Today, and throughout the month of March, I join the Irish American community and all American citizens in celebrating the bond between our two nations and commemorating the towering life and legacy of Saint Patrick—the patron Saint of Ireland and an immortal icon of faith, freedom, and fortitude.
Born in the fourth century, Saint Patrick spent his life traversing the rugged frontiers of medieval Ireland to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Celtic people. In the face of relentless persecution, imprisonment, and even assassination attempts, he ventured into unknown lands and hostile territory to proclaim the truth, fearlessly obeying Christ’s command to “make disciples of all nations.” Tradition holds that, during 40 days of prayer and fasting on a mountaintop, he banished all serpents and demons off of the Emerald Isle and taught the mystery of the Holy Trinity to pagans using the three-leaved shamrock, setting untold hearts on fire for Christ.
To this day, Saint Patrick lives on in our country and around the world as a heroic Christian witness, a testament to the power of prayer, and a timeless exemplar of the strength of the Irish people. In the 19th and 20th centuries, millions of Irish natives brought his faith and missionary spirit across the Atlantic and onto American shores. Inspired by his example, countless churches, hospitals, schools, and charities in the United States bear his name, including the majestic Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. And every March, in his honor, hundreds of thousands of Americans flood our biggest cities and towns in endless seas of green in an epic celebration of Irish heritage.
As we celebrate 250 glorious years of American independence, we also pay tribute to the distinct role of Irish Americans in our national journey. Beginning with the first shots of the Revolutionary War at the Battles of Lexington and Concord, droves of Ireland-born soldiers joined the Patriots to secure our independence and defend our liberty on the field of battle, with popular legend stating that Sons of Ireland comprised as much as half of the Continental Army. From the gallant leadership of John Barry and the courage of Hercules Mulligan to the valor of President Andrew Jackson and the tenacity of Audie Murphy, Americans with Irish roots have fortified our freedom, invigorated our culture, and immeasurably elevated our traditions and way of life toward the true, the good, and the beautiful.
This Saint Patrick’s Day and throughout Irish American Heritage Month, we send our best wishes to every American celebrating Ireland’s patron Saint. We salute the generations of Irish American heroes who have kept his legacy alive and brought our Nation to incredible new heights. Above all, we vow to keep our deep friendship with the Republic of Ireland and the whole island strong, vibrant, and flourishing for many years to come.
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!