THE ‘GOOD LUCK’ HORSESHOE. Hanging a horseshoe on or over the door of a home, to bring good luck to those inside and to keep the devil away, has long been a tradition in Ireland. The legend goes that a wise old blacksmith was hard at work one day making horseshoes, when he attracted the attention of the devil. The devil, of course, has hooves himself and he decided he would try getting them shod. The blacksmith recognised the devil and nailed on red-hot shoes, driving the nails deep into the devil’s foot. The devil paid him and left … the blacksmith threw the money away knowing it would bring him nothing but bad luck. After walking some distance, the devil began to suffer pain from his new shoes. Finally, after having endured searing agony for some time, he tore them off and threw them away. From that time on, whenever the devil saw a horseshoe, he turned and ran. Hanging a horseshoe on or over the door of a home, therefore, was sure to keep the devil away and bring good luck to everyone who lived there. Another reason horseshoes were lucky was because they were made by blacksmiths, which was considered a very lucky trade. Because they worked with elemental fire and magical iron, they were thought to have special powers … it was believed that a blacksmith could heal the sick and, if a couple was married by a blacksmith, their marriage would be a happy one. Horseshoes were originally made from iron, which was also considered magical because it was able to withstand fire and was much stronger than other metals. So there you have it, but remember … you must always hang the horseshoe with the heels (open end) up, to ensure that the luck keeps collecting and can’t flow out!