I thought it was just a day for people to drink beer, but it's so much more...
Naomh Pádraig (Saint Patrick)
The Story of Ireland's Famous Saint
The Facts
He was born Maewyn Succat in Wales (Roman Britain) in 400 A.D. His primary language therefore was Latin since his father was a deacon in the Christian church (this was a time when all Christians were one). His father’s name was “Calpurnius” and his mother’s name was “Conchessa”. At the young age of 16, he was kidnapped by Niall of the Nine Hostages of Ulster, who often raided the coast of Roman Britain. Returning to Ireland, Niall sold him to a man name “Meliuc” who was a landowner in Co. Antrim, where he was forced to work as a shepherd keeping a watchful eye on his master's sheep on Slemish Mountain. While in Ireland, Maewyn Succat learned the Irish language, since his ‘master’ was a high druidic priest and through him he became aware of druidism as Ireland was then a land of druidism.
St. PatrickOne night after many years of captivity, a voice told him to escape on a ship. The voice said he would find the ship 200 miles away in Wexford. Leaving Antrim he travelled over lands he had never before seen and he finally arrived in Wexford where a ship awaited passage back to Roman Britain. Denied passage at first he would finally be able to board and complete his escape from Ireland.
From Roman Britain he then travelled to France and St. Martin's monastery at Tours. Later he went to Lerins monastery. Under the guidance of St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre in France, he was ordained a priest and helped St. Germain oppose heresy and paganism. He became a bishop in 432 A.D. and it was then that Pope Celestine conferred upon him the name "Patercius" or "Patritius" (meaning "father of his people"). He was given the task of converting the Irish to Christianity.
The people of Ireland could not understand the doctrine of the Trinity where three persons made up one divine God. So Patrick plucked from the ground a "Seamróg or Shamrock" showing three leaves were tied to one stem. Using the Seamróg as an analogy the people finally began to understand what he was preaching. This forevermore tied Saint Patrick and his day to the Irish Shamrock.
St Patrick StatueSt. Patrick died on March 17, 460 A.D. and is buried in Downpatrick, Co. Down. Or at least it is believed that is the date since the calendar created by Julius Caesar and known as the "Julian" calendar was in effect at that time. Today we use the "Gregorian" calendar and this then would place his death in early March. Nevertheless, this gives us cause to celebrate his life and death for a month prior to the 17th of March.
The Myths
St. Patrick is said to have gathered all the snakes on Croagh Patrick mountain in Co. Mayo. From there he banished them all from Ireland. The truth is that proof of snakes ever existing in Ireland cannot be found. (Today people climb the 2,500 foot mountain in their bare feet as St. Patrick once did.)
The first St Patrick's Day parades were not in Ireland, but in Boston in 1737, and later in New York City in 1762.
Corned beef and cabbage was not a regular dish in Ireland till the 1600s, and not till the late 1800s in America. There is no record of St. Patrick ever having such a meal.
Before he died, legend says an angel told him to tie two oxen to a funeral cart, and wherever the oxen chose he should be buried that would be his final resting place. The oxen chose Downpatrick, County Down.
Written by:
Ken Hannon Larson
Uachtarán-President
Clann Ó hAnnáin-O'Hannon
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