St Patrick’s Day: Guinness shamrock ad has one too many...leaves

Posters spotted in Toronto show advertisers confuse four-leaf clover for shamrock

A poster spotted in the subway in Toronto featuring a four-leaf shamrock. Photograph: Facebook
A poster spotted in the subway in Toronto featuring a four-leaf shamrock. Photograph: Facebook

Guinness advertisements for St Patrick's Day in Canada are causing quite a stir as it appears they don't know their shamrocks from their four-leaf clovers.

Posters featuring a Canadian maple leaf and what is supposed to be a shamrock appeared in a Toronto subway station, with many Irish people taking to Twitter to point out the drink-giant's mistake.

The association of St Patrick’s Day and the shamrock dates back to when Ireland’s patron saint used the three-leafed crop to symbolise the holy trinity and spread his message of Catholicism across our lands.

Going by Guinness’ four-leaf standards, he may have had to go back to the shrubbery drawing board for a more suitable symbol of the triad.

It is understood Guinness apologised immediately for the mistake and the controversial posters were removed on Wednesday.

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Niamh Towey

Niamh Towey

Niamh Towey is an Irish Times journalist