Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland who was an active missionary during the 5th century. Like much Irish history from that time period, there is a mixing of mythology with history. One of the examples of this is that Saint Patrick is credited with driving all the snakes from Ireland. In reality, post-glacial Ireland never actually had any snakes. What is far more likely is that the term “snake” referred to the serpent symbol in use by the Druids at the time. Another legend tells us that Saint Patrick used the shamrock to teach the Irish people about the Trinity, showing that God, a single being, is comprised of three persons. Regardless of whether the two legends above are true or not, Saint Patrick certainly left his mark on Ireland – most notably with the number of converts to Christianity that he was responsible for.
Saint Patrick was born in Roman Britain, and there is evidence to suggest that his place of birth was either Scotland or Wales. At the age of 16, he was captured by an Irish raiding party and brought to Ireland as a slave. After six years of slavery, he managed to escape and returned to his family. Saint Patrick then entered the church, and eventually returned to Ireland as a missionary. So great was Saint Patrick’s influence that he is mentioned in some mythical accounts and would eventually be recognized as the patron saint of Ireland.
The death of Saint Patrick occurred on March 17th, in either AD 461 or AD 493. More modern theory suggests that the later date may be more accurate, however, we may never know the exact year of his death.
The day on which Saint Patrick died is now an international affair as people celebrate a great saint, as well as being Irish. Officially known as Saint Patrick’s Day, other variations include St. Paddy’s Day, St. Patty’s Day, or simply Paddy’s Day. In Ireland, and the eastern Canadian provinces, it is a public holiday.
It’s true what they say, that “Everyone wants to be Irish on St. Patrick's Day." Anything green or covered in shamrocks is fair play on this day. The largest Saint Patrick’s Day parade is in Chicago, which dwarfs the one held even in Dublin. Dublin’s first parade was in 1931. The first known Saint Patrick’s Day parade was held in Boston in 1737, with New York starting their first parade in 1762. Many other cities have their own Saint Patrick’s Day parade, with Savannah having the second largest.
In Ireland, it is traditional to pin a small bunch of shamrocks or a green, white, and orange badge to your clothing for Saint Patrick’s Day.
In preparation for the largest Irish celebration of the year, we’d encourage you to take a look around our store at all the wonderful items that we offer.
Celtic By Design is proud to offer one of the best selections of Irish gifts on the web! Whatever you need to help celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, we’re sure to have it!
