The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-17
ST. PATRICK'S DAY.
Sketch Of the Life and Work of
Ireland's Patron Saint.
How the Festival Has Been Kept
In New York.
THE PROGRAMME FOR TOMORROW.

Tomorrow, there Will not be an Irishman In the
city of New York who, on waxing this morning, will
fail 10 remember that but its being the Sabbath, the
date Is that dedicated for centuries to the honor
or lreand's patron saint. 1t Is proper, therefore,
that In the Sunday HERALD he should find the
means to refresh his memory as to the history and
deeds OF ST. Patrick, and also ascertain what IS
gong to be done this year in loving tribute to his
memory.
II Is hardly necessary TO say at the outset that
though ne stands SO high in the affections Of the
children OF The Emerald Isle, ST. Patrick was not
himself an lrisnman. He was born somewhere else,
but where nobody exactly knows. England,
Scotland, Wales and France have each advanced
claims to the distinction OF being his native land,
and they Oil concur In atIributlng to him noble
birth and ancestry; but no one has yet authori-
tatvely determined the truth. But about the year
1888. wherever he may then have been
living, he was captured by some pi.
rates-probaoly some OF those grand Old
Vikings about whom New England poets are
necessarily raving-and as he was then handsome
and intelligent boy OF sixteen, they found little dl
Guilty In disposing Of him as q slave to an Irish
noble He was employed by his master as a swlne
herd and in that capacity drove his hogs up and
down about the mountains OF Sleamish, the county
OF Antrim. For seven sad years he faithfully full.
tilled these mental duties, redeeming their servty
by the cheerful fidelity which he threw into so I'M
worthy service. During this period, however, he
acquired knowledge Of the Celtlc tongue, and
character the peopo AMONG ' whom his lot
had been thrown. At last he contrived TO escape
entered the Gnaron, and, after due probation. was,
1Gr MS Ssn pety ana learning made A bishop
GUS mission which has made his his name name,
immortal In the hearts Of the Irish people;
and, having obtained the sanction Of Pope
Ceesne, returned to Ireland to convert It's inhabt
tants, whom he had learned TO love and respect In
spite OF the melancholy character Of his former life
The story of the conversion Of Ireland Is one
OF noble endeavor and patient perseverance
suffering and peril even of life. Ireland was then
completely under the influence OF that hideous
terrible in It's rites and traditions probably as the
religion now prevalent IN the FIJI Islands. On its
spit upon the affairs Of the false eods and ms
ITS theology was elaborate, 1t was foolish and as
wickeG1y blasphemons as that Of Branma or Gotta,
nopelessv devoted to savage s, i1th sqch
st. Patrick may easily be conceived to have had a
hard task TO to perior He wqnd indeed have
ferred upon him the power OF working miracles.
It would take volume to recount these in detail,
may be referred to- Thus for example, the
Saint having been forced by the Drulds to nee for
his life into The mountains, he found himself
and followers In midwinter without any protection
from the weather, and destitute even OF the neces
sary materials to build fire with. He com.
manded his companions, however. to collect
number Of pieces of ice and these having been
and forthwith NAMES burst forth from their midst
and the exiles for conscience sake found themselves
seated around pleasant and cheerful fire.
the 6anlshment of all reptiles from the
island he loved so well. He Is said TO have accom-
pished tins feat by beating drum, which he struck
30 venemently that he Knocked hole in it; but an
angel having mended it the success of the miracle
for the moment from anything in the shape or the
dece,yer OF Eve, but he impaired 70 the soil OF Ire
land the charming property or being so obnoxious
to reptiles that they instantly die on touching 1t.
Not Alone however, did the Saint labor IN Ire.
land Tor the names Of many places in Scotland, and
the popularity OF his name In that country for many
ages prove that he extended his minisrations, and
irishmen, TO the land OF the Gael
Full OF years and sanctity, he died
at last the nth OF March--the dav ever since as
ISOLATED with his memory-ln the 121st year or his
age.
men is the wearing OF the shamrock, which
greatly resembles il It's general character
: species Of clover, though the leaf e
20 have been tnat the SAINT, finding that the
doctrine OF the Trinity was one OF the hardest and
most knotty obstacles TO the conversion OF the
heather, used the three leaves upon q single stem
as illustration of THIS holy mystery. Anlquarans
have, II may be stated in this connection,
taken considerable pleasure IN displaying the close
analogy between the word shamrock and the Arabic
word for treloil-shamrakh-a plant which was
also held sacred in ancient Persia as symbol OF the
ZorOasterIan tr1aus. Pliny, tine Roman naturalist
and philosopher, curiously enough. also also
In country where trefon Is abundant, and that It
contains some mystic virtue which makes 1t an In
falnble remedy for the stngs OF all varieties OF
venomous creatures.
Coming to New York and the manner in which
St. Patrlcks Day has usually been ceebrated-at
least during the last quarter OF a oentury-among
ms, II is hardly necessary to dilate at
length upon the various features OF Its
ton. First OF ALL there Is the professions miles in
length, and embracing scores, nay, hundreds OF So
cletes the men all neatly atred In their best store
clothes, and with beaver hatand who hasn't heard
OF ST. PatrIcns Day har-proudly sulmOuntlng
their bold and manly figures, and with here and
Gown the line, ana resplendent IN multiform tories
OF green and gold. Sometimes too, the procession
A' wagon or TWO two bed with Wit Young uiHs'V maid.
ems, the lalrest representatives OF the
the banquets OF tue more prominent Irish societies
are the most conspicuous features OF the festival.
be able 10 imagine what one Of these genial
gatherings Is llke-the good cheer, the flowing
meaning and the oratorica RESPONSES u to inc
brim with Irish w.t. and splendid with the fond
magn6cence OF irish eloquence. Merry, indeed, are
the brief hours OF these annual feasts, and they
have at least this advantage over most other good
things in lite that they are always the same in
spirit and influence such revelry, however, Is only
i0r those lucky wghts who 'have done well" Ia the
LAND OF Their adoption, and can pay The necessary
$40 lor the expenses OF the FEAST In humber homes
there are other panquets equally bright, though less
costly, Where whlskey takes the place OF cham
make shift to dispense with formal speeches' and
generauy make themselves happy without mdulg-
also features OF the festival.
The following Is the Official notice In referen 70 IN
tO-mOrrow's procession
The procession Will move at one O'Clock preciselv
when the signal gun will Ue fred. AS soon as the
mlltary, under command or colonel James Cav
anagh, shall have passed me right OF the civic
bodies each society IN It's order g fail into column
and proceed down Second avenue to Second
street, ND Second street to the Row.
cry, down the Bowery 10 Chatham street.
across the City Hall PARK, where the procession
will De reviewed Dy His Honor Mayor Hail and the
Common Council; up Broadway to Union square
saluIng and passing round Wasnington's monu.
ment; down Fourteenth street TO Sc zenith avenue;
mp seventh avenue To TDiTty-lourth street. across
Thrty-fourth street to Second avenue; down Second
avenue 10 Twenty-third street; down Twenty third
street TO FIRST avenue to Eighth street. to Cooper
institute, where the procession Will be dismissed.
OWEN HUNT, Grand Marshal.
rrocpgeton will forrn an Gacon1 ayenua tho