What’s the real meaning of St. Patrick’s Day?

So what is the true story behind this fun, green, drunken, holiday? Is that all it's really about? Drinking green beer, eating cabbage, wearing something green and claiming any sort of lineage to the emerald Isle is where the holiday is now, but where did it all start?

St. Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland, has remained somewhat of a mystery throughout most of his life. He was born as Maewyn Succat, during the fourth century in Britain to wealthy parents. When he was sixteen his family home was attacked by Irish raiders, he was kidnapped and became a slave in Ireland. It was during this time that he turned to God and hatched a plan to escape back to Britain. He did just that and over the course of the next fifteen years, became a missionary, changed his name to Patrick and worked to spread Christianity back to Ireland.

He's traditionally known for banishing all the snakes from Ireland, what many don't realize from stories of old is that the snake is an ancient Pagan symbol, so they aren't really snakes that he supposedly banishing,  St. Patrick was really clearing the land of ancient Pagan and Celtic people out of Ireland to make way for Christianity.

One of St. Patrick's teachings incorporated the use of a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. (i.e. The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit) Originally, the color blue was associated with the Saint, but over the years, with his incorporation of shamrocks in his teachings, green soon took over as the color of choice. St. Patrick passed away on March 17th, 461 AD, and thus St. Patrick's Day was born.

So, on this St. Patrick's Day, I say unto you, may you be surrounded by the ones you care about the most, may the sun be upon your face and the wind be upon your back. Lift yourself a glass and say,

"May the winds of fortune sail you, may you sail a gentle sea,

may it always be the other guy who says, "This drink's on me!"

Cheers!

Courtesy of Yahoo! Answers