
After 3 days in the same clothes and with little rest, we were able to start this day rested, showered, and donning our new threads from Walmart. We were ready to immerse ourselves in all things St. Patrick.
St. Patrick’s story is remarkable. In the early 400s A.D., Patrick was kidnapped from his home in England at 15 years of age and sold into slavery in Ireland. During his six years in slavery in Ireland he turned to God and became a Christian.
When the Lord told him “Your ship is waiting,” Patrick escaped and walked nearly 200 miles to the east coast of Ireland, where he was able to board a ship to freedom. Thereafter, the Lord spoke to Patrick in a dream in which he heard people from a region of Ireland say, “O holy boy, we beg you to come again and walk among us.”
After a hearing from the Lord two more times, Patrick returned to Ireland, and began walking through the country sharing the gospel. He was enslaved at least two more times, and was under constant danger because of his boldness in sharing the gospel with local chieftains.
None of what I have just shared with you is legend. It comes directly from Patrick’s autobiography, Confessio. It’s hard to think of a single person more instrumental in conversion of an entire country to Christianity than Patrick.
God’s calling of Patrick reminds me of the vision the Apostle Paul had that led him to take the gospel to Macedonia:
A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
Acts 16:9 (NASB)
Sometimes the Lord tells us to “go” as he did with Moses; sometimes He uses others to entreat us to “come.” Sometimes we go out of obedience; sometimes we come out of compassion. But whether we act out of obedience or compassion, we are always to be making disciples. In this regard, Patrick is an inspiration for all Kingdom citizens.
Our itinerary today was to spend time along the Saint Patrick Trail, where Patrick, lived, preached, and died. Although St. Patrick had traversed this path in leather sandals and a staff, we did it in a 2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid and with Google Maps. As a result, we completed the trip much quicker and without any hassle from pagan Celtic chiefs and warriors.
Our first stop was Saul Church near Downpatrick. Saul Church is where Patrick began his mission in Ireland in 432 A.D. after leading locals to the Lord. The church began in a barn given to Patrick by a local chieftain. This was the first church in Ireland.


Next, we visited Struell Wells, where Patrick baptized new believers. I had to convince the rest of the GSB team that the utility on the corner was not the Struell Wells, notwithstanding its juxtaposition to the sign.

Our next stop was a few miles away at Down Cathedral in Downpatrick. This is where you will find St. Patrick’s grave in a mound besides the cathedral. Interestingly, Patrick was ultimately joined here in death by St. Columba (more about him later in the trip) and St. Brigid, who are both buried here.
Not far from the Down Cathedral is the Saint Patrick Centre. If you are in the area, it is worth a visit, particularly if you’ve never read a biography on Patrick. In about an hour, you’ll find out everything we know about Patrick.
The exhibit was excellent, with one exception: the film at the end of the exhibit argues Patrick’s significance to the world is proven by St. Patrick’s Day celebrations as far away as Japan. This is, frankly, the least significant result of Patrick’s life. I’m guessing Buddhists in Japan are not celebrating Saint Patrick because of his Christianity but because of the green beer and parades.
Patrick is important because he brought the gospel to Ireland, ultimately transforming Ireland from pagan to Christian. Patrick’s work had a ripple effect through Europe because the churches he founded in Ireland produced missionaries who founded churches in Scotland, England, and Europe.
The monasteries they established preserved literature through the middle ages as the Roman Empire crumbled under the weight of barbarian invasions. As Thomas Cahill’s book suggests, there is a good argument to make for the proposition that Ireland saved western civilization. And if that is true, then one could say Ireland saved the western civilization because Jesus, through Patrick, saved Ireland.
From Downpatrick we drove to Armagh to see another church Patrick planted and where he served as its first leader. The wood plaque on the wall in the church lists every leader of the church from Patrick to the present.
We arrived back at Culloden Estate to find our luggage had finally arrived. It was a good ending to a good day. GS
I am following your travels. Thoughtful and amusing. Erin go bragh
Glad you are enjoying it. Erin go bragh!