Patrick, Saint (389?-461), is the primary patron saint of Ireland. Although he was not the first Christian missionary to Ireland, Patrick was chiefly responsible for converting the Irish to Christianity. He became known as the Apostle to the Irish.
Life.
Patrick was born in Britain. His wealthy father was a deacon of the Christian church. When Patrick was 16 years old, pirates kidnapped him during a raid and sold him as a slave in Ireland. He served as a shepherd of an Irish chieftain in Ulster. During his captivity, Patrick took a great interest in religion and dedicated himself to prayer. After six years of slavery, he escaped and returned to Britain.
As a result of his experiences in Ireland, Patrick became consumed with the idea of converting the Irish to Christianity. To prepare, he went to the monastery of Lerins off the French coast to pray and study. He later went to Auxerre, France, to learn theology under the bishop, Saint Germanus. Theology is the study of God and religion. In 431, Palladius, the first missionary bishop to Ireland, died. Pope Celestine I then sent Patrick to Ireland.
Patrick began his work in northern and western Ireland, where Christianity had never been preached. Winning the trust and friendship of several tribal leaders, Patrick made many converts. He is considered to have established more than 300 churches and baptized more than 120,000 people.
Patrick invited priests and other religious personnel from Britain and France to aid him as missionaries and to staff the churches he had founded. Patrick succeeded in his mission in Ireland despite the opposition of many British clergy to his method of organizing his churches. Patrick spent the rest of his life preaching and ministering throughout Ireland.
Writings.
Patrick’s own works form the most important sources for his life and contribution to Ireland. In about 450, he wrote the Confession, an account of his spiritual development. Patrick wrote the book to justify his mission to Ireland. Patrick expressed his humility and thankfulness to God for the experience of serving the church in Ireland. Patrick also wrote the Letter to Coroticus, in which he criticized a raid on Ireland led by Coroticus, a British chieftain. The letter reveals Patrick’s resentment of the scorn and contempt in which the British clergy and nobility held the Irish.
Legends of Saint Patrick.
Many stories about Patrick are legendary. One account claims he drove the snakes out of Ireland. This story has been interpreted to mean he expelled evils or false teachings from Ireland. According to another popular legend, Patrick used the shamrock to illustrate the Trinity. The shamrock is one plant with three distinct leaves, just as the Trinity is one God with three distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The shamrock came to be the traditional symbol of Ireland as a result of this association with Patrick. Saint Patrick died on March 17, 461, and his feast day is March 17. 
See also Ireland, History of (The island of saints and scholars (400’s-700’s)); Saint Patrick’s Day).
