Celtic Tidings: Saint Patrick's Day ....only about a month late

I've had the privilege to be on this island for two Saint Patrick's days. The first in 2007 when my high school marching band marched in the parade in Dublin and now this year. Prior to this year however, I would not have known too terribly much about Saint Patrick.

I had grown up sporting green clothes, going to parades, and knowing it's the season where shamrock shakes are available at McDonald's (apparently that tradition hasn't carried over here.) But I probably would have said Saint Patrick banished the snakes out of Ireland and that might have been all I'd be able to have said.

Having the opportunity to be on this island again for Saint Patrick's day, I wanted to take the time to learn more about this Patron Saint of Ireland.

So for Saint Patrick's day 2013 I traveled to Downpatrick. A small town about a 40 minute car ride from Belfast, where Saint Patrick has deep connections.

I went to Downpatrick both Saturday and Sunday of Saint Patrick's day weekend and started my time off in the Saint Patrick Centre.

Here is a video done by the centre that explains their mission and more about Saint Patrick.

I viewed the 20 minute video about Saint Patrick and the County Down and its significance to the saint. He first arrived on the island barely 16 years old via the Strangford Lough and was a shepherd for six years after being taken from his homeland somewhere in Great Britain as a slave. I think that is probably one of the missed facts of Saint Patrick... he wasn't originally from Ireland.

It was during this time he came back to God after rejecting the commandments and so on. You can read his confession here. His captivity lasted until he was around 20 when he escaped and sailed back to Britain and reunited with his family.

There he began to study for the priesthood and then was later ordained and sent back to Ireland to share the gospel. He wasn't the first to bring Christianity over to Ireland either. However, he was the most successful.

His first convert in Ireland was a local chieftain Dichu who he had met during his slavery and had treated Patrick poorly.

Afterwards I completed the rest of the exhibit on Saint Patrick and his life in the centre.

On the 17th, I went on a tour of all of the places close to Downpatrick where Saint Patrick either was or had strong connections with. It was only £3 and included tea and scones, so not bad.

The only downfall was that the tour conflicted with the time of the parade but in the end I was fine missing it. I can see a parade for Saint Patrick's day any where in the world (yes it may be different in different places but in the end it is still a parade.) I will not however, have the chance to stand where Saint Patrick is buried, or touch the healing waters in the wells Saint Patrick used on any Saint Patrick's day.

I found that this year it was far more meaningful for me to get to know the history and background of the beloved Saint.

The tour included:
Down Cathedral, Mound of the Down , Struell Wells, a hike up Slieve Patrick, and Saul Church.

I found it all very interesting and special to be able to be seeing it all actually on Saint Patrick's day. So I may not have worn any green, or witnessed a parade but I am very grateful for the opportunity I had this year to learn more about the Patron Saint of Ireland and travel to the places where he once was long ago.