He's buried in Kilkenny!
... Perhaps, though, when Santa delivers presents to the children of Thomastown in Co Kilkenny, he stops to take a wistful look toward the remains of the lost town of Newtown Jerpoint, and the ruined Church of St Nicholas. After all, that’s where he’s buried.
You see, before Santa became Santa, a very long time ago, he was a man named Nicholas. He was born during the time of the Roman empire, more than 1,700 years ago, on March 15th in AD 270, in the port city of Myra, in what is now southern Turkey.
Nicholas, the son of wealthy Christian parents, was a very religious child. His parents died when he was young, and his uncle, who was the local bishop and also called Nicholas, raised him. In time, Nicholas was ordained a priest and years later he too became a bishop. He became renowned for his generosity and his secret gift-giving. ...
It is said that two 12th-century crusaders brought the remains of St Nicholas as far from danger as they could, taking him to what was then the ends of the earth – to Ireland.
Some believe the remains of St Nicholas were buried at the Church of St Nicholas in what is now the lost town of Newtown Jerpoint, two miles from Thomastown in Co Kilkenny. Newtown Jerpoint was founded in the 12th century at a toll bridge on the river Nore (Jerpoint meaning “Nore bridge”). For 500 years, it was a thriving town, but now all that remains are ruins on the privately owned Jerpoint Park. ...
https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/...nd-possibly-residing-in-co-kilkenny-1.4095377
You sleigh me!
