History and facts
Gunnery name history
The surname Gunary and its variants Gunnery, Gundry, Gundrey and Goundry is of patranymic origin, that is, it belongs to the category of surnames derived from the first name of the father of the initial bearer. In this instance, the name indicates “son of Gunary”, a variant of Gundry.
The personal name Gundry is ultimately of Germanic origin, derived from the old High german word “gund” meaning “battle” and “rihhi” meaning “power, rule”.
In French this became Gundri and this personal name was introduced into England by the Normans during the invasion of 1066.
The earliest record of this personal name dates back to 1100 when one Gundericus was recorded in the “Cartularium monasterii de Rameseia” of Hertfordshire. It appears as a surname in 1296 when on William Gundrey was listed in the “Subsidy Rolls” of Sussex. The marriage of Nathaniel Gundry and Julia Maria Palmer is registered in St. George, Hannover Square in 1775.
Blazon of Arms: Two lions passant guardant in pale azure.
Translation: The lion denotes Courage, Strength and Generosity.
Crest: A demi lion holding in the dexter paw a sword all proper.
Who Was St. Patrick?
St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. But for all his celebrity, his life remains somewhat of a mystery. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, the products of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling.
Taken Prisoner by Irish Raiders
It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 493 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place. Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near Killala.) During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.
Guided By Visions
After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice-which he believed to be God's-spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.
To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation-an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than fifteen years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission-to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. (Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.)
Bonfires and Crosses
Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honouring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. (Although there were a small number of Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture cantered around a rich tradition of oral legend and myth. When this is considered, it is no surprise that the story of Patrick's life became exaggerated over the centuries-spinning exciting tales to remember history has always been a part of the Irish way of life.)
St. Patrick – Curriculum Vitae
| Name: | Maewyn Succat (He adopted Patrick or Patricius upon becoming a priest) |
| Nationality: | Roman Briton |
| Born: | Around 415 AD |
| Died: | March 17th, 493 (Disputed) |
| Travels: | At the age of 16 he was brought to Ireland. He later returned to his home in Wales, travelled to France and eventually came back to Ireland. |
| Education: | Very little in his early life. He later trained as a cleric in France |
| Occupation: | Sheep herder for Milchu on Slemish Mountain in Co. Antrim and later preacher, baptiser and bishop. |
| Achievements: | Posthumously became Ireland's patron saint responsible for the conversion of the island of Ireland to Christianity. |
| Interests / Hobbies: | Preaching, writing, travel, church building, hill walking (once spent 40 days on Croagh Patrick) |
| Legacies: | Pota Phadraig (Patrick's Pot) is the name given to the measure of whiskey to be taken on Saint Patrick's Day. Tradition dictates that a shamrock is floated on the whiskey before drinking, hence the expression, 'drowning the shamrock' |
| The Reek: | Every year thousands of pilgrims, many in bare feet, climb the 2,500 ft to the peak of Croagh Patrick, to pay homage to Saint Patrick's Christian mission in Ireland. Legend says that it was here that the saint rang his bell and the snakes of Ireland fled. |
Things you didn’t know about St. Patrick:
- At the age of sixteen, shortly before he was taken into captivity, “he committed a fault which appears not to have been a great crime, yet was to him a subject of tears during the rest of his life”.
Myths about Saint Patrick:
He used a shamrock to explain the TRINITY: Not True
but the Shamrock was traditionally worn in Ireland as a symbol of the cross.
He drove the SNAKES out of Ireland: Not True
Ireland never had snakes but the snake metaphor was probably used later to represent paganism.
He was the first to preach the GOOD NEWS in Ireland: Not True
it is know that there were Christians in Ireland before his time.
He is thought to have been born and died on his FEESTDAY, March 17th. Both claims are considered Unlikely.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade: Contrary to popular belief, this tradition did not originate in Ireland. The first St. Patrick’s Day celebration took place in America in 1737. This was hosted by the Charitable Irish Society of Boston. Today festive parades are held all over the world, to raise a glass to the saint and to celebrate being IRISH.
Publications: The Life of St. Patrick and his place in History, by John Bagnell Bury; The Real Story of Saint Patrick by Simms; Epistle to Coroticus Confession.