MARCH 17 marks St Patrick's Day, when Ireland celebrates its foremost patron saint.
The name Patrick therefore has, and continues to be, one of the most popular names in Ireland.
So you can imagine it's particularly popular for Irish – and, given the saint's popularity, non-Irish – people born on that date.
Here, we look at 10 Irish and 10 non-Irish people born on St Patrick's Day who share the saint's name.
Pat Rice, left, and Arsene Wenger (Image: Getty)Pat Rice
Born 1949
Belfast-born Patrick James ‘Pat’ Rice made over 500 appearances for Arsenal, winning a league and cup double in 1971.
He also spent 28 years at the club as a coach and played 49 times for Northern Ireland.
Patrick Edward Connor joined the US Army after emigrating from Kerry (Image: Library of Congress)Patrick Edward Connor
Born 1820
Born in Co. Kerry, he emigrated to America and enlisted in the US Army under the surname O’Connor in 1839 and fought in the Seminole Wars against native Americans.
He also fought in the Mexican-American War and was on the victorious union side in the Civil war, commanding the 3rd California Infantry Regiment, the District of Utah and the District of the Plains.
Patrick Power
Born 1815
Nothing to do with the bookmakers, Patrick Power was a member of the Canadian House of Commons representing Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Born in Kilmacthomas in Co. Waterford, he opposed the ultimately successful Canadian Confederation.
His charity work with the poor saw him awarded the Order of St Gregory the Great by Pope Pius IX.
Paddy Hasty
Born 1934
Patrick Joseph Hasty was born in Belfast but moved with his parents to England while still a child.
The striker scored 113 goals in 142 appearances in his first spell with Tooting and Mitcham United. He also played for the Northern Ireland amateur team against England.
Hasty represented Great Britain at the 1960 Rome Olympics (when the GB squad was entirely amateur, unlike the London 2012 side).
He scored the equaliser in a 2-2 draw against the hosts, who had in their defence a 21-year-old named Giovanni Trapattoni – the future Ireland manager who was born, of course, on St Patrick’s Day.
A statue of Kilkenny native Patrick Cudahy has been erected in the city he founded and named after himself (Image: Sulphur/Wikimedia)Patrick Cudahy
Born 1849
Kilkenny-born Cudahy emigrated with his parents to Wisconsin shortly after his birth.
He and his brother took over the Plankinton and Armour meat-packing plant, renaming it Cudahy Brothers.
They relocated the plant to what became the city of Cudahy in Wisconsin, where a statue of the city’s founder now stands.
A company bearing his name still exists in the city – ‘Patrick Cudahy’ is the official bacon of the Green Bay Packers.
Paddy Reid (second from left) and other members of Ireland's first Grand Slam-winning team, from left, Michael O'Flanagan, Jack Kyle, Karl Mullen, Jim McCarthy, Bertie O'Hanlon and Jimmy Nelson (Image: inpho.ie)Paddy Reid
Born 1924
Patrick Joseph Reid was a dual rugby player.
He played his club rugby (union) with Garryowen before switching to league with Huddersfield and then Halifax in England.
The Limerick-born centre helped Ireland to their first Grand Slam in 1948, giving them a first Triple Crown in 49 years.
Reid passed away in January 2016.
Patrick Henry McCarthy
Born 1863
Born in Limerick, PH McCarthy emigrated to the US in 1880, moving to San Francisco in 1886. Known as Pinhead, after presiding over the Building Trades Council union federation, he won the race to become Mayor of San Francisco in 1909 on the Union Labor Party ticket.
During his mayoralty, all city workers were required to become union members and he raised their minimum wage from $2 to $3 a day.
Patrick Sullivan from Bantry was the US senator for Wyoming (Image: Wyoming State Archives)Patrick Joseph Sullivan
Born 1865
Sullivan was born in Kilcrohane, Bantry, Co. Cork, emigrating to America in 1888.
From 1929–1930, he served as US Senator for the state of Wyoming.
Before that, the sheep farmer turned entrepreneur had two stints as a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives and also served as Mayor of the city of Casper, Wyoming.
Patrick Donahoe
Born 1811
Another emigrant to the States, Donahoe (born Munnery) relocated from Cavan to Boston around the age of 10.
In 1832 he became editor of Catholic paper The Jesuit. Renaming it The Pilot, it became the main voice of Catholic and Irish-American opinion in New England.
He also set up a publishing house for Catholic books and established a home in Boston for poor Catholic children.
In 1893 he was awarded the University of Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal, the most prestigious award for Catholics in America.
Patrick Augustine Sheehan
Born 1852
Born in Mallow, Co. Cork, Sheehan was ordained to the priesthood in 1875 and later appointed canon of the dioscese of Cloyne in 1905.
He also provided ministry to the Irish emigrant community in Plymouth and acted as a supply chaplain for Dartmoor prison, which held prisoners convicted of treason after the Fenian Rising of 1867.
An essayist and novelist, he also helped found the All For Ireland League, a non-sectarian political party campaigning for Home Rule.
And 10 non-Irish Patricks born on March 17…
Patrick Duffy (Image: Getty)Patrick Duffy
Born 1949
An actor born in the US, best known for playing Bobby Ewing in the soap Dallas.
Patricio Escobar
Born 1843
A war hero in the Paraguayan War, Escobar was elected as the ninth President of the country in 1886.
Patricio Arabolaza
Born 1893
Born in the Basque Country, Arabolaza scored Spain’s first ever international goal and helped them win silver at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics.
Joseph Patrick Addabbo
Born 1925
Lifetime resident of Queens, New York, who was a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives from 1963 until his death in 1986.
Patryk Kuchczyński
Born 1983
A Polish handball player with Górnik Zabrze, who won silver with his country at the 2007 World Men’s Championships.
Mathew St. Patrick (Image: Getty)Mathew St. Patrick
Born 1968
Born Patrick Mathews, under his stage name the actor is best known for his role of Keith Charles in the drama series Six Feet Under.
Patrick Zonneveld
Born 1988
A Dutch footballer, who currently plays in goal for IJsselmeervogels, the most successful amateur club in the Netherlands.
Patricio Ballagas
Born 1879
Born in Havana, the musician and composer was an innovator in trova music, characterised by itinerant guitar players performing original compositions.
Patrick Lebeau
Born 1970
Former Canadian professional hockey player who played in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins, among others, and won silver at the 1992 Winter Olympics.
Patrik Magnusson
Born 1970
Guitarist with Swedish pop band Popshop who – similar to Denmark’s fictional Nin Huguen and the Huguenotes from Father Ted – co-wrote the song Me and My Drum that came fifth in Melodifestivalen 2011, the competition to choose Sweden’s Eurovision entry.
