Dr Campbell exposes Saint Patrick myths in new Netflix docu-drama

Dr Campbell exposes Saint Patrick myths in new Netflix docu-drama

11 March 2020

THE director of the St Patrick Centre in Downpatrick will be appearing in a new feature length docu-drama debunking myths surrounding Ireland’s patron saint.

Dr Tim Campbell, is one of a number of experts helping to peel back centuries of legend to tell the true story of St Patrick in I Am Patrick, which debuts on Netflix tomorrow.

Programme makers from the American TV company Christian Broadcasting Network visited Dr Campbell last February to talk about the great Irish Saint.

Dr Campbell says the film depicts St Patrick’s journey from slave to saint and exposes many of the falsehoods held by Americans. 

“One of the myths the documentary exposes is that St Patrick is unlikely to have picked a shamrock from a field while he preached to the natives about the Holy Trinity,” he said.

“We can deduce this because St Patrick left many writings and nowhere can be found the analogy of a shamrock.

“Although the Celtic people at the time worshipped nature and had a keen sense of worshipping in threes – St Patrick would have likely used their level of understanding and worked from there.”

The film is 90 minutes long and through historical re-enactments, expert interviews, and Patrick’s own writings, viewers experience the journey of the how Celtic people fell in love with the greatest of all Irish saints. 

As barbarians ravaged across Europe, a young teenager named Patrick, played by Robert McCormack, was enjoying a comfortable life as the son of a British political figure. 

Despite being a Christian, his faith didn’t mean anything to him until he was kidnapped by pirates at the age of 16 and enslaved in what was then the most uncivilised of lands — Ireland. 

For six years, Patrick was forced to work as a shepherd and was driven to the brink of starvation. It was then that he turned to his faith and before long managed to escape. 

He was returned to his family in Wales only to have a prophetic dream calling him to take Christianity back to the land he was so desperate to flee.

Against the wishes of his family and the church, Patrick returned to Ireland as a missionary bishop and converted thousands to Christianity. 

Jarrod Anderson, writer and director of the movie filmed in Mayo, Galway and Clare said: “Most people know about the green beer, banishing the snakes, and the parades but few actually know about the man behind the myths.

“We filmed all across Ireland in some phenomenal locations and were able to create an epic docudrama with a stellar all Irish cast and crew.”