麻豆约拍

He's arguably one of Wales' greatest ever cultural exports: a saint who was captured from the land of modern Wales, and who was trafficked to Ireland and enslaved. Delyth Liddell looks into the life of the saint, and asks what drove this man to bring so many people in Ireland to faith?

As some of the participants in this programme make clear, we are extremely fortunate to have some of Patrick's very own reflections on his life (his so-called 'Confessio') as well as an irate letter written to the soldiers of a tyrannical leader named Coroticus. In addition, there are later stories that connect Patrick to Wales, including to Llantwit Major and, possibly, to the former mining village of Banwen in the modern borough of Neath-Port Talbot.

Taking part in the programme are Dr Elva Johnston, University College Dublin; Dr Simon Rodway, Aberystwyth University; and Dr Ali Bonner, Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic in the University of Cambridge. Canon Edwin Counsell offers his views on the possible (or spurious!) connection with Llantwit Major, and at Banwen Annette Williams, a lay reader in the Church in Wales, explains why that village believes it may be a strong candidate for being the place of Patrick's birth.

Presenter: Delyth Liddell
Producer: Geoff Ballinger