St Patrick's Day - 17 March 2009

Today is St Patrick's Day. Kick off the celebrations by clicking on the following link:

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=1794516529626&source=j1999

St Patrick

Patrick was born at Banna Venta Berniae, around AD 387. His father, Calpornius, was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest. At around sixteen years of age he was captured by Irish raiders and taken from his native Wales, to Ireland, where he became a slave. He was held captive for six years and put to work as a herdsman in Slemish, County Antrim. Whilst in captivity his faith grew and he prayed daily. It is claimed his period of slavery ended when he heard a voice telling him he would soon be going home and that his ship was ready. Patrick is said to have fled, and travelled two hundred miles to a port. He found a ship and made the journey home to his family. A few years later Patrick had a vision and relates the story in his own words.

"I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, he gave me one of them. I read the heading 'The Voice of the Irish'. As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea-and they cried out, as with one voice: We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.

Patrick entered the church and later returned to Ireland as a missionary. He writes that he "baptized thousands of people". He ordained priests to lead the new Christian communities. He converted wealthy women, some of whom became nuns, in the face of family opposition. He also claims to have converted sons of kings. He later wrote an open letter announcing that he had excommunicated certain Brythonic warriors of Coroticus who had raided Ireland, along with Picts and Irishmen,who had taken some of Patrick's converts into slavery. Patrick is believed to have died in AD 461, but there is some doubt about the exact period of his life.

Leprechaun's

In Irish mythology, a leprechaun is a type of male faerie said to inhabit the island of Ireland. They are a class of 'faerie folk' associated in Irish folklore with the Tuatha De Danann and other quasi-historical peoples said to have inhabited Ireland before the arrival of the Celts. As a rule Leprechauns usually take the form of old men who enjoy partaking in mischief. Their trade is that of a cobbler or a shoemaker. They are said to be very rich, having many treasure crocks buried during wartime. According to legend, if anyone keeps an eye fixed upon one, he cannot escape, but the moment the gaze is withdrawn he vanishes. In most tales and stories, leprechauns are depicted as generally harmless creatures who enjoy solitude and live in remote locations, while in others they are depicted as ill-natured and mischievous, with a mind of cunning. In several Irish legends leprechauns have a power of hypnotism or trickery that confuses their target, either allowing the leprechauns to escape or just to play tricks on unsuspecting victims.

Pope Benedict XVI

The papacy of Pope Benedict XVI began on 19 April 2005. He was born Joseph Alois Ratzinger, on 16 April 1927, in the town of Marktl am Inn, Bavaria, Germany. He became the 265th Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and, as such, Sovereign of the Vatican City State. Pope Benedict XVI has both German and Vatican citizenship. He succeeded Pope John Paul II.

Benedict XVI is theologically conservative and his teaching and prolific writings defend traditional Catholic doctrine an values. At the time of his election as Pope, Benedict had been Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and was Dean of the College of Cardinals. He was elected Pope at the age of 78, the oldest person to have been elected since Pope Clement XII (1730-40). In addition to his native German, Benedict XVI fluently speaks Italian, French, English, Latin, and also has a knowledge of Portuguese. Pope Benedict was also the founder and patron of the Ratzinger Foundation, a charitable organization, which makes money from the sale of books and essays written by the Pope, in order to fund scholarships and bursaries for students across the world.

Shamrock

The shamrock is a symbol of Ireland. It is a three-leafed old white clover. The shamrock was traditionally used for its medical properties and was a popular motif in Victorian times. It is also a common way to represent St. Patrick's Day. The term shamrock derives from the Irish word, seamrog, which translates to 'little clover'. The three leaves of the shamrock are said to represent the the three persons of the Trinity.

Shamrocks should not be confused with four leaf clovers regarded as lucky charms. Four leaf clovers were elevated to the status of lucky charms by the Druids (Celtic priests). The four leaf clovers are sometimes said to stand for faith, hope, love and luck. It is estimated that, on average, there are 10,000 three leaf clovers for every instance of a true four leaf clover.

Guinness

Guinness, the national drink of Ireland, was originally brewed by Arthur Guinness in his first brewery in Leixlip, County Kildare. It later moved to its present home at St James's Gate in Dublin, in 1759. Based on the porter style founded in 18th century London, it became one of the most successful beer brands in the world. The distinctive feature in the flavour is the roasted barley which remains unfermented. The beer is also famous for its thick creamy head, which is the result of the beer being mixed with nitrogen when being served. In 1769 Arthur Guinness exported his ale for the first time, when six and a half barrels were shipped to England. Guinness started selling the dark beer porter in 1778. The first Guinness beers to use the term stout were Single Stout and Double Stout in the 1840's. Guinness brewed their last porter in 1974. In 1986 Guinness acquired the Distillers Company before going on to merge with Grand Metropolitan to form Diageo plc in 1997. Guinness stout is made from water, malt, barley, hops, brewer's yeast and is treated with isinglass made from fishes' air bladders, although Guinness has claimed that this fining's material is unlikely to remain in the finished product. The dark colour comes from a portion of the barley being steamed and rolled before being roasted to give Guinness its dark colour and characteristic taste. Researchers claim that antioxidant compounds found in Guinness, similar to those found in fruit and vegetables, can result in health benefits for the heart, helping to reduce harmful cholesterol deposits on the artery walls. Guinness ran an advertising campaign in the 1920's - "Guinness is Good for You" but they were told to stop using the slogan decades ago-and the firm still makes no health claims for the drink. Guinness is also said to help the body replenish lost blood. When people used to donate blood in Ireland, it is said they were given a pint of blood afterwards. This is supposedly due to its iron content.