In truth, St Patrick probably didn’t care much for shepherding, or herding any sort of animals. That happens when you are kidnapped, brought to a foreign land, and forced to spend your life on cold wet hillsides minding sheep or pigs, with only their fodder for food. But the symbol of a shepherd tending his flock is common in Christianity, so it is not surprising that statues of St Patrick show him as a shepherd. It is particularly appropriate in the west of Ireland where one cannot walk a hundred yards without tripping over a sheep. Maybe that’s why none of the statues show Patrick with a smile on his face.
Happy St Patrick’s Day to you all and this video just might put a smile on your face.
Thanks for the video link, John! Helps put the “happy” in Happy St. Patrick’s Day.