Politicians on both sides of the political divide have called for
Saint Patrick's Day to be declared a public holiday in Northern
Ireland.
While Saint Patrick's Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, it is only a bank holiday in the North.
However it has emerged this week that the leader of the SDLP Ms
Margaret Ritchie, MP MLA, has written to the secretary of State Owen
Paterson looking for Saint Patrick's Day to be declared a public
holiday.
Her calls have been backed by DUP MP Ian Paisley jnr.
Margaret Ritchie was last year elected as an MP for the South Down
constituency that includes the town of Downpatrick where Saint Patrick
is reputed to be buried in the grounds of the local Church of Ireland
Cathedral.
Speaking to the media, she said “Saint Patrick is one thing that we
can all, both Catholic and Protestant, unite around in Northern
Ireland. His legacy unites us all and he is a unifying figure in
Northern Ireland. He is a symbol of reconciliation and a symbol and a
symbol for unity between the two communities.”
She claimed that Mr Paterson should back her calls for action on marking the day with a public holiday.
A major conference on Saint Patrick is due to take place at the Saint
Patrick Tourism Centre in Downpatrick in March.
According to Margaret
Ritchie, such a conference will help to raise the Saint's profile and
show his huge role in Irish ecclesiastical history.
SIC: CIN/IE