Greetings:I wonder if someone might be able to help me. Several nights ago, I was to speak at a tribute to my boss on the occasion of his promotion to his new important job. One of the bonds between my boss and me is that we are both quite ethnocentric (about our Irish heritage) - myself, to an extreme degree, himself, less so. The speaker just before, an Englishman, (I mean "off the boat") Mr. Geoffry "So-And-So", to my great surprise went off on a tangent about how St. Patrick was, in fact, a Saxon and therefore and Englishman, yadayadayada... Needless to say, I wanted to say my remarks would be in Irish were it not for the fact that Mr. Geoffry X's ancestors had robbed mine of their native tongue. I did manage to get off a couple of arrows, but remained mindful of the purpose of the gathering. Can anyone refute his claim that St. Patrick was a Saxon? If he turns out to be Roman/Italian, that's ok - I'll go with it. But in the name of all that is holy and Irish, I must prepare a rebuttal. Will it ever end? Citing sources will help my credibility. Anticipating your receipt of my warcry, I will be most grateful for your help. Feel free to e-mail me at AleeCat25@aol if you have related info.
Dia Huit
Catherine Tucker Rosemyer
(descendent of the Wards of Lietram, Nevins, Tobins, Tuckers of Tipperary -I worry about the origins of that surname-, Ryans, Farrells.
PS- I'm not too much into geneology, I figure it was a small Island. I think genetic testing would probably show most of us to be related to each other and descended from pretty humble folk with few actually from the High Kings.

Shae, one of our learned regulars once wrote a piece on Patrick.
http://www.unet.univie.ac.at/~a8700035/stpatric.html

Read St. Patrick's autobiographical 'confession'.
http://irelandnow.com/heritage/myths/confession.html

Another 'biggie' - read the "True History"
http://irelandnow.com/heritage/myths/histofpatrick.html


He was Roman (An Irish Roman, perhaps, like an Irish Catholic ?)

Sorry, Catherine

I've been out of touch for a while. I'm afraid that Geoffrey So-and-so might be almost right, but not quite. I'm not sure of exact dates of the arrival of Saxons in England, but you can be assured that Patrick was not Irish. His exact origin is unsure, but it was most likely northern England, or possibly Wales. I'm nearly sure he was before the arrival of the Saxons. He was just around the end of the Roman Empire in Britain which was, I think, before the establishment of the Saxons. I suppose the main point is the he was a Briton, named after a Celtic tribe, the Britagnii.

*wanders in aimlessly* Paddy? Info on Paddy? Knowing smile* WELL IT'S A KNOWN FACT THAT PATRICK WAS A VERY SPIRITUAL MAN WHO GOT HIS START SELLING KOSHER FRANKS ON THE BOARDWALK IN CONEY ISLAND. HIS BROTHER NATHAN AND HE WORKED AS A DUET PLAYING GUITAR AND MADE MILLIONS WITH THOSE "FOOT LONGERS". ANYWAY AS IT TURNED OUT THEIR LONG LOST COUSIN MOISHE WAS THE LORD MAYOR OF ANCIENT DUBLIN AND COULDN'T GET ANY FRANKS THERE. SO HE SENT HIS FIRST BORN SON KNOCKWORST OVER TO REQUEST NATHANS FOOT LONGERS BE SHIPPED TO EIRE. PATRICK REALIZING THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL OF SUCH A MARKET, SAILED AS FAST AS HIS BUNS COULD TAKE HIM AND CRASHED UP ONTO THE WEST COAST SOMEWHERE ON CLEW BAY. DESTITUTE AND LOST HE DECIDED TO SET UP SHOP AT THE FOOT OF CROAITA... AFTER A FEW WEEKS, THE NATIVES REALIZING THAT THEIR OWN FRANKS WERE A WEE BIT SMALL FELL IN LOVE WITH THE FOOT LONGERS. ESPECIALLY THE WOMEN WHO NEVER KNEW ANYTHING LONGER THAN 3 INCHES. SO THEY ALL GOT TOGETHER AND RENAMED CROATIA "CROAGH PATRICK". THERE, THE SAINTLY PATRICK BECAME FAMOUS AS HE SERVED THE MULTITUDES OF HUNGRY NATIVES FOR GENERATIONS. YEARS LATER THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CANONIZED HIM FOR HIS UNNATURAL PATIENCE IN DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS SUCH AS..... "HOLD THE MUSTARD",.

YEAH,THAT'S THE STORY FIONN!!!!*ROTFLMAO*

And Catherine, you should make Sir Geoff So-and-so aware that the Lord Mayor's son Knockworst is famous in his own right. After finding Patrick and returning to Dublin, he spent many years thumping on doors, trying to find his father's house, since his father had moved during the interim years, following his quest for Patrick.
He would always thump the door and the people inside would say "I hope it isn't that Knockworst kid."
Till one day, when in a stroke of absolute brilliance, he didn't thump the door. Instead, he simply said "Knock, Knock."
The people inside readily said, " Who's there?"
and, lo, he became that famous Irish inventor of the "Knock,Knock" joke.

Knock, Knock !!!

Who's There?

Orange

Banana.....

Strawberry

Guest who? Watch out American Woman! There truly is Comic Relief at Tir.

LMAO....okay, I'll bite...

Orange Who?

Banana Who?

Strawberry Who?

Guest who Who?

LOL...sort of makes one wonder if Saint Pat is also the patron saint of the Daiquiri...*sends the hamster out for the recently stolen rum...*

To my knowledge, St.Patrick was born in south west
Roman Britain in the celtic kingdom of Dunmonia. When the Romans left britain, the Saxons (BOO!!) invaded driving the celts of Dunmonia south west until they stopped and fought their ground. They settled in this land surrouned by sea north, south and west and cut off from England by a river in the east. The land became known as Kernow, Cornwall, and it is to this day. So Patrick was a Cornishman, Kernewek, but a celt none the less. In repayment for Patrick who got rid of all those nasty snakes, St.Piran came across from Eire to Kernow, where he discovered tin, and before you know it all us pasty munchers are in deep holes digging out the shiny ore. Piran is now the patron saint of Kernow and his flag is a white cross on a black background, which is also known as An Baner Kernewek, the Cornish national flag. There you go a little bit of history and legend for you, i've stunned myself.

Can you hear me now?


Good.