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A Gaelic Blessing
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
Welcome to a celebration of St Patrick's Day! In Ireland, March 17 is generally celebrated by going to church; in North America, St Patrick's Day has become an annual day of parades, parties and good cheer. The United States first celebrated St Patrick's Day in 1737, in Boston, Massachusetts. Over 100 US cities now hold annual St Patrick's Day parades, the largest of which is in New York City. On March 12, 2006, thousands of Londoners took to the streets for the fifth annual St Patrick's Day parade, which organisers say now rival celebrations in New York, Boston, and Chicago. Irish dancers, floats and bands wound through central London, while Irish band Hothouse Flowers performed in Trafalgar Square. Water in the square's fountains was dyed green for the day, Irish food was sampled in Covent Garden and a Ceilidh was performed in Leicester Square. All of this simply goes to show that people will do anything for a good party! 
Special Features
Celtic Art of Courtney Davis
Exclusive illustrations from two of Courtney Davis' books:
Celtic Saints
St Patrick: A Visual Celebration
please allow time for this magnificent artwork to load
The Story of St Patrick
A remarkable story of pirates, slavery, and achievement
Visit the Shrine of St Patrick, St Patrick, Missouri USA
The Story of St Patrick, Missouri
A little bit of Ireland in the rolling hills of Missouri
Special Postal Cancel
Available yearly from the St Patrick, MO post office
Schedule of Festivities - March 17
Annual celebration of St Patrick's Day
Schedule of Festivities - July 4
Annual celebration of the Fourth of July
Touch of Ireland Gift and Craft Shop
only 2.5 miles from the Shrine, exclusive line of Daniel
O'Donnell souvenirs, Irish crafts and gifts, original designs
Random Links
Enchanted World of Shamus O'Toole truly enchanted!
Ireland's Eye faeries, Blarney Stone, Titanic, Ghost Watch and more
Irish History on the Web a unique resource
Irish Photo Shop beautiful photos, some free downloads
Shamrock Radio programmes by Tommy Murphy
An Irish Blessing
May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
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