No, nobody believes that St. Pat drove them out, and we know why they weren’t there prior to human habitation. But that leaves the question, “Why aren’t they there now?” They exist in zoos and as pets on the island, apparently. Yet, snakes have been accidentally introduced into other islands, such as Mauritius, hiding in cargo ships.
Are there snakes in England?
Yep. We have adders, grass snakes, and smooth snakes.
I would think Ireland and England both have similar weather and geology, so why would Ireland be different re: snakes?
Ireland split off from what is now England/Scotland before the snakes made it that far north.
I think what the OP is asking is, “Why haven’t escaped snakes established themselves in Ireland, considering that it has a similar climate to England?”
This is just a WAG but a very small number of introduced or escaped snakes can’t establish a viable breeding population. Once the introduced snakes die, that is the end of the line for their lineage.
Hawaii has a very trivial snake population as well and it seems to be a much more suitable habitat for them.
I believe it. I also believe that St. Brendan discovered the New World before either the Vikings or Columbus.
Hey, the nuns in grammar school told me. And they wouldn’t lie.
Your screen name seems quite fitting.
Yours does too considering the topic you replied to.
So does yours; considering, um, well, er,
::stubs toe::
Your eyes!
The mongoose. Britain hasn’t many (if any) snakes because the weather there is shitty (coldish, cloudy, rainy) and snakes like mucho exposure to direct sunlight, as they are reptiles.
Fucking Brits. Can’t hold onto an empire, can’t support snakes…you fucking pussies!
I blame Samuel O’Jackson
bats eyelashes at chacoguy
Wait. You’re not saying I’m full of poopy, are you?
Yes and in Wales, and Scotland (altho’ they’re much rarer there) we don’t have border controls 
psst you seem to have forgotten Wales exists. Just to clarify, Ireland is currently to the north of neither England nor Scotland - I could be wrong but I thought Ireland was cut off by changes in sea levels (as Britain was from continental Europe) rather than continental drift and changes in position ?
Actually the geology and hence climate of the island of Britain* is usually divided into 2 zones - lowland and highland. Here’s an image. The first is generally lower & drier, warmer and sunnier and as you can see from this map grass snakes are more often found in the lowland zone, this map shows Slow Worm distribution. The island of Ireland is geographically and climatically akin to the highland zone of the “mainland”.
The Adder however does have a wider range but he seems to be pretty hard for a snake if he gets up into Scandanavia, cite.
*Politically known as Great Britain & comprising 3 nations - England, Scotland and Wales.
I think Claire meant ‘before snakes had made it as far north as the British Isles in general’, rather than meaning to suggest Ireland was to the north of Great Britain…
Do you never feel the urge to actually, well you know, inform yourself about a topic before mouthing off?
And geographically known as that too.
Obligatory punchline: “Are yez all right in the back there lads?”