Folklore and Writings of St.Patrick
Toast:
St. Patrick was a
gentleman who through strategy and stealth drove all the snakes from
Ireland here's a toasting to his health. But not too many toastings lest
you loose yourself and
then forget the good
St. Patrick and see all those snakes again.
Lyrics and
Verse
Now! Orthodox Christian Chants pdf
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The Hymn of Fiacc
-an important primary reference 5th century.
1. Patrick was born at Emptur:
This it is that history relates to us.
A child of sixteen years (was he)
When he was taken into bondage.
2. Succat was his name, it is said;
Who was his father is thus told:
He was son of Calpurn, son of Otidus,
Grandson of Deochain Odissus.
3. He was six years in slavery;
Human food he ate it not.
Cothraige he was called,
For as slave he served four families.
4. Victor said to Milcho's slave:
"Go thou over the sea:"
He placed his foot upon the *leac* (stone):
Its trace remains, it wears not away.
5. He sent him across all the Alps;
Over the sea marvellous was his course,
Until he stayed with Germanus in the south,
In southern Letha.
6. In the islands of the Tyrrhene Sea he stayed;
Therein he meditated:
He read the canon with Germanus:
It is this that history relates.
7. To Ireland he was brought back
In visions by the angels of God:
Often was he in vision
Solicited to return thither again.
8. Salvation to Ireland
Was the coming of Patrick to Fochlaidh;
Afar was heard the sound
Of the call of the youths of Caill-Fochladh.
9. They prayed that the saint would come,
That he would return from Letha,
To convert the people of Erin
From error to life.
10. The Tuatha of Erin were prophesying
That a new kingdom of faith would come,
That it would last for evermore:
The land of Tara would be waste and silent.
11. The druids of Loegaire concealed not from him
The coming of Patrick;
Their prophecy was verified
As to the kingdom of which they spoke.
12. Patrick walked in piety till his death:
He was powerful in the extirpation of sin:
He raised his hands in blessing
Upon the tribes of men.
13. Hymns, and the Apocalypse, and the thrice fifty (psalms)
He was wont to sing;
He preached, baptized and prayed;
From the praise of God he ceased not.
14. The cold of the weather deterred him not
From passing the night in ponds:
By heaven his kingdom was protected;
He preached by day on the hills.
15. In Slan, in the territory of Benna-Bairche,
Hunger or thirst possessed him not.
Each night he sang a hundred psalms,
To adore the King of angels.
16 He slept on a bare stone,
And a wet sack-cloth around him;
A bare rock was his pillow;
He allowed not his body to be in warmth.
17. He preached the Gospel to all;
He wrought great miracles in Letha;
He healed the lame and the lepers;
The dead he restored to life.
18. Patrick preached to the Scoti:
He endured great toil in Letha:
With him will come to judgment
Everyone whom he brought to the life of Faith.
19. The sons of Emer, the sons of Eremon,
All went to Cisal,
To the abode of Satan --
They were swallowed up in the deep abyss,
20. Until the apostle came to them:
He came despite the raging tempests:
He preached, for three-score years,
The cross of Christ to the tribes of Feni.
21. On the land of Erin there was darkness;
The Tuatha adored the -sidhi-;
They believed not
In the true Deity of the true Trinity.
22. In Armagh there is sovereignty;
It is long since Emain passed away;
A great church is Dun-Lethglasse;
I wish not that Tara should be a desert.
23. Patrick, when he was in sickness,
Desired to go to Armagh:
An angel went to meet him on the road
In the middle of the day.
24. Patrick came southwards towards Victor;
He it was that went to meet him;
The bush in which Victor was, was in a blaze;
From the flame (the angel) spoke.
25. He said: Thy dignity (shall be) at Armagh;
Return thanks to Christ;
To heaven thou shalt come;
Thy prayer is granted thee.
26. The hymn which thou chosest in life
Shall be corselet of protection to all.
Around thee on the Day of Judgment
The men of Erin will come for judgment.
27. Tassach remaineth after him (in Sabhall),
Having given the communion to him:
He said that Patrick would return:
The word of Tassach was not false.
28. He (St. Patrick) put an end to night;
Light ceased not with him:
To a years' end there was radiance;
It was a long day of peace.
29. At the battle fought around Beth-horon
Against the Canaanites by the son of Nun,
The sun stood still at Gaboan;
This it is that the Scripture tells us.
30. The sun lasted with Josue unto the death of the wicked:
This indeed was befitting;
It was more befitting that there should be radiance
At the death of the saints.
31. The clergy of Erin went from every part
To watch around Patrick;
The sound of harmony fell upon them,
So that they slept enchanted on the way.
32. Patrick's body from his soul
Was severed after pains;
The angels of God on the first night
Kept choir around it unceasingly.
33. When Patrick departed (from life)
He went to visit the other Patrick;
Together they ascended
To Jesus, Son of Mary.
34. Patrick, without arrogance or pride,
Great was the good which he proposed to himself,
To be in the service of Mary's Son;
Happy the hour in which Patrick was born.
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Short Quotes
In Down three saints one grave do fill,Brigid, Patrick and
Columcille.- John De Courcy,1219
St. Patrick had no politics; his sympathies lay with the right-
that was politics enough. When he came across a reptile, he forgot to inquire
whether he was a Democrat or a Republican, but simply exalted his staff and "let
him have it."
- Mark Twain Letter Read at a Dinner of the Knights of St.
Patrick, 3/16/1876
I am Patrick, a sinner, the least learned of men, least of all
the faithful most worthless in the eyes of many-St Patrick,Confessions.
Now it’s love since you’ll have me, I’ll pray you remember.
You must use me genteel, for you know I’m but tender,
She was three-score and ten on the nineteenth of November,
On Patrick’s Day in the Morning
- Annon,19th Century-”On Patrick’s Day in the Morning”
When good Saint Patrick banished snakes he shook’em from his
garments. He never thought we’d go abroad to live among such varmints.
Now quit this land where whiskey brews to wear the Yankee
button- Take vinegar for mountain dew and toads for mountain mutton!
Proud Caesar fell down right before him,
And groveled his length as he lay
Then he knelt to the Saint, to adore him,
But Fin-ma-Cool dragged him away,
He rose, seemed desirous to linger,
So Brian Boru bade him “Go”
Saint Patrick, he lifted his finger,
But Fin-ma-Cool lifted his toe.
-New Ode to St. Patrick,J.C.Wilson.
...not to use water for drink,
The people of Ireland determine
With mighty good reason, I think,
Since St Patrick has filled I with vermin
And vipers and other such stuff!
You’ve heard I suppose, long ago,
How the snakes, in a manner most antic
He marched to the County Mayo,
And trundled them into th’ Atlantic
-William Maginn
Hear ye, all that love God, of the merits of a man blessed in
Christ, Patrick the Bishop, like to the angels because of his good works and
equal to the apostles in the sanctity of his life-Sechnall.
Anyone acquainted with Ireland knows that the morning of St.
Patrick’s Day consists of the night of the 17th of march flavored strongly with
the morning of the 18th- Robert J. Martin
There’s a dear little plant that grows in our isle, T’was St.
Patrick himself sure that set it...It thrives through the bog, through the
mireland . And he called it the dear little shamrock of Ireland-Andrew Cherry
Ireland never was contented....Say you so?
You are demented!
Ireland was contented when.
All could use the sword an pen.
And when Tara rose so high.
That her turrets split the sky,
And about her courts were seen
Liveried angels robed in green
Wearing by St. Patrick’s Bounty
Emeralds Big as half the county
-W.S.Landor.
St. Patrick’s Day the warm side of a stone turns up, and the
broad-back of the goose begins to lay inwards-Proverb
On the high day of Patrick, every fold will have a cow-calf,
and every pool a salmon-Gaelic Saying
St. Patrick’s, the holy and tutular man
His beard down his bosom like Aaron’s ran:
Some from Scotland, some from Wales, will declare that he
came,
But I care not from whence now he’s risen to fame;
The pride of the world and his enemies scorning
I will drink to St. Patrick, today in the Morning!
He’s a desperate big, little Erin go brah;
He will pardon our follies and promise us joy,
By the mass, by the Pope, by St. Patrick so long
As I live, I will give him a beautiful song!
No saint is so good, Ireland’s country adorning:
Then hail to St. Patrick, today, in the morning!
-Traditional Dublin Song
St. Patrick, as in legends told,
The morning being very cold,
In order to assuage the weather,
Collected bits of ice together;
Then gently breathed upon the pyre,
When every fragment blazed on fire.
Oh! If the saint had been so kind
As to have left the gift behind
To such a lovelorn wretch as me,
Who daily struggles to be free
I’d be content-content with part
I’d only ask to thaw the heart,
The frozen heart, of Polly Roe.
There were a good many Irish around O'Neill and they often
talked about snakes and how St. Patrick drove them out of Ireland. They way they
tell it the soil was cursed for snakes and some snakes could live on it. A man
in Omaha, it is said, has a box of soil from Ireland and several [??] one your
neighbors claims, he placed snakes in this box and they died quick. The cowboys
think that if they lay down a coil of rope around their bed. That no snake will
crawl over it, but snakes just don't crawl at night so it seems to work then
-Interview taken by Harold J. Moss of C. H. Krause, 2040 Monroe St.,
Lincoln, Nebraska 1939,. Federal Writers Project.
.
Patrick and the Serpent (St.).
According to tradition, St. Patrick cleared Ireland of its
vermin; one old serpent resisted him; but St. Patrick
overcame it by cunning. He made a box, and invited the serpent to enter it. The
serpent objected, saying it
was too small; but St. Patrick insisted it was quite large
enough to be comfortable. After a long contention,
the serpent got in to prove it was too small, when St.
Patrick slammed down the lid, and threw the box into the
sea. To complete this wonderful tale, the legend says the
waves of the sea are made by the writhings of this serpent,
and the noise of the sea is that of the serpent imploring the saint to release
it.
Patrick’s Purgatory (St.),
Ireland, described in the Italian romance called Guerino Meschino. Here
gourmands are tantalised with
delicious banquets which elude their grasp, and are at the same time troubled
with colic. (See TANTALUS.)
Patrick’s Monument (St.),
In the cemetery of Downpatrick cathedral. Visitors are shown the spot where the
“saint” was buried, but, on asking why there is no
memorial, is informed that both Protestants and Catholics agreed to erect a
suitable
one, but could not agree upon the inscription. Whatever the
Protestants erected in the day the Catholics
pulled down at night, and vice versâ. Tired of this toil of
Penelop, the idea was abandoned, and the grave was
left unmarked by monumental stone.
Patrick’s Grave (St.), In the yard of
Downpatrick cathedral. The visitor is shown a spot where some of the mould has
been removed, and is told that pilgrims take away a few
grains as a charm, under the belief that the relic will insure good
health, and help to atone for sin.
Pat’rick.
Chambers says, “We can trace the footsteps of St. Patrick almost from his cradle
to his grave by the names of places called after
him.” Thus, assuming the Scottish origin, he was born at Kil-patrick (the cell
of Patrick), in
Dumbartonshire; he resided for some time at Dal-patrick (the
district of Patrick), in Lanarkshire; and visited
Cragphadrig (the rock of Patrick), near Inverness. He founded
two churches, Kirk-patrick in Kirkcudbright,
and Kirk-patrick in Dumfries; and ultimately sailed from
Port-patrick, leaving behind him such an odour of
sanctity that among the most distinguished families of the
Scottish aristocracy Patrick has been a favourite
name down to the present day.
1
Arriving in England, he preached at Patter-dale (Patrick’s
valley), in Westmoreland; and founded the
church of Kirk-patrick, in Durham. Visiting Wales, he walked
over Sarn-badrig (causeway of Patrick), which
now forms a dangerous shoal in Carnarvon Bay; and, departing
for the Continent, sailed from Llan-badrig
(church of Patrick), in the isle of Anglesea. Undertaking his
mission to convert the Irish, he first landed at
Innis-patrick (island of Patrick), and next at Holm-patrick,
on the opposite shore of the mainland, in the
county of Dublin. Sailing northwards, he touched at the Isle
of Man, called Innis-patrick, where he founded
another church of Kirk-patrick, near the town of Peel. Again
landing on the coast of Ireland, in the county of
Down, he converted and baptised the chieftain Dichu on his own
threshing-floor, an event perpetuated in the
word Saul—i.e. Sabbal-patrick (barn of Patrick). He then
proceeded to Temple-patrick, in Antrim; and from
thence to a lofty mountain in Mayo, ever since called
Croagh-patrick. In East Meath he founded the abbey
of Domnach-Padraig (house of Patrick), and built a church in
Dublin on the spot where St. Patrick’s
Cathedral now stands. In an island of Lough Derg, in Donegal,
there is St. Patrick’s Purgatory; in Leinster,
St. Patrick’s Wood; at Cashel, St. Patrick’s Rock. There are
scores of St. Patrick’s Wells from which he
drank; and he died at Saul, March 17th, 493. (Book of Days.)
2
St. Patrick’s real name was Succat, changed first into
Cothraige, then to Magonus, and afterwards (on
his ordination) to Patricius. (See Dr. Todd, in the
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. vi.) Leap
Year. Every year divisible by four. Such years occur every
fourth year. In ordinary years the day of the month
which falls on Monday this year, will fall on Tuesday next
year, and Wednesday the year after; but the fourth
year will leap over Thursday to Friday. This is because a day
is added to February, which, of course, affects
every subsequent day of the year. (See BISSEXTILE.)
The ladies propose, and, if not accepted, claim a silk gown.
St. Patrick, having “driven the frogs out of the
bogs,” was walking along the shores of Lough Neagh, when he
was accosted by St. Bridget in tears, and was
told that a mutiny had broken out in the nunnery over which
she presided, the ladies claiming the right of
“popping the question.” St. Patrick said he would
concede them the right every seventh year, when St.
Bridget threw her arms round his neck, and exclaimed, “Arrah,
Pathrick, jewel, I daurn’t go back to the girls
wid such a proposal. Make it one year in four.” St. Patrick
replied, “Bridget, acushla, squeeze me that way
agin, an’ I’ll give ye leap-year, the longest of the lot.” St.
Bridget, upon this, popped the question to St.
Patrick himself, who of course, could not marry; so he
patched up the difficulty as best he could with a kiss
and a silk gown.
2
The story told above is of no historic value, for an Act of the Scottish
Parliament, passed in the year
1228, has been unearthed which runs thus:—
3
“Ordonit that during ye reign of her maist blessed maiestie, Margaret, ilka
maiden ladee of baith high and
lowe estait, shall hae libertie to speak ye man she likes. Gif he refuses to tak
hir to bee his wyf, he shale
be mulct in the sum of ane hundridty pundes, or less, as his estait may bee,
except and alwais gif he can
make it appeare that he is betrothit to anither woman, then he schal be free.”
N.B. The year 1228 was, of course, a leap-year.
Seven Champions of Christendom
is by Richard Johnson, who lived in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I...
(6) St. Patrick of Ireland was immured in a cell where he
scratched his grave with his own nails.
Werwolf (French, loup-garou).
...St. Patrick, we are told, converted Vereticus, King of
Wales, into a wolf.
-E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.
1898
....A canon attributed
to St. Patrick enumerates among the blessings that attend the reign of a just
king “fine weather, calm seas,
crops abundant, and trees laden with fruit.” On the other hand, dearth, dryness
of cows, blight of fruit, and
scarcity of corn were regarded as infallible proofs that the reigning king was
bad....Sir James George Frazer (1854–1941). The Golden Bough.
1922. VI. Magicians as Kings
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Patrick was a Gentleman
click for midi sound
Patrick was a gentleman
Came from decent people,
He built a church in Dublin town
And on it put a steeple.
His father was a Gallagher,
His mother was a Grady,
His aunt was an O’Shaughnessy,
His uncle was a Brady.
The Wicklow hills are very high
And so is the hill of Howth, sir,
But there’s a hill much higher still,
Much higher than them both, sir.
On the top of this high hill
St Patrick preached his sermon
Which drove the fogs into the bogs
And banished all the vermin.
There’s not a mile of Eireann’s Isle
Where dirty vermin musters
But there he put his dear fore-foot
And murdered them in clusters.
The frogs went hop and the toads went pop,
Slapdash into the water,
And the snakes committed suicide
To save themselves from slaughter,
Nine hundred thousand reptiles blue
He charmed with sweet discourses
And dined on the m in Killaloe
On soups and second courses,
Where blind worms crawling in the grass
Disgusted all the nation,
Right down to Hell with a holy spell
He changed their situation.
No wonder that them Irish lads
Should be so gay and risky
Sure St. Pat he taught them that
As well as making whiskey.
No wonder that the saint himself
Should understand distilling
For his mother kept a shebeen shop
In the town of ?Enniskillen.
Was I but so fortunate
As to be back in Munster,
I’d be bound that from that ground
I never more would once stir.
There St. Patrick planted turf,
Cabbages and parties,
Pigs galore, mo gra, mo stor,
Alter boys and ladies
.-Christy Moore(from old broadside ballads)
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Patrick's Arrival
You’ve heard of St. Denis of France,
He never had much for to brag on.
You’ve heard of St. George and his lance,
Who killed old heathenish dragon.
The Saints of the Welshmen and Scot
Are a couple of pitiful pipers,
And might just as well go to pot
When compared to the patron of vipers:
St. Patrick of Ireland, my dear
He sailed to the Emerald Isle
On a lump of paving stone mounted.
He beat the steamboat by a mile
Which mighty good sailing was counted.
Says he, The salt water, I think,
Has made me unmerciful thirsty,
So bring be a flagon to drink
To wash down the mulligrups, burst ye,
Of drink that is fit for a saint.
He preached then with wonderful force,
The ignorant natives a-teaching.
With wine washed down each discourse
For says he, I detest your dry preaching.”
The people in wonderment struck
At a pastor so pious and civil,
Exclaimed, “We’re for you, my oul buck,
And we’ll heave our blind Gods to the devil
Who dwells in hot water below.”
This finished, our worshipful man
Went to visit an elegant fellow
Whose practice each cool afternoon
Was to get most delightfully mellow.
That day with a barrel of beer
He was drinking away with abandon
Says Patrick its grand to be here.
I drank nothing to speak of since landing,
So give me a pull from your pot.
He lifted the pewter in sport,
Believe me, I tell you its no tale.
A gallon he drank from the quart
And left it back full on the table.
“A miracle!” everyone cried
And all tooka pull on the Stingo.
They were mighty good hands at that trade
And they drank till they fell yet, by Jingo,
The pot it still frothed o’er the brim.
Next day, said the host, its a fast
And I’ve nothing to eat but cold mutton.”
On Fridays who’d make such repast
Except an unmerciful glutton
Said Pat, Stop that nonsense, I beg.
What you tell me is nothin but gammon.
When the host brought down the lamb’s leg,
Pat ordered it turned into salmon,
And the leg most politely complied.
Youve heard I suppose long ago
How the snakes in a manner most antic,
He marched to the county Mayo
And ordered them all into the Atlantic.
Hence never use water to drink-
The people of Ireland determine
With mighty good reason, I think,
For Patrick has filled it with vermin
And snakes and other such things.
He was as fine a man
As youd meet from Fairhead to Kilcrumper.
Though under the sod he is laid
Let’s all drink his health in a bumper,
I wish he was here that my glass
He might by art magic replenish,
But since he is not why, alas,
My old song must come to a finish
Because all the drink it is gone!
-Christy Moore,Traditional
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Song to St. Patrick
(tune:Derry Air)
On this bright day
We praise you, good St. Patrick
A man of God
Our patron for so long
You brought the faith
That has so well sustained us
That in the face of hardship
Has ever kept us strong
And in your hand,
You hl=old the blessed Shamrock:
Three leaves to teach
The triune Mystery
Down through the years
Your lesson still inspires us:
By your teaching and example
We have been set free.
Perhaps now more than ever
We ask your help
Beloved bishop still
Your constant faith
And trust in God ne’er wavering
Burn bright as Easter fire
On Tara’s distant hill
We prayed for peace
Throughout your land of Erin
We asked your help
That ancient wounds be healed
And now we see
A new day’s dawn is brightening
Though peace you helped to gain
God’s mercy is revealed!
Stand with us now,
Oh blessed friend and pastor
As we begin
To build our land anew
And those who add
Their prayers and good intentions
Throughout the world-
We pray you bless them too
For everywhere
We fight the pagan forces
The very same
You helped us once subdue
Be with us now, our intercessor always
And to the teachings of our faith
We will stay true!-
Bill Black
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HAIL, GLORIOUS ST. PATRICK
(words: Sister Agnes, tune: ancient Irish melody)
Hail, glorious St. Patrick, dear saint of our isle,
On us thy poor children bestow a sweet smile;
And now thou art high in the mansions above,
On Erin's green valleys look down in thy love.
(optional repeat)
On Erin's green valleys, on Erin's green valleys,
On Erin's green valleys look down in thy love.
Hail, glorious St. Patrick, thy words were once strong
Against Satan's wiles and a heretic throng;
Not less is thy might where in Heaven thou art;
Oh, come to our aid, in our battle take part!
In a war against sin, in the fight for the faith,
Dear Saint, may thy children resist to the death;
May their strength be in meekness, in penance, and prayer,
Their banner the Cross, which they glory to bear.
Thy people, now exiles on many a shore,
Shall love and revere thee till time be no more;
And the fire thou hast kindled shall ever burn bright,
Its warmth undiminished, undying its light.
Ever bless and defend the sweet land of our birth,
Where the shamrock still blooms as when thou wert on earth,
And our hearts shall yet burn, wherever we roam,
For God and St. Patrick, and our native home.
source: St. Gregory Hymnal and Catholic Choir Book, 1920
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ST. PATRICK'S HOLY DAY.
You sons of great Saint Patrick that now reside in New York
town,
I pray you pay attention to my patriotic theme;
Assist my feeble efforts which I endeavor to relate,
In hopes to put in order, to illustrate
The name--to hail the sacred festival of our renowned and
pious Saint.
The Irishmen of New York to the club-rooms do repair,
Where high and low are free to go, no one astray but does
approve,
And yet they have permission from the Right Honorable the
Mayor.
The standard of the Emerald Isle makes each Hibernian's heart
to smile,
The Yankees to the door run wild, their beauties to survey--
To view the flag so much esteemed,
Composed of white and lovely green, the mark of friendship
without speen,
On Patrick's holy day.
The first represents the paintings exhibited on one side
Of the temperance royal colors, the ornament of praise,
And the other demonstrates our Saviour dear, who for us died,
Presenting Simon Peter with the great immortal keys.
Installing at the same time with power to loose, likewise to
bind;
Peruse in John and you shall find
My words are not astray;
The 20th chapter plainly shows,
He that will a temperance cause oppose,
He wont be ranked at all with those
On Patrick's holy day.
The cross and shamrock you may behold,
Whose fame it sounds from pole to pole,
The stripes and stars o'erlayed in gold,
To show they now obey--
And to the States be loyal and true,
As they had been at Waterloo,
In hopes they will crush the hellish crew,
That hates Patrick's holy day.
Saint Patrick, the Apostle, and patron of Old Erin's shore,
Driving alll reptiles from the saintly Irish land.
Then worn to a good old age,
He left this frail immortal stage,
The month of March, I will engage,
Observe what I do say,
On the 17th his soul went straight,
And entered the celestial gate,
For which his sons commemorate
Saint Patrick's holy day.
Being assembled in due order Saint Patrick's picture leads the
van,
Supported by two young men dressed in magnificent style
To the stately chapel of St. John,
Where they all do march along,
To pay their great homage to the awful sacrifice;
And when they come unto the gate,
The flags composed an arch complete,
The Knights march through in pomp and state,
Just as they pass through and entering in the organs chimed,
To praise Hibernia's lovely line,
While on their knees in prayers they join,
On Patrick's holy day.
To preach the annual sermon, a very reverend mild divine,
Ascends unto the pulpit in order to relate,
To preach the life of blessed St. Patrick, which sends forth
in words sublime'
In pressing each Hibernian to try to imitate--
Then the sermon it being closed,
The brave Hibernians all arose,
Without more delay,
With their good clergy at their head,
There is nothing on this earth to dread,
All selfish fears and feuds are fled,
On Patrick's holy day.
The Temperance bands melodious sounds to cheer them on their
way--
Back to the club rooms they incline,
Where friendly they sit down to dine,
And all the temperance pledge do sign,
On Patrick's holy day.
PATRICK MORAN, Brooklyn.
Entered according to Act of Congress in the Clerk's office, in the District
Court of theSouthern District of New York, in the year 1861, by PATRICK MORAN,
Brooklyn.
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PADDY IS THE BOY.
It's some years ago, I very well know,
Since I first saw day-light with my two blessed eyes;
I was born, so they say, when my Dad was away,
On St. Patrick's day, in the morning.
How they nursed me with joy, said: what a fine boy!
Put a stick in my fist, by the way of a toy:
Faith! there's no mistake, they admired my make,
And said some day I'd give the girls a warming.
Chorus: For, Paddy is the boy that's fond of a glass
Paddy is the boy that's fond of a lass!
Dear Old Dublin is the place for me.
And Donnybrook is the place to go for a spree!
At a wake or a fair, poor Paddy is there;
He will fight foe or friend, if they do him offend;
Let the piper strike up.. he will rise from his cup:
With a smile on his face adorning,
With his little Colleen, he'll dance on the green;
Sure, an Irishman, there, in his glory was seen:
Play a reel or a jig, he don't care a fig:
But he'll dance till day-light, in the morning.
Chorus.
Now, boys, do you mind: you never will find
Such a dear little place as the Emerald Isle;
Long, long may it stand, and good luck to the land
That dear Old St. Patrick was born in!..
May the girls, young and old, may the boys, brave and bold,
Unite, heart and hand, to protect the dear Isle!
And, morn, noon and night, may joy and delight
Shine on them, like a fine Summer's morning!
Chorus.
H. DE MARSAN.
DEALER in SONGS TOY BOOKS &C.
No 60 CHATHAM ST. N.Y.
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PAT AND THE PRIEST.
Air.--"Vilikens and his Dinah."
Pat fell sick on a time, and he sent for the Priest,
That, dying he might have his blessing, at least,
And to come with all speed, did humbly implore him,
To fit him out right, for the journey before him.
Chorus,--sing tu ral, li tu ral, li tu ral li day
The good Father the summons did quickly obey,
And found Paddy, alas! in a terrible way;
Fix'd and wild were his looks, and his nose cold and blue,
And his countenance wore a cold churchyard-like hue.
The good Father bid Pat to confess all his crimes,
To think of his sins, and forsake them betimes;
Or his fate else would be like other vile souls,
To be flayed and be salted, then roasted on coals!
"Oh, think, my dear Pat, on that beautiful place,
Where you'll visit St. Patrick, and see his sweet face;
Tis a country, my jewel so charming and swate,
Where you'll never want praties nor brogues to your fate.
'Well well thin," says Pat, with inquisitive face,
"That country must, sure be a beautiful place,
St. Patrick, no doubt, will give us good cheer,
But d'ye think has he got any ould whiskey there?"
The good Father with wonder amaze and surprise,
Clasp'd his hands, and next turned up the whites of his eyes,
"Oh, vile sinner," cayshe," can you hope to be forgiven
If you think there is carousing and drinking in Heaven
"Well, well, thin," says Pat, "though I cannot help thinking,
If in Heaven they can do without eating or drinking,
(Though I don't mean to say what you tell is a Fable.)
'Twould be dacent you know to see a drop on the table."
Andrews, Printer, 35 Chatham St. N.Y.
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James Hughes on St. Patrick Lore
"I oftin heard other stories too. It's claimed thet whin St. Patrick wuz
buildin' his first church there usta ba a bull ta tear down his wirk ivery
naight. But St. Patrick couldn't ketch him.
So one naight he set up watchin' fir him with a Bishop's staff an' whin the
bull come he give him sech a whack thet he knocked him fieve males (miles). An
thier, fieve males from the
place where St. Patrick knocked him, ya kin still see the miarks a the
bull's knees where he fell on a rock. I seen 'em once maself whin I wuz thier.
"An did ya iver know why roosters niver crow in three townlands in County
Down in Ireland? Thet's an antristin' (interesting) tale. It sames thet St.
Patrick usta go from {Begin
deleted text} towland {End deleted text} {Begin inserted text} {Begin
handwritten} townland {End handwritten} {End inserted text} (village of from
twenty to thirty farm homes) ta
townland, sorta laike a pilgrim. Whin he found some one ta welcome him at
naights he'd spind (spend) the naight thier. But he alwiays got up an' wint
awiay at the first crow a the cock.
Thet wuz usually aroun' twelve a' clock.
"Well, one naight he couldn't find no place ta spind the naight. He went to
two diffrunt townlands an' no one asked him ta staiy the naight. Whin he come ta
the thrid townland, some
one there asked him, but they didn't raely want him, fir thiey sint thier
{Begin deleted text} cioy {End deleted text} {Begin inserted text} {Begin
handwritten} bioy {End handwritten}
{End inserted text} ta roost with the cocks an' told his ta crow bafore
twelve a'clock sa as St. Patrick 'ould lave (leave) early.
"Well, St. Patrick, whin he heard thet crow sa early, prayed thet the {Begin
deleted text} cok {End deleted text} {Begin inserted text} {Begin handwritten}
cock {End handwritten}
{End inserted text} thet crowed before twelve a'clock 'ould fall an' break
his neck, an' he priayed too thet their niver 'would another cock crow in thim
three townlands.
"Well, the bioy fell an' broke his neck, jest accordin' ta St. Patrick's
priayer, an' ta this diay thier never has bin a cock crowed in thim three
townlands. If ya go their aven taday,
enybody'll tell ya about thet.
-. Living Lore in New England , Shoe laster of Lynn - #2 Jane K. Leary ,
Interview with: James Hughes
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- - - - - - -
Snakes and Shamrocks
In 1831, to test the story of St. Patrick and the serpents,
Mr. James Cleland, an Irishman, brought from England six snakes. He turned them
out in his garden at Rath-Gael. A few days later a yokel, thinking it was an eel
that he had found, took one of the snakes to Dr. J.L. Drummond, a celebrated
Irish naturalist, who said it was an eel. The idea of a “rale living sarpint”
being found so close to the grave of St. Patrick caused a sensation among the
country people. One clergyman preached a sermon that this was the sign of the
approaching millennium. Another saw it as a harbinger of plague. A reward was
offered, and some of the snakes were killed some miles from Mr. Cleland’s
garden. It is not known what happened to the others....
When he was dying he bade his lamenting followers not to grieve
but to rejoice ht his easy exit, and asked them each to have a “drop to drink”
which is why Irishmen have a “crathur” on March 17. After the meal the people
would sit for the remainder of the evening over a “Patrick’s pot”. The shamrock
is “drowned” in the last drink of the night. The next day is Sheelah’s Day.
(Hone 1878 II,192)
The Shamrock: The trefoil is called in Arabic the shamrakh.
Pliny said that the serpent is never found on the trefoil, and said the plant
was effective against the stings of snakes and scorpions-(Chambers, 1881)
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St. Sechnall On St. Patrick
"Hear, all you who love God, the holy merits of Patrick
the bishop, a man blessed in Christ; how, for his good deeds, he is likened unto
the angels and, for his perfect life, he is comparable to the apostles" (Hymn in
Praise of St.
Patrick 1 [A.D. 444]).
"Steadfast in the fear of God, and in
faith immovable, upon [St. Patrick] as upon Peter the [Irish] church is built;
and he has been allotted his apostleship by God; against him the gates of hell
prevail not" (ibid., 3 [A.D. 444]).
"[St. Patrick] boldly proclaims to
the [Irish] tribes the Name of the Lord, to whom he gives the eternal grace of
the laver of salvation; for their offenses he prays daily unto God; for them
also he offers up to God worthy sacrifices"
(ibid., 13 [A.D. 444]).
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All Praise to Saint
Patrick
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here
All praise to Saint Patrick, who brought to our mountains
The gift of God's faith, the sweet light of His love.
All praise to the Shepherd who showed us the fountains
That rise in the Heart of the Saviour above.
For hundreds of years,
In smiles and in tears,
Our Saint hath been with us, our shield and our stay;
All else may have gone,
Saint Patrick alone.
He hath been to us light, when earth's lights were all set,
For the glories of faith they can never decay,
And the best of our glories is bright with us yet,
in the faith and the feast of Saint Patrick's day.
There is not a Saint in the bright courts of heaven,
More faithful than he to the land of his choice;
Oh well may the nation to whom he was given,
In the feast of their Sire and apostle rejoice.
In Glory above
True to his love,
He keeps the false faith from his children away.
The dark false faith
Far worse than death.
Oh he drives it far off from the green sunny shore,
Like the reptiles that fled from his curse in dismay,
And Erin when error's proud triumph is o'er,
Will still be found keeping Saint Patrick's day.
Then what shall we do for the heaven sent father?
What shall the proof of our loyalty be?
By all that is dear to our hearts we would rather
Be martyred sweet Saint, than bring shame upon thee.
But oh, he will take
The promise we make,
So to live that our lives by God's help, may display
The light that he bore
To Erin's shore.
Oh Yes Father of Ireland! no child wilt thou own
Whose life is not lighted by grace on its way;
For they are true Irish, ah yes, they alone,
Whose hearts are all true on Saint Patrick's day.-Traditional
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St. Patrick's Breastplate
-Said to be written by the saint
I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
I bind this day to me for ever,
By power of faith, Christ's Incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan River;
His death on cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;
I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the Cherubim;
The sweet 'Well done' in judgment hour;
The service of the Seraphim,
Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,
The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of virgin souls.
I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.
I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, his shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.
Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.
Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death-wound and the burning
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till thy returning.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
salvation is of Christ the Lord.
More direct Version Translated by Kuno Meyer:
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgement of Doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of the Cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of the resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In prediction of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendour of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak to me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me,
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From every one who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in a multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body
and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ to shield me today
Against poising, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So there come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye of every one who sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
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Liturgical Stichera from
the Vespers of St. Patrick
"Rejoice, ye hills and groves of the Irish land!
Leap up, ye lakes and rivers.
For lo, through the grace of God blessing and strengthening have come upon
youfrom on high,
for your enlightener and spiritual father comes unto you:
Patrick, glorious among hierarchs, zealot of the Orthodox Faith, chosen by God
for the apostolate.
Using the nature of your own island,
he teaches you the mystery of the Trinity by means of the simplest Shamrock."
"To the newly-enlightened Christians, the holy Patrick, Equal-to-the Apostles,
cries out:
Attend, my spiritual children:
I have begotten you, as says the Gospel!
I have betrothed you as a bride to Christ God.
Stand fast, therefore, in the Faith, and confess it fearlessly,
binding the Faith of the Holy Trinity upon yourselves as a Breastplate.
Be not afraid of the opposition of oppressors,
that God may manifest Himself unto you as a great Helper and Protector!"
"Great is your faith, O holy hierarch Patrick:
for lo! Having left your homeland and lands enlightened by Christ,
you journeyed to a land thirsty for the message of the Spirit.
Bearing the Gospel of Christ unto the people,
you lit the holy fire of Pascha upon the mount of Slane,
and taught by it those who worshiped the fire to adore the True Light.
You did not depart therefrom until you had converted the whole land to the
Orthodox Faith.
Wherefore, we praise you O Father of the Irish Church."
"Loving the heavenly homeland and desiring to attain thereunto, O father
Patrick,
you forsook your native land on earth;
and in a foreign land you did beget a new people in the Spirit,
showing yourself to be a true father to them,
and crying aloud unto the Lord: 'Here am I, and the children whom Thou hast
given me,'
as you gaze upon the Divine Truth which will never depart from the land you
ransomed from Death."
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The Apolytikion and the Kontakion for St. Patrick
While thou didst live on earth, O blessed father Pádraig,
thou didst bind to thyself the strong
name of the Holy Trinity,
and faith in the undivided Trinity Who
created the universe.
Now that thou standest before the throne
of the Holy Trinity,
entreat Christ our God to save
our souls!
(Apolytikion, Second Tone)
May Christ be in the heart of everyone
who thinks of thee,
Christ in the mouth of those who
speak to thee,
Christ in every eye that sees
thee,
Christ in every ear that hears
thy words,
O blessed Pádraig, our
father.
(Kontakion, Grave Tone)
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"Hymn on St.
Patrick, Teacher of the Irish"
- by St. Secundinus -
Hear ye all, lovers of God, the | holy merits
Of the man blessed in Christ, Pa - | trick the bishop,
How for his good ways he is likened to the an - | gels,
And because of his perfect life is deemed equal to | the Apostles.
Christ's holy precepts he keeps | in all things,
His works shine | bright among men,
And they follow his holy and wondrous exam - | ple,
And thus magnify God the Father | in the heavens.
Constant in the fear of God and steadfast | in his faith,
Upon whom the Church is built | as on Peter;
And his Apostleship has he received from | God --
The gates of Hell will not pre - | vail against him.
The Lord has chosen him to teach the barbar - | ian tribes,
To fish with the nets | of his teaching,
And to draw from the world unto grace the believ - | ers,
Men who would follow the Lord to His | heavenly seat.
He sells the choice talents of | Christ's Gospel
And collects them among the Irish hea - | thens with usury;
As a reward for the great labor of his voy - | age,
He will come into possession of joy with Christ in the
hea - | venly kingdom.
God's faithful minister and His distinguished am - | bassador,
He gives the good an Apostolic ex - | ample and model,
Preaching as he does to God's people in words as well as in |
deeds,
So that him whom he converts not with words he inspires |
with good conduct.
Glory has he with Christ, honor | in the world,
He who is venerated by all as an | angel of God.
God has sent him, as He sent Paul, an Apostle to the gen - | tiles,
To offer men guidance to the | kingdom of God.
Humble is he of mind and body because of his | fear of God;
The Lord abides upon him because | of his good deeds;
In his righteous flesh he bears the stigmata of | Christ;
In His Cross alone, his sole comfort, | he glor - ies.
Untiringly he feeds the faithful from the heaven - | ly banquet,
Lest those who are with Christ | faint on the way;
Like bread he gives to them the words of the Gos - | pel,
Which are multiplied like manna | in his hands.
He preserves his body chaste for love | of the Lord;
This body he has prepared as a temple for the | Holy Spirit,
And he keeps it such by purity in all his act - | ions;
He offers it as a living sacrifice, acceptable | to the Lord.
Enflaming light of the world, great one | of the Gospel,
Lifted up on a candlestick, shining un - | to all the age -
The fortified city of the King, founded upon a moun - | tain,
Wherein there is great abundance | of the Lord.
Greatest indeed will be called in the kingdom | of heaven
The man who fulfills with good deeds the holy | words he teaches,
Who by his good example is a leader and model to the faith -| ful,
Who in purity of heart has con - | fidence in God.
Boldly he proclaims the Name of the Lord to | the heathens,
And gives them eternal grace in the bath | of salvation.
He prays to God daily for their | sins,
For them he offers sacrifices, worthy in | the eyes of God.
For the sake of God's law he despises all | worldly glory;
Compared to His table he considers all | else as trifling;
He is not moved by the violence of this | world,
But, suffering for Christ, he rejoices in | adversity.
A good and faithful shepherd of the flock won for | the Gospel,
God has chosen him to watch o - | ver God's people
And to feed with divine teaching His | folk,
For whom, following Christ's example, he | gives forth his soul.
Who for his merits the Savior has raised him to the dignity of a |
pontifex,
In heavenly things he instructs the army | of the clergy,
Providing them with heavenly rations, besides vest - | ments -
The rations of divine | and sacred texts.
He is the King's herald, inviting the faithful | to the wedding.
He is richly clad in a | wedding garment,
He drinks heavenly wine from heavenly | cups
And gives God's people the spiritual | cup to drink.
He finds a holy treasure in the Sa - | cred Volume
And perceives the Savior's divinity | in His flesh.
It is a treasure he purchases with holy and perfect | works.
ISRAEL his soul is called -- | "see - ing God."
A faithful witness of the Lord in the Ca - | tholic Law,
His speech is spiced with divine | revelations,
That human flesh may not decay, eaten by | worms,
But be salted with heavenly savor | for sacrifice.
A true and renowned tiller of the | Gospel field,
His seeds | are Christ's Gospels.
These he sows from his God-inspired mouth into the ears of the |
wise,
And cultivates their hearts and minds with the | Holy Spirit.
Christ chose him to be His vi - | car on earth.
He frees captives from a two-fold | ser - vitude:
The great numbers whom he liberates from bondage to | men,
These countless ones he frees from the yoke | of the devil.
Hymns, and the Apocalypse, and the Psalms of | God he sings,
And explains them for the edification | of God's people.
He believes the law in the Trinity of the holy | Name,
And he teaches one Substance | in Three Persons.
Girt with the Lord's girdle | day and night,
He prays unceasingly | to God the Lord.
He will receive the reward for his immense la - | bor -
With the Apostles will he reign, holy, over | Is - rael.
May Bishop Patrick pray for | all of us,
That the sins which we have committed be blotted out | immediately,
May we ever sing Patrick's prais - | es,
That we may ever | live with him.
Amen.
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Letter To Coroticus
I, Patrick, a sinner, unlearned, resident in Ireland, declare myself
to be a bishop. Most assuredly I believe that what I am I have
received from God. And so I live among barbarians, a stranger
and exile for the love of God. He is witness that this is so. Not that I
wished my mouth to utter anything so hard and harsh; but I am
forced by the zeal for God; and the truth of Christ has wrung it from
me, out of love for my neighbors and sons for whom I gave up my
country and parents and my life to the point of death. If I be worthy,
I live for my God to teach the heathen, even though some may
despise me.
With my own hand I have written and composed these words, to
be given, delivered, and sent to the soldiers of Coroticus; I do not
say, to my fellow citizens, or to fellow citizens of the holy
Romans, but to fellow citizens of the demons, because of their evil
works. Like our enemies, they live in death, allies of the Scots and
the apostate Picts. Dripping with blood, they welter in the blood of
innocent Christians, whom I have begotten into the number for
God and confirmed in Christ!
The day after the newly baptized, anointed with chrism, in white
garments (had been slain) - the fragrance was still on their
foreheads when they were butchered and slaughtered with the
sword by the above-mentioned people - I sent a letter with a holy
presbyter whom I had taught from his childhood, clerics
accompanying him, asking them to let us have some of the booty,
and of the baptized they had made captives. They only jeered at
them.
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