It is highly unlikely St.Patrick ever snacked on corn beef or cabbage or downed a pint of Guinness.

But a new study shows what the Irish patron saint probably ate in the Fifth Century.

His diet consisted of a mix of dairy, cheeses, cereals, porridge, gruel, eggs, honey, seaweed and fish, according to an expert.

Culinary historian Regina Sexton, of University College Cork, has discovered what the the diet available in fifth-century Ireland was.

Remember this was centuries before that strange crop the potato was introduced from the Andes.

“From May onwards, the diet was very much dominated by dairy produce. It was incredible, such profound skills were developed making all sorts of wonderful creations from milk right up until the time the potato was universally adopted.”

So a St Patrick Irish breakfast would have been oatmeal and eggs, not a million miles from what many eat today, with cheese and corn for dinner washed down with milk and maybe a glass of honey wine in the evening.

Might become a fad diet one day!