HISTORY AND TRADITIONS

When St Patrick set foot in Ireland in the 5th century AD, he faced an uncertain future in a little-known country.

Warring Celts were scattered in tribal groups across the island, ruled with iron might by five provincial kings. Eerie dolmen monuments and ancient ruins dominated the landscape. Even the Roman conquerors of Britain had not ventured this far - apart perhaps from the odd trader or adventurer.

Against this background, St. Patrick’s phenomenal success as a Christian missionary seems all the more incredible. By the end of the 5th century, Ireland had become
a Christian nation.

Perhaps Patrick’s elevation into sainthood was therefore inevitable. But his prominence in the traditions and legends of the country says something of the reverence, awe and affection in which he has been held in the intervening centuries and which are rekindled in the Irish every St. Patrick’s Day.

The Feast of St. Patrick is now celebrated in nearly every nation throughout the world where Irish descendants or influence have continued to reinforce its popularity.

Among the countries with centuries-old traditions of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day are obviously America, Canada and Australia, but less obviously France, Argentina and even the Caribbean island of Montserrat. Nowadays, it is also celebrated in such as Russia and Japan.

In Britain - Ireland’s closest neighbour and its biggest visitor market - the trojan efforts of a large population of Irish descent have established March 17 as a day of celebration for British and Irish alike.

St. Patrick's Purgatory on Lough Derg in County Donegal, which derives its name from a vision Patrick is supposed to have had, accounts of which are said to have influenced Dante as he composed The Divine Comedy.  It's been a pilgrimage site for centuries famed throughout Europe in medieval times.  An original monastic settlement here was attribute to St. Patrick but the site has been the subject of all kinds of wrangling, some of them at least ecclesiastical. The original Purgatory was destroyed in 1497 on the orders of Pope Alexander V1.  Even today pilgrims come to do penance and find spiritual renewal.

Croagh Patrick is in County Mayo, as the name suggests, also has associations with Ireland's patron saint.  Even in pre-Christian times, however, it was a sacred place, the site of an annual festival in honor of the Celtic pagan god Lug.  St. Patrick is said to have spent forty days and nights here communing with God.  It is now a place of pilgrimage and on the last Sunday in July thousands come from all over to climb Croagh Patrick - many of these go barefoot!!