St. Patrick was born in 385 A.D. in Scotland, became a priest and went to Ireland to teach people about God, using the shamrock to explain the Trinity; he died on March 17, 461 A.D. Leprechauns are said to possess pots of gold that can disappear if one doesn't watch them carefully. Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated with parades, dancing, green rivers and beer as people wear green and shamrocks for luck and in memory of Ireland.