Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-13
St. PatriCk-the Patron
Saint of Emerald Isle

e" THEREVER a bit of shamrock
Is worn this st. Patrick
M day. there Will be retold one
w or more of the various ver-
sions OF the life OF Ireland's
patron saint Despite the fact that au-
thentic records Of st. Patrick are to be
had-and ones that date back almost to
his own time-the average reader will
probably admit that all he knows about
ST. Patrick is that he drove the snakes
out of Ireland and is beloved by the
Irish. AS matter Of fact, st. Patrick ia
more deserving Of honor and fame for
turning the Irish from their worship OF
idols and hobgoblins to Christianity than
for Kidding the Emerald Isle OF creeping
things. He was the apostle Of the Irish,
and there was no influence SO great as his
in converting them.
There are several versions of the IA
nous expulsion Of reptiles from Ireland
One is to the effect that, while ST. Pat
other vicious creeping things attacked
him. But he drove them headlong into the
sea and thus accomplished 1relands ex-
emptiOn from poisonous reptiles. An
other historian has it that the son of ar
Egyptian princess was bitten by SER
pent and cured by the prophet Moses. be.
tween whom and himself a sincere friend
ship existed Moses furthermore prom
Used him that no creeping thing should
live in any country inhabited by his pos
terity. The Egyptian prince eventually
went to Ireland. Hence, 1t was he. no,
st. Patrick, who drove out the snakes
This version is evidently plausible to ar
Egyptian, but 1t can scarcely be com.
mended to a real Irishman.
A legend from the lakes Of Killarney
has it that toward the close of St. Pat
rick's life there was a certain huge ser
pent that had not been expelled from
Erin. st. Patrick procured a great oak
chest, so the story runs. with heavy lid
fastened on by huge bolts. He took this
to the celebrated lakes one morning, and
found the insurgent reptile summing him.
self on the greensward. st. Patrick en-
ticed the huge snake into the oaken chest
by suggesting that 1t would be more COM
Portable than the hard ground. Then he
shut down the lid and drew the bolts.
The serpent pleaded for his release. but
st. Patrick was obdurate and put him OF
with the implication that he would let
him out tomorrow" But 'tomrrow'
never came. for st. Patrick cast the chest
into the lake with the serpent inside 1t.
The legend further runs that fishermen
on the coast ever afterward heard the
willy old snake crying out to know II
tomorrow" had come yet. And further
more that his writhing caused the waves
of the sea and his pleas for release the
oceans roar.
The date Of st. Patrick birth is a
mOOteO question:, SUMO WHITES Pricing II
at 377, and others five years earlier. He
undoubtedly lived to a good old age.
which has been variously estimated at
from seventy-eight to 100 He and two of
his sisters were captured by pirates when
he was sixteen years of age, and taken
to Ireland from France. He was set to
work tending sheep In the mountains. and
while so doing prayed fervently both by
day and night "in the snow. In the frost
and in the rain"
After six years Of slavery st. Patrick
escaped from Ireland in a small boat and
returned to France, where he was again
captured. Some few years later, however,
he returned to Ireland and combated the
Druids at Tara.
There is a story to the effect that when
st. Patrick was first taken to Ireland by
the pirates he was sold into slavery for
an old kettle. When this kettle was filled
with water and placed over the fire, how
ever the water became colder and colder
as the fire increased instead of hotter,
and would not boil until st. Patrick him.
self prayed over 1t.
If historical records be true, st. Patrick
had at least two narrow escapes from
death. The first was when he was riding
in a sort of chariot and the driver learn
ed of a plan to waylay and murder ST.
Patrick. Pretending fatigue, he induced
St Patrick to take his place at the reins.
The assassin stabbed the faithful driver,
whom he believed to be st. Patrick.
On another occasion st. Patrick not
only baffied a bandit who attempted to
kill him, but also converted him. The
would-be murderer was eager to do PEN
ance and, at st. Patrick's suggestion,
trusted himself to the mercy of the
waves in a fragile leathern boat which
finally landed him on the Isle Of Man.
There the reformed bandit led an honest
life and became bishop Of the island be-
fore his death.
The ruins of slane Abbey, on Tara Hill.
where ST. Patrick built his fire, is the
greatest memorial to his labor. Through
out Ireland are many standing stones
with a cross craven on them by order Of
st. Patrick, symbolic of the consecrating
of the Emerald Isle to Christianity. Be-
fore St Patrick's time these stones were
selt or fetishes Of the pagan belief of the
time; when ST. Patrick came he over
threw most of them, but left some of
them standing with the sign Of the cross
upon them, however, to typify the
triumph of Christianity over paganism
There are many other memorials to the
saint still standing.
The greatest of them all Is the Cathe-
dral of ST. Patrick in Dun-Patrick. It
is filled with various monuments and
memorial tablets. There is covered
been used by the saint himself and bap-
tismal font where he anointed many
penitents. ST. Patrick himself is buried
under q huge rock, adjacent to the cathe
dral, upon which is carved a cross in
rugged outline and the single word Pat
rick" A great annual st. Patrick's day
parade takes place each year In Cork
along the principal street which is named
for the saint. An iron bell and cover.
beautified with engravings and used by
At. Patrick, is on view in the Dublin
Museum.
.sThe nth day of March, yearly, is st.
Patrick's," wrote an. English traveller,
Thomas Dinley. during the reign of
Charles II IAN inmovable feast. when
We Irish of all stations and conditions,
wear crosses in their hats, some Of pins,
some Of green ribbons and the vulgar
wear shamroges, three
leafed grass, which they likewise eat.
they say to cause sweet breath. The
common people and the servants also de-
mand their Patrick's groat OF their mas
tiers, which they go expressly to town,