St. Patrick was born in Scotland around 390 AD.
 His name was Maewyn Succat. 
He lived a normal life as the son of a wealthy landowner
 and magistrate in Britain.

 At 16 he was kidnapped with others and taken to Ireland
 to be sold into slavery.  He was a  shepherd for six years. Whilst
 he was captive he turned to God.   He managed to escape to France
 and roamed Europe, and whilst in Europe he became a Priest,
 studied religion and adopted the name "Patrick"   

During this period  Patrick discovered that his calling was to
 convert Irish pagans to Christianity. He returned to Ireland,
 establishing  monasteries across the country, setting up schools
 and churches, and converted many with his winning personality.
 Patrick carried on a very successful mission for thirty years.

In the year 431 AD, Patrick was ordained a Bishop. 
 He died on March 17, 493 AD, and is buried at Downpatrick. 

St. Patrick's Day is  celebrated every year on March 17,
 is a holiday honoring Saint Patrick, the missionary credited with
 converting the Irish to Christianity in the A.D. 400s.
 Originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved
 into more of a secular holiday. In America, in fact,
 St. Patrick's Day is basically a time when everyone
 becomes Irish, wears green and goes out to party.

Irish facts

Green is associated with Saint Patrick's Day because it is the 
color of spring, Ireland, and the shamrock.

 The shamrock is a traditional symbol because Saint Patrick
 used the three-leafed shamrock to represent how the
 Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit could exist as separate
 elements in the same entity.

The first St. Patrick's Day in America was celebrated in Boston in 1737

Finding a four-leaf clover, wearing green, kissing the Blarney Stone
 are all considered good luck on St. Patrick's Day,

The harp,  is the oldest official symbol of Ireland.
  It appears on Irish coins, the presidential flag, state seals,
 uniforms, and official documents. But the harp is most often
 associated with Guinness, which adopted the harp
 as its trademark in 1862.

Irish Legends and Myths

Legend has it that Saint Patrick drove all the snakes of Ireland
 into the sea. It is not clear why he would want to do this, except
 that the snake was a revered pagan symbol, and perhaps this
 was a figurative tale alluding to the fact that he
 drove paganism out of Ireland.

The most associated thing with St. Patrick's Day is the leprechaun.
 Leprechauns are little make-believe fairies from Ireland.
 They look like a small, old man standing about two feet tall
  and usually dressed like a shoemaker, with a cocked hat and a
 leather apron. According to legend, leprechauns are  mischievous,
 and playful creatures who love to drink, dance, and play music,
 and who pass the time making shoes. They are also believed
 to possess a hidden pot of gold. . If tracked down and caught
 the leprechaun must grant his captor three wishes.  The captor
 must keep their eyes on him every second for if the leprechaun
 tricks you into looking away then he will disappear and all hopes
 of finding the treasure is lost. 

The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney
 Castle tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the stone is
 supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive eloquence. 
One legend says that an old woman cast a spell on the stone
 to reward a king who had saved her from drowning. Kissing
 the stone while under the spell gave the king the ability to
 speak sweetly and convincingly.  It's tough to reach the stone --
 it's between the main castle wall and the parapet. Kissers have
 to lie on their back and bend backward (and downward),
 holding iron bars for support. 

Irish Blessings

May luck be our companion
May friends stand by our side
May history remind us all
Of Ireland's faith and pride.
May God bless us with happiness
May love and faith abide.

Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter
Lullabies, dreams, and love ever after.
Poems and songs with pipes and drums
A thousand welcomes when anyone comes.
That's the Irish for you!

May your neighbors respect you,
Troubles neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And Heaven accept you.

For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way-
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.

Dance as if no one were watching,
Sing as if no one were listening,
And live every day as if it were your last.

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