Who was St. Patrick?
St. Patrick has been the patron saint of Ireland since the 1630s but he was venerated as a saint in Ireland from the seventh century. The Catholic Church established the 17th of March as a day of feast in honour of the saint but it is thought that St. Patrick’s day was celebrated for centuries before the official confirmation.
St. Patrick was born in the 4th century and like St. Andrew wasn’t Scottish, St. Patrick was actually from Roman Britain. History tells us that when St. Patrick was just 16 he was kidnapped and imprisoned in Ireland which ultimately leads to the Irish connection. However, other historical texts claim that St. Patrick wasn’t kidnapped but instead fled to Ireland to avoid following in his father's footsteps to become a Roman tax collector. Regardless of how he ended up in Ireland, once there St. Patrick is said to have had a vision from God who told him to bring Christianity to the island. This vision shaped his life and he followed his task from God until March 17, 461 A.D. when he died.
Much like the Scots, a lot of Irish people ended up emigrating to every corner of the world. As the new world was being built, a large number of Irish folk sailed to America which is why there is now such a strong connection between both countries. It’s also why there are so many unique traditions for celebrating St. Patrick’s day, such as drinking green beer and dressing up as a leprechaun.
Difference between Irish Tartans and Scottish Tartans
Possibly one of the most obvious similarities between Irish and Scottish culture is that both wear kilts. While traditional Scottish kilt tartans represent Clans, traditional Irish kilts were block colours. The most famous Irish kilt is known as the Saffron Kilt, which has a distinctive solid yellow or mustard colour. While some Scottish kilts were also solid colours, they were never as popular as tartan which is why solid colour kilts are considered Irish.
With that being said, there are some Irish tartans that don’t just block colours. The Irish tartans available celebrate Irish counties instead of Clans or families. These Irish tartans look very similar to Scottish tartans but the colours they use set them apart. Irish tartans have a muted or softer look to them when viewing the tartan as a whole which in our opinion, makes them very attractive tartans.
With a tartan to represent every Irish County as well as a national tartan, an Irish tartan kilt outfit is a great way to pay tribute to your Irish family heritage. If you’d like to discuss our Irish tartan range or have any questions, feel free to email info@macgregorandmacduff.co.uk
Happy St. Patricks Day everyone!
