Why Do We Celebrate St. Patricks Day?

While most of you were probably out and about last night, yours truly celebrated St. Patty's Day holed up in a backwater motel with nothing but a six-pack and a generous amount of premium cable channels to tide her over (ah last minute work trips, don't you love 'em?) Somewhere between my third Guinness and second HBO special I found myself wondering: Why do we even celebrate this Holiday? What did Saint Patrick do to spark a world wide binge fest? How the hell does this Big Love guy keep up with three wives? In response to the first two questions I have decided to share with you all the story behind St. Patrick's day:

Saint Patrick (The Patron Saint of Ireland) wasn't really Irish at all. He was a Roman Britain born in 390, who was captured and brought to Ireland as a slave when he was only 16. Patrick escaped after six years in captivity and fled to Wales to become a Christian Missionary. Saint Patrick eventually returned to Ireland as a Missionary where he baptized thousands, despite being placed on trail as a heretic. Some stories claim that St. Patrick banished snakes from Ireland (although I am pretty sure the island never really had a huge snake problem) and that he introduced the Irish to the three-leaf clover (shamrock) when trying to explain the Holy Trinity. All thats known for sure is that St. Patrick was one of the first missionaries to travel abroad and one who never abandoned his beliefs.

Well St. Patty we toast to you and all you sacrificed!