Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1904-03-12
ERIN'S SAINT
Will Be HOnOred Everywhere
Throughout the World
March II.
In Old Kentucky Anniversary
Has Been Observed For a
Century.
Brief Historic Sketch of the
Great Apostles Life
Work.
"ST. PATRICK WAS A GENTLEMAN

st. Patrick's day has been observed in
"Old Kentucky" for at least 100 years.
While the pioneers who came with Boone
and shortly after him, left no record of
the observance of the Saints day, it is
almost certain that they did not let it pass
without some recognition. We have
records, however, that the day was OBJ
served by Irishmel in one way or an
other ever since the Commonwealth
existed.
Irishmen in Louisville and throughout
the State should be proud of the career
of the Celt in Kentucky, especially in its
pioneer days. 1t is fitting therefore that
each recurring anniversary OF the day is
observed more generally than the previ-
Gus one. There is Away something in
teresting about st. Patrick's anniversary.
Probably no other saint has been written
about so much as Patrick, the Apostle of
Ireland. and there is always something
interesting to say about him. The Ken
lucky Irish American considers that it is
always appropriate to say something in
the way of historic narrative on this occa-
sion.
"St. Patrick was gentleman" This
is not bit of boastfulness, but of historic
truth. OF all the national saints st. Pat
rick alone is the gentleman. The others 20
about with swords and helmets and
breastplates, and occasionally accom-
plishing something heroic, but St. Pat
rick simply went about doing good, we'll
deserving the cognomen of saint, and
equally worthy of the Irish comment,
"he was gentleman"
BY the way, no race on earth better
understands gentleman than the Irish.
The rudest clodhopper has never lost all
the elements of instructive politeness. He
pulls off his hat and addresses you
politely, even though in your soul you
may not believe a word he says. He
knows gentleman when he sees him.
No saint in the calendar so directly APP
peals to the sympathies of all sorts of be-
levers as does st. Patrick. His name is
associated with poetry and romance, but
equally with benevolent associations and
whatever Is associated with social utility.
Ireland Is unified about st. Patrick.
Every nation has a saint. We have
Washington and Franklin and Jefferson.
The more we know of our own nation
builders the better we are. The Jews
rally about Moses, but none of these
nation builders has proved so essential to
national life as St. Patrick.
st. Patrick appeared in ireland about
400 years after Jesus, and it was his lot
to change the whole character of the
Celtic people. His real maine was Pat
ricius, but his vernacular name was
Succath, which means the brave one.
Patrick is short for Patricius, which is
Latin. 1t is possible, according to some
traditions, that he was born in Ireland, at
aplace afterward called Fitzpatrick, which
is not at all sanguinary, but simply Kirk
patrick or the Church of Patricius.
At the age of sixteen he was carried
away by rowing band of marauders who
came from the northern part of the island
for plumber. His father was Calphornius,
according to the writings of the saint
himself, and he says he dwelt in the
village Of Bonnaven, but we are not sure
where Bonnaven was. Dumbarton, Scot
land, claims to be the place of his birth
and writers differ on the subject.
The Very Rev. NJ. J. Lavelle, rector of
st. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, writ
ing of St. Patrick and his birth place,
says:
"St. Patrick, even apart from his sane
tity and missionary zeal, deserves to rank
as one of the great characters of history,
because of his wonderful energy and sue
cess, and of the lasting impression that
he made upon the hearts of the people.
There have been various opinions as
to the exact place of his birth. but that