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Irish travel: Follow the footsteps of St. Patrick around Ireland

By
PAT PRESTON,
IrishCentral.com Travel Expert
Published Sunday, February 27, 2011, 7:13 AM
Updated Sunday, February 27, 2011, 7:13 AM

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St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin City
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin City


It's almost March 17th – and another St. Patrick's Day! Although this happy day is celebrated all around the world, many people do not even know who Saint Patrick was or why we honor him. Believe me, it has nothing to do with green beer or corned beef and cabbage.

For starters, Patrick was a 5th century Christian missionary who did his greatest work in Ireland. As he sought to convert the pagan natives to Christianity, this roving cleric left his mark (and his name) on many places, such as Ardpatrick, Downpatrick, Croagh Patrick, Patrick’s Well, Patrickstown Hill, and a Patrick Street in every city, not to mention hundreds of churches and cathedrals. If there were travel agents in early Ireland, Patrick must have been a star customer.

It’s all quite remarkable, considering that he traversed the length and breadth of the land without benefit of the Internet, airplanes, trains, cars, buses, or even a few friendly pubs. No wonder the best itineraries of Ireland today still follow in Patrick’s footsteps.  

As he evangelized, Patrick seems to have sought scenic locales. His adventurous visits to County Meath are legendary, first ascending the Hill of Slane to light the paschal flame, and then climbing the Hill of Tara to convert the High King of Ireland, as thousands of local folk gathered in the surrounding valleys.

Plucking a shamrock from the ground to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity, Patrick not only won over the king and the crowd, but he also gave that simple three-leaf clover eternal life as the universal symbol of Ireland and the Irish.

Patrick’s appearance at the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary further attests to his fondness for panoramic heights, while he seemed equally happy on the water as he paddled out to spend 40 days doing penance on an island in Lough Derg in County Donegal, a custom that is imitated to this day by visitors and locals seeking religious solitude.

Decidedly at home amidst the bustle of Ireland’s cities as well, Patrick is said to have preached widely in Dublin in 448 especially in the area where St. Patrick’s Cathedral stands today, beside a holy well said to have been used by Patrick to baptize. Two souvenirs from his travels – a small hand bell and an ancient reliquary – are on display at the National Museum.

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7 Comments

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russm535il | Mar 12, 2011, 06:52 PM EST
great my mom was Irish we plan to visit

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MarthaAnne | Mar 05, 2011, 04:26 PM EST
I learned, from reading "How the Irish Saved Civilization", that St. Patrick, having been a slave to an Irishman from about age 16 to age 22, made it his lifelong mission to ban slavery from Ireland. He succeeded and is considered to be the first human being known to have worked tirelessly to condemn and erradicate slavery. He was of Roman ancestry and his parents were upper class Roman Christians who had a strong faith.

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jacersagain | Mar 02, 2011, 02:28 PM EST
@angelaOC - there are many many people who were never canonised who are saints in heaven.

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jacersagain | Mar 02, 2011, 02:21 PM EST
Great article above by Patricia... one for me to take note of. I visited St. Patrick’s Grave in Downpatrick last St. Patrick’s Day and saw that big granite rock over his grave. What I didn’t know until that day, and what Patricia could have also mentioned above, is that St. Brigid and St. Columba, Ireland’s first true Apostles after Patrick, are both also buried in St. Patrick’s Grave under that huge rock, thus fulfilling a prophecy that one day all three would rest in peace together.

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angelaOC | Feb 28, 2011, 07:38 AM EST
I'm just worried that he has never been canonised!

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feeneycj | Feb 27, 2011, 01:36 PM EST
thank you St. Patrick

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STUMPTOWN | Feb 27, 2011, 10:00 AM EST
SAINT PATRICK DID BRING GREAT CHANGE TO IRELAND. But in todays Ireland , the young people of Ireland will bring greater CHANGE then ever bearing in mind Ireland's modern history from goverment, economics, education, the sexual abuse of childern by the religious, the church's administration cover up of these sexual abuse crimes of the children etc. The young people of Ireland will change the administration of the church through their actions that the Vatican will not call all the shots as they do today. The religion is not the change but the administration is. The new reformation will begin through the young people for the Vatican has not listen but instead they SILENCE THE TRUTH TO PROTECT THE IMAGE. The change today in counties like Egypt and so on where brought about by the young educated people and you will see it hit the Vatican too from the young Irish and other young people world wide. Has the rock of Saint Peter been erode by the RCC administration over the years? And they though moveable type was bad. What would CHRIST do?

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