The history I got from a random St patricks site.
On March 17th, people in many parts of the world celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Most of us know the traditional stories about St. Patrick--those about him ridding Ireland of snakes and using the shamrock to preach Christianity and discuss the Blessed Trinity. But few of us know the rest of the story of St. Patrick. That story--both for inspirational and historical reasons--is one of the most impressive biographies in history, and discovering the real Patrick can give us a much greater incentive to observe the his feast day and raise a toast to him.
Did you know that Patrick wasn't born in Ireland--but rather in present-day Scotland or Wales? It is believed that Patrick was born in Dumbarton around the year 385 A.D. His parents were Romans who oversaw the empire's interests in Scotland and England at the time. Patrick was not raised a Christian.
In order to appreciate the story of Patrick, we must first know Ireland as a country before the arrival of Patrick. Prior to the sixth century B.C., Ireland was inhabited by very simple farming people. Between the sixth and third century B.C., the native population was overcome by migrating Celtic peoples--originally from Central Europe. While a significant portion of the modern-day United Kingdom was overtaken by the Romans and later converted to Christianity, Ireland remained untouched by the outside world, and remained an isolated island of pagan barbarians. Dublin, for example, would not be founded for another five hundred years.
At approximately the age of sixteen, Patrick was captured by raiders from Ireland along with several other unfortunates, and taken to Ireland as a slave. Patrick was put to work tending sheep for a chieftain named Milchu. By his own account Patrick worked for Milchu tending sheep for approximately six years. During that time he learned to speak the Celtic language, learned the countryside, and learned the customs and ways of Ireland.
Though he had not been raised a Christian, Patrick had been exposed to the teachings of Christianity prior to his capture. During his six years as a slave, he began to turn to God and to pray. Eventually he was praying morning, noon and night. One night in Patrick's sleep, after he had prayed over one hundred times earlier that day, he heard a voice say:
"You do well to fast: soon you will depart for your home country . . .
. . .behold, your ship is ready!"
That night Patrick fled from his master and traveled two hundred miles to the coast. There he found a ship ready to depart for mainland Europe. He persuaded the crew to let him board and traveled with them to what is modern-day France. There, after several more dreams and revelations, he studied in a monastery for twelve years, preparing himself for the day when he could return to Ireland and bring the Word of God to his barbarian captors.
At first, however, the Pope appointed another person to take Christianity to Ireland--a man named Palladius. Not long after setting foot in Ireland, however, Palladius became discouraged and frightened by the people of Ireland and their barbarity and asked to be transferred to Scotland. It was then that Pope Celestine looked to Patrick.
It was a great choice, as Patrick was the perfect man for the job. His time as a slave had prepared him for his mission. Without fear, he traveled through the roughest parts of Ireland. Patrick even visited his old master and captor and converted him to Christianity. Patrick won converts in Ireland as no other person could, and in his wake grew churches, schools, and thousands of followers.
Patrick worked miracles and converted people all over Ireland during a ministry that lasted nearly thirty years. He died on March 17, in the year 461. Most of what we know about Patrick comes from a small number of writings, the most notable of which is the "Confession of Saint Patrick", which is essentially a an autobiography that Patrick wrote about his own conversion and his work in Ireland. It is one of the few writings that survived from this period in history and it is itself a miracle.
The story about Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland might be history's way of telling about his victory over paganism and barbarism in Ireland. The story about using the shamrock to teach people about the Holy Trinity is convincing, but based mostly on legend. Regardless, the part of Patrick's story that we do know is true is the most impressive of all. Patrick brought the gift of Christianity to a violent, barbaric land that had turned him into a slave. And he did it all with nothing more than his own faith and determination. Anyone who admires acts of both forgiveness and bravery can find a role model in St. Patrick.
How many people live in Ireland and how big is Ireland?
About 3.8 million people live in Ireland. (Compare to over 290 million in the U.S.)
Ireland is just over 27,000 square miles, or 33,000 if you count the whole island. In other words, Ireland is a little smaller and has fewer people than the U.S. State of Kentucky.
Do they speak only English or any other languages in Ireland?
The Irish speak English as their main language of course. But about a third can speak Gaelic. In fact, most grade school children are taught at least some Gaelic, and a more recent law made it mandatory for signs on streets, etc. to also contain the Gaelic version as well as the English.
What does "Celtic" mean?
Celtic refers to the people who conquered Ireland several centuries B.C. and dominated the island with their culture until the arrival of St. Patrick. Though St. Patrick converted the Irish from the Celtic paganism to Christianity, other elements of life carried on the remaining Celtic culture. We all recognize the "Celtic cross" for example, as a symbol of Ireland.
Note: Although Boston's basketball squad and our Americanized pronunciation tends to make us pronounce "Celtic" with an "s" sound, the Irish pronounce the word as "Keltic".
What's the difference between Ireland and Northern Ireland?
The island of Ireland is split into the Republic of Ireland (which is what most people mean when they say "Ireland") and the northeastern 15% of the island, which is called "Northern Ireland" and is a part of the United Kingdom along with England, Scotland and Wales. It was split that way when the Republic of Ireland became independent from the United Kingdom in 1921.
Is everyone in Ireland Catholic?
No, but about 90%+ are. And the Catholics in Ireland probably attend mass more regularly than any population in the world, even Italy. Perhaps ironically, however, the two biggest churches in Dublin are held by the Protestants (the Church of Ireland).
Is there a meaning behind the design of Ireland's flag?
Yes. The green represents the Catholics, the orange represents the Protestants, and the white between the two bars represents the need and hope for peace between them.
Why are there so many people in the United States with Irish ancestors?
During the years 1845-1849, Ireland experienced the Great Famine, when crop failures made food incredibly scarce. Following that were also thousands of evictions of tenant farmers by their landlords, as the crop failures meant that they could not pay their rent. Ireland at the time had a population of over eight million. Of that number, about one million died due to disease and starvation, and over two million fled to the United States and Britain.
What is Ireland's economy like now?
Booming. For much of the twentieth century, Ireland maintained a steady population leak as the Irish continued to emigrate to other countries like the U.S. That has changed, however, as Ireland is now referred to as the "Celtic tiger". It is one of, if not the, fastest-growing economies in Europe. Tax breaks have lured many international companies to Dublin and elsewhere in the country.
What are Irish people like?
Despite their characterization as a quaint people, the Irish are one of the most well-educated countries in the world, and skilled labor is abundant. Electronics account for almost 25% of Irelands exports. Ireland is also a young country, as more than 50% of the population is age 30 or younger.
Who are some famous Irish people?
Music:
The rock group U2 is arguably the world's most popular rock group at the present time. Other notable Irish musicians include Van Morrison, Sinead O'Connor and the Cranberries.
Literature:
The names James Joyce, W.B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, and Oscar Wilde evidence a strong literary heritage for such a small population.
Film Stars/Hollywood:
Liam Neeson and Colin Farrell are probably the most currently well-known stars from Ireland. Hollywood greats Peter O'Toole and Richard Harris are from Ireland too. Although he's successfully played the British hero James Bond, actor Pierce Brosnan is actually Irish.
What kinds of sports do they play in Ireland?
Soccer, golf, rugby, and a uniquely Irish sport called hurling, are the most popular sports in Ireland.
Which beers are from Ireland?
Of course everyone has heard of Guinness, whether it be for its unique beer or its book of records. Other world-famous beers that are from Ireland are Smithwick's ("Smitty's" -that is brewed in Kilkenny), Harps (brewed in Dundalk), and Murphy's Stout (brewed in Cork).
What else comes from Ireland that I probably didn't know about?
Get any Waterford crystal as a wedding gift? It's produced in the small port town of Waterford in southeast Ireland.
Did you know that Patrick wasn't born in Ireland--but rather in present-day Scotland or Wales? It is believed that Patrick was born in Dumbarton around the year 385 A.D. His parents were Romans who oversaw the empire's interests in Scotland and England at the time. Patrick was not raised a Christian.
In order to appreciate the story of Patrick, we must first know Ireland as a country before the arrival of Patrick. Prior to the sixth century B.C., Ireland was inhabited by very simple farming people. Between the sixth and third century B.C., the native population was overcome by migrating Celtic peoples--originally from Central Europe. While a significant portion of the modern-day United Kingdom was overtaken by the Romans and later converted to Christianity, Ireland remained untouched by the outside world, and remained an isolated island of pagan barbarians. Dublin, for example, would not be founded for another five hundred years.
At approximately the age of sixteen, Patrick was captured by raiders from Ireland along with several other unfortunates, and taken to Ireland as a slave. Patrick was put to work tending sheep for a chieftain named Milchu. By his own account Patrick worked for Milchu tending sheep for approximately six years. During that time he learned to speak the Celtic language, learned the countryside, and learned the customs and ways of Ireland.
Though he had not been raised a Christian, Patrick had been exposed to the teachings of Christianity prior to his capture. During his six years as a slave, he began to turn to God and to pray. Eventually he was praying morning, noon and night. One night in Patrick's sleep, after he had prayed over one hundred times earlier that day, he heard a voice say:
"You do well to fast: soon you will depart for your home country . . .
. . .behold, your ship is ready!"
That night Patrick fled from his master and traveled two hundred miles to the coast. There he found a ship ready to depart for mainland Europe. He persuaded the crew to let him board and traveled with them to what is modern-day France. There, after several more dreams and revelations, he studied in a monastery for twelve years, preparing himself for the day when he could return to Ireland and bring the Word of God to his barbarian captors.
At first, however, the Pope appointed another person to take Christianity to Ireland--a man named Palladius. Not long after setting foot in Ireland, however, Palladius became discouraged and frightened by the people of Ireland and their barbarity and asked to be transferred to Scotland. It was then that Pope Celestine looked to Patrick.
It was a great choice, as Patrick was the perfect man for the job. His time as a slave had prepared him for his mission. Without fear, he traveled through the roughest parts of Ireland. Patrick even visited his old master and captor and converted him to Christianity. Patrick won converts in Ireland as no other person could, and in his wake grew churches, schools, and thousands of followers.
Patrick worked miracles and converted people all over Ireland during a ministry that lasted nearly thirty years. He died on March 17, in the year 461. Most of what we know about Patrick comes from a small number of writings, the most notable of which is the "Confession of Saint Patrick", which is essentially a an autobiography that Patrick wrote about his own conversion and his work in Ireland. It is one of the few writings that survived from this period in history and it is itself a miracle.
The story about Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland might be history's way of telling about his victory over paganism and barbarism in Ireland. The story about using the shamrock to teach people about the Holy Trinity is convincing, but based mostly on legend. Regardless, the part of Patrick's story that we do know is true is the most impressive of all. Patrick brought the gift of Christianity to a violent, barbaric land that had turned him into a slave. And he did it all with nothing more than his own faith and determination. Anyone who admires acts of both forgiveness and bravery can find a role model in St. Patrick.
How many people live in Ireland and how big is Ireland?
About 3.8 million people live in Ireland. (Compare to over 290 million in the U.S.)
Ireland is just over 27,000 square miles, or 33,000 if you count the whole island. In other words, Ireland is a little smaller and has fewer people than the U.S. State of Kentucky.
Do they speak only English or any other languages in Ireland?
The Irish speak English as their main language of course. But about a third can speak Gaelic. In fact, most grade school children are taught at least some Gaelic, and a more recent law made it mandatory for signs on streets, etc. to also contain the Gaelic version as well as the English.
What does "Celtic" mean?
Celtic refers to the people who conquered Ireland several centuries B.C. and dominated the island with their culture until the arrival of St. Patrick. Though St. Patrick converted the Irish from the Celtic paganism to Christianity, other elements of life carried on the remaining Celtic culture. We all recognize the "Celtic cross" for example, as a symbol of Ireland.
Note: Although Boston's basketball squad and our Americanized pronunciation tends to make us pronounce "Celtic" with an "s" sound, the Irish pronounce the word as "Keltic".
What's the difference between Ireland and Northern Ireland?
The island of Ireland is split into the Republic of Ireland (which is what most people mean when they say "Ireland") and the northeastern 15% of the island, which is called "Northern Ireland" and is a part of the United Kingdom along with England, Scotland and Wales. It was split that way when the Republic of Ireland became independent from the United Kingdom in 1921.
Is everyone in Ireland Catholic?
No, but about 90%+ are. And the Catholics in Ireland probably attend mass more regularly than any population in the world, even Italy. Perhaps ironically, however, the two biggest churches in Dublin are held by the Protestants (the Church of Ireland).
Is there a meaning behind the design of Ireland's flag?
Yes. The green represents the Catholics, the orange represents the Protestants, and the white between the two bars represents the need and hope for peace between them.
Why are there so many people in the United States with Irish ancestors?
During the years 1845-1849, Ireland experienced the Great Famine, when crop failures made food incredibly scarce. Following that were also thousands of evictions of tenant farmers by their landlords, as the crop failures meant that they could not pay their rent. Ireland at the time had a population of over eight million. Of that number, about one million died due to disease and starvation, and over two million fled to the United States and Britain.
What is Ireland's economy like now?
Booming. For much of the twentieth century, Ireland maintained a steady population leak as the Irish continued to emigrate to other countries like the U.S. That has changed, however, as Ireland is now referred to as the "Celtic tiger". It is one of, if not the, fastest-growing economies in Europe. Tax breaks have lured many international companies to Dublin and elsewhere in the country.
What are Irish people like?
Despite their characterization as a quaint people, the Irish are one of the most well-educated countries in the world, and skilled labor is abundant. Electronics account for almost 25% of Irelands exports. Ireland is also a young country, as more than 50% of the population is age 30 or younger.
Who are some famous Irish people?
Music:
The rock group U2 is arguably the world's most popular rock group at the present time. Other notable Irish musicians include Van Morrison, Sinead O'Connor and the Cranberries.
Literature:
The names James Joyce, W.B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, and Oscar Wilde evidence a strong literary heritage for such a small population.
Film Stars/Hollywood:
Liam Neeson and Colin Farrell are probably the most currently well-known stars from Ireland. Hollywood greats Peter O'Toole and Richard Harris are from Ireland too. Although he's successfully played the British hero James Bond, actor Pierce Brosnan is actually Irish.
What kinds of sports do they play in Ireland?
Soccer, golf, rugby, and a uniquely Irish sport called hurling, are the most popular sports in Ireland.
Which beers are from Ireland?
Of course everyone has heard of Guinness, whether it be for its unique beer or its book of records. Other world-famous beers that are from Ireland are Smithwick's ("Smitty's" -that is brewed in Kilkenny), Harps (brewed in Dundalk), and Murphy's Stout (brewed in Cork).
What else comes from Ireland that I probably didn't know about?
Get any Waterford crystal as a wedding gift? It's produced in the small port town of Waterford in southeast Ireland.
posted by Ninja at 3/17/2005 06:55:00 PM
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