Biggest St. Patrick's Day Myths

Every year on March 17th, over 36 million Irish-Americans celebrate the patron Saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. We've all heard how Saint Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland, while also managing to drive out the snakes. But, is that the real story?

St. Patrick's Day Myth #1: St. Patrick was Irish.

Of course, you'd assume that the patron Saint of Ireland would be Irish. Well, my shamrock loving friend, you'd be wrong. St. Patrick was actually born Maewyn Succat in Britain around 390 A.D. When young Maewyn was just 16 years old, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. There, he tended sheep in present day Antrim County for six years before stowing away on a ship and eventually making his way back home.

Once home in Britain, Meawyn had a vision. He felt called to return to Ireland and preach to his former captors. After 14 years of study and a name change, Patrick was ready to return to Ireland. There, he built churches and ministered for 30 years.

St. Patrick's Day Myth #2: St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland.

St. Patrick might have driven out the snakes, had there been any snakes to drive out. Since Ireland is surrounded by cold ocean water, no snakes can swim all the way there. While land bridges have popped up now and then between Ireland, Great Britain, and mainland Europe, that all happened before the last ice age. If a snake had made it to the island across a land bridge, the cold-blooded reptile would have frozen to death. So, there are not now, and there never were, snakes in Ireland.

The snake myth likely arose as a metaphor. Snakes, seen as evil creatures, were used in this instance to describe the pagan Irish of the time. St. Patrick's victory over the snakes was actually his conversion of the pagan people.

St. Patrick's Day Myth #3: St. Patrick's Day celebrations began in Ireland.

This is partially true. While the Irish did observe St. Patrick's Day, the holiday as Americans know it originated here. In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day was a Roman Catholic feast day. St. Patrick's Day was actually considered a minor holiday. There were no elaborate parades or pub visits until fairly recently. In fact, Irish pubs were closed on St. Patrick's Day until the 1970s.

The first St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City occurred over two centuries ago in 1762. By contrast, Dublin's St. Patrick's Day parade is only about 75 years old. According to Professor Philip Freeman, author of Saint Patrick of Ireland, "Saint Patrick's Day was basically invented in America by Irish-Americans".

Do these misconceptions and myths detract from our annual St. Patrick's Day celebrations? I don't think so. That's because St. Patrick's Day has never really been just about St. Patrick. It's a way for Irish-Americans to connect with their heritage. So, on St. Patrick's Day, wear some green, order a Shamrock shake, drink some Guinness, and think about the Irish immigrants who helped to build this country.

Sources

BBC - Saint Patrick
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/saints/patrick_1.shtml)

National Geographic - St. Patrick's Day Fast Facts: Beyond the Blarney
(http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/03/0315_050315_stpatricksday.html)

National Geographic - St. Patrick's Day Facts: Snakes, a Slave, and a Saint
(http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090316-st-patricks-day-facts.html)

Smithsonian National Zoological Park - Why Ireland Has No Snakes
(http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/NewsEvents/irelandsnakes.cfm)

U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 American Community Survey
(http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-ds_name=ACS_2009_5YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-_caller=geoselect&-format=)