Saint Patrick's Day, March 17th
© Dr. Harvey Taylor www.krigline.com
1) March 17th is the day
to remember an Englishman who lived over 1500 years ago in Britain and in
Ireland.
2) When he was 16 years
old, Irish pirates captured him and thousands of other English people and
took them to Ireland. His name was Patrick, and he was sold as a slave to
an Irish farmer who raised sheep.
3) Then after six
years as a slave, Patrick escaped from his owner and found a ship. He told
the Irish men on the ship
about his life as a
slave and about his Christian beliefs. They took him back to his home in
England. There he went to school and became a Christian leader.
4) He later returned
to Ireland to help the poor Irish people. He also told them about his
Christian beliefs.
5) About 200 years
later, the Roman Catholic
Church came to Ireland
and called this man St. Patrick because he was such a good man.
Since then March 17th has been the special Roman Catholic
Church’s day to remember St. Patrick.
6) In the 1600’s many
Irish people left Ireland and went to live in America. They and their
children helped to build America and to fight for independence from
England.
7) George Washington,
America’s first President, was one of these Irish-Americans.
8) Then between 1820
and 1845 thousands more Irish people left Ireland to find religious
freedom in America. Even more Irish people went to America after 1845
because their potato plants suddenly died, and they were starving. Today,
America has many millions of Irish-Americans (including the teacher who
prepared this summary: Dr. Harvey Taylor).
9) About 100 years ago
Irish leaders in America made St. Patrick's Day a holiday. But America's
St. Patrick's Day is not really about St. Patrick. Instead it is a
celebration for the Irish in America — a day for all Americans to say
“thank you” to the Irish. Now the modern American St. Patrick's Day is
really a day for all Irish-Americans.
10) Everything on St.
Patrick's Day is green. Everyone who has any Irish ancestors is expected
to wear something green on St. Patrick's Day — maybe even a green suit or
dress, but at least a green shirt, necktie or hat. In fact, even if you
are not Irish, if you don't wear something green, your friends can pinch
you!
11) So, in America, in
Ireland, and wherever there are people who have some Irishmen in their
family history, March 17th is a day to remember the Irish,
because of the famous Englishman (Patrick) who loved the people of Ireland
more than 1500 years ago.
