In 1997, my students and I traveled to Croagh Patrick, a mountain in County Mayo, as part of a study abroad program course on Irish literature I was teaching for the University of Dayton. I wanted my students to visit the place where, each July, thousands of pilgrims pay homage to St. Patrick, who, according to lore, fasted and prayed on the summit for 40 days.

While there, our tour guide relayed the story of how St. Patrick, as he lay on his death bed on March 17 in A.D. 461, supposedly asked those gathered around him to toast his heavenly journey with a “wee drop of whiskey” to ease their pain.

The mention of whiskey left me wondering if St. Patrick may have unintentionally influenced the way most of the world celebrates the holiday today: by drinking.

It wasn’t always this way. The Festival of St. Patrick began in the 17th century as a religious and cultural commemoration of the bishop who brought Christianity to Ireland. In Ireland, there’s still an important religious and cultural component to the holiday, even as it has simply become an excuse to wear green and heavily drink in the rest of the world.

The legend of St. Patrick

Because historical details about St. Patrick’s life remain shrouded in speculation, scholars are often stymied in their attempts to separate fact from legend.

In his spiritual memoir, “Confessio,” St. Patrick describes how he was brought to Ireland as a slave. He eventually escaped, rejoining his family in Britain, probably Scotland. But while there, he had a recurring dream, in which the “Voice of the Irish” called to him to return to Ireland in order to baptize and minister to them. So he did.

The Irish revere the account of this dream described in the “Confessio”; they accept the simplicity and fervor of his words and feel a debt of gratitude for his unselfish commitment to their spiritual well-being.

St. Patrick’s efforts to convert the Irish to Catholicism were never easy. Viewing him as a challenge to their power and authority, the high kings of Ireland and the pagan high priests, called Druids, resisted his efforts to make inroads with the population.

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But through his missionary zeal, he was able to fuse Irish culture into Christianity, whether it was through the introduction of the Celtic Cross or the use of bonfires to celebrate feasts like Easter.

Again, many of these stories could amount to no more than myth. Nonetheless, centuries after his death, the Irish continue to show their gratitude for their patron saint by wearing a spray of shamrocks on March 17. They start the day with mass, followed by a daylong feast, and prayer and reflection at night.

St. Paddy’s Day goes global

From 1820 to 1860, almost 2 million people left Ireland, many due to the potato famine in the 1840s and 1850s. More followed in the 20th century to reunite with relatives and escape poverty and joblessness back home.

Once settled, they found new ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and their Irish identity in their new homes.

Irish-Americans, especially, were quick to transform March 17 into a commercial enterprise. The mandatory “wearin’ of the green” in all its garishness is a far cry from the original tradition of wearing a spray of shamrocks to honor St. Patrick’s death and celebrate Irish solidarity. Parades famously sprung up – especially in New York and Boston – revelry ensued and, sure enough, even the beer became green.

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Children of Irish-Americans in the United States have absorbed Irish culture at a distance. Many probably know that St. Patrick is Ireland’s patron saint. But they might not fully appreciate his mythic stature for kids growing up on the emerald isle.

Ask children of any age in Ireland what they know about St. Patrick, and they will regale you with stories of his magical abilities, from his power to drive the snakes out of Ireland to his use of the three leaves and one stem of the shamrock to demystify the Trinity doctrine of the Catholic Church.

They see St. Patrick as a miracle worker, and as adults, they keep the legends alive in their own ways. Some follow St. Patrick’s footsteps all around Ireland – from well to hill to altar to chapel – seeking his blessing and bounty wherever their journeys take them.

Raising a glass

Of course, in America, the holy day is really a party, above all else.

Americans have in some years spent US$6.16 billion celebrating, with 13 million pints of Guinness consumed. Some parts of the country have even held a pre-celebration on Sept. 17 – or, as they call it, “Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day.”

Where all of this leads is anyone’s guess. But beginning in the 1990s, Ireland seemed to grasp the earning potential of the Americanized version. March 17 remains a holy day for the natives and a holiday for tourists from around the world, with pubs raking in the euros on St. Patrick’s Day.

But I’ve always wondered: What if St. Patrick had requested a silent prayer instead of “a wee drop of whiskey” to toast his passing? Would his celebration have stayed more sacred than profane?

This is an updated version of an article originally published on March 16, 2021

Flick Williams said “change is needed” to ensure disabled people who feel they have been discriminated against “have easier access to legal help” to “enforce our rights”.

Ms Williams, a visually impaired wheelchair user, has previously won legal battles over alleged discrimination against City of York Council, First York and Marks and Spencer.

The campaigner said she was “honoured” to be invited to give evidence to the Parliamentary Justice Committee, which is undertaking an inquiry into barriers to accessing justice for several groups.

Ms Williams said currently “too much of the burden of enforcing disability rights falls to us as disabled people”, and she was “confident that the changes that are needed are understood” by the committee.

“Change is needed so that we have easier access to legal help and representation to assist us to enforce our rights,” she added.

Ms Williams said the “core issue” is that there are “very few solicitors who will take disability discrimination cases because the compensation awards are so low it simply doesn’t pay to take them”.

She said it means people have been left with few options but to take discrimination cases on themselves. “This can be very daunting and many disabled people simply don’t have the confidence, the energy or capacity to do this.”

Ms Williams added: “I’ve always had a burning sense of injustice which has spurred me on to pursue blatant discrimination to the bitter end.

“I have now taken more cases than I can count, but always choose which cases to take on the basis of their wider impact for other disabled people.”

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Ms Williams said she was “most proud” of the case she won against City of York Council over its licensing of pavement cafes, which followed the campaigner becoming trapped on a footpath while out shopping in York city centre in May 2022.

On leaving a shop, Ms Williams found café furniture had been put out while she was inside, blocking the dropped kerbs on either side – effectively creating an island on which she was trapped.

At the time, a council spokesperson apologised, saying “we got it wrong” and “will continue to listen and learn from the lived experiences of disabled people”.

Ms Williams said the case “certainly had the greatest impact forcing the council to change its policy thereby enabling all disabled people to get around the city with fewer obstacles on pavements”.

The Parliamentary committee was told about many barriers faced by disabled people trying to access justice including inaccessible court buildings and a failure to make reasonable adjustments for court hearings.

“It’s bitterly ironic that disabled people going to court for failures by service providers to make reasonable adjustments as they are required to do by law, then face more reasonable adjustments failures by the court system itself,” Ms Williams said.

The Justice Committee is compiling a report with recommendations for the government.

It is a disappointing result for Redknapp and his stable. The former Tottenham boss, whose week at Cheltenham has been overshadowed somewhat by links to the Spurs job, had enthusiastically backed his horse in the build-up to the race after he won December’s King George Chase, but his wait will continue for a first Gold Cup win.

Councillors heard the significant demand was driven by the cost of living crisis and the challenging private rent sector

Demand for temporary accommodation and homelessness services across Bridgend have continued to rise “significantly” despite a number of measures taken to reduce costs by the council.

The discussions were held at a council cabinet meeting where members heard how the number of households in temporary accommodation across the borough had consistently gone up since 2019.

The figures were presented to council bosses as part of an update on the service where they also gave approval for officers to enter into further agreements with private accommodation providers to enable the “continuation of short-term arrangements”.

Data given at the meeting showed the number of households in temporary accommodation in Bridgend in 2019 was 83 though by January 2026 this had climbed to 296. Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter.

It also showed consistent increases in the number of individuals in temporary accommodation with single-person households shown to make up 75% of all those temporary accommodation.

Additionally the report noted a major rise in the number of applicants on the Bridgend Common Housing Register since the 2019-20 financial year which it said was driven by the cost-of-living crisis and a challenging private rented sector.

The report said: “The demand for homelessness and temporary accommodation services has been compounded by a wider increase in demand for social housing.

“The total number of applicants on the Bridgend Common Housing Register at the end of each year has increased substantially. In 2019-20 there were 816 households on the Common Housing Register.

“At the end of January 2026 there were around 3,500 households on the Common Housing Register.

“A combination of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and a challenging private rented sector are key drivers behind this demand.”

Speaking at the meeting council leader John Spanswick praised the work of officers and said despite the rise in demand for services they had driven down the cost of delivering them by around 21% or £1m.

This came after the council purchased three of their own properties to be used as temporary accommodation along with a capital programme to “increase affordable housing options”.

Cllr Neelo Farr said the three properties purchased for HMOs were reducing their costs “tremendously” with funding now in place to buy three more over the next 12 months.

The report also noted that upscaling this positive work was still considered medium-to-long-term with agreements needed with accommodation providers such as guesthouses, holiday lets, and other properties to address the immediate pressures seen.

Cabinet members in attendance approved plans to temporarily suspend contract procedure rules for agreements to be made directly with providers for up to 12 months or three years where there is value for money.

Cllr Farr said: “This approach ensures that vulnerable people continue to have safe suitable accommodation while longer-term solutions such as increasing affordable housing and supported accommodation are developed to reduce reliance on temporary accommodations.”

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said Friday that the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping traffic has essentially been stopped since the start of the war on Iran, is actually “open” and that military leaders “don’t need to worry about it.”

“The only thing prohibiting transit in the straits right now is Iran shooting at shipping. It is open for transit should Iran not do that,” the former Fox News weekend host told reporters at a Pentagon briefing.

Hegseth, in a particularly angry appearance, also attacked press accounts suggesting that Iran’s attacks on shipping were not anticipated by President Donald Trump and his top aides when he unilaterally took the United States into war against that country two weeks ago.

“As the world is seeing, they are exercising sheer desperation in the Straits of Hormuz, something we’re dealing with. We have been dealing with it and don’t need to worry about it,” he said, and then attacked CNN by name. “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.”

The narrow passage between the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf normally sees about 20% of the world’s crude oil supply pass through. That flow has dropped to a trickle, with the exception of Iran’s own oil.

Convicted sex offender and former TV personality Stephen Bear, 36, is set to become a dad, as his 19-year-old wife, Miami, is pregnant.

Bear rose to fame on reality shows such as Shipwrecked (2011), Ex on the Beach (2015), and Celebrity Big Brother, winning the 2016 series.

In January 2021, he was arrested for uploading private CCTV footage of himself having sex with his ex-girlfriend, Georgia Harrison, on his OnlyFans account.

That May, Bear was charged with voyeurism, disclosing private, sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress, and harassment without violence.

He pleaded not guilty, but in December 2022, he was convicted. The following March, he began serving his 21-month prison sentence but was released early in January 2024.

Following his release, Bear relocated to Brazil, telling social media at the time: ‘The police can’t catch me now.’

While it’s unknown how he met his now-wife, they wed last year when she was 18.

Now, the couple have revealed that she is three months pregnant, whooping and cheering in an Instagram video after announcing: ‘Guys, we have a baby!’

‘We can confirm the baby is three months old,’ said Bear. ‘The doctor said it’s fit and healthy.

‘I’ve been wanting to tell you lot for a few weeks, but it had to be three months old before we announced the news.’

Bear added that he is ‘over the moon’, explaining that they are not going to find out the unborn baby’s sex, but because he is English and ‘really good at football’, while his wife is Brazilian, ‘[they’ve] decided that [their] baby is gonna play for the Brazilian national team’.

Miami then excitedly held up a baby’s yellow sleepsuit emblazoned with the team’s logo and with ‘Bear’ across the back.

‘We’re super excited,’ he shouted.

‘Guys, there’s a new Bear on the way! Woo! Come on!’

The video then cuts to footage of Miami having a scan while the baby’s heartbeat is played aloud.

Bear frequently shares posts online from his new life in Brazil with Miami, while she also posts vlogs, sketches, and dancing clips.

Upon his move to South America, Bear filmed himself from the beach, swigging a beer and saying: ‘I’m just chilling out; licence is finished, police is finished. I can be completely left alone, ready to enjoy my life now. All my conditions are just lifted.

‘Now I can post on social media; that was the main condition. Watch this space.’

He also debuted Miami on his page, telling the camera as he panned to her: ‘This is my 18-year-old Latina girlfriend. Say hello, baby.

‘We just chilling. I got eight music videos I got to shoot while I’m in Brazil. Thinking of looking at some property while I’m over here.’

‘As they say in Brazil, te amo, ciao. That means I love you, goodbye,’ he concluded, blowing a kiss.

He and Miami now live together in an apartment.

Bear, who served just 10 months of his jail sentence, earns a living by continuing to share explicit videos on OnlyFans, for which he charges $20 (£15) each.

Meanwhile, former Towie star Harrison, 31, who dated Bear between 2018 and 2019, waived her right to anonymity during his criminal and civil cases.

She has continued speaking publicly about revenge porn to raise awareness and highlight its prevalence, as well as demanding increased support for victims.

Harrison also donated part of the £207,900 that Bear was ordered to pay her in compensation damages to multiple charities that supported her after the incident, which, while it involved consensual sex between her and Bear at his home in Loughton, she had no idea that it was being filmed and didn’t consent to footage being shared.

Speaking previously at the Proceeds of Crime hearing, she recalled: ‘I had to live in fear that this was going to come out and my family were going to know about it.

‘It was just like the worst feeling you can ever possibly imagine. I felt violated, I felt embarrassed – I hated myself for a really long time.’

Harrison’s other work since has included fronting the documentary Revenge Porn: Georgia vs Bear (2023) and the two-part series Georgia Harrison: Porn, Power, Profit (2025).

Last year, she was appointed an MBE for her services to the prevention of violence against women and girls and for her campaigning around cybercrime. She also welcomed her first child

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When severe floods struck Valencia in late 2024, the damage quickly spread beyond the affected neighbourhoods. Infrastructure was disrupted, insurance claims surged and supply chains were hit across the region. Within days, the financial implications were clear. Events like these illustrate how sudden climate shocks can rapidly enter financial markets.

For many people, this matters more than they might think. Pension funds, insurance portfolios and long-term savings are heavily invested in companies, infrastructure and energy systems exposed to climate risk. As extreme weather events become more frequent and environmental pressures intensify, the way financial markets react to climate risks increasingly affects the economic security of savers.

Yet not all climate risks provoke the same reaction from investors. Sudden events such as floods, storms or even climate-related lawsuits (such as the landmark case brought by green groups against oil giant Shell in the Netherlands) can quickly influence market expectations.

Slower environmental changes – things like rising sea levels, prolonged drought or gradual ecosystem degradation – rarely produce the same immediate financial response. But their long-term economic consequences may ultimately be just as significant.

Understanding why financial markets react unevenly to different types of climate risk leads to an emerging area of research known as neurofinance. This field combines insights from neuroscience and finance to explain how investors evaluate uncertain future outcomes.

Although markets are often described as systems driven by data, models and algorithms, they ultimately reflect the judgements of people – investors, analysts and portfolio managers. Their decisions depend on how risks are perceived and evaluated. Neurofinance research suggests that these decisions are influenced by how the brain processes time, uncertainty, attention and risk.

More distant, but no less risky

One study showed that people often react more strongly to immediate and emotionally vivid threats than to slower or more abstract risks. This can be true even when the long-term consequences of those slower risks are just as serious.

This pattern is not limited to financial decisions. People may respond quickly to an acute danger such as a fire alarm or a storm, while slower but potentially serious risks can attract less urgent responses. In other words, risks that are visible, concrete and near-term tend to command more attention than those that unfold gradually over long periods.

This does not mean that long-term risks are ignored, but it may mean that their influence on decisions emerges more slowly.

This difference in attention is often described using the concept of “salience” – how strongly a particular signal stands out at the point where a decision is made. Risks that are vivid, identifiable and easy to explain are more likely to enter discussions about valuation and investment strategy. More distant or complex risks may receive less attention, even when their potential economic impact is large.

Climate change provides a clear illustration of this dynamic. After all, different types of risk vary significantly in how salient they appear. Some risks emerge suddenly. New laws or regulations, carbon-pricing policies or litigation can quickly alter the outlook for companies and industries.

Because these developments resemble familiar economic shocks, they often attract investors’ attention immediately. Other risks – rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns and long-term environmental degradation – typically unfold over decades. Their effects may be significant but are often harder to link to a single moment or event. As a result, they can appear more abstract in day-to-day investment discussions.

The key difference may lie less in the objective scale of these risks than in how easily they capture people’s attention. Sudden events generate clear signals that investors can process quickly.

This helps to explain why markets sometimes appear highly reactive to climate-related headlines while adjusting more slowly to deeper environmental trends.

For long-term investments such as pension funds, this uneven response presents an important challenge. Pension portfolios are designed to manage risks over decades. Yet financial markets often react most strongly to events that occur suddenly. As a result, portfolios may adjust quickly to regulatory changes or litigation and more gradually to environmental pressures that build over time.

Research also suggests that investors’ views about climate risk do not always translate directly into investment decisions. Surveys indicate that many investors recognise the financial importance of climate change, yet portfolio allocations vary widely. Economists often describe this as the difference between stated views and revealed behaviour in financial decision-making.

Institutional structures within financial markets may reinforce these patterns. Investment managers are frequently assessed on quarterly performance and benchmark comparisons. These incentives naturally draw attention to risks that influence markets in the near term. Slower-moving risks may receive less focus in day-to-day portfolio decisions.

None of this implies that markets are ignoring climate change or behaving irrationally. Financial markets reflect the decisions of millions of individuals and institutions operating under uncertainty and time pressures. But insights from neurofinance suggest that the way risks capture people’s attention influences how quickly they affect decision-making.

Understanding how attention and perception shape financial decisions may help to explain why markets sometimes react dramatically to climate headlines while adjusting more slowly to long-term environmental change. This is a pattern that matters for investors, policymakers and pension-holders alike.

Aston Villa 2015-16 – Position: 20. Points 17

Talking of FA Cup finals, it was gilet out, shirt and tie in as Tim Sherwood led Aston Villa to Wembley in 2015, his tactics “bamboozling” Liverpool en route before a heavy final defeat by Arsenal.

Sherwood also steered Villa away from the drop but, shorn of influential stars Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph in the summer, was sacked after six successive defeats left them bottom in October.

Kevin Macdonald, briefly, Remi Garde and Eric Black all had a stab at getting a tune from the young prospects Villa reinvested in but, with ownership issues rumbling, the club – one of only seven Premier League ever-presents at the time – dropped out of the top flight for the first time since 1988.

Middlesbrough 1996-97 – Position: 19th. Points 39

Silver hair shimmering in the Teesside sunshine, the sight of Fabrizio Ravanelli celebrating a debut hat-trick against Liverpool – months after scoring in Juventus’ Champions League triumph – had Middlesbrough fans dreaming.

Throw in Brazilian trio Juninho, Emerson and Branco, with Bryan Robson in the dugout, and the Riverside faithful felt they could win the lot.

They almost did an FA and League Cup double, losing both finals, but those dazzling runs could not be replicated in the league.

Ravanelli, reportedly the highest-paid man in the league, scored at almost the same rate he bemoaned the club’s professionalism in the Italian press, suggesting Juventus coaches were having to fax him fitness plans.

Emerson went missing, his wife not very complimentary about Teesside.

But what effectively sent Middlesbrough down was the decision to not play against Blackburn because of an illness and injury crisis – the FA docked Boro three points, they finished two from survival.