Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-03-17
THE REvERED ST. PATRICK.
Something OF Interest Concerning
the Patron saint whose Memory is
HOn0red.. Nationality

| Something OF Interest Concerning
the Patron saint whose Memory IL
| Honored...His Nationality.
This is st. Patrick's day and The sham,
rock is fully displayed in Rock Island In
honor of the day. Pat Grant. the famou,
correspondent of the Chicago Inter
Ocean. who signs himself RAILROAD La
borer." has written something new con-
corning the patron saint of Ireland. He
says:
"St. Patrick's day in the morning" is q
familiar phrase in Ireland, and is also the
name OF very stirring and patriotic
Irish tune. Now it is the day itself
Men and boys wear shamrocks in Their
hats, and the little girls have each cross
on their shoulder. Amateur bands are
playing national airs to and from so me
public hall or meeting place. Every pub
lie house is thronged with noisy custo,
mers; so is the back room in the village
inn. and every room up stairs: and it is
generally day when the jovisl soul OF
the Irishman browns dull care, clenches
a bargain, cements friendship or treats
his sweetheart.
The Englishman drinks beer and sa
lutes the banner of st. George; the
ScOtchman halls st. Andrew. and the
Irishman, the good St. Patrick, who, as
the song tells us and as very many are
led to believe from the inebriety which
attends the celebration,
Taught our Irish lads
The Joys OF drinking whisky
| though the same himself was man OF
most abstemious habits and pious deport-
ment.
The genuine life and history of ST p at,
| rick is very interesting. and though nine-
| teenth-twentieths of those who read this
sketch. and those who herald his name 10
song and tune. will believe he is Irish
nothing is further from the truth. though
where st. Patrick was actually born is q
| moot question. While he yet lived -four
| lives of him were written, II is said by
his four nephews. yet none of them ever
fixed definitely the place of his birth.
Thirty six lives were written of him by
the twelfth century; these have since
been embodied into seven, and on these
seven is founded most of what has been
written since.
been claimed for him by various people
He has been said to have been born in
Rosnet Valley, in South Wales. by Others
in Cornwall, and lastly In Scotland.
Even Cardinal Moran, archbishop OF
Sidney. aud formerly bishop of Ossory,
and who wrote on the birthplace of st.
Patrick in the Dublin ReUieoo for April
1880. thinks that he was Scotch
man, and this view is sustained
by Father Hogan, learned Jesuit, who
would certainly have no object in depriv~
ing Ireland and Irishmen of the honor OF
the nativity of so illustrious and beloved
an apostle. DR.. Lanigan agrees that he
was native either of Boulogne in France,
or of Fitzpatrick DUN barton, Scotland
| st. Patrick himself says in his confession
that he was an Englishman, and Mr.
Csshel Hoey. well known Catholic
writer, says that he was the son of a
British official employed under the Roman
power.
II was born. says he, the son of CAL
purnIus, wEe was of the village of Bona
Won, Thaburnia;" and Bollandists copy of
the Book of Armagh" thus opens: pat
rick who was called Sochet, was Brton
by birth, being born in Britain, the son
OF Calpurnius. deacon son of Potitus, q
presbyter who was of the village of Bon
avon Thsbur, not far from the sea" by
which is understood the mouth of the
Avon. and not far from Bath and only
about nineteen miles from the Bristol
Channel.
St Patrick himself further speaks as
follows: After a few wears was again
in Britain with my PARENTS" and he subs
sequently confesses TO a great anxiety Ito
GO 10 Britain as unto his parents" and
not only thither but as far as Gaul to
visit his spiritual brethren.
The story that ST. Patrick banished all
the snakes from Ireland is legend of the
giaht variety, for it has been conclusively
proved that there never were any snakes
in Ireland. or that the climate would per
nit their existence He WAS II great and
God fearing man, imbued with q large
and generous love for mankind, but a
great many things have been attributed
to st. Patrick. either from spirit of
levitv or from irreverence of his holy and
useful mission. These incredible feats
have enabled the wags to contribute some
amusement at the expense of the good
saints reputation. For example, in re-
ferring to the tradition about the bsnish-
ment OF the snakes, somebody writes:
THE saint then uttered holy srell,
With his magic staff IN notion
Then over the reptiles went pell-meO,
And persisted within the ocean,
In Rock Island there was no particular
demonstration this year. Mass was said
In st. Joseph's church bv Father MackIn
this morning, and this evening there is to
be ball at Armory hall under the aus,
pices of St. Patrick's Benevolent society
Obituary.
Mrs. Mary McKann, widow of the late