Commentary: 10 Things to Know About the Real St. Patrick

Saint Patrick

On March 17, people around the world will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by parading in green hats, sporting images of shamrocks and leprechauns – tiny, grinning, fairy men – pinned to their lapels. Patrick’s picture will adorn greeting cards: an aged, bearded bishop in flowing robes, grasping a bishop’s staff and glaring at a coil of snakes.

The icon refers to one of Patrick’s legendary miracles in which he is said to have prayed to banish all snakes from Ireland. However, as a historian of medieval Ireland, I can assure you that the real St. Patrick, who lived and worked in the fifth century, never saw a snake or wore a shamrock.

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Irish Government Suffers Big Constitutional Referendum Defeats: ‘Walloped’

Irish voters went to the polls on Friday, where they rejected proposals backed by the prime minister to replace constitutional references to the makeup of a family and a mother’s “duties in the home,” in a major defeat for the government.

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‘Ireland is a Powderkeg:’ Steve Bannon Reacts to Dublin Riots in Episode 41 of ‘Tucker on X’

Tucker on X ep. 41

In episode 41 of his newest production, “Tucker on X,” host Tucker Carlson interviewed Former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon on the riots unfolding in Dublin, Ireland following a recent stabbing incident that took place outside of a school.

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Ireland Jails Teacher Who Won’t Use Students’ Preferred Pronouns

man in handcuffs

Irish authorities have arrested a teacher for violating a court order preventing him from teaching or appearing at a Westmeath school.

A court prohibited Enoch Burke from teaching at Wilson’s Hospital School after the administration placed him on leave following his refusal to address a student by his preferred pronouns, according to the New York Post.

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European Country Fines Instagram $400 Million

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) fined Instagram  €405 million ($403 million USD) Monday over child privacy violations, according to Business Insider.

The fine for failing to protect the privacy of minors stemmed from a variety of default settings for minor-operated accounts that the data watchdog considered improper, according to Business Insider. Children were allowed to operate business accounts, receive messages from adults and had their accounts set to “public” by default, according to Business Insider.

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Commentary: The History of How Saint Patrick’s Day Played a Key Role in Irish Nationhood

Traditionally, March 17 was a day to remember St Patrick, who ministered Christianity in Ireland during the 5th century. But over time, the day has evolved to represent a celebration of Irish culture more generally. Today, as with Halloween and Christmas, the true meaning of the celebration has been watered down even further. Now, it is just as likely to be marked by non-Irish people who use it as an excuse to consume large quantities of alcohol and dress as leprechauns.

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