Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-17
A Review of the Day We
Celebrate.
Some Stories About the Good
Old Saint.
How the Great Day Is Observed in
Ireland.
Incidents of the Establishment OF the
Faith by St. Patrick-The Story
of the Shamrock-A Verse of
the National Song.

so wunst we were Elegant people
Though we now live in cabins of mud,
The land that you saw from the steeple,
Belonged to us all from the flood
Me father was then king of Connaught,
But the Sassenach came-and signs on it
Not one single acre have we."
Today is st. Patrick's day-a day on
which. wherever he may be, the Irish
man feels as though he must in some
way depart from the ordinary routine of
business cares and duties and celebrate
the feast day of the patron saint of his
country, for, although st. Patrick was
Breton, he enjoys that distinction,
and is dearer far to the Irish heart than
any of the numerous saints born on
"the ould sod," though in speaking
on this subject with an Irishman,
he will tell you with the naivete
of that race that "St. Bridget and st.
Columbkill, may their blessing be al
ways about US, were great saints, too"
Down seems to be singularly distin-
guished as being the resting. place of
Ireland's three greatest saints. The old
rhyme has it thus:
"Three saints one tomb in Down cathedral fill;
Patrick, Bridget and Columbk1ll"
Today in Ireland every hat will be
decked with its sprig of shamrock, and
every coat will have its piece of green
ribbon, and many thought will 60 out
to the relatives and friends in far-awav
America, and many a sprig of shamrock
will be carefully placed in letter to be
sent to the dear ones far away for what
gift could be more precious or awake
,0r,n ha ,Iat1
heart than piece of that plant which
and patriotic sentiments; for did not
st. Patrick himself give the shamrock
high place of honor when he used it as
an illustration of the trinity in his SER
mon to the Irish kings, and is it not
wreathed round the harp of his country?
There are many stories told Of st. Pat
rick and his work among the Irish peo-
pie. OF course everyone mas heard OF
the Punishment of the serpents and
other "varmin." One is shown, in
proof OF this, an immense hollow in the
side of a mountain known as Altnapaest
(the hill of the serpent), in Donegal,
where, tradition says, the last serpent
had hidden himself, but was discovered
by the saint and slain.
1t is claimed that Ireland is the only
country whose conversion to Christian
ity was effected without bloodshed. A
story is told of one OF the native princes
who was being baptized by St. Patrick.
The saint, who was a bishop, carried
his crozier in his hand and inadvert-
emily placed it on the bare foot of the
prince, who, thinking it was part of the
ceremony, did not attempt to displace
it. When the ceremony was over st.
Patrick discovered to his grief that the
heavy rod had penetrated the foot of
the poor prince, who was willing to bear
any torture to become Christian.
St. Patrick is not claimed by any one
locality, but belongs to all Ireland
equally; even Connaught, that place
considered by Cromwell and his soldiery
as only to be equaled by hades.. has
the enviable distinction of having been
all Ireland.
Although there will be no public
demonstration in Los Angeles today, yet |
in his own household every true Irish |
man will hold little celebration and
his heart will turn to the land of his |
fathers and he will be proud of his |
country and his patron saint and will |
say in the lines of the song which will |
today be sung from the Cove of Cork to |
the Giants Causeway to the tune of st.
Patrick's day:
''Though dark are our sorrows, this day we'll
forget them,
And smile thro' our tears like sunbeam in
showers.
There never were hearts, ii our rulers would
let them,
More formed to be grateful and blest than ours!
But just when the chain has ceased to pain,
And hope has enwreathed it round with
flowers,
There comes new link, our spirit to sink.
o the joy that we taste, like the light OF the
poles.
Is a ash amid darkness. too brilliant to stay;
But tho 'twere the last little spark in souls,
We must light it up now on our Prnce's Day."