Laoire High King of Ireland

St Patrick's Day has always been a bit of a mystery to me. Resplendent with people pretending to be Irish, celebrated by people who would never dream of living there intermixed with the sad politics of that beautiful island.
Modern research suggests Patrick was probably a tax collector, was the son of a deacon and grandson of a priest and, therefore by this status, would have owned at least one slave. The legends, his own writings and the Annals of Ulster obviously paint something more noble of course.
But in the stories a hero emerges totally forgotten in history. Laoire, High King of Ireland, was at Slane for the annual Pagan ceremony where fires were lit  then extinguished prior to the New Year( I think!). Patrick lit the Paschal Fire and the Pagan priests were not amused. However on outlining his beliefs Patrick so impressed Laoire that he allowed him to make converts throughout Ireland, unimpeded.
An ancient example of tolerance and even multi culturalism? We will never know the truth but I would suggest, looking at Ireland's subsequent experiment with Christianity, perhaps Laoire made the biggest mistake in history.