St. Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year on March 17th. In Ireland, Saint Patrick’s Day is national holiday. Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He was born in the year 385 and died on March 17th around the year 460. Saint Patrick had an adventurous life. He was captured by pirates at the age of 16. The Irish pirates brought him to Ireland and sold him as a slave. He was the one who brought Christianity to the Irish. He taught many of the people of Ireland to read and write. Legend says St. Patrick drove all the snakes to Ireland out of the country and into the sea. Green is the Irish color, because the green shamrock leaf is the national plant of Ireland. Also because Ireland is called the “Emerald Isle” with lots of green surroundings. St. Patrick might have used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. Ireland celebrated on March 17 because that is the day St. Patrick died.
