The patron saint St. Patrick is known worldwide for establishing Christianity in Ireland.

Erin Go Braugh! And a Happy St. Patrick’s Day! The annual commemoration of Patrick, who “found Ireland all heathen, and left it all Christian” is here!

The day has long been celebrated with drinking green beer and Irish whiskey (everything from Jameson to Redbreast or Samuel Gelston’s), kisses for the girls, shamrocks, parades, and wearin’ o’ the green. And everybody has the option of being Irish on St. Pat’s Day.

But, what do all these things have to do with the patron saint of Ireland named Patrick?

St. Patrick’s Day is every March 17th as most readers probably know. Traditionally, St. Patrick’s Day is called the “Feast of St. Patrick” and is a day for families gathering together to attend church, and remember the sacrifices of the saints in delivering Ireland from the snakes—the two legged kind (there are no known native snake species native to the island). The “snakes” were more likely a metaphor for pagan practices that were in the island, and rather than drive them out of the island, it is more likely that they repented and converted to Christianity.

It is recorded in history that the Irish have celebrated Patrick for over a thousand years. In America, Patrick was celebrated in St. Augustine, Florida as early as 1600, in Boston in 1737, and in New York holding the first official St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1762.

St. Patrick is popular the world over for the visible and secular pomp that surrounds the day which includes not just imbibing the spirits, but good food too! I recall an old Irish friend in Columbia, SC, named Thomas Michael McCarthy who had an Irish Pub downtown across from the State Capitol named the Frog and Brassiere Tavern (F&BT).

The F&BT was a popular meeting spot for legislators, friends and clients for lunch and especially on St. Patrick’s Day. Every Wednesday and St. Patrick’s Day, Thomas’s wife Jean Marie, who was the chef, prepared traditional Irish corned beef & cabbage with red Irish potatoes. She knew her Irish recipes!

Donegal Cemetery Cross

St. Patrick is rightfully remembered for his contribution to the converting of the Irish people to Christianity. In fact, there is a book written from the 12th century titled, The Life and Acts of St Patrick, the Archbishop, Primate and Apostle of Ireland, that describes many of the acts and miracles attributed to St. Patrick. Acts such as the dead raised up, the sick healed, banishing of demons from the island, and baptizing 120,000 people over a period of 30 years, and establishing over 300 churches on the Emerald Isle.

Whenever Patrick established a church he left a Celtic Law Book, Liber ex Lege Moisi—the Law of Moses, along with the Books of the Gospel. This became known as the “Senchus Mor” or the “Code of Patrick”.

What is believed to be March 17th 461 AD St. Patrick while on his way to Tara was ambushed by King Loegaire where he perished. His last words were said to be “Praise to the God of my salvation; salvation is of Christ the Lord.”

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Michael Reed is Editor and Publisher of The Standard newspaper and TheStandardSC YouTube channel where many video reports may be found. Please share freely and donate to The Standard on this page to assure the continued availability of news that is ignored too often by the dominant media.

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