Patrick

Patrick, St. (or Succat?), the Apostle of Ireland, lived in the 5th century. Exactly when and where he was born is uncertain. When fifteen he was carried off by a robber band and sold to an Irish chief named Milchu, who lived in Antrim near Broughshane, where is now Ballyligpatrick. After six years Patrick escaped to France, and lived as a monk at Tours and at Lerins. In 432 he went as a missionary to Ireland, first, perhaps, landing in Wales. Landing at Wicklow, he went north to County Down, where he converted a chief named Dichu, who gave him Sabhall, or Saul, his first church. He next preached at Tara before Laoghaire (Leary), the king, and thence visited northern Connaught and other parts of Ulster. His preaching was highly successful, and in the course of about twenty years he is said to have baptised 12,000 persons and founded more than 300 churches. It was he who made Armagh the metropolitan see of Ireland. The date of his death, like that of his birth, is extremely uncertain, but was between 460 and 493. He was buried at Downpatrick; many other Irish places bear his name. The Booh of Armagh, in Trinity College Library, contains St. Patrick's Confessions.