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Fort Smith,
Northwest AR
Every little leprechaun born on St. Patrick’s Day at Mercy hospitals in Arkansas will be dressed for the occasion. Newborns arriving March 17 will receive a green onesie that celebrates Mercy’s Irish roots.
The design includes a shamrock and reads, “Born at Mercy on St. Paddy’s Day.” Catherine McAuley, Mercy’s foundress, opened the first House of Mercy in Dublin in 1827, making the 1,500-year-old holiday celebrating Ireland’s patron saint a special one at Mercy hospitals.
“Nothing brightens St. Patrick’s Day quite like the arrival of our newest little blessings,” said Whitney Tolbert, vice president for women and children’s services at Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas. “We feel lucky to welcome them into the world.”
In 2025, Mercy labor and delivery departments in Fort Smith and Rogers each experienced a record number of births, with more than 3,000 babies born in Fort Smith and almost 2,500 born at Mercy NWA. (Mercy’s downloadable pregnancy guides have everything expecting parents need to know to prepare for their own little lucky charm.)
Mercy and St. Patrick
The Sisters of Mercy came to the United States from Ireland in 1843. They arrived in St. Louis in 1871 and eventually established hospitals throughout the Midwest.
Catholicism is deeply intertwined with Irish history. As he ministered to early Christians in Ireland, St. Patrick is credited with using the three-leaf shamrock as a symbol for the Holy Trinity – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The clover’s three leaves are also associated with faith, hope and love.
“Joy has long been an essential part of the Sisters of Mercy’s mission, and that tradition continues in our hospital,” said Kristin Johnson, director of maternal child services at Mercy Hospital Fort Smith. “With Mercy welcoming a record number of babies in Arkansas each year, these onesies offer a meaningful way to share that joy and honor our Irish heritage with new families on March 17.”
St. Patrick Facts
· Not Originally Green: The holiday was originally associated with the color blue in medieval times but later shifted to green, possibly influenced by Ireland’s nickname as the “Emerald Isle,” the country’s lush green landscapes, the green shamrock and the green in the Irish flag.
· St. Patrick Wasn’t Irish: Although he’s Ireland’s patron saint, he was born in Britain.
· Global Celebration: Despite its Irish origin, the day is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival and on every continent.
· Lenten Reprieve: The holiday falls during Lent, a 40-day period of spiritual reflection between Ash Wednesday and Easter, but Lenten dietary restrictions are traditionally lifted for the day.
· Largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade: New York City’s parade attracts millions of participants and spectators each year.
· Irish Ancestry: Irish roots are the second-most commonly reported in the U.S. (after German) with some 35 million Americans claiming Irish heritage.
· Patty or Paddy? Either is correct, but St. Paddy’s Day is more popular and came from shortening the Irish spelling of Patrick, which is Pádraig.
Read more about St. Patrick from St. Patrick Catholic Church in Wentzville, Missouri, a parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis where Mercy is headquartered today.
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