https://portside.org/2017-12-18/boom-over-st-patricks-isle-slithering-again

'Legend has it that St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. The economic crisis has brought some of them back.

'During the Celtic Tiger boom, snakes became a popular pet among the Irish nouveaux riches, status symbols in a country famous for its lack of indigenous serpents. But after the bubble burst, many snake owners could no longer afford the cost of food, heating and shelter, or they left the country for work elsewhere. Some left their snakes behind or turned them loose in the countryside, leading to some startling encounters.'