DULAIS VALLEY PARTNERSHIP (DVP)

St Patrick

St Patrick Memorial Stone

Saint Patrick was born as Maewyn Succat in Banwen, the Dulais Valley in 385 A.D. His father Calphurnius was a Roman official. Saint Patrick was kidnapped at age 16 and sold into slavery in Ireland, according to his autobiography. He escaped by boat to Britain after six years of captivity and travelled to St. Martin’s monastery in Tours, France, where he studied under Saint Germain of Auxerre and became a priest. In 431 A.D. Pope Celestine I named him Patricius and sent him on a mission to Ireland.   Saint Patrick died on March 17th 461 A.D. The date of his death is disputed between March 8th and March 9th, so they were added together to form St Patrick's Day.   The people of the Dulais Valley errected a plaque to mark the birth place of St Patrick on St Patrick's Day 2004. Environment Group at Launch

The inscription reads:

ST PATRICK   LOCAL LEGEND HAS IT THAT THIS IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF MAGONUS SUCATUS PATRICIUS BETTER KNOWN TO US AS ST PATRICK.   IN HIS CONFESSION JUST BEFORE HIS DEATH HE SAYS OF HIMSELF:   I WAS PICKED A STONE OUT OF THE BOG   I PATRICK, A SINNER, A MOST SIMPLE COUNTRYMAN, THE LEAST OF ALL THE FAITHFUL AND MOST CONTEMPTIBLE TO MANY, HAD FOR MY FATHER THE DEACON CALPURNIUS, SON OF THE LATE POTITUS, A PRIEST, OF THE SETTLEMENT (VICUS) OF BANNAVEM TABURNIAE: HE HAD A SMALL VILLA NEARBY WHERE I WAS TAKEN CAPTIVE. I WAS ABOUT SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE.     PROJECT SUPPORTED BY THE DULAIS VALLEY PARTNERSHIP AND THE PRINCESS TRUST.