Although St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland he was not actually Irish, indeed, his first visit to the Emerald Isle was as a 16 year old youth named Maewyn Succat who had been kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a prisoner by the then High King of Ireland, Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages).
Born in Scotland to Roman parents in 387AD, Maewyn hadn’t had a particularly religious upbringing but during his time in captivity, working as a shepherd, his life was a solitary one and he  turned to the Christian faith for solace. After many years in captivity, Maewyn is said to have heard a voice telling him to escape. He travelled south and eventually found his way to Britain then to France where he was ordained as a priest.
He became bishop in 432AD and was conferred  the latin name "Patercius"  by Pope Celestine.  He was subsequently sent to Ireland, which at that time was a land of paganism and druidism, to teach Christianity to the Irish.
To attract the attention of King Laoghaire, the High King of Tara, Patrick built a fire in front of the King’s domain. As this was forbidden the King was furious and went out to see who had challenged him. The contrast between the king and the simplicity of Patrick caused the king to listen to Patrick’s request for his support and permission to preach Christianity to the Irish. He gave Patrick the freedom to do this although he never accepted Christianity himself.
To make people understand the doctrine of the Trinity, Patrick picked a shamrock from the ground and showing the three leaves on one stem explained that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit make up one divine God. The shamrock, Ireland’s national emblem and good luck symbol, is very much associated with St. Patrick and is traditionally worn on St. Patrick's Day.
Due to massive and relentless emigration to the four corners of the globe since 1700, the Irish diaspora includes about 100,000 million people worldwide who claim Irish origin, 36 million of which are Irish Americans. Many Irish literally found their “pot of gold” in the USA, which probably gave rise to the idiom “the luck of the Irish” as their history had been one of occupation, poverty, famines, war, starvation and prejudice.
These first emigrants to the USA held their first St. Patrick’s Day Parade ever in New York on 17th March, 1762.  Today St. Patrick’s Day Parades and festivals are not only held in New York but in many cities around the world.
The London St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival will take place on Sunday 16th March in the iconic Trafalgar Square. The parade, organized by the Mayor of London together with the support of many Irish businesses, not only celebrates the deep roots of Irish communities in London but also the present-day vitality of Irish communities around the UK. Marching bands, Irish dancing schools, sports clubs and spectacular floats will ensure a great time will be had by all. The ‘World of Dance’ is this year’s theme, an important aspect of Irish culture.
In New York the parade is to be held on Monday 17th March and as usual there are no floats but a spectacular turnout of 150,000 participants, including more than 160 bands from all over the US, marching down 5th Avenue is well worth seeing!

You might like to join in the St Patrick’s celebrations in Cagliari even if Irish blood doesn’t flow in your veins! Great atmosphere, beer, cocktails, food and live music are guaranteed at the Old Square in Corso Vitt. Emanuele 11, 44 and Donegal, in Via Caprera, have a special menu for the weekend and St. Patrick’s Day. Enjoy and may the luck of the Irish be with you! Check them out on Facebook!