The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is an order of chivalry associated with Ireland. The Order was created in 1783 by George III. The regular creation of knighthoods of St Patrick lasted until 1922, when most of Ireland became independent as the Irish Free State. While the Order technically still exists, no knighthood of St Patrick has been created since 1934, and the last surviving knight, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, died in 1974. The patron saint of the Order is St Patrick. Its motto is Quis separabit?, which is Latin for "Who will separate us?". Most British orders of chivalry cover the entire kingdom, but the three most exalted ones each pertain to one constitutent nation only. The Order of St Patrick, which pertains to Ireland, is the third-most senior in precedence and age. The Order of St Patrick earned international coverage when in 1907 its insignia, known generally as the Irish Crown Jewels, were stolen from Dublin Castle shortly before a visit by the Order's Sovereign, King Edward VII. Their whereabouts remain a mystery.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_St._Patrick

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1950: The discovery of Californium, a radioactive transuranium element, was announced. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californium)

1958: Vanguard 1, the first solar-powered satellite, was launched. It is the oldest human-launched object still in space today. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanguard_1)

1959: Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th and current Dalai Lama, fled Tibet for India. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenzin_Gyatso%2C_14th_Dalai_Lama)

1969: Golda Meir of the Labour Party became the fourth Prime Minister of Israel. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golda_Meir)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

"Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. There is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof." -- "V" in V for Vendetta (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/V_for_Vendetta_%28film%29)