The Science of St Patrick

With St Patrick’s Day just around the corner, Professor Luke O’Neill takes a closer look at the man behind the legend—and the science behind the stories. Drawing on Patrick’s own Confessio, Luke explores how the saint lived a long life, likely thanks to a mix of lifestyle and genetics.

Could there have been two Patricks, Patricius and Palladius? Luke unpacks this theory and shares its surprising connection to the early days of Ireland’s Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.

He also tackles the myth of Patrick banishing snakes, explaining how the last Ice Age shaped Ireland’s landscape and wildlife. And he examines the shamrock, used by Patrick to illustrate the Holy Trinity, and its medicinal properties, from easing menopausal symptoms and asthma to treating wounds and fevers.

It’s history, myth, and biology all rolled into one festive podcast.