Perhaps St Patrick couldn't bear the thought of his story being given the Disney treatment. First, those behind the newly opened St Patrick Centre in Downpatrick had to deal with floods, power cuts and blizzards.
Then they were faced with a biblical-style plague in the form of foot-and-mouth that led to the cancellation of the official launch and St Patrick's Day itself.
"We thought the only other thing that could happen was that the snakes would decide to come back into the country," said project director Dr Tim Campbell, sitting in the centre.
Despite the setbacks, the multi-million pound, purpose-built development - billed as a gateway to Co Down - has battled on. News that former US president Mr Bill Clinton is making a return visit to the North in May was greeted with excitement at the centre yesterday . Hopes are high that Mr Clinton might preside over the official launch.
Just over 5,000 people have visited the centre since it opened in February. This may be only half of the anticipated number but Mr Campbell is confident that the St Patrick brand will eventually lure the tourist masses, turning Northern Ireland's latest attraction into a profitable exercise.
"We are promoting a product which is already internationally recognised. We have had a fabulous response from tour operators. Anybody who comes to Ireland as a tourist will be interested in the St Patrick experience," Dr Campbell said.
That experience starts when you enter the breathtaking glass and wood atrium which forms the reception area for the St Patrick Centre before crossing over a "time bridge" into the fifth century. The £6.3 million sterling development uses state-of-the art sound and visual technology to tell the story of the patron saint in his own writings and in the later pronouncements of the monks whose hagiography served to elevate Patrick to super-saint status.
The centre, which also features gallery space and a restaurant, is divided into "soundcones" where special audio effects mean the exhibits emit an umbrella of sound. At times it is as though St Patrick is whispering his Confessio in your ear. This is all the more eerie when the centre is empty - heavy rain and the ongoing foot-and-mouth crisis meant the crowds were staying away when The Irish Times visited.
Elsewhere, the visitor can hear the views of those who were opposed to the saint as he began his mission in Ireland as well as a more contemporary analysis from academic and ecumenical sources. The diversity of the exhibits raises the question: will the real St Patrick please stand up?
The most surprising voice heard is that of DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley. During a brilliantly produced multimedia presentation in the centre's small auditorium - the 180degree screen may induce motion sickness, a notice warns - Dr Paisley is heard extolling the virtues of St Patrick, encouraging the audience to visit those sites associated with the patron saint. There is no shortage of these around Downpatrick - the saint's reputed burial place is a couple of hundred yards away.
The more tacky St Patrick symbols, shamrock and snakes, form mere footnotes in a story which reclaims St Patrick for all Christians.
Through word walls, sculptures, bridges, clever graphics and interactive computer exhibits, the centre makes it clear that St Patrick's biggest legacy is a life story that has been ingeniously repackaged through time. For example, we learn it is likely that the enigmatic saint's preferred colour wasn't actually green. But then The Wearing of the Blue just doesn't have the same ring.
For more information contact the St Patrick's Centre, Downpatrick on 048 44 619000. Website address: www.saint patrickcentre.com. Opening hours 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Mon-Sat, 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Sun. Adults: £4.50, Children £2.25, Concessions £3.00, Students £3.00, Family £11.00 (2 adults and 2 children). All prices in sterling.