Folens Explorers has full SESE units on Early Christian Ireland, Irish people around the world and Tourism.
Children could research key facts and make posters or a display.
Key Facts:
- Early Life: St. Patrick was born in Britain around the year 385 AD. At the age of 16, he was captured by Irish pirates and taken to Ireland as a slave. After six years of captivity, he escaped and returned to his family in Britain.
- Return to Ireland: Following a vision he had after returning home, Patrick felt called to go back to Ireland, this time as a Christian missionary. He spent many years spreading Christianity across Ireland, converting the Irish people and establishing churches and monasteries.
- Legend of the Shamrock: One of the most famous legends about St. Patrick is that he used the shamrock, a three-leafed clover, to explain the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) to the Irish people. The shamrock has since become one of the key symbols of Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day.
- Banishing the Snakes: Another well-known legend is that St. Patrick banished all the snakes from Ireland. Although this is more of a symbolic tale (since snakes were never native to Ireland), it represents St. Patrick driving out paganism from the country.
- St. Patrick’s Day: March 17th, the date of his death, is celebrated around the world with parades, music, and wearing green, a symbol of Irish pride and heritage. It started as a religious feast day but has grown into a global celebration of Irish culture, especially in places with large Irish communities like the United States, the UK, and Australia.
- Patron Saint: St. Patrick is honoured as the patron saint of Ireland, and his missionary work played a major role in making Ireland a Christian nation.
