There are a few things to observe, but I will mention that I did go to the Land of Scholars and Saints, Ireland, and found more reason to celebrate St. Patrick. For ONE: The Faith of my ancestors, who were subjected to much evil because they maintained their Faith, is worth celebrating.
Second, How the Irish Saved Civilization is another reason to celebrate St. Patrick and Ireland. I had a beloved uncle, one of Dad's many brothers, who became a Christian Brother and a Teacher. I had trouble remembering his Birthday, but he sent all his neices and nephews a birthday greeting; there were many of us as my Dad had 12 siblings. Since I never remembered his birthday, I instead sent him a Card for St. Patrick's Day and I think he enjoyed THAT. In my mind, he was a Saint. I did not know until he died that he was NOT just a Teacher, but also a School Principal, as he NEVER bragged about such things. He was a very kind man who loved his family and his Lord. He was both a Scholar and a Saint, and he Loved good Music and later taught Music at an Academy in his later years; that is when we (my siblings and I) got TO KNOW him, at least a bit.
Back to Irish saving civilization, I will now reference the Book by that title by Thomas Cahill.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=how+the+iris ... y1kiettz_e
and
and"Ireland is unique in religious history for being the only land into which Christianity was introduced without bloodshed."
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A book in the best tradition of popular history—the untold story of Ireland's role in maintaining Western culture while the Dark Ages settled on Europe. • The perfect St. Patrick's Day gift!
Every year millions of Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but they may not be aware of how great an influence St. Patrick was on the subsequent history of civilization. Not only did he bring Christianity to Ireland, he instilled a sense of literacy and learning that would create the conditions that allowed Ireland to become "the isle of saints and scholars"—and thus preserve Western culture while Europe was being overrun by barbarians.
In this entertaining and compelling narrative, Thomas Cahill tells the story of how Europe evolved from the classical age of Rome to the medieval era. Without Ireland, the transition could not have taken place. Not only did Irish monks and scribes maintain the very record of Western civilization -- copying manuscripts of Greek and Latin writers, both pagan and Christian, while libraries and learning on the continent were forever lost—they brought their uniquely Irish world-view to the task.
One of my highlights of my recent trip to Ireland was to visit an ancient monastary that also served as a Sciptorium, a place where the Monks copied these ancient texts and helped preserve Western knowledge and heritage.Part of: The Hinges of History (6 books)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ClonmacnoiseClonmacnoise or Clonmacnois (Irish: Cluain Mhic Nóis) is a ruined monastery in County Offaly in Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone, founded in 544 by Saint Ciarán, from Rathcroghan, County Roscommon.[2] Until the 9th century it had close associations with the kings of Connacht.
Saint Ciarán founded the monastery in the ancient territory of Uí Maine at a point where the major east–west land route (Slighe Mhor) meets the River Shannon after crossing the bogs of Central Ireland known as the Esker Riada.[3] The strategic location of the monastery helped it become a major center of religion, learning, craftsmanship and trade by the 9th century;[4] and together with Clonard it was one of the most famous places in Ireland, visited by scholars from all over Europe. From the ninth until the eleventh century it was allied with the kings of Meath. Many of the high kings of Tara (ardrí) and of Connacht were buried here. (...)
The monastery ruins were one of the stops on the itinerary of Pope John Paul II during his visit to Ireland in 1979.

