The earliest valuable discovery of his image, in a 13th-century manuscript, shows him in blue robes. For centuries, English kings, viewing Ireland as property and an opportunity for wealth, made blue the official color, culminating when King Henry VIII designated the coat of arms a golden harp on a blue field in 1541. The association with royal power continued when King George III created the Order of Saint Patric

Killala GAA players celebrate after they defeated Kilmovee Shamrocks in the Mayo GAA Treanlaur Catering Junior B final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park. | Mayo GAA