St. Patrick, green beer and myths.
There are many legends and traditions associated with St. Patrick, including one that young Americans absolutely love, drinking green beer on St. Patty’s day. And I should know, because with a surname like Quinn, I could down green beer as well as the next mick.
It’s no wonder that St. Patrick’s history has been greatly embellished over the centuries, because after potatoes and alcohol, the Irish love nothing better than a good story!
Just kidding. Actually, most of the myths developed because of something called hagiography, which is an highly idealized biography of a saint.
St. Patrick banished the snakes from Ireland, turned his walking stick into a living tree, and defeated ancient Celtic heroes, among other things.
Most people don’t know, however, that Patrick wasn’t Irish. He was Romano-British, born into a culture that began in 43 AD with the Roman conquest of Britain. Sixteen at the time of his abduction from Roman Britain, Patrick spent six years as a slave, tending sheep.
After escaping Ireland, he returned home, obtained holy orders, and returned to Ireland, after a dream in which he heard the voices of the Irish people, imploring him to come back.
I imagine most people think of St. Patrick looking like this saintly icon. However, in my story, A Secret Hope, the real Patrick is a living, breathing, very human man. I picture him looking like the second photo.
In my wild college days at SUNY Brockport in western New York, we drank plenty of green beer on St. Patrick’s Day in the Rathskeller on campus. (I’ll leave out the sordid details about the morning after. But it was bad, really bad!)
However, St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland is a holy day, passed quietly, in prayer, at home or in church. Pubs closed, and it remained a dry holiday until 1970, when the beer started flowing again.
Patrick led an amazing life, and the churches and communities he founded are the basis of what is called Celtic Christianity today. For a fascinating look at ancient Ireland and St. Patrick, read How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill.
If you want to make your own green beer, here’s the recipe.
Thanks for shedding some light on St. Patrick. He was an amazing man who was used by God to impact the spiritual climate of Ireland as well as western civilization. He and his band of monks traveled throughout Europe teaching illiterate clergy how to read. I too have read “How the Irish Saved Civilization.” It helped to give me great respect for Patrick and the Irish contribution to preserving western literature in the midst of the Dark Ages. Thanks for reminding us Patrick and his great legacy!
You’re welcome!
Fascinating!!! I knew St. Pat was not Irish and brought Christianity to Ireland. Green Beer is not foreign to me either. I remember it stained my teeth!
I’m looking forward to your books Renee.
Susan Stoddard
Thank you, Susan. And I remember the “GI” effects, too.
I remember my first time seeing Green Beer. I was 15/16 and on a birthday bus that was going through Boston. I remember Boston Commons during Saint Paddy’s day and all the people stumbling around with green plastic cups filled with green beer. I knew one day I would be able to marvel at this experience. I’ve still yet to enjoy green beer but it is definitely on my bucket list.
Thanks, Todd. Maybe next March 17th, you can find some!
I married a young Irish lass many years ago and thus know some of her stories about “The Wild Times” a/k/a college. Green beer is included in some. But I don’t have any “good” green beer stories that can be shared here.
I love to read about history and how it gets bent as time passes. There is always a reason (some better than others). Thanks!
Thanks, Mike, or should I say Mathias Eisenmenger!
Interesting!!! I think I’ll have to look up “How the Irish Saved Civilization” by Thomas Cahill. Thanks Renee 🙂
Thanks, Wendy. How the Irish Saved Civilization is a very intriguing book, you’ll enjoy it.
Gotta love the recipe :). I am always amused, enlightened and delighted reading your blog. My daughter-in-law faithfully makes corned beef and cabbage along with green beer on St Patty’s Day, all of which she strongly dislikes but knows her husband and the rest of the family will enjoy. I will give her the official recipe. Looking forward to more of your books, Renee.
Thank you, Marcy. Actually, the Irish don’t eat a lot of corned beef, either!
Thanks for the “rest of the story” on St. Patrick! The whole idea of hagiography is so fascinating. I’m sure he isn’t the only saint we have idealized in that way.
You’re welcome. Some other saints with florid hagiography are St. Agatha of Sicily, St. Christopher, and St. Denis.