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St. Patrick

Who was he, where did he come from ?

The irish celebrate the work of this man By remebering the way they were before they met him. By getting drunk and acting like pagans again.

Although he may well be best associated with Ireland, he was not Irish. There are many theories as to his true origins, including Scottish, Welsh or even French. The most likely is thought to be that he came from post Roman Wales and was born somewher between 370 and 430 AD.
It is almost certain that he was not called Patrick either, but took this name when he was ordaned into the church.

Some say he was captured by pirates as a young boy and brought to Ireland as a slave. My favourite story tells how he simply ran away from home. While onboard a ship as a stoaway to Ireland, he was discovered. The crew were all set for putting the young Patrick over the side, there would be no mercy for freeloaders. However they instead found that he proved usefull in controlling some of the animals on board the boat, namely the wolfhounds.

When in Ireland Patrick found work or was forced to work as a Shepard at Slemish in county Down in the North of Ireland. It was on the slopes of this ancient volcanoe that Patrick began to seek solace in the religious teachings he remembered from home. It was also here that he decided that the pagan Irish needed to learn of Christianity.

After some years he made his way to France where he studied in the ways of the church, he served the church in Europe for many years before being sent as Missionary to Ireland.
He founded the first Christian church in the Cathedral city of Armagh in Northern Ireland. But Patrick concentrated most of his teaching efforts in the west of Ireland, on the very edge of the christian world at the time.

It was on these missions that Patrick is said to have symbolised the Holy Trinity with the aid of the Shamrock, each petal symbolising one element (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).

It is also said of Patrick that he drove all the snakes out of Ireland. However it is widely believed that there were never any snakes in Ireland and that this is merely a metaphor to represent Patricks efforts in the decline of Pagan rites and the emergence of Christianity in Ireland.

Today Patrick resides in a quite town which bears his name, sited in the middle of the county that he first came to. The town of Downpatrick, where visitors still come every year to see his grave.


Every 17th March we drink a toast to im and decorate with Shamrocks and all things green.
It is the biggest party in the Irish calendar. Be sure you make it a date at Jameson Distillery pub. But beware you need to get here early to get the best seats, for the best entertainment in town.