St. Patrick's Day
May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.
May there always be work for your hands to do,
May your purse always hold a coin or two.
May the sun always shine warm on your windowpane,
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you,
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
May those who love us love us.
And those that don't love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if He doesn't turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles,
So we'll know them by their limping.
Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/Irish-sayings-proverbs-and-prayers-for-St-Patricks-Day-117923469.html#ixzz1myoyLCjg
St. Patrick's Grave - photo by Terry McKnight
St. Patrick's Day began in Ireland as a Catholic holiday, but over the years--particularly in the last twenty--it has become a festival as much as a holy day. Though the first parades in the United States were begun by Irish immigrants to fight for equal rights, the St. Patrick's Day parades one sees today in Ireland are as a result of American influence.
In America, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated with parades and feasts of corned beef and cabbage, and among many, with extensive drinking (drowning the shamrock). To the Irish in Ireland, however, the day is first a feast and holy day, celebrated with a week-long tradition of festivities. Mass on St. Patrick's Day is de rigueur, and if one stops at a pub for a pint or two afterward, it's not an uncommon occurrence. But there's no influence to drink more because of the holiday. In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is treated like any other saint's day.
Family get-togethers are very important, and it's not unusual for a family to gather for a special meal. Corned beef and cabbage is an American tradition; in Ireland, you'd more likely find succulent, pink bacon or a savory roast chicken on the table.
For visitors to Ireland during the St. Patrick's Day season, there are parades in most of the larger cities--certainly Dublin, Galway, and Cork plus other venues. This year the Dublin festivities run from March 13th through the 17th with a wonderful program of free entertainment for everyone to enjoy. Look for street theater, fireworks, music, exhibitions, and even a treasure hunt!
St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is not the boisterous, sometimes rowdy funfest we enjoy in the United States. There are parades, and there's drink, to be sure, but it certainly isn't green. Most likely, it's the dark, robust stout famous in every pub in Ireland. And if there's imbibing, it occurs late in the day.
The Irish version is primarily a religious and bank holiday, celebrated by relaxing at home with family and friends after Mass. In that spirit, let's concentrate on Patrick, the man behind the myth.
The facts of his life are relatively few. In actuality, there are more places named after him than provable deeds. He was one of the most celebrated missionaries of all time, and he is Ireland's patron saint, but no one seems to know where he was born or exactly where or when he died. Some say March 17, 461 AD, others believe 493 AD. His true burial place is unknown.
He set down many of his own views on his life and mission. His original writings have long since disappeared, but copies were made by faithful monks who kept civilization alive by copying manuscripts, and were well-known literature in the Dark Ages. By his own telling, he was born in Britain of well-to-do parents who farmed. He probably lived near the west coast because he was captured by Irish raiders at the age of sixteen and sold into slavery. He worked as a shepherd for six years until he escaped and returned to his homeland. However, visions and the "voice of the Irish" called him back to Ireland sixteen years after his escape, and he spent more than thirty years traveling, preaching, and establishing churches.
Insight into the character of Patrick is revealed through two documents written after a Welshman carried off several of his converts. The first is a letter to Corocticus demanding the return of his flock and later, a reply to his critics refuting an attack on his conduct.
St. Patrick is not the first to have brought Christianity to Ireland. Other sources show evidence of missionaries being sent to Ireland as early as 431 AD. Within two hundred years after St. Patrick's death, legends about his deeds had begun to proliferate until it is difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. We can be certain that the number of churches established was closer to 90 than the 365 some attribute to him. What is known is that he exerted a powerful influence on Ireland, transforming her from a pagan country with many ancient religious practices and beliefs into a Christian community.
St. Patrick's Day Links
Irish Recipes for St. Patrick's Day or any Occasion
http://www.irelandforvisitors.com/articles/st_patricks_day_in_ireland.htm