On March 17 each year, Ireland remembers Saint Patrick by celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day. Traditionally, the day is marked in Ireland with church services and feasts.

 

Because so many Irish people have moved to other countries, Saint Patrick’s Day is also celebrated outside of Ireland. In some countries, people mark the day by wearing an item of green clothing or a shamrock, or drinking beer that has been coloured green, or dancing and singing and celebrating all things Irish.

 

Saint Patrick, who is probably Ireland’s most loved priest, was not actually Irish. He was born in England where he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave.

 

After six years of slavery, Saint Patrick dreamt that a ship was ready to take him home. Believing his dream, he escaped from his master and found a boat that really did take him back to England.

 

A few years later, Saint Patrick had another dream. This one told him to go back to Ireland. It said he should go and teach Christian beliefs. It took a while for Saint Patrick to believe he could actually do what the dream asked of him, but in the end he went back.

 

After a lifetime of incredible work, he became the patron saint of Ireland.