Patrick, as a young lad of sixteen years was captured by an Irish band of raiders, Kinsmen of Niall, near Bologne in Gaul and taken with many others to slavery in Ireland. He was first brought to Mayo, but later sold to an Antrim farmer and he spent six years in captivity as a shepherd on Slemish Mountain.

One Cold winter's night while Patrick slept, he heard a voice telling him "it is well that you fast, soon you will go to your own country" and a short time later the voice said to him "Look your ship is ready".

The spirit guided Patrick to the south of Ireland near Wicklow where he boarded a ship with a cargo of dogs bound for Gaul.

At this time an invasion of Gaul had left much of it desolate. Patrick and the crew of the boat wandered for 28 days until all food had run out. Patrick said to the crew "turn to God and he will provide" and suddenly a herd of pigs appeared and they had food once more. Patrick had performed his first miracle.

For a number of years Patrick wandered through Gaul. Conscious of his lack of formal training in theology and law he spent his time talking to and learning from the wise deacons and Bishops and soon he himself was made a Bishop in Rome.

He was lonely in Gaul so he went to visit his relations in Britain. While he was there he had another vision in which a man arrived from Ireland with many letters and one was for himself. The letter said " We ask you boy to come and walk once more among us. Patrick was delighted and went immediately.

The people of Ireland at this time were pagans under the influence of the Druids and they worshipped idols and demons. Patrick had first to rid the country of these "magicians" and this is symbolised by the banishing of the snakes from Ireland.

He now set about converting the people to Christianity. His deep faith and belief in the Blessed Trinity made this doctrine a centre piece of his instruction. To help explain the mystery he used the simple 3 leaf shamrock to illustrate 3 persons in one God.