Who is celebrated as the patron saint of Northern Ireland and when is the feast day commemorated?

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, and because Northern Ireland is part of the island of Ireland, he's also celebrated as their patron saint. Now, you might be thinking, "Wait, isn't that just Ireland?" Well, yes, but Northern Ireland has a unique cultural identity within the UK, and St. Patrick's influence extends across the entire island. His feast day, March 17th, is a huge cultural event, not just in Ireland and Northern Ireland, but globally. It commemorates St. Patrick's death and is a celebration of Irish heritage and culture. The other saints mentioned, like St. Kieran, St. Swithin, and St. Sean, are indeed saints, but they aren't specifically associated with Northern Ireland or celebrated on the same scale. St. Swithin, for example, is an English saint associated with weather lore. So, while those other dates might be feast days for other saints, March 17th and St. Patrick are the key association for Northern Ireland.