Factoids today, beginning with:St. Patrick
- Born in Britain
- Kidnapped at age 16 by Irish raiders and held captive in Ireland
- He was a shepherd in Ireland, quite solitary
- Escaped back to Britain after 6 years
- Studied 15 years and became a priest, then went back to Ireland as a missionary
- Began converting the Irish to Christianity, although there was already a small number of Christians on the island
- St. Patrick's Day is the date he is believed to have died, around the year 460
- The driving the snakes out of Ireland legend is a myth
St. Patrick's Day
- An Irish religious holiday, church in the morning and dinner in the afternoon
- For dinner: Irish bacon and cabbage
- Until the 1970's, pubs were closed on St. Pat's Day in Ireland
St. Patrick's Day Parade
- First one held in New York City in 1762
- It was Irish soldiers serving in the English military
- There were numerous parades held annually until 1848, when the various Irish aide societies combined to sponsor the parade, now the longest running in the country.
Enjoy the day!
