Who was Saint Patrick? Rare Facts about Ireland’s Patron Saint

Who was Saint Patrick? Synonymous with Ireland and the Irish people, the patron saint of Ireland is celebrated on March 17th all over the world with revelry and scenes of green. But how much do you know about him? Here are some rare facts about Ireland’s best known symbolic figure...

Statue of Saint Patrick in Slane, County Meath
Statue of Saint Patrick in Slane, County Meath

Saint Patrick’s Blue - not Green
The original color associated with Saint Patrick was blue not green!  However the color green became associated with him as he preached widely about the shamrock and the Holy Trinity and green then became the most common shade associated with him. Saint Patrick’s blue is a name applied to several shades of blue associated with Saint Patrick and Ireland. The color blue’s association with Saint Patrick dates from the 1780s when it was adopted as the color of the Anglo-Irish ‘Order of St. Patrick’. In British usage it was a sky blue whereas in Irish usage it was a dark rich blue. While green is now the national color of Ireland, Saint Patrick’s blue is still found in symbols of both the state and the island.

Maumturk Mountains

Mystery of Saint Patrick’s Shrine Maumturk Mountains
Nestled deep in the Maumturk Mountains in Connemara in the West of Ireland, there’s a shrine dedicated to Saint Patrick and pilgrims have recently started to trek there as it has been rediscovered and become more popular in recent times. Mystery surrounds the exact origins of this off-the-beaten path shrine, surrounded by untouched mountains and rocky fields and stone walls, but it is a beautiful reminder of times past. Tradition says that when Saint Patrick walked through Connemara and climbed the mountains, it was at the holy well that he stopped at to bless some of the wildest lands in Ireland. Visitors are welcome to the ancient holy well and there are a series of stone circles there that are said to represent the Stations of the Cross along with a Mass Rock.

The secret ‘Saint Patrick’ password
Saint Patrick has an important part in American history! On Evacuation Day, March 17, 1776, the General Orders issued by President George Washington were that those wishing to pass through Continental Army lines should give the password “Boston”. And what was the reply? The answer was “Saint Patrick”!

Famous ‘Snakes Crozier” was destroyed
Saint Patrick’s Crozier, with which he was said to have banished the imaginary snakes from Ireland, was venerated for centuries in Dublin's Christ Church only to be publicly burned in 1538 under the orders of the archbishop, George Browne!

Was Saint Patrick Irish?
The exact place of the birth of Saint Patrick is debatable as some say Scotland and some say Wales but, either way, he’s Irish now! His exact birthplace and date is not known. However, it is believed he was born around 375AD in Scotland. His parents were Calpurnius and Conchessa, were Romans living in Britain in charge of the colonies.
Posted on March 16, 2020