St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world's most popular saints.
Apostle of Ireland, born at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland, in the year 387; died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, 17 March, 461.His parents were Calpurnius and Conchessa, who were Romans living in Britian in charge of the colonies.
As a boy of fourteen or so, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans. He learned the language and practices of the people who held him.
During his captivity, he turned to God in prayer. He wrote
"The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same." "I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."
Patrick's captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having a dream from God in which he was told to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who took him back to Britain, where he reunited with his family.
He arrived in Ireland March 25, 433, at Slane. One legend says that he met a chieftain of one of the tribes, who tried to kill Patrick. Patrick converted Dichu (the chieftain) after he was unable to move his arm until he became friendly to Patrick.
Patrick began preaching the Gospel throughout Ireland, converting many. He and his disciples preached and converted thousands and began building churches all over the country. Kings, their families, and entire kingdoms converted to Christianity when hearing Patrick's message.
The first St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York was held in 1762 by a band of homesick Irish ex-patriots and Irish military serving with the British Army stationed in the American colonies in New York City. This was a time when the wearing of green was a sign of Irish pride and was banned in Ireland. The parade participants reveled in the freedom to speak Irish, wear the green, sing Irish songs and play the pipes to Irish tunes that were very meaningful to the Irish immigrants who had fled or were forced their homeland.
What It Means To Be Irish in New York
1) You will never play professional basketball
2) You swear very well (Fuggedaboudit)
3) At least one of your relatives is a fireman, cop, bar owner, a nun, a priest or holds political office.(Between my wife and I, 3 cops, 1 fireman/politician, & a priest. That is just brothers and sisters.Now if we branch out to cousins........)
4) You think you sing very well
5) You have no idea how to make a long story short!
6) There isn't a big difference between you losing your temper or beating the heck out of someone someone
7) Much of your childhood meals were boiled. Instant potatoes were a mortal sin!
8) You have never hit your head on a ceiling.
9) You spent a good portion of your childhood kneeling in prayer (Catholic guilt forever)
10) You're strangely poetic after a few beers.
11) You are, therefore, poetic a lot.
12) You will be punched for no good reason...a lot.
13) Some punches directed at you are from legacies of past generations.
14) Many of your sisters and/or cousins are named Mary, Catherine or Eileen and there is at least one member of your family with the full name of Mary Catherine Eileen. (Or Margaret Mary )
15) Someone in your family is very generous. It is more than likely you.
16) You may not know the words, but that doesn't stop you from singing.
17) You can't wait for the other guy to stop talking before you start talking.
18) You're not nearly as funny as you think you are but what you lack in talent, you make up for in frequency.
19) There wasn't a huge difference between your last Wake and our last keg party.
20) You are, or know someone, named Murph. (Lot's of Murph's, Lots of Mac, 2 Sully's)
21) If you don't know Murph then you know Mac. If you don't know Murph or Mac then you know Sully. Then you probably know Sully McMurphy.
22) You are genetically incapable of keeping a secret.
23) You have Irish Alzheimer's.... You forget everything but the grudges.
24) 'Irish Stew' is a euphemism for 'boiled leftovers.
25) All of your losses are alcohol-related (loss of virginity, loss of driver's license, loss of money, loss of job, loss of significant other, loss of teeth from punch...) but it never stops you from drinking. (This doesn't apply to me)
26) Your skin's ability to tan.... Not so much. ( I burn thru a shirt)
27) At this very moment, you have at least two relatives who are not speaking to each other (not fighting, mind you, just not speaking to each other).
28) Childhood remedies for the common cold often included whiskey
29) There's no leaving a party without saying goodbye for at least 45 minutes.
30) You met your husband/wife/significant> > other/accountant/lawyer/landscaper/etc. In a bar or drinking.
31)If you are offended, you lost your Irish sense of humor.
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