St. Patrick was a Christian missionary given major credit for the conversion of Ireland from paganism. So many legends surround his life that the truth is not easily found.
St. Patrick was born the son of a Christian in what is now Britian. As a teen Patrick was kidnapped by an Irish raiding party and forced into slavery. After six years he escaped and made his way back home.
Soon after, Patrick received a divine call in a dream to return to Ireland as a Christian missionary. After being ordained as a priest, he traveled to Ireland to spend the rest of his life converting pagans, founding churches, and ordaining clergymen.
Although Patrick was sometimes harassed he had no serious setbacks and set Ireland on a century long transition to Catholicism. Patrick was aided by other missionaries acting under his direction along with others in Ireland at the same time. Nevertheless, it is agreed that St. Patrick was the leader in the Christianization of pagan Ireland.
Irish fairy. Looks like a small, old man (about 2 feet tall), often dressed like a shoemaker,with a cocked hat and a leather apron. According to legend, leprechauns are aloof and unfriendly, live alone, and pass the time making shoes...they also possess a hidden pot of gold. Treasure hunters can often track down a leprechaun by the sound of his shoemaker's hammer. If caught, he can be forced (with the threat of bodily violence) to reveal the whereabouts of his treasure, but the captor must keep their eyes on him every second. If the captor's eyes leave the leprechaun (and he often tricks them into looking away), he vanishes and all hopes of finding the treasure are 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 (blarney). The castle was built in 1446 by Cormac Laidhiv McCarthy (Lord of Muskerry) -- its walls are 18 feet thick (necessary to thwart attacks by Cromwellians and William III's troops). Thousands of tourists a year still visit the castle.
The origins of the Blarney Stone's magical properties aren't clear, but 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. Can you imagine kissing something that has had people's lips all over it for 500 years? Yuck!
St. Patrick's Day Links
40 SHADES OF GREEN A Wee Bit O' Fun An Awesome St. Patrick's Day Cyber Cards CLOVER ALL OVER Color Your Own Leprachaun Online In Honour of St. Patrick
May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. And rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the small of His hand.
Credits: Background and some graphics courtesy of Four Seasons by Renee. Some graphics courtesy of Nyanna's Art forum. Some graphics courtesy of Animation Factory.