Ireland Tartan

According to legend St. Patrick was born in Kilpatrick near Dumbarton, Scotland, sometime in the 5^th Century.  His father was a Romano-British deacon called Calpurnius, and his own given name was Succat.  In his sixteenth year he was captured by pirates and carried off to Ireland where he was held captive for six years.  Upon his escape he settled in Tours, in France, and became a monk.  He was consecrated a Bishop in 432AD and was sent by Celestrine I as a missionary to Ireland, where he spent the next 20 years converting the Chiefs of the Irish clans to Christianity.  He is recognised as the Patron Saint of Ireland, and St Patrick’s Day is celebrated throughout the world on 17^th March each year.

In the St Patrick tartan; green symbolises Ireland’s ‘Emerald Isle’, white represents purity and peace, and gold the golden cord that binds all people of Irish descent to their mother country.