NAMES are really important. In common with many other people, I’m always pleased when a little known acquaintance remembers mine. But on the other hand I really hate it when people get my name wrong and my husband is of like mind.

I’m called Julia but intensely dislike being addressed as Julie and my husband can't abide his name Patrick being shortened to Pat or Paddy.

And the way that we say things – our tone of voice – is also important. My four adult children think it a great joke when my husband nods off in front of the TV and starts to snore. This is because if they instruct him: ‘Wake up, Dad!' he simply ignores them. However, if they shout ‘Patrick!’ and use the same intonation of voice as mine, he opens his eyes and immediately stops snoring! In other words, it could be said that we’re hard-wired to respond to the voice of a loved one in much the same way as we respond to the sound of our own names.

On March 17th we celebrate my husband’s saint’s name – St Patrick – the principal patron saint of Ireland. Although the details of this former missionary and bishop of Ireland are somewhat sketchy, we can rest assured that his fervent desire to bring Christianity to the Celtic pagans of Ireland was successful. He famously used the three-leaf shamrock to explain the Trinity.

And in fact, although a massive celebration of everything remotely Irish usually takes place on March 17th the intended meaning of Saint Patrick's Day is for spiritual renewal and missionary prayer. A beautiful objective.