Everyone - Irish or not - is gearing up for St Patrick's Day tomorrow. Lots of myths and legends surround St Patrick. He was likely born in Britain about 370 AD and brought to Ireland as a slave when he was a young boy. Forced to guard sheep and other animals for about six years, Patrick had a vision that urged him to convert his captors to Christianity. He escaped to France and studied to be a priest before returning to Ireland where he "baptized thousands" and served as the first bishop. Ultimately he came to be revered as patron saint of Ireland. March 17 was the date of his death. St Patrick's Day is both a solemn religious holiday in Ireland and a celebration of Ireland and the Irish everywhere else in the world. My husband's grandfather (born 1865 in Minnesota) and great-grandfather (born 1819 in County Tipperary) were both named Patrick. We have a nephew Patrick (born in March 1980), who was named after them and who actually bears a physical resemblance to his great-grandfather. This week's 'Letter from Ireland' by Mike Collins was about the name Patrick. While it was considered too saintly a name for the masses until the 1700s, Collins says by the 1901 census there were almost 300,000 Patricks in Ireland! And then he lists the variations: "Pádraig, Páraic, Paudie, Padge, Pauric, Podge, Pat, Paddy, Patsy and Pa." Some might add Rick or Ricky, and then of course there are all the variants of the feminine form, Patricia, plus all the surnames such as Fitzpatrick and Kilpatrick, etc. (You can sign up for Collins' free weekly letters here: https://youririshheritage.com/.) Happy St Patrick's Day to all!