This week's Letter from Ireland by Mike Collins answered the question "What's in a name?" for St Patrick's Day. In Ireland today, he says:

"...there are almost "40 shades" of Patrick and Patricia:

For Patrick, you will find: Pádraig, Páraic, Paudie, Padge, Pauric, Podge, Pat, Paddy, Patsy and Pa (substitute an "aw" sound for the Irish "á" - that should sound about right).

For Patricia, you will find: Pat, Patsy, Tricia, Trish, Pádraigín and Patrice (for some reason, Patty never caught on here in Ireland)...

The name of Patrick also found its way into a number of surnames--maybe some of them are in your family tree. 

Names like: Fitzpatrick, GilPatrick, Kirkpatrick, Patrick, McFadden, Mulpatrick, McFadyen, Padine, Peyton, Patton and McPadden."

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