Patron Saints be praised, Ireland. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here is a statue of the saint himself, near the historic Hill of Tara, the ancient and mystical seat of the High Kings of Ireland until the 12th century.

Patrick really did exist, but it might be a surprise to some that the Patron Saint of Ireland is not Irish, born in the 5th century A.D. in Britain to a Roman pagan family. At the age of 16 he was abducted and sold into slavery in Ireland, and escaped six years later.

He became a Christian priest, and felt it was his mission to return to the land of his enslavement, where he is said to have used the ubiquitous shamrock to explain the concept of the holy trinity to the pagan Irish king, winning his conversion.

For a little more about shamrocks, click on the image below.

click on image to enlarge