St Patrick’s Day!
As we all know, St Patrick’s Day is approaching and let’s hope it is a dry, sunny day!
Did you know that Patrick was originally named “Maewyn Succat” when he lived in Wales under Roman rule. Maewyn changed his name to “Patricius” on becoming a priest and this name translates to “nobleman” or “father”, the anglicised version of course being Patrick.
Patrick’s original name, Maewyn, is Welsh for “devoted friend” and the surname “Succat” was a Pagan term for being war like – two apt names for St Patrick, as he was devoted to spreading the beliefs of Christianity and he did so with the drive and determination of a warrior. By all accounts Patrick was very charismatic and this has to be true, given his legend is global today and he is celebrated around the World on 17th March.
These days, the names associated with “Maewyn” are feminine names, but historically, they were male names.
One of the most famous Mae’s was the American entertainer and actress Mae West. Mae also changed her original name; she was born Mary Jane after her paternal Irish grandmother. What a quick witted, independent, ahead of her time woman Mae was – very unconventional for her time, which caused a lot of controversy, but despite this she was globally well loved and appreciated – just like St Patrick, but for very different reasons!
Whatever your name is, hopefully you will celebrate the Irish Patron Saint come 17th March and, if you want a quick and fun way to find out if your family name has Irish connections, check out many the heraldic in Dublin.
https://houseofnames.ie/heraldry-shop/
It is believed that St Patrick travelled to many areas and locations throughout Ireland, spreading Christianity. It is also believed that he travelled to an area of Dublin called Finglas, and it is where I am living now.
It is said that St Patrick baptised the Dublin locals to the Christian faith from a holy well that is located in a park next to St Patrick’s Cathedral in the South Inner City.
When travelling north of the City, St Patrick came to an area called Finglas, it was here in the Tolka River that he baptised the local people and told them the meaning of Christianity. While in Finglas, St Patrick stopped at a well for a drink of water. The water was clear, clean, refreshing and over time, because St Patrick stopped and drank from here, people travelled to get water from this well believing it had healing properties, particularly for sore eyes and ulcers. That holy well is still there today amongst a housing estate, just off Mellowes Road.
In the 1770’s, a Turkish doctor named Achmet Borumborad wrote a pamphlet on the well’s abilities. He made use of government grants in order to open a fashionable Spa in the area. The Spa was closed when the good doctor was revealed to be no such thing, and was actually one Philip Joyce from Kilkenny, with no formal medical training.
St Patrick travelled throughout the land of Ireland, converting the native Irish from their pagan beliefs to the Christian Faith. He used the shamrock plant to teach of the Holy Trinity, explaining the meaning of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
After St Patrick visited the village of Finglas he travelled north to the Hill of Slane, where he lit a paschal fire in full view of the King of Laoire’s palace on the Hill of Tara. It was forbidden to light such a fire before the King did and when the people heard about what had happened they were curious to meet this new stranger. St Patrick explained the word of God to the King and the King converted to Christianity and so did the people of the Boyne Valley.
St Patrick was born in Wales and as a child he was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Ireland. He was made to look after the sheep on the west coast of Ireland. When he escaped many years later he made his way back to his family in Wales. He was ordained a priest and returned to Ireland to convert the people from their pagan beliefs to Christianity.
The colour blue is actually the colour first associated with St Patrick and not green. The colour blue is used by The Order of St Patrick. The colour green was adapted during the revolutionary period when people wore green clothes and put shamrock on their coats as a show of Irishism against British rule.
St Patrick’s was meant to banish the snakes out of Ireland, but that story may be false because Ireland is cold for a lot of the year and snakes do prefer a warmer climate. The snakes may be a metaphor for Paganism.
The first recorded St. Patrick’s Day Parade was in New York City and was held in 1762. It wasn’t until 1903 when Ireland was to hold its first parade in Co. Waterford.
St Patrick’s remains are buried in the grounds of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Downpatrick, Co. Down, Ireland. The cathedral ironically is now a Church of Ireland cathedral. It stands on the site of a Benedictine Monastery, built in 1183.
Discover Dublin with me ‘Jason Neeson’, a local tour guide who provides tours throughout Dublin and beyond.
www.planetdublintours.ie
