St Patrick's Day
St Patrick's Day is widely celebrated in America and much of the rest of the world by Irish and non-Irish alike.
While this year's celebrations will sadly be muted due to the dreadful COVID-19 pandemic, many people usually use St Patrick's Day as an excuse to drink endless pints of Guinness, wear a green wig and sport a lucky shamrock. But there's a little more to it than that!
It is believed that Ireland's patron saint was named Maewyn Succat when he was born to Calpurnius, a Roman-British army officer, around 385AD - and although he may be thought of as Irish, his exact birthplace is unknown.
During his teenage years, he was kidnapped by pirates and taken to Ireland where he stayed, mainly imprisoned, for six years. He dreamed of having seen God, and legend says that he was dictated by God to escape and flee back to his home. After spending over a decade in France training under St. Germain, the bishop of Auxerre, he dreamed of returning to Ireland, and soon returned to the Emerald Isle, as a Christian priest and missionary in the mid fifth century.
Maewyn Succat devoted the remainder of his life establishing churches, monasteries and schools across Ireland, before being appointed as successor to St Palladius, the first bishop of Ireland, and changing his name to Patricius, which later came to be known as Patrick.
His mission in Ireland lasted for over twenty years, before he passed away on March 17 in AD 461 - and that day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.
I've added a selection of shows to a special St Patrick's Day radio station, which you can listen to by clicking on the following link:-
St Patrick's Day Radio Station
Whilst listening to several, there was one show in particular which Joy and I really enjoyed. It's a true story called Sweet Rosie O'Grady, and is the tender tale of a girl, a boy and a golden shamrock, which stars Miss Dorothy McGuire as an Irish girl in love.
To listen to this show, and several others, click on the link above.
Happy listening my friends,
