Scéal Naomh Pádraig
Scéal Naomh Pádraig
Creidtear gur sa Bhreatain a rugadh Naomh Pádraig. Nuair a bhí sé sé bliana déag d’aois, tháinig an t-Ardaí Niall Naoi nGiallach agus d’fhuadaigh sé Pádraig agus go leor gasúr agus girseach eile mar sclábhaithe.
Díoladh Pádraig le fear darbh ainm Milchú, a bhí ina chónaí in aice le Sliabh Mis, i gContae Aontroma. Chaith sé sé bliana ag buachailleacht muc ar an sliabh don fhear seo. Gasúr iontach cráifeach a bhí ann, agus ba ghnách leis paidreacha a rá go minic i rith an lae.
D’éalaigh sé ona mháistir, agus i ndiaidh aistir fhada shroich sé a bhaile féin arís. Ina dhiaidh sin chuaigh sé ar choláiste a bhí ag Naomh Máirtín sa Fhrainc ag foghlaim le bheith ina shagart. Ba chúis bhróin do Phádraig na Gaeil a bheith ina bpágánaigh. Rinneadh easpag de agus fuair sé cead ón bPápa, Naomh Celestín, dul go hÉirinn leis an Chríostaíocht a theagasc do mhuintir na hÉireann.
Bhí Naomh Pádraig trí scór bliain nuair a tháinig sé ar ais go hÉirinn sa bhliain 432. Tháinig sé i dtír in aice le Droichead Átha agus bhaist sé daoine ansin. As sin chuaigh sé go Contae an Dúin agus chuir sé ar bun a chéad teampall in Éirinn ag Sabhall. Chuaigh sé ar fud na tíre ag teagasc na ndaoine agus a mbaisteadh. Deirtear gur beag contae in Éirinn nár shiúil sé. Chuir sé cuid mhór teampall ar bun, agus thogh sé Ard Mhacha mar ardchathair na hEaglaise in Éirinn.
Creidtear go bhfuair Naomh Pádraig bás ar 17 Márta, in 461, agus ag Dún Pádraig, i gContae an Dúin, a cuireadh é. Bhíodh ceiliúradh speisialta ann i gcónaí ar an dáta seo, agus chaithidís an tseamróg mar shiombal de Naomh Pádraig. Deirtear gur úsáid Naomh Pádraig an tseamróg chun an Tríonóid a mhíniú do na daoine; tá trí dhuilleóg sa tseamróg, ach is seamróg amháin í fós. Tugadh cead do dhaoine bia agus deoch a bheith acu an lá seo, cé gur thit sé sé i lár an Charghais – ‘Pota Phádraig’, mar a thugtaí air. Ceadaíodh damhsa nó céilí an oíche sin freisin. Is i Meiriceá a thosaigh na paráidí san ochtú haois déag agus níor tháinig siad chun cinn in Éirinn go dtí an aois seo caite. Deirtear gur í Lá Fhéile Pádraig ceann de na féilte is mó ar domhan anois.
St. Patrick's Story
Saint Patrick is believed to have been born in Britain. When he was sixteen years old, High King Niall of the Nine Hostages kidnapped Pádraig and many other boys and girls as slaves.
Pádraig was sold to a man named Milchú, who lived near Slieve Mish, in Co. Antrim. He spent six years herding pigs on the mountain for this man. He was a very pious boy, and he used to say prayers many times during the day.
He escaped from his master, and after a long journey he reached his home again. After that he went to a college at Saint Martin in France to learn to be a priest. It was a source of sorrow for Patrick that the Irish were pagans. He became a bishop and received permission from the Pope, Saint Celestin, to go to Ireland to teach Christianity to the people of Ireland.
Saint Patrick was sixty when he came back to Ireland in the year 432. He landed near Drogheda and baptised people there. From there he went to County Down and set up his first church in Ireland at Saul. He went throughout the country teaching the people and baptising them. It is said that there are few counties in Ireland where he did not walk. He set up a large number of churches, and chose Armagh as the capital of the Church in Ireland.
It is believed that Saint Patrick died on March 17, in 461, and was buried at Dún Patrick, in Co. Down. There has always been a special celebration on this date, and people wore the shamrock as a symbol of Saint Patrick. It is said that Saint Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity to the people; there are three leaves in the shamrock, but it is still one shamrock. People were allowed to have food and drink on this day, even though it fell in the middle of Lent – ‘Pota Pádraig’, as it was called. Dancing or ceíli was also allowed that night. The parades started in America in the eighteenth century, and did not emerge in Ireland until the last century. It is said that St Patrick’s Day is now one of the world’s largest festivals.
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