What is the meaning behind St. Patrick's Day? Who is St. Patrick?

Born in Roman Britain in the early 5th century, Succat was kidnapped by Irish marauders and forced on a pagan king's slave ship to be enslaved in Ireland at age 16. As sourced in his autobiography, he was malnourished, isolated, and turned to faith as his personal refuge. Led by an angel, he escaped after six years of captivity but returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to the people as a patron saint before his passing. Annually, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17, the anniversary of his death in 461 A.D. The native symbol, the shamrock, is represented by his Christian faith where each clover represents the Holy Trinity--the father, the son, and the holy spirit--and is upheld in his mythology. 

What's the story behind the Irish?

“British Coastguard Inspector-General, Sir James Dombrain, when he saw starving paupers, ordered his subordinates to give free food handouts. For his attempts to feed the starving, Dombrain was publicly rebuked by Trevelyan…”

The real evil with which we have to contend is not the physical evil of the Famine but the moral evil of the selfish, perverse and turbulent character of the people.”

Before the mid-19th century, most of the Protestant middle class were Irish immigrants. Known as the "Great Potato Famine", over million Irish people died from the Irish famine genocide executed by the British Government after forcibly displacing Irish cottiers in a precedent disguised as relief legislation. The contention continues as the British Government, specifically Sir Charles Trevelyan (1st Baronet), Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, was not only in charge of the laissez-faire policy being executed but also responsible for neglecting to provide food assistance to the Irish as they suffered due to their faith. During that time, islands in the Caribbean and West Indies, including Barbados, Saint Kitts, and Jamaica, were one of few countries to support and fund Ireland in their time of need. In 1847, Native Americans, specifically the Choctaw Nation, banded together to support the Irish just 16 years after the "Trail of Tears", one of the most trying times in Native American history that led to hundreds of thousands of deaths by starvation. 

When the Irish migrated to America for refuge, they were disapproved by Americans for their faith and language. Irish Americans were ridiculed during heritage-oriented celebrations. After Irish Americans rallied and politically positioned themselves as an important swing voting bloc, their celebrations were popularized to all, including political candidates. The celebrations were utilized as a tool to gain acceptance. Now, St. Patrick's Day is a global holiday celebrated by people of all backgrounds with more than 100 parades celebrated in the United States alone.