While half the world turns green today in celebratory euphoria without much knowledge of St. Patrick’s legacy, the day has a deeper meaning for me. But first, let us look at the man himself. Slemish Mountain, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland. Myths Debunked There are three commonly held untruths about St. Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland: 1. St. Patrick was Irish. St. Patrick was not Irish. He hailed from a rich, Romanized family in Great Britain; in the 5th Century, Irish raiders attacked his parent’s estate and brought the 16-year-old as a slave to Ireland. Legend claims he tended sheep either on a volcanic plug known as Slemish Mountain, Co. Antrim, or near Killala, Co. Mayo for the six years of his captivity. 2. He banished all snakes from Ireland. This is a myth which grew around the life and acts of St. Patrick. Snakes simply could not cross the Irish Sea after the Ice Age. The only reptile that made its way to Ireland was the common lizard. 3. He introduced Christianity to Irel...