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LONDON:
Longmans,

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1871.

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.'

Cist of Sfilustrattona.

Vn*

The

tfoice of the Irish; or,

of the

$ngcl appearing

Illustrated

Title

St. tfatrich

St.

The Baptism

*_,

vn
-

13

Escape from Captivity, and

St. ffatrich Ifraying in

Food

11!

Convent,

tahen Captive in Boulogne,

I?atrich's

of

the Sailors calling

St. Ifatrich

to tfatrich,

Kenmare

bounty Kerry,

The Vision

him

to return,

the desert,

of St. tfatrich,

1-1

43

Si

procuring a miraculous supply

for the Sailors,

DO

ifist of Illustrations

St,

St.

Patrick Taming; the

St.

Wolf
had

Patrick obliges a
the

Sheep which

f atrich's

it

Temptation,

St, ffatrich's Bell,

f atrich f reaching

The
St.

entreating

him

to

at Tara,

ijealing of the lepers,

f atrich showing
of the

eouer of

...

the People the

Four Gospels,

Booh

St. ffatrich's Bell,

St. fatrich blessing the Jflain of

The Vision
St.

bach

stolen,

remain with them,

St.

to bring

ffatricVs farents

St.

Wild 0x,

of the

Synod

Tara,

of Clerics,

Patrick Predicting the

Birth

of

Golumba, and HHuiding the Waters,

279

2$J

St.
-

-^Ssg^nsT^

305

ist of JUusfratiatts.

Patrick met by Virgins in the

St.

of Fochlut,

St.

321

Patrick sends the Chariot to St. Fiacc,

327

The JBunstermen going out

Patrick,

im

St.

to

meet

St.

37J

Patrick and

for

St.

Wood
-

Armagh

Bare Offering

Cathedral,

the Site
-

-----

393

Patrick marhing onall's Shield with

the ross,

Warning

the Sabhath-breahers at Trian,

Seath of an Impostor,

St. Jfatrich carried to

The Women

of

Grean

503

529

Eome by

Patrick's departure,

439

the &ngel,

bewailing

569

St.

571

Heath of

St.

St. ffatricfe,

f atficVs

f? urgatort}

*S.),

609

(from a rnediseual
-

621

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ft*

II

be

]n

esent Life of St. Patrick, whatever

its defects,

5*7 being the

first

may

can at least claim the credit of

Life of the great Apostle of Ire-

laud which has given

missionary labours

full details of his acts

the

first

and

Life in which all

the existing material has been used.

The

con-

wearying labours of the Catholic

stant and

clergy of Ireland, and their evangelical poverty,

have hitherto hindered the production of any Life of the Saint.

A few little pamphlets, tracing his career in outline, have been
published from time to time; but, beyond
yet been done.

and beyond
thrown a

all,

The

this,

nothing has as

labours of some Irish priests

of the

flood of light

but.

Veiy Rev. Monsignor Moran

above

have

on disputed questions of dates and opi-

nions, which only need

be utilized in order to remove

to

misapprehensions, which have been caused by the, no doubt,

unintentional misstatements of Protestant writers.

But, although there has been as yet no complete Catholic

Life of St. Patrick, two volumes have been written by Protestants, purporting to be Lives or

large
is

volume of the

called, indeed,

Ireland

Todd

late Dr.

on the

a Memoir of

title

Ilia

Memoirs of the
is

Saint.

strangely misnamed.

The
It

page, " St. Patrick, Apostle of

Life

amd Mission;" but even

the

v/

Preface.

up one

autlior has felt obliged to apologise for filling

volume with an introduction, the object

that the Protestant

Church

Church

a statement

to prove

of the

the time of the Reformation.

common

sense could

make such

almost incomprehensible, yet this very writer ex-

is

connected with the

As

" at

of intellect and of

pects his readers to take his

ments

half of the
is

and that the Catholic Church was intro-

of St. Patrick,

man

which

the real representative

is

duced from a " foreign source

How

of

life of St.

-ipse

dixit for proof on every subject

Patrick in which he finds any state-

in ancient records contrary to his pre-conceived opiuion.

it

will be necessary to refer to Dr. Todd's

Memoir
body

quently, not only in the Preface, but also in the

Work,

fre-

of this

bound, in justice to his memory, to express

feel

my

admiration for his avoidance of any kind of vulgar bigotry in

his

remarks on Catholic customs

rare talents,

and the invaluable

But a

to Irish archaeology.

bine to

make
show

man was

led

The very

and

my

services

love of truth

high respect for his

which he has rendered

and

incumbent on a Catholic

it

freely, to

of the faith,

writer, boldly

the fallacies into which a learned

comand

and honourable

by early prejudice.
fact of a writer

making a statement

so entirely

opposed to history, as admitted without question by Protestant

historians of ability,

is

in itself sufficient evidence of his dis-

And, indeed, as
might be expected, we find that the so-called " Memoir " of St.

qualification for the task he has undertaken.

Patrick's Life

and rejection

and Mission
of,

that St. Patrick

is

simply a continuous criticism on,

every circumstance which would tend to prove

was a

Catholic.

Yet the writer

is

obliged to

admit, again and again, the authenticity of the documents from

which he quotes.

Thus we

find

him admitting,

he caunot well help doing, the authenticity of

St.

as

indeed

Patrick's

Confession, in which the Saint himself states that he invoked

Elias.

But Dr. Todd cannot admit that

St.

Patrick invoked

:t

i_W J ifoP

-^

v r-prfrrrr"

'

* -_

>wj j

._!_*

Preface
the Saints, though

from the

it

was the practice of the universal Church

earliest ages.

He

is,

therefore, obliged to accept the

help of another Protestant writer,

to try and explain

away a

who

also found

it

necessary

plain statement, or to substitute

This writer says

a pure conjecture of his own.

Patrick

St.

did not invoke Elias the prophet, but that he invoked Helios,

the sun.

seems a

was a

this

greater difficulty, for he believes St. Patrick

" true Christian,"

and does not

Why

have invoked the sun.

torture language,

away

amusing candour, admits that

Dr. Todd, with

still

plain facts

see, as such,

how he

could

must these writers twist and

and make the wildest conjectures to explain

and why do they prefer making

it

appear

that St. Patrick was an idolater rather than a Catholic

Dr.

own explanation is, that the transcribers of St. Patrick's

manuscript made a mistake. But once more, why this extreme
anxiety to explain away a word ? Why must St. Patrick be made
a pagan, who invokes the sun 1 or why must his transcribers,
in this one special instance, be supposed to make a mistake ?
Then St. Patrick himself, in this same document, gives an
Todd's

account of the vision in which the angel Victor appeared to

him

in

the night, and gave

written the words, "

But Dr. Todd

The

him the

again in a

is

vision are given in full

upon which were

letters

voice of the Irish."

difficulty.

As the

details of this

by St Patrick himself, he cannot

as in the case of Elias, that the transcriber

made a

There are too many words, too many sentences, and the
are altogether too plain to admit of contradiction.

the difficulty thus

He says

St.

does not stop to explain or consider

how

it

it

Dr.

Todd

was possible

for

a Protestant, to have such very Catholic opiniona

Surely no good Protestant would ever

and surely

details

He

B
Patrick " believed, no doubt,

that he had seen visions, and dreamed dreams."

St. Patrick, as

say,

mistake.

was quite as

"

make such

suppositions,

Popish" to believe in apparitions

Preface.
of angels, in ecstacies, in divine revelations, as to invoke Elias.

The

a course never seems to have

of such

inconsistency

occurred to the acute intellect of the Protestant divine.

continues his explanation thus

"

He

Other well-meaning and

excellent men, in all ages of the Church, have in like

imagined themselves to have had visions of this kind

manner

to have

been recipients of immediate revelations."

Thus, when

St. Patrick's Catholicity

the mistake of a transcriber,

But what

right,

it is

cannot be credited

to

credited to his " imagination."

moral or divine, had Dr. Todd, or any other

individual, to accuse St. Patrick of having " imagined " he had

when he

a vision,

distinctly states, in a

solemn manner, and

ir

a carefully compiled document, that he had not merely one

but several visions

of

What

men, however learned

right has any man, or any

solemn testimony, not of one, but of thousands

From

number

in earthly science, to disbelieve the

?

the hour in which the advent of the Christian Dis-

pensation was announced, by a vision of angels, to the poor

shepherds who watched upon the mountains at Bethlehem,

visions,

and

revelations,

and angel

the Holy Catholic Church.

As

visits

have never ceased in

have given ample evidence

on this subject in the introductory chapter, no more need be

said at present.

It is

shown there

fully that such "signs"

were promised by Christ, were expected by his

believed by

Jerome,

St.

St.

Augustine,

St.

Ignatius

Anthony the Hermit, and

disciples,

the

Martyr

were
St.

countless other saints.

any one bold enough to say that St. Augustine, St. Anthony,
" the wonders which they have
St. Ignatius " imagined
If all the supernatural occurrences which have
recorded ?

Is

and

been related were pure

"

imaginations

" of

fictions,

which existed only in the

the relaters, what do such persons say to

Are they pure " imaginations ?" Can a man who

?
has been blind suddenly " imagine " that he sees ? Can a

miracles

Preface.

man who
Are

ill

been a cripple suddenly Imagine that be walks?

lias

the witnesses of the man's recovery of sight, or of the

to their

power of motion, victims

doubt, imagination
of the

is

No

"imagination" also?

a very powerful and very wonderful faculty

human mind; but might it not be just possible that those

who have declared themselves witnesses of such occur-

persons

rences, really did see them,

and that those who disbelieve them

imagine" they are right in rejecting all visions and

miracles, and yet may be wrong ? Those who have seen visions,

may

"

performance of miracles, have, at

or witnessed the

least, as

good

a logical right to consider such persons victims to their imagination as they have to consider

But

is

it

man who

them

victims to theirs.

unnecessary to pursue this subject further.

will

not believe the sworn testimony of thousands

Ample

past argument.

authorities quoted,

testimony, with

full

A
is

reference to the

given in the ensuing pages of the con-

is

stant recurrence of miracles, visions, and revelations, from the

earliest ages to

the present day.

Those who

reject such

an

accumulation of evidence are either unwilling or incapable of

In either case, they are subjects for the prayers

conviction.
.(

'atholics,

and certainly not

When commencing

for their

contempt.

his brief account of St. Patrick's Life

and Labours, Dr. Todd expressly says that he confines himself

" to the leading facts of his history, selecting those which
seem most

likely to be true."

Todd does not believe

We

St. Patrick

be expected to believe

have already seen that Dr.

himself; how, then, could he

St. Patrick's

biographers

But even

made en the arbitrary principle of

which Dr. Todd did not believe himself,

with this careful selection,

rejocti

thing

the facts which are left after this elimination are

that he

is

all

so Catholic

continually obliged to explain or excuse them.

The only other work

be a "Life of

of

St. Patrick,"

any pretension,

purporting

to

has been written by Mr. Steele

Nicholson, and the object

the title-page,
his

Patrick's] Mission,

[St

and

plainly and candidly stated on

runs thus:

"The

Story

OOO

of

by Pope Celestine, in A.D. 431,

Church of Rome, proved to

connection with the

his

mere

be a

is

part of which

This sufficiently describes the work,

fiction."

When

and makes criticism unnecessary.

mences with stating

facts of history,

his disbelief in

a writer com-

of the best attested

work may be interesting

his

agree with him, but

some

is

In the body of the present

entirely to the notes.

to those

who

simply valueless to others.

Work

been confined

criticism has

For general reading

it

would be both

unnecessary and uninteresting to break the narrative continually with statements of conflicting theories

and refutations

of misstatements, which have been offered again and again

without any appreciable

The Work

result.

also is written

principally for Catholics; the teaching of the Bible and of the

Church alike agree

Saints,

and

in inculcating reverence for the Lives of the

in giving their histories as a subject to

mm

reverence for personal edification, as

Tiifiit

cloud of witnesses"

Hence

who surround

us,

members

and watch our

also criticism in the life itself would

Still it

must not be supposed

for a

be read with

of the " great

actions.

be quite out of place.

moment

that Catholics

accept every detail of the Lives of Saints as literally true, or

that they do not consider such works open
There are some few subjects connected with

and

to fair criticism.
St. Patrick's life

which demanded careful consideration, and which

acts

have received

critical

examination.

All such matters are fully

referred to in the notes appended to each page.

rities for

The autho-

the Life and Acts of St. Patrick are given in the

introductory chapters, and these are admitted to be genuine

and of great antiquitv, even by Protestant

One

of the ancient Lives of

ancient,

is

given in

full,

historians.

St. Patrick, if

not the most

and has been translated expressly

for

this

work from the original

eminent Celtic

scholar,

The antiquity and value

by the well-known and

Irish

William Hennessy,

Esq.,

M.R.I.A.

of the original will be explained in

For the kindness of Mr. Hennessy

the proper place.

un-

in

dertaking such a work, the writer can never be sufficiently

The

grateful.

tions to

him

readers of this volume arc under deep obliga-

There are

also.

not, perhaps,

more than three

or

four other philologists in this country capable of such a task

for the

language

in

which the original

is

written

differs so

completely from the Irish spoken at present as to be unintelligible to those

special study.

who have not made

have

P.P., M.R.I.A., for

al.so

to

though

must

labour in a populous

rare,

is

not unfrequent

thank

also

Mr.

scholarly identifications

me

J.

O'Laverty,

valuable assistance, which he could only

have given by depriving himself of

his day's

Celtic philology their

thank the Rev.

rest,

much needed
Such

parish.

among

after

self-sacrifice,

the Irish clergy.

Hanna, of Belfast, for careful and

of sites and facts, which have saved

considerable trouble.

But above

all

must express

Rev. Monsignor Moran,

my

of reading the proofs, and affording

to a Catholic, is

obligations to the Very

who has undertaken

me

the anxious labour

the literary, and what,

more important, theological assistance

The lamp of science is but an ignis fatuns,
those who follow it into the quick-sands of
still

which was needed.

which

may

lead

error, instead of the

narrow road of true philosophy,

not aided by the lamp of Faith.

would be a bold
source of

all

man who made

knowledge,

If

it

the denial, that

He must

also

if it

is

be admitted, and he

God

is

be the source of

the
all

Our very word science means literally (scio) to

know, and who can know as God knows ? What are the most

true science.

wonderful discoveries in science but guesses

mations

to,

those truths which

He

at, or

approxi-

alone knows perfectly

Preface.

And

He

not

is

truth

the source of truth

-the unfailing

We

Let us not deceive ourselves.

fountain of

pride ourselves on

our increased knowledge, yet what do we really

know

We

'{

pride ourselves on discovering some of the laws by which the

One controls the universe, yet what do all our disamount to ? The little babe who was baptized, and died
within the last half hour in its mother's arms, knows incomAnd why ?
parably more than the wisest man on earth.
Eternal

coveries

Because

There

it

has seen God, the source and fountain of knowledge.

no science of the truth of which we

is

as the science of theology, and yet there

which mankind are so

;

uwiniwipi' 9

leads

him

to prefer

revealed to

him by God.

himself, for the other

matters

it

to

him

the revelation of
said

Alas,

if

The pride

indifierent.

his

own

may

be so sure

no science about

is

For the one he can take credit

he

is

true

What

matters

and a thousand times alas

it

it

to

What

indebted to his Creator.

is

his conjectures prove utterly false,

God

man

of fallen

guesses at truth to the truth

and

if

have

to him, I

may matter a whole

eternity of weal or woe.

If

God has

revealed to His Church what

teach, then the science of theology

it

shall believe

physical science, the laws of which he has not revealed

physical science
[f

must submit

to be corrected

God has not made a revelation

would enable the human race to know how

which a malignant

unfortunate victim.

and suppose
to

for

one

how we should

Who

spirit

serve

left

might

can think of

moment

Him

by

of

and

theological,

of the laws of theology which

worshipped and served, then are we

error, in

and

must take precedence

that

He

shall

be

rejoice to ensnare his

God

has

in this world,

highest state of happiness in the next.

He

in a wild chaos of

as a

left

God

and attain

The

of love,

us in doubt as
to the

Catholic Church

and the Catholic Church alone, has ever maintained the

honour of God in this matter; and from the time in which
I

MjH*H

the truths of revelation, as delivered to the apostles, were

" signs,"

proved by

and the

"

shadow

" of St.

Peter worked

mi nicies, even to the present day, when a cure of Ars, and

many

known and unknown, have worked

saints,

like miracles

testimony to the truth of revelation and the authority of the

Church has never been wanting. Yet it must be added, also,
that since the time

when the

and "put in hold"

for

people, which

their

apostles were " laid hands on,"

performing a miracle before

all

the

persecutors admitted they " could not

deny," to the present day,

men have been

found fain to admit

the existence of an infallible Church, and yet unwilling to

make any

We
to

sacrifice in order to

become members

may, perhaps, be allowed to

the style in which this

Work

believe that

no

such a work.

illustrations,

Britain,

and

by the

Irish publisher has ever

Now

that penal laws

pily things of the past, it is

it.

has been got out, and the

pains which have been taken both by the artist

and engraved the

of

the reader's attention

call

who designed
printer.

We

attempted to produce

and confiscations are hap-

time that the Catholics of Great

America, and Australia should show that they are not

so indifferent to the highest style of art and culture as their

calumniators suppose.

For the sake both of our

religion

and

our nationality we should not allow those who differ from us on

We should not
the former subject to issue all our best works.
forget that
lic

it

spirit for

remained

for a Protestant publisher,

which he deserves national thanks,

with a pubto produce

the " Annals of the Four Masters."

It

is

certainly most painful to read

subject constantly

painful to

know

made by English

the remarks on this

and still more

some foundation.

writers,

that they are not without

Irish people seem to forget that Ireland was the insula

doctorum when she was the insula sanctorum. The majority
of our Irish youth of the upper classes are at present educated

in English schools

young men

of

and colleges

there was a time

when

England and of continental Europe came

taught in Ireland.

Make

the

to

be

the largest margin of allowance for

penal laws, disabilities, and disadvantages, and grant that

it

was

natural our youth should prefer English education until a recent

period,

why

should this

still

continue

Why

should there

not be an Irish Catholic University from which the English

Catholic

youth might consider

men

an honour to receive a

it

Such an university there never

diploma?

will

be until

Irish-

themselves show more respect to their national literature.

Irishmen have nothing to be ashamed of either in their

*>;

tory or their religion, and yet in

what

his-

and depre-

qualified

some Irishmen in England will speak of both.

The regeneration of Ireland is in the hands of the Irish
clergy.
If they ever take up the subject of Irish literature as
a body, there can be no doubt that a new era will dawn
upon our land. Knowledge is power in the widest acceptation
cating terms

of the term.
nation.

mighty

There
in

its

powerful nation can never be a downtrodden

is

a moral j>ower which

effects

often far

is

than mere physical

force,

power can only be wielded by a people of high

The high appreciation

of intellect evinced

the time of St. Patrick, and his

education,

Let

it

own

efforts to

more

and such a

literary culture.

by the clergy

in

promote national

an example which should never be forgotten.

is

be again observed, that when Ireland was the insula

sanctorum she was

commanded

also

the insula doctorum;

youth by hundreds to her shores to

scholars, she

when she

the respect of foreign nations, which brought their

sit

at the feet of her

had herself manifested respect

for those scholars

by practical appreciation of their work.

It is painful to see our best Catholic Irish writers obliged

to offer their

works to English Protestant publishers, and to

depend on English Protestant readers

for their success.

Some

~^r y^j^rri:

Pre/ace.
of the ablest Irish writers of the present day are writing for

There can be no

English Protestant publications exclusively.

doubt that a great deal of good

is

done

in this

way

but

it

is

themselves to take the

moment two instances arc

writer of gentlemen who were willing
expense of publishing their own works

and the

and yet could not

At

scarcely a national credit.

known

to the present

risk of failure,

publisher

who would

this

issue them.

au Irish Catholic

find

In consequence of

this,

these gentlemen applied to an English Protestant publisher,

who

Thus, even

willingly undertook them.

sum

accrued, a considerable

of

if

no greater

money was spent

in

evil

England

which would otherwise have been spent in Ireland.

Some of our best authors are also turning to Amei

preparing to have their publications issued there.

Magazine accounts

in the Carloiu College

of

Mr.

De

Vere's

work

rican taste in poetry

is

in that country

by saying, that

is

too chaste and his

Ame-

"

undeniably superior to our own

adds, that " his versification

writer

for the publication

;"

and

poems too

Wo

polished for the ordinary run of readers in this country."

neither deny nor acknowledge the criticism

but, if it be a

should American taste be more cultivated

why

correct one,

Why

than Irish taste?

do not the educators of youth

in

Ireland take pains to cultivate the taste of those committed to

their charge,

and

to

make

that taste national in the highest

and holiest sense of the word

Irishmen
of literature

least certain

may

or

that
;

for, if

may

not be able to appreciate a high class

they do not practically appreciate

they did, poems like Mr.

De

not be published in America and imported back to

by English Protestant booksellers.

If they did,

it

is

at

Vere's would

England

Denis Florence

Mac-Cart hy would not be occupied in editing a sixpenny book

of ballads,

when he should and could give our

ture an additional glory in an original

work

national litera-

and a Protestant

writer would not say, " the indifference of the middle class on

no author, with a

this subject (Irish history) is so great that

reasonable prospect of success, attempts to publish an Irish

We

had

If the author of this statement

History."

instead of the middle classes,

it

said the upper,

would have been more

can ourselves vouch for the

"

middle

classes,"

been the most generous supporters of our literary

regret,

correct.

who have

efforts.

We

however, to be obliged to add, that the upper classes in

England, and especially the upper class of liberal English Pro-

more generally interested

testants, are

own

our

those to
it

all

It should not

people.

whom

in Irish history than

It

so.

depends solely upon

the education of our youth

shall continue to
else,

be

be

is

confided, whether

Our national Apostle

so.

should be our great example

in this, as in

and, as he diligently

distributed alphabets throughout Ireland, to assist the mental

cultivation of our people, so let us

may

now

distribute books which

help to promote the same end.

The

immense

rapid and

how

at least a proof

by the educated

sale of " Essays

and Reviews"

is

largely semi-infidel opinions are held

And

classes.

been by no means confined

the perusal of these works has

to such persons.

In several largo

towns in England, before the cheap edition of that work was

published, the large and expensive edition was carefully and

widely circulated, free of expense.

was taken
that

it

another.

off,

In some places the binding

and the work divided into small portions, so

more quickly from one reader

could be passed

When

shall

we

find Catholics

moting the circulation of Catholic books

pamphlets and
children, but

appreciating

tracts

The

latter

may

as zealous

something
satisfy

above

women and

working men in the present day are capable

and

intellectual effort.

do appreciate

works which

to

in pro-

require

of

some

fffjc

Hifc of Saint JJalrtcft.

<1)<tptcv
Miracles of

St.

Patrick

Jh

and

the Miracles of Scripture-

of

OH

LIFE

saint

ordinary biography, and the

from

an

of a saint

who

differs

life

has been called to convert a nation, differs from

These differences
life of an ordinary saint.
should be remembered both by the historian and
the reader, and it should be remembered also that

the

such

lives

require

more than ordinary care

their

compilation, and more

than ordinary

in

at-

tention in theii perusal

When
the

our Divine Lord sent forth His disciples with

"teach

nations,"

He

in-

command

to

go and

them

in

the truths whirl, they were to impart

structed

all

iiiiii

iiii

iuu

jiiiii

>

in i im in ii iii i i i i i i iiii u p

iiiii iiii ii ii i i

....Tjr.n

,1^'.

'i

u^a

'

TAc Xr/e 0/

14

mii ii

ii

'

'?

Sfc.

"

iiiiiii i i ii iiii

mi ii

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J^v7

~i

mm^^;

_..

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iiiiii

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fo

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mml +

li

u imeuii

tm

.1

:',||ft'

Patrick.

Even common reverence should shrink from

to others.

the idea of disciples being sent forth by a divine master

to teach,

who were

to believe, or

left in

ignorance of what they were

what they were

to teach others to believe

That such was not the case with the twelve apostles
chosen by

Christ

to

We

ample evidence.

places teaching the

establish

find

same

them

His Church we have

and

in all

find iu

Holy

at all times

We

doctrine.

Scripture an express statement that there

faith, as

is

well as one Lord and one baptism.

only one
Indeed,

unity of faith would be a logical inference from unity

We

of godhead.

can no more suppose that there could

be three or four different faiths or forms of belief on

matters affecting the salvation of the

we could suppose

powerful and independent

equally

could

we suppose

and died

one

than

it

possible that the

deities.

Neither

God who

suffered

man upon the cross, left man to find out

how this atonement should be used for his
how he was best to worship the all-loving

who had

It

race,

for

for himself

salvation

human

that there could be three or four

offered this atonement.

might be supposed that there could not have been

any disputes or controversies about

the time of the apostles.
their

converts

instructions.

which

would
It

It

articles of faith in

might be supposed that

might be supposed that the miracles

they worked would

be

considered

evidence of the doctrine which they taught

was not the

case.

all

have bowed humbly to their

sufficient
;

yet such

There were heretics even in apostolic

::;iini:"':'>l

times
yel

whom

disciples to avoid
faith,"

cautioned.

whom

against

even

St,

" some should depart from the faith

of the

Epistles, St. Jude, in

their

some "who erred from

was prophesied that

It

There

Faith.

commanded

the apostles

there were

and

resisted the apostles,

to believe the Christian

were "heretics"

the

men "ho

there were

professed

Timothy was
days

in the latter
;" 3

and in the

last

burning and sorrowful

words, predicts the future divisions of Christendom, and

the

ravages

The

and exhorts the

heresy,

of

"contend earnestly

for the faith."

to

faithful

by word and by writing, had

apostles, then, both

confided to their disciples the knowledge of a definite

faith,

which

depart from
that

their

it

was heresy

manded

were

disciples

earnestly" for
to

its

to question,

and dangerous

to

which was of so much importance

faith

commanded

preservation,

"avoid'' those

"contend

to

and were equally com-

who

departed from

it.

It

was no mere matter of opinion, no mere form of pious

belief,
rin;

which might or might not be true

Faith taughl by Jesus Christ

command

that they should teach

with a prediction that

it

many would

it

was

His apostles, with

to

to the world,

and

refuse to believe

the heavenly message.

And

thus the apostles went forth, placing this de-

posit of faith in the

seeing

it

rejected
-Titus,
1st

iii.

Timothy,

minds of men

fully prepared for

by many, mutilated by many, and

'Faith. 1 Timothy,

10
Lv.

.'(

'.o

'/TittA.Jade, L

:i.

v.

21.

'JQV^.

16

Z//e

denied by many.

i-;',.^>

<|

'

ii,.'l

1i^-_~ljs -- *>S?| M

Patrick

o/' &.

This gift of faith was offered to a

who was prepared

between the souls of

to raise clouds of unbelief

and the

victims

his

00

under the influence of the

fallen race, to a race already

evil spirit,

light of

faith.

Heresies existed in the times of the apostles, and in

the ages which immediately followed;

vast

number

still

there

was a

of the faithful doing missionary work,

extending the knowledge of the Divine revelation, or

testifying their belief in

it

by holy

lives,

or painful

deaths; missionaries went forth, even as the apostles

pjifi

had gone
or

forth, in tears it

He who

but

staff,

might

be,

and without purse

and in whose name

and new nations were

sent them,

they taught, blessed their

efforts,

added continually

Church.

to the

Pagan Rome adopted a cosmopolitan policy towards

its

which at once advanced imperial

and secured the adhesion, if not the attachhence, when pagan Rome became
its colonies

dependencies,

interests,

ment, of

Christian,

there

were ample opportunities

To

sionary zeal

this

we owe

in part,

dence, the evangelization of Ireland

mis-

for

under Provi-

by our great

St.

Patrick.

But

there

is

and

another

most important con-

sideration in connection with the lives of

termed missionary
authorised His

saints.

disciples

When

to teach,

what may be

our Divine

Lord

and taught them

that faith in which they were to instruct others,

also assured

them that

He

their preaching should be con-

True 'ind False Miracles

This

firmed and assisted by miracles.

is

a subject full

The miracles

of grave importance and of deep interest,

Patrick

are

of

very

by

performed

have been

to

which are related

character;

striking

St.

and

as

they have been recorded in their naked simplicity,

and often in uncouth and ill-chosen language, by

they have scarcely

biographers,

early

his

been

re

ceived with the credit they deserve, even by Catholic

writers.

There are several reasons, besides the reason

mentioned, for this reticence.
tury,

when

firsl

In this nineteenth cen-

the superhuman, as exhibited in the wonders

spiritualists, is readily credited,

performed by so-called

be expected that the supernatural in the lives of

the saints will be, as it has been, more than ever quesit

may

tioned.

The lying wonders of demonology

antagonism to the

devil's protest against

the power of the air

counterfeit

to

time of

are in direct

They

facts of hagiography.

are the

The prince

God's miracles.

of

commenced, even in apostolic times,

apostolic manifestations.

Moses the magicians were able

Even

in

to imitate

the

many

of the signs which the old-world prophet performed.

to a certain point they succeeded, as such persons

Up

do at the present day

beyond

a certain point they

were simply powerless.

The wonders

effected

by the invocation of

evil spirits

tend to produce scepticism and contempt for true

miracles, which, undoubtedly, is one of the object- of
satanic malice in their exhibition.

Despite

fche

most

Life of St. Patrick.

ample testimony

to the contrary, the

majority, who,

like the Sadducees, neither believe in angel or

attribute all such occurrences to

majority

the

miracle,

utterly disbelieve

however

demon,

trickery, just as

the possibility of a

irrefragable the evidence on

To be

affirmed.

is

mere

consistent, such

which

persons

and

refuse to believe in the existence of another world,

of a Divine

it

should

power which both regulates and governs the

laws of nature as

He

Why

wills.

should not the devil

now to cause certain wonders to appear to

performed, when we find in Holy Writ that the devil

have power
be

had

this

power, and exercised

But modern scepticism

it

even in apostolic times 1

placed in this difficulty

is

admits that these manifestations may, in some

if it

instances, be the result of

superhuman agency, though

in the majority of cases they are effected

by simple

trickery, or sleight of hand, it is obliged to

admit that

we know them, may be

may thus be altered
they cannot in common fairness deny

the laws of nature, as far as

altered or suspended ; and, if they

or suspended,

the

possibility of

the

the

rairacles

of the

which are recorded

by Catholic saints. When

miracles

as having been performed

Catholic Church

are

denied,

it

becomes easy and almost necessary to deny the miracles

of
1

Scripture.
Testimony.

The

Protestant

Extraordinary accounts

of the

Church,

since

the

wonders performed by soThe Committee of the

and

called spiritualists are at present before the public.

London

Dialectical Society have been taking evidence on the subject

men who would

not take the slightest trouble to inquire iuto the truth of a

Catholic miracle, are unwearied in their efforts in these investigations.

->WS

BSS

'^s^1

ct

19

7%e Miracles of Catholic Saints.

Reformation until the present century, has accepted the

miracles of Scripture, while denying the miracles

oi

these miracles was a

To deny

the Catholic Church.

necessity at the time of the Reformation, or

how

could

the reformers consistent!)' separate themselves from a

Church which bad received

its faith

from Chrisl Himself,

ami by the power of Christ continued, even

day, to give

power

to

to that very

teaching by the constanl

its

recurrence of miracles ?

Even

very time when Protestantism

the

at

was

rejecting the faith once delivered to the saints, saints

were teaching that

ind confirming

faith to

their

thousands in heathen lands,

teaching,

as

their

by the performance of

promised,

Master had
Luther

miracles.

began his miserable career of crime and apostacy early

and

in the sixteenth century,

and

at the

in the

very same period,

St.

very same century,

Francis Xavier was

converting thousands in Japan, and living a

heroic virtue

and

self-sacrifice,

which has won

St.

him

This was also the

even the admiration of Protestants.

age of

of

life

for

Ignatius Loyola, of St. Teresa, of St. Charles

Borromeo, and of
holiness of

life,

many

and

other saints,

for the

all

remarkable

for

wonderful miracles which

they performed.
But

Protestantism,

as

Calvin, and established

originated

in

by

Luther

England by Henry

and

VIII.,

began by denying the miracles of the saints and the

efficacy of their prayers,

and ended

in

our

own day by

denying the miracles of Scripture; and though many

20

Life of St. Patrick.

pious

'V

members

of the Protestant Church express them-

shocked

selves

at

denial,

this

by that Church,

tolerated

it

since

nevertheless>

is,

either will not, or

it

cannot, prevent such teaching being given

by members

of its body.
It

matters

little

whether the

If it will

not, it thereby consents deliberately to it; if

it

In either case

consents passively.

that

if

such teaching

is false,

and

Church

Protestant

cannot or will not prevent this teaching.

if it is

it

is

cannot,

it

manifest,

tolerated,

from

whatever cause, the Protestant Church either has not

the will or the power to prevent heretical teaching, and

consequently cannot be
infallible,

his

own

obviously every
opinion,

a safe guide.

member

of

it

If

be not

it

has a right to

and one bishop may declaim against

Catholic miracles as pure inventions, or clever tricks of

priestcraft, while

another bishop, with equal consistency,

declaims against the miracles of our Divine Lord; yet

the very same Bible which the former accepts, believes,
and reverences, and on the testimony of which alone he
bebeves that our Lord Jesus Christ healed the sick,

gave sight to the blind, and raised the dead to

equally

explicit

in

stating

that

life, is

our Lord gave his

and successors power to perform similar

and that they did perform them.
The promise of Christ is plain, and is not limited to
"And these signs shall follow them
apostolic times.
apostles

miracles,

that believe

In

my name

they shall speak with

they shall cast out devils

new tongues

they

shall

take up

71, r

Berpents,
shall

power

and

they shall drink any deadly thing

if

not hurt

thorn

Heme,

Church, we find these "signs" at

in various states

it

they shall lay their hands upon

the sick, and they shall recover."

and

21

perform "Signs" promised.

to

in

the Catholic

all times, in all ages,

and conditions of

But the

life.

promise of being able to show such signs was especially

Intended as a proof of the Divine origin of the Catholic
faith

therefore, these gifts are

dantly on those

heathen

who were

nations.

bestowed most abun-

called to teach this faith to

After our

Lord's

apostles " preached everywhere," and

told that their

ascension,

we

the

are expressly

words were confirmed with signs that

followed.

The " sign " of being able

tongues

was given,

to

speak in unknown

immediately

ascension, to all the apostles in

after

common.

our

Lord's

The sign of

being able to heal the sick was manifested by Peter and

when the
Then handkerchiefs and

John, at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple,

lame

man

leaped and walked.

aprons which had touched

to the sick,

who were

St. Paul's

body were brought

instantly healed, and the inspired

writer of the Acts of the Apostles declared that " more

than

common

Paul."

miracles were wrought by the hand of

Perhaps no Catholic practice

bitterly scorned as the

lias

been so

custom of preserving rebes of the

garments which the saints have worn, or any objeel

which they have touched, yet here we find

this very

thing done in the earliest ages of the Church, from

whence

it

down to the present day.

God has been pleased to honour the

has been continued

Then, as now,
relics of

His

the " handkerchiefs and aprons,"

saints,

worn while waiting

the poor rags they have

wedding garment

and

for the

then, as now, the miracles have

been wrought by the mighty power of God, without

whose aid the

saint

would be as powerless

to heal as

the sinner.

Furthermore, we find that the very "shadow of Peter"

cured those on

whom

it fell,

and that many were placed

on their couches in the

street,

shadow might reach them.

An

gates

so that this healing

1

angel opened the prison

and released St. Peter from

prison,

even as an angel

called St. Patrick to leave the place of his captivity,

The

that he might prepare for his mission in Ireland.

\mm

magician, Simon Magus, was converted by the miracles

of St. Phihp, and was " astonished and wondered " to
see the sights
did.

Yet,

and exceeding great miracles which he

and

although he remained with Philip

received holy baptism, he relapsed again into his old

paganism, and was declared by the apostle to be " in

the gall of bitterness, and the bonds of iniquity."

Even

thus did some of St. Patrick's early converts return to

their

former

superstitions,

preaching to those

casting

who were

discredit

on

his

so ignorant or so preju-

diced as to attribute to his teaching what they should

have attributed

to the frailty of his disciples.

1

Peter.

Auts,

v. 15.

iDS

&S2Q rMi ^f iir

7-

Ui

<

23

Scripture Miracles.

Many and

wonderful as are the miracles recorded

the " Lives of the Saints," there

may

no1

How,
the

find a

parallel

them up

and
a

if

after

would undoubtedly be

it

An

simplicity.

him

desires

by the

to send for St. Peter,

spirit to

"man

St.

in

which we

professes to believe
St.

was rapt in ecstaey

in

scoffed

the
at

life oi

for

its

angel appears to a devout soldier and

and

St.

Peter

go and meet the messenger.

relates his vision to St. Peter,

and

who

a similar account had been recorded

saint,

of the

for

subjects of ridicule?

as

and soon

l'ctrr raised the dead,

not one

the Acts of the Apostles.

in

thru, can the Protestant

Bible hold

is

and

in white raiment,"

tells,

is

told

Cornelius

in simple words,

who appeared

to him,

Peter asks no curious questions as an unbeliever

would have done.

a famine,

and

A prophet named Agabus announces

his prediction

is

Elymas, the

fulfilled.

sorcerer, is struck blind instantaneously

by

St. Paul, for

away the pro-consul from the faith, even

as the magician, Lochru, was miraculously dashed to
the ground and killed, at the prayer of St. Patrick, for
trying to turn

ilaspheming the Catholic

As Paul and

Silas

faith.

prayed at midnight, a miraculous

light filled their prison,

and there was

quake, which shook the building to

opened

all

its

a great earth-

very foundation,

the doors, and unloosed the chains with which

the prisoners were bound.

The books

of the Ephesian

sorcerers are brought to St. Paul, who burns

public, as St. Patrick

Druids.

St Paul

is

them

all in

burned the books of the

Irish

shipwrecked, and saves

all

the

Z(/e

24

o/" <S^.

Patrick

on board, who escape on planks

souls

When

to land.

safe

landed, another miracle occurs, and the saint

whose

seized

by a

fatal,

but he escapes unharmed.

St. Philip

viper,

bite to others

O<><0>

is

would have been

An

angel directs

where and when be should journey, even as

the angel Victor was continually directing St. Patrick.

Then, when

St. Philip's special

the spirit of the Lord catches

business

him up

is

accomplished,

into the

ah*,

and

he disappears from the wondering gaze of the eunuch

whom

he has just baptized, and

is

carried to Azotus.

While such "signs" are recorded in the holy

gospels,

how can anyone bearing the name of Christian presume

to scorn or despise the miracles recorded in the " Lives

of the Saints 1"

believe that

all

we

If

are Christians at all

we must

the marvellous records of healing, raising

from the dead, punishment by sudden death, ecstacy,

whether by being rapt into heaven, by suspension of the

ordinary faculties while in prayer, or by mystic journeys

through space, are

Protestants,
Bible,

all

bterally

who unhappily

and yet

criticise

and verbally

talk so

true.

much about

and question

its

every

To
the

detail,

perhaps some excuse for doubt, though on their

there

is

own

principles

they are self-condemned.

Catholics the case

is

entirely different

But with
it must

and yet

be feared that Catholics are by no means as firm in

then- faith on such subjects as they should be.
It

must not be thought, however, that Catholics are

obliged to believe blindly

all

miraculous occurrences;

but theologians generally teach, that where miracles

V^

Ou> Divine Lord's Miracles.

25

have

been

formally

sanctioned

canonization, and arc accepted by

purpose, they ought to

Indeed,

the

tin'

Church

for that

by the

faithful.

be believed

would seem more rash

it

process

in

to

of

deny such miracles

than to believe them, for they are proved with a care

far

beyond what

given to criminal causes

is

A good

courts of justice.

<

iatholic will not

in

ordinary

doubt rashly

or easily question the miracles which the Church has

accepted as proved, neither will he believe rashly every

account of a miracle
investigated.

It

until

it

has

been thoroughly

should be remembered that even the

miracles of Christ were disbelieved by some of those

who

actually witnessed

disciple expect

The Master has himself

is

then, can

told the disciple,

nut greater than his master;

me, they

How,

them.

the

more consideration than the Masterl

will also

if

persecute you;

"The

servant

they have persecuted

if

mv

they have kept

word, they will also keep yours."

Two
looked

important facts seem to have been entirely over-

by those who refuse

to

believe

recorded in the " Lives of the Saints."

gel th.it the

necessitate

mere

fact

belief in

and secondly, they

objections were

which they make

of witnessing

it

a miracle

miracles

they

for-

does nol

as a supernatural occurrence;

forget

made

the

First,

to

that the very same kind

of

our Divine Lord's min

to the miracles of his disciples.

Our

Divine Lord's miracles were witnessed by hundreds,

who were

perfectly

cognizant

perfectly capable of detecting

of

all

the

any imposture.

facts,

In

and

some

>>>.

Xj

'

Life of St. Patrick.

the miracle
they accused Jesus
cases

as in

hand

of restoring the withered

of committing a sin in the very

On another occasion, when the lame

and blind were healed, the Scribes and Pharisees were
act of healing.

moved with

When

indignation.

the unclean spirits

were driven out of the man, and permitted to enter

the

into

swine,

people

the

part

out of their coasts,

their

God.

"a

The

Pharisees

sign from heaven,"

refusing to believe

would believe

if

were

Jesus
their

to

de-

goods to

continually

asking

and when the sign was given

And

it.

implored

preferring

thus do

men

say now, they

they saw a real miracle, and yet they

refuse to believe

when they do

see

one.

many

In

instances they admitted that miracles had been worked,

yet

it

only seemed to increase their anger and hatred

towards Jesus.
cure

is

The

history of the blind man, whose

related in detail in the ninth chapter of St. John's

one of singular instruction and

Gospel,

is

modern

sceptic could

more rudely than the

First

the

interest.

No

have questioned more closely and

Pharisees.

" neighbours"

began to talk about the

and disputed with each other whether the man

cured was really the well-known blind beggar.
He

miracle,

himself said that he was; but, in such a case,

not only pardonable but justifiable to

identity.

But when

competent testimony,

make

it

was

sure of his

was established on
was neither pardonable nor

this identity
it

to deny it, and yet many of the inquirers

would only admit that he was " like him." The next

justifiable

-7

TT7*v tAe Pharisees denied Chrises Miracles.

Btep, after

disputing the man's identity, was bo dispute

They overwhelm

the miracle poinl by point.

with inquiries, they wish to

know

man

the

every detail.

Hor<

was both a justifiable and an unjustifiable

TheChurch examined and tests everyalleged

again, there
curiosity.

miracle with a scrupulous exactness, and does not admit

many, even when proved by evidence, which would be

But
accepted without hesitation by any court of law.
there was something
First, the

truth.

more here than

wish to ascertain

Pharisees accused the Divine healei

of sin, because the miracle had been performed on the

Sabbath, even as the saints had been accused again and

again

of

committing some

Then

miracles.

when

sin

in

performing

their

the climax of indignation was reached

the miracle was proved

No

beyond question.

doubt, had there been a possibility of accusing the

man

of " imagining' himself cured, when he reallywas not, this

1

convenient charge would have been brought forward,

but the facts were [latent to

now

blind from his birth; he

all

the

man had

been

saw.

Again, he was cross-questioned rudely, and almost

the very words in which Protestantism rejects Catholic
miracles are used,
this

man

is a

ration

phers!

"Give

Binner."

ill'

the lea rue,

We know

glory to God.

Oh, wisdom of the wise!

1

that

Oh,

Oh, profoundness of philoso-

Miracles could not be true; and

occurrence

if

by chance

emus

an undeniable

supernatural

their path, they

suddenly become pious, they suddenly

across

profess a wonderful veneration for the Almighty, while

_^^ ^yj
:

'??
denying His power to do almighty works

HP

discover that the sinless one

is

has come to deliver them from sin

And

poor creature

man is
whom we

This

worker of miracles, of
like

man

This mighty

a sinner.

hear so much,

is

but a

themselves, probably, in

their

opinion, far inferior to themselves.

This

He who

himself guilty of it.

is

thus the wise ones of the world have ever reviled

the friends of God.

and they

a sinner, that

Give God the glory!

of himself can do nothing.

He

has not the

Divine power of Jesus, who worked miracles by inherent

omnipotence

but what

if this

man

should be a friend

of the Great Master's, and one of those to

whom He

gave the power to work miracles in His name.

I,

when men dare

His

saints,

to

they profess to give

His power and His word.

the

Thus,

compliment God at the expense

Him

of

glory by denying

Thus did the Pharisees deny

power and the miracles of

Jesus.

But these philosophers had another arrow

once more they wearied the

man

to launch

with inquiries, the

answers to which they were beforehand determined not

He had

to believe.

and asked

if

become

he might;
disciples of

was not their object they wished to

They inquired, not that they
might get information, and by getting information know
the truth, but that they might scoff at truth.
And

Jesus.

Mas!

lost patience, as well

they, too, wished to

this

dispute, not to believe.

then,

when argument

faded, they took

to

the

last

resource of a bad cause, " they reviled him."

The man bore

their personalities in

silence

but,

when they

thing" that they should

from,

he could no longer restrain

reviled Jesus,

Well, indeed, mighl he say

himself

it

was a "wonderful

notknow whence Jesus came

Who

when Be had performed sogreal a miracle.

could perform such a wonder as to give sight to one

who had given man

born blind save only ITc

power

his

But again reviling toQk the place of argu-

of vision?

ment, and violence was substituted for inquiry.

easl

him

Thcj

out.

The man went and

told Jesus

and

his

for

reward

obtained the gift of faith, the faith which enabled him

to believe in
t<>

now without
sorrowful.

all

that passed, and they are not content

reviling Jesus.
If

The Pharisees appeared

Son of God.

the

have heard

His answer

calm and

is

they had declared themselves blind,

they had been willing to admit

if

possible that they

it

might be wrong, there would have been some excuse for

t

loin.

satisfied

But they were hardened

in

unbelief, they were

that they " saw," and that

Hence

from them were blind.

who

all

differed

their condemnation.

There are three classes of persons who refuse

believe the miracles

of the

and who would,

Saints,"

almost every event

Ireland

which are recorded

These

in

the

classes

life

are,

in

to

the " Lives

therefore,

obj

ict

to

of the great Apostle of

first,

Protestants

who

believe, as they say, in the miracles in the Bible, but in

no

other.-.

Yet,

if

they believe

in the

Bible at

all

as

an inspired book, they cannot deny that our Divine

Lord declared

that

his

disciples

should

be

able

to

perform the very miracles which they refuse to believe.

To doubt,

that miracles are performed,

therefore,

[<><><>

is

simply to disbelieve the solemn assertions of our Lord.

The second

class are Protestants

miracles of the

Bible.

This

who deny even

unhappily, rapidly on the increase, both at

in

the

class of unbelievers

The present writer was assured

the colonies.

is,

home and
not

long since, by a Protestant gentleman of more than

BMRHMUP

ordinary intellect,

who had

the colonies, that

all

spent a considerable time in

the educated

men

there held the

opinions of Dr. Colenzo, and the writers in "Essays and

Reviews."

devout Protestant, and there are

many

such, shrinks

back with horror from open denials of the inspiration of

Scripture,

almost

and of the miracles recorded

the

all

tion of the

Yet,

therein.

modern disputations about the

inspira-

Holy Scriptures have been grounded upon

Dr. Colenzo, and the writers in

objections to miracles.

"Essays and Reviews," who unhappily have thousands of

followers,

many

of

whom

England, have argued

are

members

strictly

of the Church of

on this principle.

Dr. Colenzo states, in the Preface to the

of his

work on the Pentateuch, that

first

volume

his doubts,

which

always existed, were brought to a stand-point of

delity

by the

cpuestioii

of a native,

who

asked

believed in the Mosaic account of the Flood.

infi-

if

he

With an

odd mixture of profanity and apparent truthfulness,

which would be amusing were not the
serious, he quotes the

ml

question

Prophet Zacharias to show

.!iS^*

so

that.

j]^

Dr. Colenzo's theory about Miracles.

according to Scripture, he could uol

calmly assures his readers,

"knew"

the

the

"

man

lie,

though he

upon the "general

discredil

of Scripture.

The present Wort

is

Dr. Colenzo's theories

critical ]><>intd

thai,

account was untrue, he "satisfied"

P>il>li'

man, without throwing

veracity

the

tell

while he

">]

uo place

that have been discussed and answered

and again, the whole force of

on the one point

a miracle did

the discussion oi

for

but, with the exception of a few

his

argument turns

miracle cannot happen

not happen

in

or,

therefore,

other words, certain

events are recorded in the Bible which could not have

happened
ever

iu the ordinary course of nature,

but no event

happens out of the ordinary course of nature;

therefore, such events,

though they are recorded in the

Bible, are qo1 true.

God

help the unfortunate

religion in this fashion.

you come

own

to teach us at all if

Why

religion?

according to

natives

Well

come

your theory,

may

who

to tell

He

what you were

sent you,

to teach?

do

us of a

God who,

cannot interfere with the

world which he has created?

If

Why

you do not believe your

Is

He, then, any more

Who

powerful or any greater than our gods!

to teach?

are taught

they ask,

sent you

why did He not tell you

Are we to believe on your

word, and on your word only, that some parts of the

hook
Life is

in

which

He

revealed Hi-

written, are false, and

will,

and

some parts

in

true

which His
!

Why

not our word and our opinion as good as yours!

r<,

is

If

'

is so much doubt about the truths of your religion.

why do you come and offer it to us in preference to our

there

own?
If Dr. Colenzo

by many

may

be credited, his opinions are held

of the clergy of the

Church of England,

although they are afraid to express themselves openly.

In the Preface to the second part of his work he says

"

without fear of contradiction, that there are

I assert,

multitudes

now

of the

more

intelligent clergy

who do

not believe in the reality of the Noachian Deluge, as

described in the

Book

of Genesis."

And

in another

place he says he has promised " to help those similarly

circumstanced as best he can."

The writer on the Study of Evidences,

in " Essays

and Reviews," goes on precisely the same ground as

Miracles cannot happen therefore,
Bishop Colenzo.

they do not happen

of both.

and

is,

in plain words, the

argument

should be, indeed, sorry to compare an acute

excellent clergyman like the late Dr.

Todd

to such

must be pardoned for saying that he

argues precisely in the same way with regard to the
writers

but

miracles attributed to St. Patrick.

All these writers, whether they deny the miracles in

Scripture, or accept them,
in the

and deny the miracles recorded

" Lives of the Saints," argue in the same way.

Once admit that our Lord and his Apostles performed

and you must admit that what was done by

miracles,

the

power of God once can be done by the power of God

again.

Once deny the miracles recorded

in Scripture, or

'V'

..i

...

h it

"

nTJ^-

^^^

,--1 -" ,

''"*

Miracles

them

refer

any natural cause, or

to

33

nut always convert.

(Jo

to

any unknown

and you destroy the

"law,'' apart from the divine will,

whole credibility of the Christian Faith.

There are several points of consideration

regard to

in

miracles which do not appear to have entered into the

place,

and

does not follow, because a

man

In the

calculations of these objectors.

most important of

all, it

first

witnesses the performance of a miracle, that he should

This was

be thereby converted to a belief in revelation.

abundantly proved in the

The

Apostles.

of the

life ot

in the lives

our Divine Lord's

of

result

and

Ihrist,

many occasions, was simply to exasperate the

What could have been more wonderful than the

miracles, on

people.
raising

<

if

Lazarus from the dead 1

there could have been no

room

Here, unquestionably,

for the exercise of that

"imagination" to which Dr. Todd attributed the visions

of St. Patrick;

yet the only effect

Pharisees, the learned

them
kill

plot

men

of that

more eagerly than ever

Lazarus

purpose to

It

also.

kill .Jesus

had upon the

it

day, was to

to kill Jesus,

make
and

to

would not have answered th

ir

only, they wished also to get rid of

Lazarus, for while he lived he was a continual proof of

the reality of the miracle.

Why

was not such a miracle believed?

Lord Himself has told

his miracles

us.

they would

not
itself

rOSpel of St.

believe.

The mere

it is

xii.

87,

we

read: "

said that

fact of seeing

has no power whatsoever.

John,

fJ^^S^JH.

Our Divine

of the witnesses of

had not Faith, and of some

"'.I

miracle in

Many

In

And whereas

the

he

^TnBrrracsi7T:,..iitrjjf-^h_^

34

Life of

had done so
not in him."
\c?
tells

us

why

many
And

St. Patrick.

them they

miracles before

whom

then the disciple

they did not believe.

believed

Jesus loved

was because God

It

himself had " blinded their eyes and hardened their

hearts," as a

judgment

Again and again

for their sins.

our Divine Lord insisted on the necessity of Faith in

His preaching; and, when about to perform the miracle

for

the centurion,

believed, be

When

it

He

said,

" Go, and

done unto thee."

inquired, before performing the miracle, "

touched their eyes,

faith,

be

thou hast

it

He

Matt.

said,

done unto you."

Do you

ix.

believe

And

28.

"According

"When

13.

viii.

men He

asked to give sight to the two blind

that I can do this unto you?"

He

as

Matt.

St.

as

your

to

his disciples asked

why they

could not cast out the devil from the possessed

child, Jesus replied, " Because of your unbelief."
Matt,

xvii.

19.

When

withering of the

his

were amazed at the

disciples

fig-tree,

He

told them, if they

Faith they could perform, not only

had

similar miracles,

but even greater ones.

It

would be

useless to multiply instances

they may

be found almost in every page of Holy Writ; and they

we cannot

prove that without Faith

that

we may

choose to do

reject that gift

so.

Faith

is

the gift of

prayed for humbly and earnestly

may

V*

God

and

it is

own

if

gift to

we
be

a gift which

faidt.

It

is,

no matter of surprise that the miracles of the

saints are not credited,

be lost at any time by our

therefore,

please God, but

and refuse to believe

when

the miracles of Jesus were

When

disbelieved.

at the

men

the

by

miracle performed

St.

name

in the

him hath given

all."

And
that
in

all

Acts,

it is in

faith

soundness

It

was

it

which

is

by

in the sight of

16.

iii.

this

miracle,

this

"The

of Jesus.

this perfect

name, and by

the saints have

heaven-sent

this

faith,

miracles, from the time

worked

which the apostles were endowed with power from

on high to the present hour.

man

for theirsurpri.se.

was not he who had performed

you

at the

Beautiful Gate of the Temple, he explained to

them that there was no occasion

Faith

wondered

of [srael

Peter in healing the lame

that Protestants,

who

It is not a little strange

are so continually boasting that

the Bible and faith are their guides, should really be

the only doubters of the inspiration of the Bible, and
the only persons

ever

heard

of

who deny
a

the

Catholic

power of

priest

Who

faith.

writing

essays

or

preaching sermons to prove that any part of the Bible

was not true, or that the miracles recorded therein were
false?

Yet Protestants of

denominations are doing

all

this at the present day.

One
to

of the

miracles

many
is,

the laws of nature.

intended to be.
Catholic

it is

objections

they

that

But

For

made by modern

are

this

is

an

precisely

Bible,

which

with

what they are

Christian, or, at

for all these sceptics profess

sufficient that the

sceptics

interference

Least,

for a

to be Christians
is

given to them

by the Church as God's Word, declares that miracles

are an evidence of revelation,

and records them as such.

When

St.

John the Baptist sent

Divine Lord, to ask

if

his disciples to our

He

he was indeed the Christ,

at

once appealed to His miracles as an evidence that His

mission Avas divine: " Go and relate to John what you

have heard and seen; the blind

lame walk, the

see, the

dead

lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the

rise again,

the poor have the gospel preached to them."

he adds sorrowful and suggestive words

that shall not be scandalized in me."

Oh, words of grief and fear

be scandalized at Jesus

but true.

the

Alas!

it is

And

Blessed

John,

then

he

is

ix. 5, 6.

then, possible to

His miracles

not only possible,

The Pharisees were scandalized, because the

all things was pleased to suspend or alter
of the

operations

"How

made:

it,

'

St.

scandalized at

scandalized at His life?

Creator of

Is

'
:

What, then, was not

He Himself had

laws which

man give
this man the

can this

us his flesh to eat?"

Creator of flesh ? and

has not the Creator power to do what

what he has created?

"Thy

not lawful on the Sabbath V

He

with

will

disciples do that

which

is

What, then, has not He

who made

the law of the Sabbath, power to suspend or

alter that

law?

Son of

Is not the

world and of the Sabbath ?

Is

He

Man Lord

not the

of the

Maker

of all

laws of nature and of grace?

And

thus, from the very time of Christ to the present

hour, the world has been scandalized at miracles.

will not allow that the Creator of

power

to interfere with

in simple words,

what he has created

the sole

It

ad things has any

sum and

for this is

substance of

all

whether couched

objections to miracles,

language

blasphemy and open

of

the

in

wild

or in the

unbelief,

crafty insinuation of the so-called philosopher.

To

of

evidence

as

miracles

his

upbraid the

to

done most of his miracles,

penance."

Mat

Patrick.
failed to

will

for

cities

wherein were

that they had not done

Thank Cod,

xL 20.

has wrought for

the faithful Irish

be their reward

the palaces prepared

them through

miracles

Who
Who can

faith.
?

his servant

centuries of persecution

Thank God,
shake their

his

to

would occupy

upbraided with rejecting the

can never be

which God

Lord's appeals

mission

more example may be given.

needless space, but one

"Then began he

our

of

instances

repeat

for

them

can
tell

tell

how

have

glorious

how magnificent

in their Father's house?

can tell, as one by one they ascended to heaven

with martyrs' crowns upon their heads, how they were
received by their father Patrick, in the city where pain

Who

never cometh!

Martyred by the sword, martyred by

famine, martyred by the loss of

tell

who can

conjecture,

all

things who may

the wl

how many amongst

in the
robed army, whose praises the Church sings daily
Te Dcum, will belong to the Irish racel

even nowtheir heavenly triumph is in some sort

The majority of
foreshadowed by a temporal victory.

And

the

English nation have proclaimed it unmistakeably.

that sword, and famine, and

They have acknowledged

bitter

persecution

induce the Irish

of cruel

laws,

to renounce their

have alike
taith.

tailed

to

relentless

,^^p^^^p^^^^^^^^^
38

Zi/e 0/

more or

persecution,

SV.

Patrick.

less severe, and, at times,

a per-

secution to blood, lasting for several hundred years, ha?

ended,

us hope for ever, with this acknowledgement.

let

A more

glorious moral triumph never

we

the one side

was gained.

find helplessness, suffering,

On

and victory

on the other side we find power, wealth, and defeat.

And

those

who now

revile or question the miracles of

our most glorious saint will

to their

shame and

grief,

know

at the last great day,

that

not the least of his

miracles was the favour which he obtained from

when

God

the Irish nation were given to his keeping in this

world and in the next.

There

is

one other subject connected with miracles

which must be

briefly noticed, as it is specially

with the miracles of

objection to miracles

St. Patrick.
is,

connected

The grand modern

that they are " violations of the

to

Now, what is matter? According

the common dictionary meaning of the word, matter

is

the substance of which

laws of matter." 1

bodies are constituted.

all

But who created matter ? If it created itself and this

is precisely the point to which all modern scepticism is
tending

then, no doubt,

it

has power in

cannot be interfered with from without.

moon,

stars, light,

itself,

and

If the sun,

and the elements in general, created

themselves, and arranged themselves into harmonious

order according to certain laws, then, no doubt, they

cannot be

~~
'

-ii

interfered

Matter.

with.

But the

" Essays and Reviews,"

p.

159.

apftMB

intellect

Cheap

edition.

of an

.-

Miracles no violation of the Laws of Matter.

39

Has

educated child could laugh such folly to scorn.

not

Ho who

ordained the laws by which

power

to govern nature,

and

It really is

pleased

suspend or alter these laws,

to

he hurtful to their continued regularity

"

is

without causing an interruption which should

this

whose

JI<

faith

is

believe

how any man,

enable him to say truly,

sufficient to

God

in

to understand

difficult

Father Almighty, creator of

the

heaven and earth," can have any doubt on the subject

We

of miracles.

must remember

a miracle to God.
It

power which

to

to ns,

differs

because

wood

suspend

is

its

He

axe

made

swim

it

gravity.

the sons of the prophets were cutting

the purpose of erecting

building

make

a clear suspension of the law of

Such miracles are not unfrequcnt

iron

swim

;"

and

as to

Learned

men

effects;

they can only

How,

man

into the water; yet the

fall

" Lives of the Saints

to

God

Hence, we

operation at any moment.

for

his

see.

has power

where they might dwell together, one of them

head of

not

an exercise

on water, but iron does not.

floats

when

down wood,

it

from what we usually

the author of that law, and, therefore,

find that

is

In accordance with the law of specific

For example.
gravity,

that a miracle

a simple exercise of His power.

only appears a miracle

of His

is

It is

cannot

tell

then, dare they

yet, is it

tell

God

specific

in

the

God

The mosl

certain laws have certain

you what

presume to

Author of these laws?

not as easy for

make wood swim?

why

1<

of

these effectB are.

limit the

If miracles

power of the

never occurred,

if

the laws of nature were never on

ur altered, there

any occasion suspended

might be some excuse

for

supposing

process
that man was nothing more than a complicated
evolved
universe
the
that
and
of electro-chemistry,
itself

out of a speck of nebula.

one consideration, however, connected with

Tbe
importance.
the subject of miracles, of the first
continuous
is
a
end,
to
begining
narrative, from

There

is

Bible

record of miracles.

There were miracles under the old

they were of
dispensation as well as under the new, and
frequent occurrence.

There were miracles from the

tianity to the present day.

It

earliest ages of Chris-

wovdd require a volume,

many volumes, to give details of the miracles

and even if
recorded in Catholic Ecclesiastical History,

or rather

would
such volumes were written, we much fear they
those
that
expect
we
can
Nor
fail to convince many.

who would

not believe the testimony of

and St Anthony the Hermit, would be

the testimony, ample and authentic
miracles performed

mt

by

Augustine

as

it

is,

of the

our great apostle, St. Patrick.

I 1Vvei^^f' A
.HI

St.

likely to believe

"

i'

VJj

lJ

'

lllll l

WW"
l

XT FIACC'S Hymn

Patrick

be

the

earliest

biography of the

saint,

Colgan

Life

appears

evidently considered

it

to

the most important of the Lives

which he has published, as he places

a Latin version with the original.
Saint Fiacc's

Eymn is

it first,

and gives

preserved

riorum of Trinity College, Dublin.

a

or Pocin

of Saint

on the

Liber

Hy -

late Dr.

Todd,

in the

The

high authority on such questions, when religious

prejudice did not bias his judgment, pronounced the

manuscript to be one of the most venerable monuments

now remaining

of Christian antiquity

considered that

it

He

in Europe. 2

could not have been written later

than the ninth or tenth century.

The

greater

number

of the

hymns which

it

contains

have never been published, and are wholly unknown to

The Latin hymns are

the learned.

Latin and partly in

glossed partly in

The hymns

Irish.

in the Irish

language are of immense value both to the philologist,

the hagiographer, and the student of Celtic literature.

The eminent

Irish scholar,

Hymn

St. Fiacc's

Eugene O'Curry,

considers

monument

of Celtic

the oldest extant

.v..

He

hagiology.

writes thus

:" St.

Fiacc of Sletty

is

the author of a biographical poem, on the Life of St.

Patrick, in the Gsedhlic language, a

most ancient copy of

and which bears

internal evidence of

which

still exists,

a high degree of perfection in the language at the time

at

which

it

respects, a

was composed

it is

unquestionably, in

all

genuine and native production, quite untinc-

tured with the Latin or any other foreign contemporary

style or idiom."

O'Curry

also gives St. Fiacc the

honour of being the

originator of the idea of writing the Lives of the Saints

of Erinn.

:i

copy of the Liber Hi/mnorum

preserved in Eome, which appears to be the one

to

Ware and
Europe.

'

Usher,

who mention

Liber Hymuorum,

p. 1,

Erinn

O'Cuvry's Lectures,

[>.

also

as a vetustissimus

printed for the Irish Archaeological and

Celtic Society.
*

it

is

known

313.

r^.j-'r^n< ^|

Tile introduction to the

codex.
in tlu>

poem

Dublin ami Roman copy.

Roman copy commences

varies considerably

The introduction
"Fiacc of Sletty

thus:

to the

was

it

that composed this eulogy of Patrick."

St.

Fiacc was the disciple of the poet Dubthach

Ui Lugair, who
of

rose

monarch

the

Easter morning

up

Laeghaire,

when

St.

on the ever-memorable

him

own house

to find a person of

proachable morals

Dubthach

When

Patrick went to Tara.

the saint visited the poet at his

he asked

Mac
command

in disobedience to the

whom

devout

in Lcinst.

life

and

r,

irre-

he might consecrate bishop.

knew such a person, but he

As they conversed,
Connaught.

replied that he

had gone on a

visit to

Fiacc entered with his companions, and the poet in-

formed

St.

Patrick that tins was the

had spoken.

St.

man

of

whom

he

Patrick repbed that Fiacc might not

wish to become an ecclesiastic.

The poet answered
" Set about tonsuring me that Fiacc may see it." Fiacc,
as he expected, at once inquired

what they were doing,

and on being informed, exclaimed that

for

there

was not

in

all

it

would be

a loss,

Krinn so great a poet as

Dubthach.
St.

ia

Patrick assured him that he might exchange with

his friend,

which he at once offered to do, exclaiming,

nith true generosity, "Less

*Codex.

is

my

loss to

Erinn than

We arc much indebted tn an admirable article in the

" In

fa

March, lMi\ for information on this and other subjects.

The very low price at which this serial is published places it within tie
If it
of all, and it should certainly be in the library of ever)- Irish clergyman.
were generously supported, we might hope that many valuable Irish manuscripts: would be published and translated in it from time to timeBiastical Record'' fur

"

that of Dubthacli."

Patrick then tonsured Fiacc,

St.

and " great grace came on him

after that;

and he learned

the ecclesiastical order in one night, or in fifteen days,

as others say." 5

The

Tripartite

Fiacc,

Psalter in one day.

and sanctity was so

stituted

him

him

first

also chief

Patrick baptized

Life adds, that St.

who had
chumen, and gave him an
own hand, and a blessing, so
and tonsured

St.

hitherto been only a cate-

alphabet, 6 written

by

his

that he learned the whole

Fiacc's progress in learning

rapid, that the saint not only con-

bishop of the Leinster men, but

made

and supreme bishop of the whole pro-

vince.

In the Book of

Armagh

it

gave a reliquary, a crozier,

new

bishop,

and

left

were Muchatocc of

is

said, that St. Patrick

and a book-satchel

seven disciples with him.

Inisfail,

at

These

Augustin of Inisbecc, Tecan,

Diarmit, Nainnid, Paid, and

munity was established

to the

Their com-

Fedelmid.

Domnach

Fiacc, situated to

the east of the Barrow, in the county Carlow.

St. Fiacc's disciples are all of

the early Irish Church.

note in the calendar of

Muchatocc

(the

same

as Cadoc)

honoured as an apostle in Wales and Britanny

is

In the Book of Armagh the narrative of the interview between

Patrick and Fiacc is fully given. It says there that St. Patrick asked
Dubthach about the materies of a bishop for the Laginians [Leinster men], and
great was his piety.
that he recommended Fiacc Finn, or the Fair ; for
6 Saij.

St.

'

'

St.

Patrick was in the habit of distributing what his biograIt is very improbable that these alphabets were such as
phers call alphabets.
we ordinarily understand by that term. It has been suggested that tlicy
c

Alphabet.

might have been some compendium of Catholic Faith, such as the alphabetical
poem which St. Augustine composed against the Donatists or, perhaps, tha
;

Apoitles' Creed.

->

,S7.

frr-

^ ft^

*-

^_

Fiacc's Life of St. Patrick

Augustan was one of the

first

companions of Palladius;

Tecan and Diarmit arc commemorated respectively on

and the 10th of January

the 9th of September

Nennidh,

or

was

surnamed

administered the Holy Viaticum to

is

Kihnore, where his feast

St.

St.

Brigid

and

Paul

is

St.

venerated as the patron of

kept on the 9th of August.

Fiacc must have remained a considerable time at

Domnach

Fiacc, as

reward from that monastery before

removal to Sletty.

plished

said that sixty of his disciples

it is

wenl to their eternal

his

Nainnid,

where he was visited by

retired to a desert island,

Brendan; and Fedhelim

pure-handedj

the

Bis work was not yet accom-

and an angel appeared to him to inform him

that " his

resurrection" should be in another

place.

The heavenly messenger added, that he should build

his refectory in the place

and

where they should find a boar,

their church in the place

doe.

The

manifested

all

where they should find a

devotion to his master

saint's

through his

life,

is

strongly

but especially so in the

present instance, for he replies to the angel that "lie

would not go until Patrick should come

place with
he from

The

him and to consecrate

him that he would receive

territory of Sletty

Fiacc's family, but they

of Hy-Kinsellagh,

were driven into

made

it,

when

exile.

to

measure his

and that

it

should

his place."

had originally belonged to St.

had been expelled by the king
his father

The

and four brothers

king, however,

profession of Christianity,

and had

had now

just received

holy baptism from the hands of the great apostle,

lie

was, therefore, ready to accede to any request which he

\p

EESTSJ^

At

might make.

" not only

his solicitation,

was the

a church granted to St. Fiacc, but also a grant

site for

was made

to

him

of all the surrounding territory, com-

prising a fifth part of his paternal possessions,

with

which he was enabled to endow that church which he

made

his episcopal see."

Crimthan, the king of Hy-Kinsellagh, died a.d. 483,

therefore, the foundation of Sletty could not
later

than a.d. 480.

Patrick,
hill

of

it

where

Coblai, on every Shrove Saturday,

he spent the Lent in

he returned to celebrate the

On

festival

principal incidents in the

His

and prayer.

silence, fasting,

only food was five loaves of bread.

The

have been

Tripartite Life of St.

said that Fiacc retired to a cave, on the

is

Drum

In the

Easter Sunday

with his

life

disciples.

of this saint are

so intimately connected with events in the

of St.

life

Patrick, that they are referred to a future page.

present object

is

what ample and unquestionable authority

record for the

life

and

was

court of

still

a youth

still

is

acts of our great apostle.

date of St. Fiacc's death has not been recorded

lie

Our

the important one of indicating clearly

when

King Laeghaire,

it

St.

on

The

but, as

Patrick preached to the

has been conjectured, from

a comparison with other dates and incidents, that he

died about a.d.

510, at a monastery called Minbeag,

near his great church of Sletty.

s

ordained priest by
for his sanctity,

St.

and

Patrick
is

His son Fiachra was

he also became eminent

commemorated

See. Colgau, " Trias Tinmi m."

Ordained.

Colgan,

it.

Trip.

in the ancient

p. 155.
iii.

21.

>

fe .
.SV.

j>

'y

Fiacc'.* Moinistt

same day

calendars on the

Irish

".

jjp

40

ri/.

as

12th

Fiacc,

St.

October.*

Book

In the

of

Armagh

it is

recorded that his relics

were venerated in the district of Slctty

and the Vita

Tripartite mentions that he was interred in that church.

(EnghuB thus eulogises the father and son

" Proclaim Fiacc and Fiachrai,

Omne

The name of

-^J

m the

great

is

the treasure."

monastery

St. Fiacc's

preserved

is still

form of Slath or Slatey, the name of a church-

yard and parish in the barony of Slieveniarque, Queen's

County, about a mile

NN.W.

the banks of the Barrow.

of the

town of Carlo w, on

There are two stone crosses of

considerable antiquity in the churchyard, and in the

neighbourhood the ruins of a small church are yet in

This

existence.

is still

called SHeb-teach,

near the mountains, and

i. e.,

miribeag, or small church mentioned above.

There are

no remains of the once famous monastery of

Some

critics

the house

probably identical with the

is

have raised a question as

Slctty.

to the date a1

which the poem was composed, from a supposed or

allusion to the desertion of Tara.

thought that

it

The

must have been written

late Dr.

after the

real

Todd

middle

of the sixth century, because the desolation of Tara

occurred
8 October.

in

In the

" Fiacc, Bishop

reign

Martymlogy

of
of

Diarmaid,

Donegal

a.d.

539-558.

his obituary is thus recorded

of Sletty. in Leinstcr, of the race of Cathoit

Hot

Fiachraidh,

same church as Fiacc, his father." In the Martyrology of

Thf "'(
"Fiacc, and with him his son Fiachra, of Sletty."
name Sletty as equivalent to monies, " resit ad lucum qui
vulgo, id est, montm, appelantnr." (iii 23.)

his son,

Tallaght

of the

Trip, explains the

fa

the

MWi

Life of St. Patrick.

50

Colgan evaded the

difficulty

by suggesting

that the

verses contained a prophetic announcement.

O'Connor

demise as late as a.d. 540.

There are

dated

St. Fiacc's

presumed references

two

The

first

to

of Tara.

the desolation

occurs in the tenth strophe.

The Tuatha

Erinn were prophesying that a

of

new kingdom

of faith

would

come.

That

it

would

last for

the land of Tara would be silent and

evermore

waste.

in the twenty-second

The second reference is contained

strophe.
In

Ardmagh

is sovereignty : it is long since Emain passed away

Dun-Lethglasse I wish not that Tara should be a desert.

there

great church

A recent

is

writer, however, suggests, that the very op-

posite conclusions

may

be drawn, and that

neither announces in prophecy, nor

fact the destruction of Tara,

St.

Fiace

commemorates

as a

but rather expresses the

alarm and fears of the Druids in the

first allusion,

and

a wish for the prosperity of Tara in the second.

The whole question

is

obviously one open to a variety

which will probably always be determined

by individual bias to or for other opinions against which
of conjecture,

pre-formed conclusions or prejudices

The
which

title
is

may

militate.

ardepscop, usually translated archbishop,

given to

St.

Fiacc, has been

also

brought

forward by the Bollandists as an objection to the early

by Irish authorities. But the old Irish

word ardepscop by no means corresponds with the
The Celtic
comparatively modern archiepiscopus.
date assigned

word had simply the meaning of

chief or principal, as

anl-jilr, chid' port, ard-unchoire, chief anchorite.

best

VI tic scholars are

The

agreed as to the antiquity of the

idiomatic structure of this most valuable and interesting

In the introduction to the poem, an indirect

poem.
proof of

its

Romano

given by the allusion to tonsure

is

suos

capillos

expressly

is

age

beard according to the

of the

commanded

Roman

"more

usage,

tfi'

aut barbam tonderc," which

in

one of the canons of St

Patrick.

In the Trias Thaumaturga Colgan places a Life of St.

\P

Patrick second in his compilation, which

to a St. Patrick, junior, or to

who lived

in the

authorship and

is,

Brettan,

when

Colgan's reason for assigning the

that the author speaks of Loarne, Bishop of

now

Bright, near Downpatrick, as being alive

was

The words " ubi

written.

episcopus Loarne," however, might

were there.

in the very

whose remains (cujus

Com.

alive,

reliquiae)

of the

whom

were in
Bishop

he would have used the samo

of expression in his case.i

There is said to have been a nephew of St. Patrick who bore his
Colgan heads this Life "Secunda Vita S. Patricii authnre [ut vi.h tnr]
Juniore alioGe magni Patricii Discii>nlo, ex rucmhranis monaster!
Huberti in Arducnna."

name.

S. Patricio,
S.

remains

St. Patrick,

It is therefore fair to argue, that if

Loarne had not been

mode

his

commencement

author speaks of a sister of

calls Lupita,

Armagh.

ii

But

est

mean that Bishop

Loarne was buried at Brettan, and that

he

attributes

date must remain a matter of consi-

the narrative

Life, the

lie

disciple of the saint

middle of the sixth century but both the

its

derable uncertainty.

date

some

^W?

'

The

third Life

much

is

fuller

than either of the

preceding biographies.

The authorship

Colgan says he obtained

it

is

doubtful but
;

from Father Stephen Vitus, of

a very learned man, that

the Society of Jesus

was

it

found at BiHirgensibus, in Bavaria, and he gives several

reasons for attributing the authorship to St. Benignus,

and

the disciple of St, Patrick,

his successor in the See

Armagh.

of

The Fourth

Life

is

attributed

by Colgan to

St, Aileran,

and bears internal evidence 2 of having been written

As

before the year 774.

the saint died in 664,

if

the

authorship can with certainty be attributed to him,

would give the work a very high antiquity.

or Aireran the

of Clonard,

is still

extant,

Professor O'Curry, in the

Yellow Book

Litany which
discovered

by
or

first

fragment of an ancient

been published by Fleming in his Collectanea

which was discovered in the monastery of

Sacra,
Gall,

Leabhar Buidhe Lecain,

and was

of Lecain, preserved in the Library of

Trinity College, Dublin.

tract has

it

AUeran,

Wise, was a teacher in the great school

and died of the plague.

he composed

St.

in Switzerland

It is entitled

"The

St.

Mystical

The author of the Vita Quarta mentions that the relics of St.
companion to Silvester and Solinus, were carried to the island of
Boethin, and were there held in due honour (et ibi cum digno honore habeutur).
This island belongs to the townland of Inisboyue, near Arklow, and obtained
2

Evidence.

Palladius,

name from St. Boethin, who flourished early in the seventh century. The
monastery was plundered and destroyed in the year 774, according to the annals
of Ulster, or 770, according to the Four Masters. Hence this life must have been
written before that event. The Vita Secunda also must have been written
before the year 600, for it mentions that relics of these saints were honoured
at Donard, where they had been kept before their removal to the island of
its

Colgan, p. 38 and 13.

Switzerland. O'Curry's Manuscript Materials of Irish History,

Boethin.
3

p.

379.

of

Interpretation

the

Ancestry

our Lord

of

Jesus

Christ,"

The
But

Fifth Life,

there

was written by Probus.

Vita,

name by whom

person of that

In the

Quinta

considerable difficulty in identifying the

is

chapter of this

last

it

life

hast now, brother Paulinus, from

was compiled.
the writer says

me

the

"

Thou

humble Probus,

the required token of our fraternal regard, through which

you Bought

some record of the

for

holy father, Patrick, the bishop."

us

he author's

name and

most

Colgau

his object in writing.

gives various reasons for believing that he was an Irish

Wi.

monk, who

lived in the sixth or seventh century.

The Sixth

monk

of the

Life

was written by Joeelyn,

Abbey

of Furness,

part of the twelfth century.

virtues of our

This at once gives

who

a Cistercian

lived in the early

This Life of

St.

Patrick

An

the only one which has been translated.

is

English

version

was published by Mr.

"elucidations

E.

Swift, in 1809, with

by David Rothe, some time bishop

Ossory," the principal object of which

to

is

show

of

that

the miracles attributed to St. Patrick, however wonderful,

were not therefore to be rejected

and that equally

wonderful miracles had been performed by other saints.

The " Observations on the Acts of St. Patrick by the
Translator," takes, as might be expected,

of this subject,

of Joeelyn, he apologizes

away

a different

view

and while the writer defends the veracity

for,

and attempts to explain

the miracles which he records in a style which

woidd do
Swift also

credit to a writer in " Essays

call-

the reader'a

and Reviews."

attention to

-S5-N?<

the extreme

such works, which

difficulty of giving a translation of

would be at once correct and

Those who

scholarly.

have made similar attempts can well sympathise with

his remarks.

The Seventh

Life

is

by

most important and

far the

valuable of these documents, and will

able notice.

threefold division,

referred this

life

impressed with

and was written by

to the sixth century,

its

demand

consider-

from

called the Tripartite Life

It is

St.

Evin.

and seemed much

value and authority, and

its

conse-

Colgan states

quent importance to the hagiographer.

had three different manuscripts

him when occupied in translating

that he

of this

before

it

He

its

Colgar;

work

into Latin.

mentions that part was written in Latin and part in

Irish,

and that the

antiquity,

Irish

summam

and the

style

were of the highest

antiquitatem.

After the issue of Colgan's work the Irish manuscript

:

appeared to have been

its

existence

discredit

lost.

No

one had ever heard

and those who were inclined

to

on Colgan's labours made the most of

cumstance.

But even

as

of

throw

this cir-

modern research has tended

to

confirm the value and authenticity of the bardic annals

of Irish history

and

Irish customs, so literary research

has tended to prove the value and authenticity of the

documents used by Colgan, and modern archaeologists

are obliged to admit the critical accuracy

and care which

he exercised in the compilation of his works.

The
4

original

Remarhs.

document, or at least an original docu-

The Life and Acta

of St. Patrick

by Edmund L.

Dublin, 1809, printed for the Hibernian Press Company,

p. 205.

Swift, Esq.,

111.

of equal value

it

Professor

by

ami authenticity, was discovered

O'Curry

in

the

.Museum, in May, 1S49.

until

yet,

we began

to prepare material for the

present work, no attempt was

or use

it

in

Our

any way.

and

made;

discovery was

hagiographers, most important

and

of the British

years have passed

to Irish archaeologists

memorable and,

since this

library

Twenty

made

either to translate

readers are indebted, as

we

have already remarked, to the eminent Celtic scholar,

W. M. Hennessy,
translation

which

we have already
very ancient MSS.

Colgan, as

had three
first

and scholarly

Esq., for the accurate

will be given at the

end of

this volume.

observed, says that he

The

of the Tripartite.

of these, and the chief, was the very ancient copy

of the

O'Clery's,

ex vetustis merabnotis Cleriorum

antiquariorum in Ultonia; the second was that of the

the third was an unknown
O'Devrans in Leinster
Codex

"One

one giving in
I

what the other omitted, and

what the other gave in Latin."

relating
Irish

Igan adds that he followed the manuscript

gave the narrative

at the greatest

most Latin,

contained the

account of the antiquity of the

lie

Length,

also

style, the

by antiquarians (antiquariorum)

which

and which

states

that,

on

work was used

as a text-bunk

their

and hence that many glosses and observations

foreign to the original may have been, and probably

schools

were, interpolated into the original text.

As

to the authorship, Jocelyn stated,

Text.

-Colgan, Trias Thaum.

when he wrute

p. 1G9,

Life of St. Patrick.

56

in 1185, that a Life of St. Patrick

by

St.

Eimhin or Evin

and that

it

He

had been written

was written partly

in Irish

and partly in Latin.

this life

from those attributed to SS. Benignus, Mel,

Lennan, and Patrick, junior.

same as those used by Jocelyn.

distinguishes

Colgan says, that he

which he used were

believes the copies

to the

also

essentially the

It is evident, according

same authority, that the work was written by a

The author's exact knowIrishman.

monk and an

ledge of tribes, families, territories, and places, are a

sufficient evidence of the former.

wrote

inferred

is

The age

in

when the work was written, whose

known not to have occurred later than

living

are

century;

as, for

which he

from frequent allusions to persons as

example, where he says of

obituaries

the sixth
St. Fiacc:

"But none of them rose up to the servant of God except

Dubthach O'Lugair, arch poet of the king and kingdom;
and one young man of

his disciples,

(hodie) in the church of Sletty."

who

is

to-day

O'Curry has observed,

however, that this mode of speaking in the present

tense,

the

which was used by distinguished

fifth

ecclesiastics of

and sixth centuries, continued to be used in

the eighth and ninth, and cannot be absolutely relied

upon

to determine a date.

It should also

be observed,

that St. Columbcille, St. Ultan, St. Aileran the

St.

Adamnan,

St.

Wise,

Kieran, St. Colman, and others, are

cited in the Tripartite as the writers of St. Patrick's

miracles, while
it

may

no mention

is

well be believed, that

in its original form,

and that

made of St. Evin. But

we have not got the Life
many additions were made

57

O'Curri/'s Discovery of the Tripartite.

to

The antiquity

by transcriber

it

the idiom of which

to the date at

is

which

referred,

of the language,

by the best

philologists,

testimony of

St. Eviii lived, the

Jocelyn in 1185, and the opinion of Colgan,

access to

documents now

assigning the Life to

its

lost,

who had

are the best grounds for

reputed author.

O'Curry 8 also remarks, as an incidental testimony,

John O'Connell of Kerry, who wrote a long poem

that

on the History of Ireland,

" Life of
of

St. Patrick,"

in 1G50, refers to St. Evin's

which evidences a general opinion

existence.

its

The

festival of St.

Evin occurs on the 22nd of Decem-

In the Festology of iEngus the Culdee, he be-

ber.

seeches the intercession of St. Eimhin, the white or

He was

from the banks of the river Barrow.

lair,

the

founder of the original church or monastery of Mainister-JSimhin,

now

anglicised Monasterevan.

was a Minister man, and descended

from

"It
504,

Olium, King of .Munster,

Oilioll

is

St.

Evin

in a direct line

who

died a.d. 234.

probable," says O'Curry, "that he was living in

and

Patrick,

that he had seen and

who had

conversed with St

only died eleven years before this

time, or in 493."

The copy
the

British

of the Tripartite, discovered

Museum,

contains

which indicates the precise year

scribed.

One cannot but

in

by O'Curry

in

following notice,

the

which

it

was tran-

regret that the copier did not

give some account of the manuscript which he used,

* U'

Curry.

Manuscript

M.itcri.iK

p.

860)

Life of St. Patrick.

but, perhaps,

much

not

it is

have gained in

to our

and devotion with which our ancestors treated

piety

such subjects

"

The annals

of the

in the year that this Life of Patrick

1477, and to-morrow night will be

it is

advantage that we

accuracy by losing some of the

critical

in Baild

an Mhoinim

of 0' Troighthigh this

am.

It

Lord Jesus

was

Lammas
was

Christ,

written, were

Eve, and

in the house

was written by Domhnall Alba-

nach O' Troighthigh, and Deo Gratias Jesus."

The O'Troighthighs were

originally natives of the

county Clare, and were a clan of some note.

however,

impossible,

memorandum.
for there

ties,

the

name

to

identify

The place
were

many

of Baild an

the writer

It is

of

this

also presents equal difficul-

by

places in Ireland called

Mhoinim

(the village of the little

bog).

The short sketch

the

Book

of

Armagh

of the
is

life

of St. Patrick givr cn in

taken from the Tripartite

and

the annotations of Tirechan on St. Patrick's Life, found

in the

same book

in Latin, were probably derived from

the same source.

Tirechan says he obtained his infor-

mation from the books and from the oral instructions of

his predecessor, St. Ultan,

who

whose

disciple

he was, and

died a.d. 656.

The date and authenticity of the Book of Armagh

is

a subject of considerable importance in estimating and

stating the authorities for the Life of St. Patrick, especially as it contains extracts

from the Tripartite

Life.

These extracts record miracles which would be credited

by modern

sceptics to the imagination of the compilers,

._>

jy

--^-^

+...'>

.^..j^-.j,

>

.~T^,^rr3^HflBl

The Book of Armagh.

bad they appeared

As it
them

is,

to

.00

narratives written at a later date.

the only resource for such critics

by

to the imagination of the saints

is,

to credit

whom

they

were performed.

The date
is

of the compilation of the

decided by the

Book of Armagh

of the scribe, Ferdomnach, which

name

His death

appears in several parts of the volume.

known

to

" the wise

way

in

have occurred in 845, and he

and very admirable

scribe of

is

described as

The

Armagh."

which the name of the scribe has been ascer-

and the date discovered,

tained,

is

identification in both cases

is full

The

of interest.

was made by Dr. Graves,

the present Protestant Bishop of Limerick.

Soon

after the

Book of Armagh was deposited

in the

library of the Royal Irish Academy, this gentleman

observed that numerous erasures had been made in it,

and

in the precise place

at the

end of certain

where

Irish scribes usually inserted their

articles,

Alter

names.

careful examination, the words Pro Ferdomnach ores

was discovered. The same words
pray for Ferdomnach

could also be traced in several other places

and

this,

combined withthenniformilyof the handwriting, which

distinctis of extreme elegance, and remarkable for its
ness and regularity,

at once decided the question of

authorship.

The next point was

and when he

lived.

to discover

Two

entries

who

the scribe was,

were found

in

the

Annals of the Four Blasters of the obituaries of Bcribes

Armagh of the same name. The first date was

of

a.

i>.

727, the second date was A.D. 845.

Colgan bad

enumerated the names of thirty or forty persons who

held the office ofscriba, or scholasticus, in Armagh, but
there were only

weak

By

two Ferdomnachs.

the use of a

of gallic acid in spirits of wine,

solution

Dr.

Graves partly revived the traces of the original writing

of an important
glass,

memorandum,

and, with a magnifying

he read some portions of

it.

obtain the information that the scribe

with some Heres

The result was to

was contemporary

Patricii, or successor of St. Patrick, in

the see of Armagh, whose

name ended with

There

ach.

were three archbishops of Armagh whose name ended

'$

thus in the time of the second Ferdomnach.

names were Foenselach, Commach, and Torbach.

The

space in which no letters could be recovered,

only

sufficient

room

showed that the

" ach" was probably " b," that

" 1" or an

it

letter

certainly

Torbach held the primacy

on the 16th of July,

and a

preceding

was not an

"m."
for a

year only, according

to the Catalogues of the Psalter of Cashel,

Gospel of

left

the latter name,

for the letters in

careful examination

These

St.

a.d.

808.

and he died

The writing

of the

Matthew, contained in the Book of Armagh,

recorded to have been finished on his festival day,

the 21st of September.

cluded that

it

Dr.

The memorandum has

Graves

Graves, therefore, con-

must have been written

been

thus

in the year 807.

restored

f domnach
e rvm

h v n c lib.
e dictante
herede
pat

r Torbach
rich
scripsit
.

by

Dr.

Value of (he Book of Armagh.

Gl

The importance and value of the Book of Armagh

be too highly estimated.
The certainty of
the date at which it was written gives us at once an

cannot

authentic testimony which cannot be disputed regarding

the Life of our great apostle.

who wrote

that those

It

was quite impossible

so near the time at which he lived

could have been in ignorance, or could have been in any

way deceived as to the circumstances of his life.

work is not less valuable as giving evidence

And

this

general belief of the age, the very

to

it

are

beyond

that the allusions

only incidental and not dogmatical proves

question what the general belief was.

all

for at present

we

fact,

of the

we must confine ourselves

find that in the year

to

Thus,

one example,

SOS the Bishop of Armagh

is

styled the

Heres Patricii, the successor of St. Patrick,

indeed was the custom from the time of St. Patrick

as

We

to the present day.

command

find also that obedience to the

of the Heres Patricii

was esteemed as sacred

duty then as now, when the dictante Hen de Patricii
was the motive power which induced the wis.' and

learned scribe, Ferdomnach, to transcribe the Gospel of

St.

Matthew contained

Two

incidental

Craves, which

in the

Book of Armagh.

circumstances

tend

to

are

throw further

question of date and authorship.

noticed
light

by Dr.

upon

the

Dr. Petrie found a

tombstone at Clonmacnoise, with the inscription

OROIT OR FERDOMNACH.
both the character of the inscription and
e cross to the ninth century.

It is

not

improbable that this

when he may have

831,

he

may have

been the tomb of the

Armagh was plundered by

gifted scribe.

may have

fled

retired at a

the Danes in

from that place, or possibly

earlier period to

still

end

his

days in the monastery by the banks of the Shannon, as

it

was customary

for ecclesiastics to

Wherever he

remote places.

for his soul a requiescat in pace.

be, as

we can

come

thither

from

sleeps let us breathe forth

And

scarcely doubt, in the

and in the presence of God, he

even should he

Land

will not be

of Peace,

unmindful

of our prayer.

The pedigree

of a Ferclomnach, twenty-third in descent

from Conary More, monarch of Ireland, A.n. 158, has

also

been discovered in the Book of Lecain.

thirty years to a generation,

Ferdomnach clown

to the

it

Allowing

brings the time of this

middle of the ninth century,

which coincides with the probable obituary of the

At

scribe.

the end of the Gospel of St. Matthew, the scribe

has written a Latin prayer, of which a translation

:

is

given below
"
God, whose mercy

is infinite,

and whose holiness

passeth speech, with humble voice I have boldness to

implore that, like as Thou didst

Matthew

call

to be a

chosen apostle, from being a receiver of custom, so of

Thy compassion Thou

during this

life

wilt vouchsafe to direct

into the perfect

way

my

steps

and place me

in

the angelic choir of the heavenly Jerusalem, that, on the

everlasting

throne of endless joy, I

may

be deemed

worthy to join with the harmonious praises of archangels

in

ascribing

honour to Thee

through Thine Only

V ~v

?-$c

v--

Booh of Armagh

St. Patrick's Life in

who

Begotten Son,

Eoly

It is

Thee in the unity of the

liveth with

throughout

Spirit,

noteworthy,

Amen."

all ages.

also, that the

Gospel of

St.

John

is

written on finer vellum, and with more delicate penman-

This

than the other portions of the work.

ship

observable, also, in other copies of the Gospels,

indicates a special tribute

by

disciple, styled

The Book

of

to the beloved

John of the bosom."

Armagh commences with

memoir
Then the

the

His Confession follows next.

of St. Patrick.

New

of honour

Celtic writers, "

is

and

Testament, the Gospels being given in the usual

order.

Where

The Acts

of the Apostles follow the Apocalypse.

names

of the twelve disciples are recorded in

the

the Gospel, the

word

trorjan, wretch, is written in the

margin opposite to the name of Judas

The

life

Patrick,

is

Iscariot.

of St. Martin of Tours, the uncle of St.

placed at the end of the volume, and

is

introduced, says Dr. Reeves, partly in connection with

St.

Patrick's history,

tion in

which

St.

and partly because of the venera-

Martin was held in the ancient Church

of Ireland.

For many centuries it was

Armagh was written by St.

believed that the

Book

of

Patrick himself, and this

widely-spread opinion, no doubt, contributed not a

to the preservation of the volume.

It will

little

presently

be seen that the authority for this opinion was the fad
that the

form,

Book of Armagh, ancient

was a copy of a work

obtained the

name

tare of Patrick

of

and

as

still

it

is

in its

older.

present

The book

Canoin Phadraig, or the

in

937 we are

told,

scrip-

by the Four

Masters, that the Canon

was encased by

of Patrick

Donough, son of Flann, king of Ireland.

was probably the leathern

it,

and which

custom

in

is

satchel

still

This case

preserved with
It

was the

charters

on the

of undoubted antiquity.

times to

ancient

enter

margins or blank pages of the most valuable books in

monastic

libraries.

"When Brian Boru

visited

Armagh

and again in 1006, he made valuable presents

Brian's
the Church, and ratified its privileges.

in 1004,
to

secretary

confessor, or " soul friend," as confessors

and

were gracefully termed by the writers of that age, made

an entry in the Book of Armagh for Brian, which may
still be seen there, and which is thus translated
:

" St. Patrick,

when going

to heaven, ordained that

the entire produce of his labour, as well of baptism and

decisions, as of alms,
tolic city,

macha. Thus
Scots

was

to be debvered to the apos-

which, in the Scotic tongue,

This

is

have found

my

it

is

called

writing, namely, Calvus Perennis, in

the presence of Brian, sovereign of the Scots

I

have written he decreed

Calvus Perennis

is

Ardd-

[stated] in the record of the

the Latinised

friend," Maolsuthian,

and what

for all the kings of Maceria."

name

of Brian's "soul

and Maceria, the Latin equivalent

for Cashel.

This book was used frequently

when solemn

oaths

were administered, and those who forswore themselves

were believed to be subject to a special vengeance.

There are records of the book having been used for this
purpose in 1179 and in 1196.
this valuable

document appears

keeper, or custodian, of
to

have been appointed

Norman

soon after the

invasion, probably to secure

from falling into English hands.

came

surname by the name which

to be called as a

tinguished his

office,

ami

in

it

In time the keeper

dis-

142 7 Primate Swayne granted

an indulgence of forty days to

who should

all

assist

Maor

na Canoine (Moyre Nakanany, the keeper of the Canon)

This officer became exact,
of the Diocese of Armagh.
and in
nig, and required repression at a later period
;

1455 prohibitions were issued against paying certain

exactions
i

lustos

Winn
was

L'ajulator Canonis

and the

Sir -lames "Ware wrote in IGoG, the

volume

demanded by the

Campanse.

held

still

by the MacMoyers.

guardian, Florence

MacMoyer, has

on a blank page, thus

1

Its
left

possessor or

autograph

his

Liber Florentini Muire, June 29,

He was the last hereditary keeper of the volume

G62.

ami thus

authenticity

its

is

guaranteed from the eighth

century to the seventeenth.

The next account of the Book was found amongst

papers of Edward Lhuyd, the eminent "Welsh

the

philologist,

was one
Dr.

who

Oliver Plunkett;

MacMoyer pledged
went over

to

the

men who gave

and

Hook

England, when

Arthur Brownlow.
his

Florence

died in 1709.

of the wretched

When

this

paper mentions that

for five

came

it

MacMoyer

evidence against

pounds when he

into the

hands of

the Wretched traitor died,

tomb was deserted; and although there were then

Armagh, called Balli Moyre, in

eight tn\vnl:inds near

possession of the family, there

the

name

of

Moyer

zzzg&dt&Ci

living

is

or

not an individual of

remembered

in

Life of St. Patrick.

now.

district

name

It is said that the

M'Guire

to

family changed the

after the traitor's death, to remove, in

some measure, the reproach of even bearing

The Book

Armagh remained

of

his

name.

in possession of the

Brownlow family from 1680 until 1847. In 1853, it

was purchased by Dr. Beeves, the present Brotestant
In
rector of Tynan, from Mr. Brownlow, for 300.
1858, it was purchased from Dr. Beeves, for the same
sum, by the then Brotestant primate, and placed by

him

in the Library of Trinity College, Dubliu.

It

must

ever be a subject of regret that this heirloom of Catholic

and devotion should have passed

tradition

hands of Brotestants; yet

satisfaction that

it is

highly, and preserve

But,

it

was

it

into the

a matter of no

is

little

hands of those who value

it

carefully.

has already been remarked, that great as

the antiquity of the

it

in the

it

Book

of

Armagh, the

Batrick himself

in the handwriting of St.

is

tradition that
is

founded on a statement in the Book which shows that

some portions of
script

it,

from age.

conjecture;

the present

it is

This antiquity

copied from a

of

all

is

no matter of literary

Armagh was

cavil, to

manu-

as even then almost

a matter of fact.

Book

proved, beyond

wT ere

by Ferdomnach

described

illegible

at least,

The date

at

which

written has been

have been not

later

than

a.d. 807.

The

Life of St.

Armagh was
and he

Batrick contained in the

written

states that

Book

of

by Muirchu-Maccu-Mactheni

he wrote this

life

at the

command

Aedh, Bishop of Sletty, who died in 692.

We

of

find

~7\~ *OES

thus, that the original

from which

copied by the compiler of the

Book

this

of

two hundred years older than the copy

It

in that

should be observed here that the Life of

by Probus, already mentioned

Colgan's collection, is evidently

Book

in the

that

document was

Armagh,

of

fully

is

Book. 7

St. Patrick,

the Fifth Life

as

in

an amended version of

Armagh, by Mactheni.

com-

parison of these Lives will at once decide this important

question.

been

lost

It

happens, unfortunately, that a

has

folio

from the Book of Armagh; but the discovery

of identity of subject

and composition enables us

to

supply the deficiency from the Life by Probus, while it

adds considerably to the value of his work that it should
so fully agree, in the remaining portions, with this

most

ancient authority.

But the Book of Armagh contains another most

important and equally ancient

document.

This

is

and Dr. Graves

has remarked that " The Annotations of Tirechan were
evidently becoming illegible at the time that Ferdomcalled the Annotations

nach's copy of
indicated

them was made.

by notes

found

scribe

it

of Tirechan

This

is

sufficiently

which show that the

read the manuscript from

in the margin,

difficult

to

which he was transcribing."

bered, that

Ferdomnach

Let

it

be again remem-

wrote in the year 807; and

if

the manuscript from which he copied was then old and

following is the note occurring at the end of the summary of
" H.xc pauca de Sancti Patricii peritia et virtutibus Muirchu MaccuThe
Machtheni dictante Aiduo Slebtieusis civitatis episcopo, conscripsit."
Life.
summary has been, it is supposed, placed by miatakc at the end of the
1

Book. The

contents

It is

headed Annotation t.s Aiw.

./A

$<>

Life of St. Patrick.

worn, the value of the copy which he made, and which

remains, can scarcely be over-estimated.

still

command

Tirechan wrote by the

Ardbraccan, 8

Ultan of

of St.

died at an advanced age, A.D. G57.

who

Tirechan speaks of himself as belonging to a family

specially dedicated to

styled the

alumnus

God and

Patrick

St.

he

is

vel discipulus of St. Ultan.

also

The

work was written before the death of St. Ultan, so that

the date of its compilation

This

is

ascertained

There

is

may

an ancient

also

be precisely ascertained.

by a statement

in the

tract

work

itself.

on the Life of

St.

Patrick in the Leabhar Breac, which Petrie describes as

" the oldest
history

and best

now

Irish

manuscript relating to Church

and which

preserved,"

is

characterized

by

O'Curry as of great interest and importance, and presenting "the chief collection of religious compositions

which are extant in the

The

Hymn

published in the

and, we much fear, the last, fasciHymnorum, can scarcely be classed

first,

culos of the Liber

amongst

Irish language."

of St. Sechnall in honour of St. Patrick,

his biographies.

recorded in

it,

panegyric on,

No

special historic facts are

and it is obviously intended merely as a

or commemoration of, the virtues of the

saint.

We

now

have

authenticity,

given ample evidence of the value,

and antiquity of the material

that
8

sco

we may both

Ardbraccan.

"The

For

for the Life

It

only remains for us to pray

write

and read that Life in the

of our great Apostle.

some account

of

the piety aud charity of this

Illustrated History of Ireland."

Sai;:t,

ll
St. Piitrick's

bumble, devout, and loving

who

considered

it

Birthplace.

GO

spirit of those ancient saints

and

their greatest glory

their highest

r-ry

privilege to be children of Patrick

and children of Rome.

They were not of the number of those who adorned the

sepulchres of the saints, and dishonoured their

by refusing to follow their example

saints

own

who wrote

of saints, and so cast the halo of their

sanctity around each line which they penned, thus

speaking to the heart

far

memory

rather were they

in a

way

in

which we, who are so

beneath them, cannot hope to do.

There

is

no question of the identity at

least

of

the general locality which claims the honour of being

the birthplace of St. Patrick.

The

portant authority on this subject

first
is

and most im-

the saint's

own

Confession, the authenticity 9 of which has never been

doubted.

In this brief document he briefly states his

"

Patrem habui Calphumium Diaconum,

quondam Potiti Presbyteri, qui fuit in vico
Bonavem TabernisB." "My father was a deacon,
pornius, the son of the late Potitus, a presbyter, who
The
resided in the village of Bonavem Taberniae."
parentage
f

ilium

ancient Lives of St. Patrick, being

this

Confession,

Authenticity,

all

founded upon

have added thereto whatever

There are now in

infor-

existence four ancient manuscript copies

Patrick's Confeeeioo,
One of these is contained in the Book of Armagh,
the value and authenticity of which has been fully proved the second is in
the two
the Library of the British Museum, and is part of the <'..tt"ti MSS.
;

Ware, Usher, Tillemont, the

The
taut document.
by the Bollandiata existed until the time of the French
the famous French monastery of St Vedastus, but it has sine*

others arr in the Bodleian Library, at Oxford,

Bollandists, to., all agree in their cstimi;
1

Revolution in
disappeared.

have been able to obtain by research or

oiation they

The Book

personal knowledge.

Armagh, undoubtedly

of

the most ancient authority, adds that Potitius was the

son of Odissius, corresponding in other respects with the

Bollandist version.
first

Armagh

be remembered that the

It will

page of the Life of

St.

Patrick in the Book of

has been lost; but as that

corresponds so

life

closely with the Tripartite, the omission can be easily

supplied.

The

Tripartite,

translated

Hennessy from the

" Patrick

commences thus.

was of the Britons of Alcluaid by

He was

Calphurnae was his father's name.

Conceis was his mother's name.

was a deacon.

was of the Franks, and a sister

moreover, the person,

few

lines are

was born."

up

which

in Latin,

in

difference of expression, with a general

No

grandfather

is

1.

Tower.

some

slight

agreement of

is

is

an

said to

Britain,

which the

tions as the country of his parents

is

which

The whole question turns on the

three places

Further

state that St.

mentioned, but there

explanation of the word Nemthur,

celestial tower.

She

Nemthur.

In Colgan's Latin translation there

subject.

title

In Neinthur,

to Martin.

St. Patrick,

added

Patrick was brought

mean a

origin,

a noble

Fetid was his grandfather's name, whose

priest.

on, a

Work by Mr.

this

for

original Celtic,

2
;

identification of

saint himself
2.

men-

Bonavem Taber-

Colgan, 117.
" Ut iterum post paucos annos in Britarmiis eram cum parent!-

Parents.

bus meis," &c.

p.

m.

near which he says that his family resided

aire,

3.

Nemthur, which appears to be the name of the place

where St. Patrick was captured.
It has already been
observed,

would
but

that in

be,

the

will be necessary to

it

Work

present

all

controversy

as far as possible, restricted to the notes,

present case,

the whole

make an

exception in the

question being one of con-

siderable interest.

Those who have written on the subject, from Colgan's

time to the present day, appear to have completely
overlooked the distinct statement of
Britain

was the country of

his parents,

St.

Patrick, that

though he does not

say that he was born there, and to have satisfied themselves with

more or

two other

the

less

places.

simply valueless, until

it

ingenious attempts to identify

But these
has

first

identifications are

been ascertained what

Patrick himself indicated by the name of

The most natural and obvious inference, at
first sight, would be that some part of England was
intended.
A theory was at one time started that the

country

St.

Britain.

saint

might have been born

called Brittany
this

in

name was not occupied by

middle of the

that part of France

but the province which at present bears

fifth

century.

Dr. Lanigan was the

the Bretons until the

first to

suggest that the birth-

place of St. Patrick should be sought for in the north of

France, and not, as Usher had so strongly urged, in

1

Lobineau says, in his ITistoire de Bretagnt^ Paris, 1707

"The
about the epoch of the establishment of the Bretons in that part nf
name of Bretagne." The Welsh
Triads state that the Britons of Great Britain came from this district.
Century.

year 458

is

ancient Armorica which at present bears the

1

*w

]&l.

Colgan,

Britain.

was a

tradition

among

indeed,

acknowledged there

the inhabitants of Armorica

that St. Patrick had been born in their country, but

he passes

it

Dr. Lanigan,

over Lightly.

who devoted

special attention to the subject

which the Franciscan

monk

less

probably considered

clearly

cation of

of

importance,

has

established his theory, so far as the identifi-

Bonavem

Tabernise.

4
History of the Morini was published in 1639 by

the Jesuit Malbrancq, in which there are

on the subject of

Here

of Boulogne.

mained at Boulogne
his Irish mission,

is

it

for

two chapters

connection with the see

St. Patrick's

stated that St. Patrick re-

some time before he

and that he was occupied

set out

on

in preaching

against the Pelagian heresy.

It is also affirmed that

he was bishop of Boulogne.

This

mistake

but

St.

Patrick

may

is,

undoubtedly, a

have remained there a

short time after receiving episcopal consecration,

when

journeying towards Ireland.

The country

was included 5

of the Morini

in the dis-

1 Published. De Morinis et Morinomm rebus./. Malbrancq.

5 Included.
"It will not, I think, be denied that under the name of
Armoric Gaul was comprised the country of the Morini, or the tract in which
Boulogne is situated ... in olden times the whole extent of the maritime
district of Western Gaul was called Armorica?, in so much that even Aquitaia
was distinguished by that name. Hirtius, the continuator of Csesar's Commentaries, tells us that cities near the ocean, in the extreme boundaries of
The people, says Camden, which in old time
Gaul, were called Armoricae.
inhabited the sea-coast of Gaul nearest to Britain, were, in their own lan-

guage, called Morini.

Now mor

is,

in

British,

the sea.

The Britons

call

such as live upon the sea-coast Morinwyr as Aremorica in the old Gaulish,
and now in the British, signifies by the sea-side. In process of time the
name became gradually confined to the tract between the Seine and the
Loire, and in after ages was still more limited, being understood of the
;

country

now

called Brittany."

Lanigan,

vol.

i.

p. 97.

'I

trict
'-.

known

as

Armoric Gaul, and there was

statement of

and

Britain,

St.

Patrick

that

his

parents

in the tradition that the saint

that part of Gaul where there

in this

Hence we have

district a clan called Brittani.

was a

in the

lived

in

belonged to

known
we may look

tribe or clan

as the Brittani, a fair presumption that

here for further identifications.

':,

Before

we proceed

some

to identify the localities,

arguments must be brought

to

show that North Britain

could not have been the place intended by St. Patrick

when he spoke

We

of Britain as his paternal home.

should thus strengthen considerably the proofs already

given that he indicated that part of France

known

as

the district of the Brittani.

In the saint's epistle to Coroticus, he states that he

was of noble
father

birth according to the flesh,

was a

decurio.

quently to 410,

Now,

St. Patrick's father

a decurio in North Britain.

date 410, says

"Rome was

is

and that

his

clear that, subse-

could not have been

Bede, writing under the

sacked [fracta est] by the Got lis

and sixty-fourth year from

Romans

it

its

in

the ten hundred

foundation, and from that time the

ceased to rule in Britain.

From

that time the part of

Britain belonging to the Britons was entirely deprived of armed

soldiers, military stores,

and the flower of

drawn away by the rashness

and was thus exposed to
hence for

many

its

youth, who, being

of the tyrants, never returned

home

rapine, being ignorant of the art of

war

years they groaned under the ravages of two fierce

Gibbon

also says

" Whilst Italy was ravaged by the Goths, and a succession of

feeble tyrants oppressed the provinces

beyond the Alps, the British

body of the Roman Empire.

island separated itself from the

regular forces which guarded that remote province

withdrawn

dually

had been

The
gra-

and Britain was abandoned, without defence,

the Saxon pirates, and the savages of Ireland and Caledonia." 8

to

Thus we have ample proof of a

fact of

which the most

ordinary scholar could scarcely be ignorant, that no

Roman

decurio could have held office as such in North

Britain at the time

that date there

when

was not a

Patrick was born.

St.

Roman

single

and even when the Roman power was

land,

At

legion in Engat its height

in that country, its authority scarcely extended north

the wall of Severus.

Roman

of.

It is therefore impossible that a

magistrate could have lived there in state, culti-

vating farms and attended by numerous domestics.

It

Irish

may also

be observed as a collateral proof, that the

and Scots were on friendly terms

hence

it is

or pillaging expedition

the former against the

that the

history

at this period;

most improbable that any extensive foray

Irish

would have been

latter,

while

it

carried out
is

by

a matter of

undertook several important

expeditions to Gaul, and carried from thence numerous

captives.

St.

Ireland to his
r

Patrick, in writing of his escape from

own

country,

North.
Caledonia. Decline and Fall

makes use

Bede's Ecclesiastical History,

of the

1.

i.

Roman

of language

which

cap. xi-xii.

Empire,

vol. v. ch. Si.

Identification of St. Patricks Britain.

his

would be entirely incompatible with the idea that

There can be no doubt*

family then resided in Scotland.

was the county Antrim

that the place of his captivity

now

he mentions that he had to travel two hundred

miles to reach the port from which he escaped, so that

He

he must have proceeded to the south of Ireland.

wai

thru three days at sea, and after landing travelled

twenty- eight days through a desert country.

It

is

for

clear

from this statement that the journey must have been to

France.

Colgan remarks that the name Britain, as applied to

part of Belgium and the north-west of Gaul, was well

understood not only in the time of

later age.

In a

life

of St. Furseus

crossed the sea to go to

St.

Patrick but at a
that having

it is said,

Rome, he

arrived in the pro-

vince of Britain, and proceeded through the district of

Ponthieu, a maritime tract in Picardy, near Boulogne.

It is
is

subsequently explained that this province of Britain

called

by the moderns Normandy.

that a portion of this country

Hence it is evidi
was known for a cor

able period as Britain, and that the

name

referred to the province of Brittany,

The

lost its original appellation.

Britain referred to

by

St. Patrick,

at

could nol be

which has never

district of

which the

and by the biographer

of St. Furseus formed a part, eventually obtained the

name
is

of Neustria.

called Neustria

Even

Sufficient evidence has

show that
district

in

by Latin

modern times Normandy

writers.

now been brought forward

St. Patrick's Britain

in the

to

was undoubtedly some

north of France.

It

only remains to

WEH.

Mfiiil(iiii|i|(>i'ffl<niLfij|iiii!i!i' !iff.''

BSw wBaiS

Life of St. Patrick.

identify as far as possible the sites which he mentions.

One other

difficulty

which Dr. Lanigan has amplyIn his Confession

elucidated must, however, be noticed.

St.

Patrick says that he wished to go into Britain to see

his family,

and as

far as

Gaul

to visit his brethren, so

From

that he might see the faces of the Lord's saints.

mention of Britain and Gaul as if they

only distinct but distant from each
not
were places
other, it has been argued that Britain could not be in
this distinct

But Dr. Lanigan disposed of

France.

the simple

\'c-

remark that

this difficulty

by

"Belgic Gaul was quite distinct from the real and properlycalled Gaul,

thanged into Galli.

Maine and

Celts, the

which comprised only the country of the

name hy which they

Seine, as

It
it

and which the Eomans

called themselves,

was separated from Belgium by the

was from Aquitain by the Garonne.

rivers

The

languages, laws, and institutions of these three countries were

different."

Thus

it

would appear that the

Patrick

fact of St.

having distinguished between Britain and Gaul shows

his intimate

acquaintance with that country, as

a distinction which a foreigner

make

obviously, also,

if

would not be

it

he wished to see " the faces of

make

his Gallic brethern, his Lord's saints," he should

a considerable journey southward from his

truly, if

was

likely to

home

and,

he proceeded southward to Tours or to Lerins,

he would, indeed, have found his brethren, and those

whose names are enrolled in the glorious catalogue of

the Church's triumphs.

The
n W

J1

'

first site

53BW*"l" "l"Wff W
l

which we must identify

HW W "WM Wfl W
l

Ya, ftim ii| jn

iii

,
i

is

that

i.Miia*f i|Tpi

V^ZXvM
SSKSS

men-

-'f

ii

i"m
:

i
;

ii

#,
,CXi
Identification of

by

tioned

words as

show
the

An

if two

and

is

was one town and

Mer

is

It

but

it

would be

it

is

to maintain

as one

as Dr.

as

Boulogne

city

and

Lanigan has

identical with the present Boulogne.

The word Tabernise

Bonavem was

Bonavem

Bonavem,

Taberniae as another.

camp.

another, as

Patrick intended

mentioned by the saint9

himself should surely be conclusive, and

amply proved,

much

acumen

real critical

little

rational for a future archaeologist to insist that

that St.

of his

separate places were intended, with

which the name

in

commencement

attempt has been made to divide the

of learning,

way

at the

Patrick,

St.

Confession.

Bonavem-Tabcntur.

either refers to the district in

situated, or indicates that

was probably included

which

Bonavem was

in the district

which

surrounded the city of Taruanna, the modern Therouenne,

and which was

called

Tarvanensis regio.

The

authors of the most ancient Lives of St. Patrick concur

in referring the

w/

severed

word

to the

proximity of a

Eoman encampment.
In England the Roman camps were generally known
as castra, whence we have so many names compounded
with the word chester.
In France the Roman stations
were

Tabernce, the verbal distinction indicating

called

the fact that the

Roman power

in

England was rather

that of garrisons in a country of doubtful allegiance

while in France the Roman power was established,

and merely required the ordinary support of its military.

Saint.

will be

Ut

shown

viilerem faciem Sanctorum Domini mei.

The Breviaries, as
generally favour the theory of St. Patrick's nativity in

later,

Brittania, but without

Uaul or Scotland.

any attempt to identify the Brittauia as either

in

Boulogne was an important

the principal

camp

of the

station.

Roman army

The country round

France.

Eoman

It

was

which Julius Csesar invaded England, and

the port from

still

" streets," or roads, which that people

The town

they formed a settlement.

in the north of

manifests traces of the

made wherever

itself

was

originally

designated Gessoriacum, but in the reign of Constantine

the Celtic

name Bonavem, or Bonavan, was latinized

and came into general use. The town

into Bononia,

was

so called from being situated on a river, Aur, Aven,

or On, signifying a river in the Celtic language.

Before investigating the identity of the other sites

mentioned by the biographers of the

saint, it

may

site is

thus described by Innes

chiales
"

Of

in his

be

The

interesting to give a brief account of Kilpatrick.

Origines Paro-

the places in various parts of Scotland, including six parishes

in the diocese of

Glasgow, which derived their appellation from the

Apostle of Ireland, the most ancient and distinguished was certainly

Kylpatrick in Lennox.
Clyde,

is

The

parish, lying

on the right bank of the

bounded on the north by the Kilpatrick

hills,

which

approach very near the river at the place where stood the old
church and village of Kilpatrick.
born.

Here,

it

is

said St. Patrick

was

His own words in the Book of Confessions' ascribed to him,

'

Language. The names of rivers are of special value in historical investiThey are the memorials of the very earliest races. A very large
of French river-names contain the root a/en or aven.
In England, the
word, from a generic name, has become proper, thus we have the Avon as
the proper name of a river in several countries. The word itself is coguate
to the Sanscrit root ap, water.
Thus we have the Punj-a&, or the land of
five rivers.
(See Philological Transactions for 1855.
Astruc's Hist, de Lauguedoc, and Pott. Etymologisch Forsch.)
1

gations.

number

Innes.

Origines Parochiales,

vol.

ii.

p. 20.

Description of Kilpatrich
anil corroborated

by other accounts,

who was

a deacon,

are,

'

70

My father was

Calpurnius,

the son of Potitus, a presbyter, of the village of

Bonaven, of Tabernia.'

Jocelin of Furncs,

who wrote

about

his life

the end of the twelfth century, from several very ancient accounts,
says that
station,

'

the territory was called Taburuia, from

and that

The

the Irish Sea.'

being a

its

Roman

was by the town of Nempther on the shores of

it

best authorities agree in applying this descrip-

where the Roman wall terminated.

tion to Kylpatrick,

"St. Patrick was born about 372, and went to Gaul and Italy

about the end of the fourth century he continued there about thirty;

five years,

Ml

during which he studied for eighteen years under St.

Germanus, and afterwards visited St. Martin of Tours, the brother, or

more probably the uncle of his mother Conquessa. He returned when
past sixty to preach the Gospel in Ireland, to which country he had
been carried captive
said to have

and 3,000

'

in his youth.

saint so famous,

priests,'

would not be long without a memorial

place of his birth ; but the early history of this district

we have no

and who

is

founded 365 churches, and ordained as many bishops,

is

in the

obscure, and

transaction recorded in connection with the church here

until about the

end of the twelfth century

some time previous to

which Alwin, Earl of Lennox, had confirmed to the church of

Kilpatrick all the lauds of Cochinach, Edinbernan, Baccan,
Finbealach, Drumcrene, Graguentalach, Monachkenneran, Drunitechglunan, Cuiltebut, Dalcrenach, granted by his predecessors, and

had himself added the land of Cateconuen."

Begist. de

Pa

p. 157.

" Before 1227,

Kilpatrick, which

Maldoven, Earl of Lennox, granted the church of

had been

istery of Paisley,

The

benefice

so richly

endowed by

where he chose

continued

the

his

own

property of

his family, to the

place of sepultun-.

the

abbey

till

the

Reformation.

"The

site of

the ancient church seems to have been the same at

that of Old Kilpatrick in 1703, which

'

a very ancient building.'

is

was described

in that

In the river Clyde opposite to

it

year as
'

there

a large stone or rock, visible at low water, called St. Patrick's

jM

connected with a legend

stone,'

upon

it

struck

St. Patrick's vessel

that

'

in full sail on setting out to Ireland,

and sustained no

injury.'

"

as anciently belonging to the church

The lands mentioned above

were, at the end of the twelfth century, held

Beda Ferdan (who

large house of wattle),

by a person named

Monachkenneran, on the Clyde, in a

lived at

and three other persons, who were bound,

and entertain pilgrims or strangers coming

for all service, to receive

to the

not

Church of

From some

St. Patrick.

defect of

which can-

title,

detected, these lands were the subject of continual

now be

disputes between the

monks

of Paisley and those claiming right

through the family of Lennox.

"Dumbarton must have been one

sin

settlements in Scotland
of

its

but

that

all

of

is

the earliest

known

Christian

of the constitution

church during the existence of the kingdom of Strathcluyd,

of which

was the

it

capital, is

bishop taking their style from

it

an intimation of a bishopric and

in the sixth century.

The annals

of Ulster record the death of Cathal MacFergus, bishop of Alcluyd,

in 554.

"

The

Dumbarton

parish of

is

distinguishable by

castle-rock rising abruptly from the level

it is

joined by the Leven at

inland the parish

is fiat,

its

bank

southern extremity.

and then

rises into

its

remarkable

of the Clyde,

where

For two miles

high moorland at

its

northern boundary.
" In 1296

it

was a

Dumbarton, swore
the church, with

Kilwinning,

who

free rectory.

fealty to
all

its

Allan de Dunfres, the parson of

Edward

I.

continued to

cure would seem to have been served

chaplains.
St. Patrick,

in

The chapel

In the following century

was given to the monks of

possess it till the Reformation. The

pertinents,

of

Dumbarton

and the parish church,

by the monks or
Castle

their

was dedicated

also a collegiate church,

to

founded

1450 by Isabella, Duchess of Albany and Countess of Lennox, was

dedicated to this saint also.

chapel and an

were patrons.

endowed

It

had an hospital

for

bedesmen, with a

chaplainry, of which the Earls of

Lennox

"

The town of Dumbarton, the

Strathcluyd,

kingdom

capital of the ancient

of

one of the oldest towns of which wo have authentic

is

whose

site

can

Guivet, 'king of Alcluoith.'

In

historical record,

now be
G93,

In G57 died

identified.

Donald M'Alpin, king

of

In 731, the Venerable Bede describes Alcluith as

Alcluoith, died.

the capital of the Britons of that district (civitas Britonum muni-

In 756, Eadberht and Unst, kings of the Picts,

tissima).

army

against

'

led an

the City of Alcluth, and there imposed terms of

submission on the Britons' (Ann. Uls. Chron. of pr. of Wales).

799

recorded the burning of Alucloith

is

following year,

pr. of

Stnithcluyd went to

Wales).

Rome

sovereigns or their kingdom.

castle

In

and in 8G9 and the

was besieged and demolished by the Northern

it

Pagans (Chron. of

around the

In 974, Dunwallen, the king of

(lb.)

We

The

ancient

hear no more of these

town assuredly grew up

but the neighbouring and dependent port has

drawn the buildings of the modern burgh

in that direction."

It is evident that a respectable tradition

connected

Patrick with Alcluaith from a very early period,

St.

and there can be

have existed

doubt that some reason must

little

for this.

very ancient Irish authority

will

be quoted presently which throws an important

light

on the whole question.

Some

conjectures 3 have been

a supposed

site

an interpolation
are

called
;

father

Book

had
of

St.

in reference to
is

probably

hence, any attempts at identification

mere waste of

Confession,

made

Enon, but the word

In some versions of the

time.

Patrick

is

made

to

say

lived at a villa called Enon,

that

his

but in

the

Armagh, the Cotton MS. and the MS. of

'

Conjectures.

Essays on Religion and Literature.

-r

;'>',ii^.

St.

used by the Bolandists,

Veclast,

tioned at

had a

father]

Patrick's

is

[St.

[Bonavem

farm near

little

not men-

For he

was captured.

Tabernise] where I

The

name

this

and the passage runs thus

all,

Hymn of St. Fiacc

says expressly that St. Patrick

Nemthur, and

was born

at

demands

consideration.

which

this is the third place

It

should be remarked that

Patrick does not say that he was born at Bonavem,

St.

but merely states that his father resided there, and that
he was captured in the neighbourhood.

Todd

evidently

inclined

to

Hence, Dr.

opinion

the

that

St.

Patrick might have been born in Scotland, although he

was captured in Gaul. But the fact

power having already been overthrown
indeed

it

of the

Boman

in Scotland,

if

could ever be said to have been established

there, militates against this view.

The

Tripartite,

simply that

and the

Hymn

of St. Fiacc

Patrick was born in Nemthur.

St.

Second and Third Lives give two

state

The

different places the

honour of being his native town, the writers having

evidently compiled their narrative from several sources,

and with the utmost

of each

In Nemthur, moreover, the person St. Patrick was born.

Hennessy's translation from the original Irish, at the end of this

Tripartite.

(See Mr.

simplicity, giving the statement

without observing that they by no means

Work.)
Fiacc. Patrick was born at Emptur
(his
that history relates to
(Translated in the Irish Ecclesiastical Record, March, 186S.) Monsignor
more accuadds, in a note The name of our Apostle's birthplace
" In a village, the name
rately given as follows in a very ancient Irish MS.
6 St.

it is

us.

Moran

is

of

which

is

Ilumia, in Britain, near the city of Empter," &c.

Scholiast on Fiacc's Ifi/mii.

coincided."

the

The Fourth Life makes Nemthur a town

Campus Taberni;o,

tower,

interpreting

Nemthur

as a

in

eel. sstial

and adducing the frequently rejected idea that

Roman encampmcut. Probus, in

Taberniae indicated a

the Fifth Life, asserts that St. Patrick was born in

Britanniis, that his father was a native of the village
01

Bannave, of the region of Tabernia, near the western

sea.'

He

name

says also that the vicus Bannave

where giants once dwelt.

Xeutria,

was

in

Neustria was the

of the province which lay between the

Meuse and
no doubt was the Neutria of Probus
Indeed, there are numerous misprints in Colgan, and it
is more than probable that the omission
of the s may be
the Loire,

and

this

referred to this cause.

It is just possible that the Scholiast

on Fiacc's Hymn,

preserved along with the copy of that document in the

College of St. Isidore, at Rome, gives the true version
of the whole matter.

It

runs thus

" This was the cause of the servitude of Patrick

:They

all

went

from the Britons of Alcluaid, across the Iccian Sea, southwards,

on
a journey to the Britons who are on the Sea of Icht namely,

the
Britons of Letha, because they had brethren [relatives]
there at
that time.
Now, the mother of these children, namely, Conches,

was of the Franks, and she was a

Coincided. Natus eat igitur

natus est in
illo

in illo

Campo Taburne. Vit-c

oppido Nemthur nomine.

sister to

Martin.

At

oppido Nemthur nomine.

2, p. 4.

Natus est

Patricias natus est in

that time

Patricks

igitur Patricius in

Campo

Tabernia?

Vit

3, p. 6.
'

Western sea, "

occidentali."

De

vico

Jocelyn has

Bannave Tiburniaj

"mare Hibernicum."

regionia,

haud procul a mari

Life of St. Patrick.

came seven sons of Sectmaide, king of Briton,
Britons

from the

in ships

and they made great plunder on the Britons

viz.,

the

Britons of Armuric Letha, where Patrick with his family was, and

they wounded Calpuirnn there, and carried off Patrick and Lupait

with them to Ireland."

In this account

we have what

looks very like a clear

explanation of apparently conflicting statements.

cpiite

It is

impossible not to give weight to the concurrent

testimony of the

saint's

having had some connection

with Alcluaid, the modern Dumbarton.

has not mentioned his birthplace.
that his father bad property at
that he

was taken captive

It is evident,

from the

Patrick

St.

simply observes

Bonavem

Tabernise,

and

there.
saint's

family were noble and wealthy.

victorious over all nations,

He

own

account, that his

The Eoman

had obtained peace

people,

for their

empire, which might then, indeed, be almost described

as the world.

They had given peace

to the

Church

hence Christian families were enabled to accumulate

also,

worldly wealth, though not always to their spiritual

There

advantage.
Potitius
for

is

no reason

several generations.

wife,

why

the property of

might not have been in possession of his family

It is

past question that his

Conchessa, was the sister or near relative of

Martin of Tours.

Yet

all this

by no means

St.

militates

against the supposition that St. Patrick's father might

have resided

Roman

for a

few years at Alcluaid.

The great

wall terminates at Kilpatrick, the site which a

respectable

amount

of tradition assigns as tbe birthplace

rhNliI

5
'#

of St. Patrick.

Nor

is it difficult

If the family of Potitius

Bonavem,

Potitius, after his

may have gone

to Alcluaid

The

for

some years at

marriage with Conchessa,

on military business con-

nected with the withdrawal of the

that place.

to account for this.

had resided

Eoman

forces

Scholiast expressly states

from

that the

family went

"from the Britains of Alcluaid to the

Britons of Letha, 8 because they had relations there
at

that time."

r^

This bears out our theory.

not given, resided for some time at Alcluaid

but it
;
was not their permanent abode. They had relatives
among the Britons of Letha, and thither they came.
Potitius

had

his family estates there.

her saintly relative, Martin.

home was

Conchessa had
Without doubt the family

in Brittany, but there

is

a possibility that the

family, or at least St. Patrick's parents

The home and

paternal estates of the family were at Bonavem.

St.
Patrick's father and mother, for some reason which is

may have

resided

for a time at Alcluaid.

The

Scholiast also clears

up

all difficulty

place where the saint was taken captive,

fold use of the

observed, go
to

word

from

Briton.

is

let it

be again

the Britons of Alcluaid southward

the Britons of Letha.

of St. Patrick

The family,

about the

and the two-

related,

Farther on, where the capture

we have

the distinction clearly

drawn once more.

8

Letha. The name Letha, or Latium, was applied by the early Irish
writers to Armorica, or Brittany, as well as to Italy.
Armorica was called
Northern Letha ; Italy, Southern Letha
'Curry, p. 502.

fe'

" The king of Britain 9 came in ships from the Britons and they
made great plunder on the Britons, viz. the Britons of Armurie
;

Letha."

We
No

have

as yet.

If

was another name

it

barton, the difficulty

Irish

MS.

in Trinity College, Dublin,

Britain,

in

been made

for Alcluaid or

it

is

Dum-

In an old

would be removed.

Patrick was born "in a village the

Hurnia,

Nemthur.

to deal with the place called

still

satisfactory identification of this site has

said that St.

name

of which

near the city of Ernpter."

is

An

attempt has been made to identify Nemthur by contra-

vening the high authority of Eugene O'Curry with regard

No

to the initial letter of the word.

doubt,

consonant might be used for any other,

no account, and

the syllables of words

if

Nemthur may be converted

who

prefer a

may

subject

into

is

no

is

'Britain.

solution.

indubitable.

being connected with Alcluaid

is

but those

is

a difficulty of

The evidence

of his

equally strong.

and simple statement of the Scholiast

This

Factunichias.

in favour of St. Patrick having been

The evidence

some petty

any one

may be reversed,

Tournahem

prefer to admit that it

born at Nemthur

clear

if

vowels are of

more scholarly method of treating the

which, at present, there

The

if

is all

Colgan has translated

"king" is called Sectmaide.
The name cannot be identified, and probably was that

chief

who

it

of

led the plundering expedition.

In

Essays on Religion and Literature, an attempt has been

Any valuable remarks in the paper
in this style.
Patrick are taken, with scant acknowledgments,
Colgan is mis-quoted, and the Second
from Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History.
1

Solution.

made

to identify

Nemthur

on the birthplace of St.

Life

is

called the First.

the more valuable from the absence of any attempt at

controversy

for it

>.o>

merely states as a

fact,

Patrick was born at Alcluaid, that his family

that St.
left

that

place and went to their relations in Britain, and that

St.

Patrick was captured there.

The

real difficulty

has

arisen from the mistake of supposing that St. Patrick

was born where he was captured.

If the Scholiast on Fiacc's Hymn, as preserved in the
College of Isidore, can be proved to be very ancient, it

must, undoubtedly, carry considerable weight.

whole subject

is

which happily
even

if

one open to controversy, and

is

not of grave

importance.

But the
it is

one

Indeed,

the Scholiast could be proved an unquestionable

authority, the question

might

still

be asked whether

Patrick might not have been born in Gaul, and

taken, at an early age, with his parents to Scotland.
St.

The

gelization.

Son of God, the

birth of the Eternal

mightiest of events, produced a chain of circumstances

which influence the destinies of individuals and of

nations to the present hour.

The Creator

of

the

Adam came

first

himself to

second Adam, the fault of his creature.

repair, as the

new garden

of Paradise was brought into existence,

or rather should

we say

were re-opened.

.Man had refused the painless obedience

the gates of the old garden

He was now

of his primeval state.

to learn that

by

painful obedience only could he obtain the prize which he

had

to

remove these

own

and thorns had taken the place

Briars

rejected.

of the Tree of Life,

and men were needed brave enough

briars

and thorus, not only from

had created
he not been

man was all-powerful

how could the creature have been

so,

from the depths to which he had fallen

did more than cure.

new

food was given to

to eat,

It

renovated,

man which

so perfect that

renewed.

he was commanded

and by partaking of which he becomes one with

his Creator.

great reality.

Human

words must ever

man

this surpassing bles.sedne.~- can

that eateth me, even

Thus

as

with the

fall

short of the

The words of Him who conferred upon

"He

Christ,

it

raised

The remedy

The healing was

surpassed the disease.

it

their

He who
and all-loving. Had

path, but also from the paths of others.

lie

alone explain

shall live

it.

by me."

men became permeated more and more

I.

and they

i,

they desired to do the works of

thirsted,

in

their

He

>>>

Life of St. Patrick

impart the knowledge of this

thirsted, to

Humanity, weary of

"Unknown God,"
now pined

erected,

and there rays of

to

its

life

to others.

worshippings of the

which many an

for light,

its

and

and the

altar

had been

light came.

Here

eternal splendour were cast on lands

from those great shores where the True Light

far distant

shone in

itself,

its

pure refulgence.

To some, clear intimation was given that the light

had come to others ever deepening shadows indicated
the presence of light elsewhere. To a few that light was
;

and they knew the only Begotten,

shown

in all its glory,

full of

grace and truth

to a

few

also faint rays of its

blessedness shone across the darkness

by which they were

surrounded, and dim glimpses of truth radiated across

the long night of error.

The coming of the true light made itself felt in

many ways and in many places. Heathen oracles, where
men had long sought that knowledge of the future,
which is one of the deepest and most insatiable of human
desires,

told

of a

coming One whose power should

Even the very dispensation and

overthrow their own.

ceremonial appointed by

God Himself

which mankind might be educated

as a

means by

for a higher worship

spiritual form of religion, even this also by

and portent declared that another dispensation had
commenced. The veil of the Temple was rent at the

and more
sign

moment when
abolished

the sacrifices of the Temple were for ever

by the one

Sacrifice,

and mystic voices and

sounds were heard in that ancient fane on the day of

Mi sterious intimations of Christ's Advent.

"Let us go

Pentecost.

hence, let us go hence."

indeed, might the angels of that house depart

9:3

"Well,

when

Lord of angels had been crucified and denied by

the
its

unfaithful guardians.

An unvarying tradition informs us that the mysterious

when Jesus

darkness which covered the earth

died was

remarked even on the distant shores of Erin. Conchobar,

Mac

or Conor

Nessa, was king of Ulster at the time of

Fergus Mae Nessa was the

our Lord's Incarnation.

rightful

monarch, hut Conor's father having died while

he was an

who

ther,

infant.

Fergus proposed marriage to his mo-

agreed, on condition that her son Conor should

be allowed to reign

made himself

for

But the young prince

one year.

that his subjects absolutely

so popular

refused to allow Fergus to

assume the

reins of govern-

ment, and the good Conor had a long and prosperous

reign.

rously
thai

had been thrown

ball

by aConnaught man, and

from

he should refrain

at his

all

excitement, as any

Budden movement mighi prove fatal

in health until the

head treache-

his physicians ordered

Conor continued

day of the Crucifixion.

He

then

observed the strange darkness, and other atmospheric

phenomena, and inquired

the cause.

if

Barach, his druid,

The druid consulted

his oracles,

knew

and then

informed the king that Jesus Christ, the Son of the

living God,

was

of the Jews.
r.

slaying

"Non

at

moment

that

"Wh
.

him innocently

suffering at the

hands

has he committed?' said

I

the druid.

"Then they

exclaimed the king.

"

are

They

This was more than the noble

said the druid.

are,''

He knew not
life.
He only

prince could bear.

to be the source of

true heart

madly

how he

that this death

could avenge the wrong, and rushing

he hewed at the young trees until

to the forest

the sudden excitement ended in his

And

while the

mourned
"

death.

wrong, the king

for

satisfaction

sorrows of his God.

the

in plaintive cries

Why," he

own

of Celtic chivalry manifested itself

fire

deeds of

these

in

was

thought in his brave

asked, " did not Christ appeal for help to a

valiant high king

he would have gone as a hardy

champion with quivering

the great valour of

lips, until

a soldier should be witnessed, dealing a breach of battle

between two

hosts.

Bitter

would be propitiated

there

my

should

assistance

be.

the slaughter
free

relief

deed to the faithful host of noble

feats,

whose vigilant

God

Beautiful the overthrowing which I

being

is

defiled.

would not

rest,

heart to hear the voice of wailing for

that this
arrest

arm does not come

the

Creator

sorrow of

because I

to ride in chariots."
1

Chariots.

Mr.

Irish historians

am

to reach

death,

told that

it is

my

my

It crushes

God, and

with true

without

give.

for Christ

though

body of clay had been tormented by them.

my

to relieve

would

wage

Beautiful the combat which I would

who

Christ

would complain of the

beautiful aid should be with the merciful

Him.

by which

with

relief to

avenging the

dangerous for

me

O'Curry says that this tale was always believed by the

from a very early date. It is one of the Historic Tales, and

83

Druidical Prophecies of St. Patricks coming.

95

Unman

cen-

Book of Leinster
named Altus visited

In the
turion

it is

said that a

Ireland, and informed

Conor

of the death of Christ.

"And

they say, Centurion Altus, when he to Emania came,

And to Home's subjection called us, urging Cesar's tribute claim;
Told that half the world barbarian thrills already with the faith
Taught them by the goddike Syrian Caesar lately put to death." 5

It is said also that as the

time of

St. Patrick's

mission

approached the druids gave warning of his coming.

In the Ecstacy, or Prophecy of
Battles,

it

is

Conn

of the

Hundred

said " with Laeghaire, the violent, will the

land be humbled by the coming of the Tailcenn, that

Patrick

is

which

will

houses across, that

is

churches, bent

pluck the flowers from high places."

version of this prediction

runs thus:

"A

is

given in the Tripartite, which

Tailcenn shall come, he

will ereel cities,

many

churches, union-houses, with gables and angles;

kings will take up pilgrim

There

is

prophecy.

staffs."

no account of the cause or origin of

It

has

been

translated

incorrectly by Colgan, but Professor

in

staffs,

Another

into

Latin

this

very

O'Curry succeeded

obtaining the most undoubted authority for every

word from ancient manuscripts, and

of that class known under the
Tragedies or Deaths.
It is found

his ability, as

generic appellation of

Oitte or

Aideadh,

in some of the most ancient and best authenMSS. ; and there seems no more reason to doubt its truth than to doubt
the existence of Conor, who was an historical character of considerable
importance.
O'Curry, p. 276.
For fuller details see ''The Irish before the
Conquest*' I ""', by M.
Ferguson, and "The Illustrated History of Ire-

ticated

<

land,"

p.

Death.

'.

128.

Lays of the

Western Gaul, by Samuel Ferguson, Bsq.

Life of St. Patrick.

translator of the oldest forms of the Celtic tongue,

is

beyond question.
It

was the opinion

of this eminent scholar that this

passage was an interpolation in the modern copies of

the Tripartite.

But he

also observes that

Macutenius

introduces a druidical prophecy of the coming of the

saint into his Life of St. Patrick

diction

hence some such pre-

must have been current and credited

as real

within a few centuries after the death of the apostle.

The

history of this prophecy

is

that the coming of St. Patrick

very

was

and Luchat Mael, king Laeghaire's

brief.

It is said

foretold

by Lochra

druids, in 429, three

years before the arrival of the saint.

"

Tailcenn will come over the raging sea,

his perforated garment, his crook-headed
his table at the east end of his house,

With
With

And

all his

people will

stall,

answer Amen, amen."

The perforated garment

is,

of course, the chasuble,

the crook-headed staff explains itself as the symbol of

episcopal authority,

and the

house indicated the

altar,

worship and reverence.

table at the east

end of the

the great centre of Christian

ft

There can be no doubt that some knowledge of Christianity

and Christian practices preceded the advent of St.

Patrick to Ireland.

Although the Eoman legions never

crossed the Iccian Sea, as the English Channel

3

The meaning of

the word Tailcenn is doubtful. The name

Talchenn was descriptive of baldness and a term of reMr. O'Curry believes that the tonsure was adopted for this reason

Reverence.

or soubriquet of

proach.

was then

by the priesthood (MS. Materials,

p. 61S).

ii^

Christianity known early in Britain

called, there

countries,

was

and

si ill

still

some intercourse between the two

more intercourse with France.

It is

ma-

true that this intercourse consisted principally in

rauding expeditions, but even thus some Christians must

have been brought to Ireland as

slaves,

and during

their

compulsory stay Celtic wit and curiosity could scarcely

have
gion.

failed to

make many

Christianity had

made

the second century.

Church sent
*Q

inquiries about the

The well-known passage

St.

into Britain

as early as

Verulam and SS. Aaron and

at

upon Usk,

and wear the martyr's palm

British bishops

reli-

In a few years later the British

Alban

Julius at Caerleon

way

its

new

of Tertullian proves that

song

to sing the victor's

in heaven.

In 314 three

were present at the Council of Aries

Eberius of York, Restitutus of London, and Adelfius,

whose see has not been clearly ascertained, but who

signed himself " Episcopus de civitate Colonia Loudim usium."

But before the middle of the

of Pelagius had

made such

of Auxerre and St.

Lupus

Celestine to oppose

Germanus

is

its

fifth

Germanus

of Troyes, were sent by Pope

The mission

progress.

thus recorded by

a contemporary authority

century the heresy

progress that St.

St.

of St.

Prosper of Aquitaine,

" Agricola, a Pelagian, son

of Severianus, a Pelagian bishop, corrupted the churches

of Britain
the

by insinuation

instrumentality

of his doctrine, but through

of Palladius,

Celestine sends Germanus,

own

the

deacon,

Bishop of Auxerre,

I'

in

his

stead [vice sua] to root out heresy and direct the

"M

Britons to the Catholic faith."

Two

429.

informs us that

431, the same chronicle

" Palladius

was consecrated by Pope

later,

and sent as the

Celestine,

This was in the year

a.d.

years

first

bishop to the Irish

believing in Christ."

Thus we have evidence that there were Christians in

numbers were few, and we have

Ireland, although their

also the

interesting statement

equally

that the

first

From

bishop was sent to Ireland direct from Rome. 4

the earliest days of Christianity the

Roman

had

pontiffs

devoted their special attention to the conversion of

pagan

The mission given

nations.

to

them by

Divine Master was ever present to their minds.

their

work when hidden

in the Catacombs,

work when the Church was undergoing

of persecution.

It

it

was

its fiery

their

was

It

their

ordeals

was not forgotten when the peace

of

the Church was proclaimed, and from the day on which

Peter and the Apostles received the

teach

nations

all

command to go and

the present hour, his successors

to

have diligently discharged their heavenly commission.

Innocent the

First, writing

century [a.d. 402] says

" Is

it

not

vered to the

known

nothing

is

since,

Rome.

Vetustiora

it is

very

which have been

deli-

Peter, the Prince of the Apostles,

should be observed by

to be introduced devoid of authority, or

where? Especially as

1787.

to all that the things

Roman Church by

and preserved ever

to Decentius, in this

all

and that

borrowed

else-

manifest that no one has founded churches

Latinorum Soriptorum chronica, T. Roncallius, Padua.

Mission of Palladius.

7Vjc

for all Italy, the Gauls, Spain, Africa,

and the interjacent

islands,

except such as were appointed priests (or bishops) [sacerdotes] by

the venerable Peter and his successors."

The mission of Palladius was not

little is

known

of his early career,

and

But

successful.

this little is also

He calls him
and the Book of Armagh supplies the

gathered from the testimony of Prosper.

the deacon,

further explanation that he

was chief deacon of

St.

Celestine.
" This was a post of high honour and responsibility in the

Church.

Many

of the early pontiffs were elected to the

from being deacons of

Eome and
;

Roman

popedom

during the vacancy of the see or

the captivity of the pontiff, the whole administration of affairs

devolved on them.

which we now

treat,

Even two centuries later than the period of

when Archbishop Fornian, of Armagh, and

other Irish prelates, addressed a letter to

Eome on

the Paschal

Question, the reply, which was written during the vacancy of the
see,

bears the

name

of Hilary, archdeacon, guardian during the

vacancy of the Holy Sec, and John the deacon,

over,

Pope

IV.

Thus, in this

elect,

and soon

to represent to the
his solicitations

office

is

was, more-

of

Deacon of Eome, Palladius was

John

entitled

Pope the wants of the Christian Church, and

in

favourable response.
of our island,

who

after ascended the papal throne as

favour of Britain were sure to meet with a

His subsequent mission, as

first

erangeluex

quite in accordance with his high dignity in

Eome,

and with the views of the Holy See, which ever attached the
greatest importance to the bringing of the Gospel light to pagan
nations." 5

Xatioru.

Essays

Irish Church, l>y the

in the library of

on the Origin, Doctrine, and Discipline of the Early

Very Itev. Monsignor Moran, p, 5. This work should bo

every student.

> > >

Life of St. Patrick.

In the Providence of God

happens not unfrequently

it

t*

that while one sows in pain and tears, another comes,

and, as far as

field

human eye can

and bears away

harvest,

judge, reaps the golden

triumph sheaves from a

in

And

which he has never ploughed.

so

it

was

in

Palladius went forth to labour on the

this instance.

Irish coast, his mission failed, yet

even then another was

preparing in silence, in penitential exercises, and with

many prayers, whose

harvest will continue for centuries,

and only end when kingdoms and peoples have ceased

to be.
failure of Palladius is thus related

The attempt and

Book

in the

Pope

of

Celestine,

Armagh

"

Palladius,

Bishop of Rome, and

Archdeacon of
forty-fifth

cessor of St. Peter in the Apostolic See,

and sent

to

unsuccessful, for no one can receive

anything ti'om earth unless

heaven

lying under wintry

convert this island,

But he was

cold.

it

and neither did these

be given to him from

fierce barbarians receive

his doctrine readily, nor did he himself wish to

long [transigere tempus] in a land not his

fore,

suc-

was ordained

who

he returned to him

however, after passing the

sent him.

first

sea,

remain

own whereOn his way,

;

having begun his

land journey, he died in the territory of the Britons."

Some
on

further information

St. Fiacc's

Hymn, and we

some churches,
Romans,

viz.,

Killfine,

is

given in the Scholiast

are told that " he founded

Teach-na-Roman, or house of the

and

others.

Nevertheless he was

not well received by the people, but was forced to

"'
.'

<\'

^1 Ilex

ll

sail

'liiI^l^(im?i<WlB^Ni

>~>

around the coast towards the north, until he was driven

by

tempest to the land of the Picts, where he founded

the Church of Fordun, and there he

name of Pledi."
The Vita Secunda
"The most

blessed

archdeacon of the

him

sent

known by

Pope Celestine ordained bishop the

Church, named Palladius, and

into the Island of Hibernia, giving to

moreover,

and Paul, and other

him

saints

relics

and,

New

volumes of the Old and

the

the

gives fuller details.

Roman

of the blessed Peter

ment

is

Testa-

entering the land of the Scots, arrived at the

territory

of the

Garrehon was
however,

men of Leinster, where Nathi Macwho was opposed to him. Others,

chief,

whom

the divine

mercy had disposed towards

name

the worship of God, having been baptized in the

of the sacred Trinity, the blessed Palladius built three

one which

churches in the same district

fine
la

(?'.

vin),

>'

in

which, even to the present day, he

St. Celestine,

of SS. Peter and Paul, and other saints, and the

on which he used to write, which,

called

from his name, Pallere,

Palladius,

and

arc held

that

is,

in veneration.

in

Irish,

are

the burden of

Another was

Teach-na-Roman, the house of the Romans

the third,
in

left his

and the box of the

tallies

called

called Kill-

Church of Finte, perhaps the present Dun-

books received from

relics

is

e.

and

Dumnach-Ardech (Donard, near Dunlavin),

which repose the holy companions of Palladius,

Sylvester and Salonius,

who

are

still

honoured

viz.,

there.

After a short time Palladius died at Fordun, but others

say that he was crowned with martyrdom there."

In the Vita Quartet the arrival of Palladius
recorded

also

is

"AVhen, therefore, Palladius arrived in the territory of

the Lagenians, he began to preach the

But

Word

of God.

Almighty had not predestined the

as the

Irish

people to be brought by him from the errors of heathen-

ism to the faith of the holy and undivided Trinity, he

remained there only a few days.

some

Nevertheless,

few did believe through him, and in the same

founded three churches, one of which

is

district

called

he

(Church

Finte Ecclesia Finte) in which, to the present day, are

preserved his books, received from

box with the

and other

relics of

saints,

and the

tablets

which are called from

write,

his

by the

Solinus,

relics,

the Island of Boethin,

But
good

St.

in Irish, Pallad-ir,

Another church was

disciples of Palladius, viz.

whose

and a

on which he used to

name

and are held in great veneration.

built

St. Celestine,

the blessed apostles Peter and Paul,

after

and are there held

in

carried to

due honour.

much

Palladius, seeing that he could not do

there,

was anxious

to return to

and

Silvester

some time, were

Rome, and migrated

Others, how-

to the

Lord in the region of the

ever,

say that he was crowned with martyrdom in

Picts.

Ireland."

After carefully weighing conflicting evidence,

pears there

is

a possibility that

St.

Patrick

it

may

ap-

have

103

St. Patrick's Relatives.

been born in Scotland, where his parents were at that

time residing.
Many legends are related of his early
years,

and unless we are prepared to deny the miraculous

occurrences in the Lives of the Saints altogether, there

is

no other reason why they should be questioned.

His

family were noble and wealthy, although, for reasons

already given,

it is

have acted as a

scarcely possible that Potitius could

Roman

magistrate at Athcluaid

he

doubtless was there on some special mission, as this was

not the family homo.

His mother, Conchessa, the

sister

of the great St.

Martin, was of good family also, as the world reputes.

Her

father

army.

St.

was a pagan, and a tribune of the Imperial

Martin was born in Pannonia, at a village

called Sabaria, but his parents

to

Pa via,

in Italy, while he

removed from Hungary

was

still

become a monk.

him

The laws

that he might

of the Imperial

serve twenty campaigns,

to

a youth, and at

home

the age of ten he escaped from

and

assisted in capturing the fugitive, so that

pelled to

become a

we have no concern

in the

way

With

his further history

at present.

The word used by

and often to sisters in

Sister.

cousins,

soldier.

army obliged
own father
he was com-

his

Irish writers
religion.

of supposing that Conchessa

is

shir

this is applied to neices,

There are chronological

was

385, when, according to the

St.

Martin's

sister.

difficulties

In the year

most probable calculation, St. Patrick was only a

year old, St. Martin was sixty-nine, and Conchessa could be scarcely more
than twenty years his junior. There can be no doubt, however, that St.
Martin and Conchessa were nearly related and she may have been bis sister.
The date is fixed by the fact that it was in this year St. Martin "
Treves, where the Emperor Maximilian held his court, to arrange some
;

ecclesiastial affairs.
1

T"

MMnsmm

4 0$

Life of St. Patrick.

Many
Like

legends are related of the saint's early

Benedict, he had a nurse to

St.

appear, that he

attached,

Gormias,

and the

was baptized by a

priest,

It

named

who was blind. There was no water at hand,

made the sign of the cross over the ground
hands of the infant, when a spring immediately

forth.

man was
sight

and they

priest

with the

gushed

and who was devoted to

Tripartite gives these details,

said that the saint

life.

would

it

mentioned in the Second and Third Lives.

are also
is

was

The

her charge.

whom,

According to another account, the blind

a layman, but

by washing

all

in the

agree that he recovered his

water which had been mira-

He was

culously procured.

able also to read the office,

although he had been ignorant of letters hitherto.

It was,

indeed, fitting that

occur at the birth of one

such a miracle should

who was

destined

by Provi-

dence to bring the light of faith to thousands, and great

i&

undoubtedly as the miracle of restoring or giving sight

may

seem, far greater and far more wonderful was the

exercise of Divine

power by which, through the

instru-

mentality of Patrick, spiritual sight was given to those

who

sat in darkness

and the shadow of death.

Those

' Hitherto. \\\ the Second and Third Lives the person who baptized
St.
In the Fourth Life he is said to have
Patrick is said to have been a priest.
been a certain holy man, blind from his birth [Sanctum virum a nativitate
Jocelyn states that St. Patrick had been baptized before, and that
crecum],
Gormias was told in a dream that he would recover his sight if he went to the
newly baptized child, made the sign of the cross on the ground with the
infant's hands, and bathed his eyes in the fountain which should spring
forth.
In the preface to the copy of the Hymn of St. Sechnall, preserved in
the Leabhar breac, Gormias is called a priest, and the miracle is said to have

taken place at the baptism of the

saint.

All agree in describing Gormias aa

flat-faced (tabulata facie).

^W

r^^
v^v;

.__'

^aVi*Ja!

St. Patrick's

Baptism

who are familiar with the Lives of the Saints will recal
many instances in which the birth of those destined for
some great end has been signalized by some
characteristic miracle.
Assisi, angels

were heard singing

the stable where he

On

was

laid

chapel, built

was born,

is

still

on a bed of

on the

shown

site of

at Assisi.

the day of his baptism a mysterious visitor appeared,

who took

the infant in his arms, and after caressing

some time, made the sign of the cross on his

right shoulder.
The mark remained thereon, and he
returned him to his nurse, desiring her to have a special
him

and

and by the command

of a pilgrim stranger, his mother

straw before his birth.

special

Before the birth of St. Francis of

for

care of her charge, as the devil,

whose power he would

so vigorously oppose at a future period,

means

Many

instances are recorded in which persons have

obtained the power of reading

taught

would use every

to injure him.

letters, or

who had never been

of the knowledge of languages of which

they had been hitherto ignorant.

Perhaps the best

authenticated and most wonderful account of the latter

power may be found

in the Life of St. Francis

the great apostle of the Indies.

Xavier,

In the report in the

cause of this saint, the auditors of the Rota thus speak

" Xavier was illustrious for the gift of tongues, for he

spoke the languages of different nations, which he had

never learned,

same

statement

with fluency and eloquence."

is

made with

Bcrtrand and several other saints.

regard to

St.

The
Lewis

The

many

Tripartite Life states that

wrought by

miracles were

Patrick in his youth, but that only a

St.

few of them are related.

There

is

some not very

clear

tradition about a stone or rock on which, according to

Jocelyn, St. Patrick

was born, which

also connected

is

with the legend that a leper made the journey from

Gaul to Ireland on
Catholics

may

this stone.

being mentioned as even possible

tion such miracles

must

first

be drawn between what

God.

Him

If to

am

aware that even

smile at the idea of such a statement

question which remains

reject a miracle

but those

possible

is

who

ques-

or

impossible to

things are possible, the only

all

historical evidence for

say where the line should

whether we have

is

sufficient

any miracle, and we must not

merely because

pass our ideas of possibility

it

seems to us to sur-

nor should

we even refuse to

believe the accounts of such events if given to us on the

same evidence that we would accept

termed ordinary incidents in the

for

life

what may be

of a saint.

In

Todd has well remarked

if we cast out the rubbish

writing of another subject, Dr.

that

we should

without

sifting,

which have
8
St.

Mass.

we

should cast out also precious stones

loner lain

Memoir

Raymond

" beware, lest

concealed

of St. Patrick, p.

of Pennefort sailed

366.

in

the mass."

He

The reader may remember that

from Majorca to Barcelona on his cloak, a

King James had threatened with death any person

distance of sixty leagues.
wno should attempt to carry him out of the island. The saint, full of faith,
exclaimed
" An earthly king would deprive us of the means of withdrawal,
but a heavenly king will supply them." He then went to the shore, cast his
mantle upon the waves, and having tied up one corner of it to his staff to servo
as a sail, he stepped upon the frail barque without fear, and was safely landed
:

had found that statements of

fact,

which had heen

utterly rejected as purely fabulous, were, in one instance

at least,

proved by subsequent research to be

true.

According to the account in Jocelyn, there was a

rock near the place where St. Patrick was baptized, on
which, according to some, he was born, and according

Here persons were brought

was any controversy between neighbours,

to others, he said Mass.

when

there

and both parties placed

their

receiving the sacrament

self,

if

hands upon the stone

after

any person perjured him-

water at once came forth where his hand touched

the rock.

The Vita Secunda gives the same account briefly.

The Vita Tertia uses almost the same words. The Vita
Quarta gives the narrative more
distinctly that St. Patrick

autem

fertur super

briefly,

but also states

was born on the stone

lapidem qui

illic

natus

honorifice habetur:

Probus (Quinta Vita) does not mention

this rock,

does he give any of the miracles of the saint's early

The Sexta Vita

(Jocelyn) gives

the details

nor
life.

already

His arrival was witnessed by hnndreda.

about six honrs at Barcelona.
This miracle was one of those which were accepted for his canonization, ami it
If God could
is well known how rigorously all such miracles are examined.
in

permit such a miracle, it would be as easy to believe that St. Patrick's stone
St. Raymond was
could have borne the leper in safety from Gaul to Ireland.

born

A. D. 1175.

Colgan, p. 65. Jocelyn says that St. Mel is his authority for his
Colgan appended a note in which he says
statement about this rock.
none of the Lives which he has given mentions this, but that it is taken from
This appears to have been
some Life of St Patrick written by St. Mel.
known to Jocelyn, as he says St. Mel testified to having setn the stone. St.
Longford.
diocese
of
patron
saint
of
the
the
is
Mel
*

Rock.

Z3

^ Vi~r^^5?*^fi?g^
jf

Vita) does not

The Tripartite {Septiina

mentioned.

even allude to the subject.

There

however, a vellum MS. in Trinity College,

is,

Dublin, of the fifteenth century, which throws additional

on the account given by Jocelyn.

light

and

is

very short,

It is

written in irregularly measured prose, in ancient

language, and with an interlined gloss.

It is

headed

"Finn, the grandson of Baiscne, cennit, foretelling of

when he

Patrick,

slipped off the flag on which he after-

wards came to Erinn."

thirty lines,

" It

is

The MS.

and commences thus

not the path of crime

my foot has

It is not a decline of strength that has

But

it is

He is

come,

come upon me,

the warrior's stone this stone rejects

a distinguished

[A man] With

dignities

Professor
defective

man

for

whom the

stone rejects me,

from the Holy Spirit

O'Curry

consists of about

the dignity of a bishop).

that

considers

by two words, and that

(i.e.

it

the

heading

should run thus

is

"Finn, the grandson of Baiscne, cennit, predicting of

when he

Patrick,

[Finn] slipped off the flag-stone upon

which [the leper] came afterwards

The legend

When

St.

come over

to

of the leper

to Erinn."

and the flagstone

and begged earnestly

to

still

man came on

the

be taken on board.

Patrick was willing to put back, and take him up

the crew refused, and the ships

leper

this

Erinn on his mission, just as the ship had

cast off from the shore, a poor leprous

beach,

is

Patrick was leaving the coast of Britain to

moved

on.

but

The poor

continued his entreaties, whereupon, Patrick

S5S

Tltc

Legend of the Leper and the Flagstone

took his altar-Stone (which, in the old writings,

and casting

the stone altar),

reach of the leper, desired

him

culled

is

on the water within

it

to sit

on

it

and he

quiet.

This the leper did, and immediately the stone moved,

following the

ship

throughout

course until

its

they

reached the harbour of Wicklow, where the leper was

one of the

first

to land

after

which the saint again

took possession of his " Stone Altar."

spoken of as an altar

with the promise that

Patrick's children
g

This stone

in the text of this

as long as

it

lives

in

Erinn,

in Christ will live in his doctrines.

not improbable that there was an ancient legend,

It is

which

not

is

now known,

of the history of this stone

before Patrick consecrated

it

to holy purposes.

as in the former prophecies, Patrick

this,

is

prophecy, ami

Tailoenn.

From

was both a stone and a

rock.

doubt that the altar-stone which

to Ireland

From

In

called the

the account of this stone, as given both by

Jocelyn and by this old manuscript,

there

is

it

is

clear that

There can be
St,

1'atrirk

little

brought

would be an object of especial venerate >n.

Church it was customary to

the earliest ages of the

celebrate the Sacrifice of the

saints,

and the

stone,

Mass over the

relics of the

honoured because a fragment of

their relics

was enshrined, became incomparably more

honourable

when

the

Body

it

of Christ.

had been used as a resting-place

It

for

might, indeed, be expected that

the attention of a pagan people of peculiarly impressionable character should be

whom

drawn by some

special miracle

brought to Ireland by the saint to

to the altar-stone

thousands should owe their conversion.

almighty power of God, the leper might

upon the

altar-stone as St.

The question

By

the

sail as safely

Eaymond upon

his mantle.

would

not whether

for consideration

be,

the All Powerful could

work the one miracle or the other

but whether there

sufficient evidence to

He

did

work

is

In the case of

either.

prove that

Eaymond

St.

there

can be no reasonable doubt, the miracle having been

one of those approved for the process of his canonization.
In the case of our own saint there

is,

at least, sufficient

evidence to prove a strong traditionary belief that some

such miracle had happened.

The Rock of Cashel

Rock but

Patrick's

is still

it

called Carraig Phatraic, or

was commonly

called

Leac

Phatraic, or Patrick's Flagstone, another evidence in

In the manuscript already

favour of the tradition.

quoted, which

is

called a

Prophecy of

St. Patrick,

the

angels are said to wait for the coming of the saint in

Core's city.

Cashel was founded by Core

who was king

came

of

to Ireland.

Mac Lughadh,

Munster at the time when

And

here also

we

St.

Patrick

find another legend

of the great apostle.

When Flann was

resided at Cashel,

neighbourhood.
a

king of Munster, a.d. 622-633, he

and

St.

Mochaembrog

settled in the

This king sent some horses to graze in

meadow which belonged

to the saint,

who

expelled

the intruders.

went at once

Tlie saint

tained an interview with the king,

peaceably.
vision, in

and

to Cashel, ob-

settled mattera

Some nights after this the king had a

which he beheld a venerable old man, who

took him to the southern battlements of the walls of

lashel.
Here he showed him a host of " white saints."
Flann inquired who they were, and was informed that
(

they were St. Patrick and the saints of Erinn,

come
told

to the relief of St.

by

his guide that if he did not

the saint he
St.

would soon

this

name

is

make peace with

die.

Patrick received the

name of Succat

Hymn of St.

In the Scholiast, on the

who had

Mochaembrog, and was further

at his baptism.

Fiacc,

it is

said that

English, and signifies the " god of war," or

" strong in war," an appropriate appellation for one

who

was

win

demon

to fight against the

of idolatry,

and

to

']

the victory for a whole nation.

him Cothraige,
Quadriga.

we have
ful

'a

trick's

as

it

who will

" Until comes the power-

heal everyone

who

shall believe

shall be perpetual as long as Coth rim/Ins,

Kock

shall live."

almost appear, from the

it

mentioned in the MS. which

is

explained as another

tioned, as if

Irish masters called

written in some of the lives,

is

name

quoted thus

lately

Tailceann,

whose chddren

is

or,

This

His

In the Glossary Cothraighe

name for Patrick. It would

way in which this name is men-

were used as a generic term to exp

servitude to four masters.

'

Live.

The author

O'Curry's Lectures,

j>.

of the

Vita

0-3.

i^n^rMi

Secunda, which the late Dr. Todd considers a very

ancient authority, says

Illic

Quadriga nomen

accepit,

Et erat
quia equorum quatuor doinibus serviebat.
est
a servocatus
Succet
quadrinomius nam primum
:

viendo vero quatuor doinibus

Quotirche

vocabulum

quatuor divitibus

cum omni

cordis devo-

sumpsit et

eis

tione servivit.

of the

name

St.

Fiacc gives a similar interpretation

"Colhraiye

lie

was

called, for as a slave

he served four families."

The word Cothraige being glossed thus

of Cothraige attached to him,

i.e.,

" The name

four families

i.e.,

work of four tribes.

that St. Germain gave him the name

he used to do the
It is said

of

Magonius, and finally he obtained the name of Patrick,

3
by which he is best known, from Pope Celestine.
family
indiany
of
his
mention
The saint does not
names
of
his
sisters,
but
the
father,
his
except
vidually

and his sisters' sons have been preserved.

of Patrick's coming to Erinn,"
sisters

it

is

In the " Cause

are told that his

were taken captive with him.

mentioned, Lupait, but

sisters

we

added

two

Only one name

after that his

is

two

were sold in Conaille Miurtheimhue, but that he

did not

know

it.

iEngus, the Culdee, in his book "

On

the Mothers of

the Saints in Ireland," has the following entry

" Lupait, sister of Patrick, was the mother of the seven
:

Celestine.

See Historical Preface to the Liber Ilyiuuorum,

m>\

&%&M

p.

(^^r^^-^-^^^>^rm
The Saints Relatives.

Ua Baird,

Bona of the

i.e.,

113

SechnaU, Nechtan,

tabonna,

Mogornan, Darigoc, Ausille, Priest Lugnatli.

(

'olgan has

shown that Lupait is an error

The veracity of

many

for Liemania. 4

genealogy has been

this

verified, like

other facts in Celtic hagiography, which were long

disputed by the discovery of the tombstone where the

mortal remains of Lugnath were laid to

It

rest.

might

be expected that the sepulchre of any relative of

St.

Patrick would have special honour, and no doubt the

ravages

time and

of

barbarians,

both modern and

ancient, have conspired to deprive us of

some

of the

most important of our archaeological treasures in

department.

this

This tombstone, in characters which may,

with almost certainty, be regarded as not later than the

beginning of the

century, bears the following

sixth

&1

inscription

LIE

LUGNAEDON

The Stone of Lugnaed,

Son of Limania,

MACCLMENUE,
Where

it

will

be observed

Celtic genitive of

Lugnad

or

that

Lugnaedon

is

the

Lugna, the name given

to

the youngest of the seven sons of Liamain or Limania.

The name
on the

list

St. Sechnall's

as given

of

SechnaU

Hymn or Poem

by Colgan,

it is

I.Umania.

Olgan,

]>.

V2~,

first

In the preface to

on the Life of

St. Patrick,

said that his father was one of

the Longobards of Italy [Italia

*

be observed as the

will

of Limania's seven sons

],

and that

his

wherj the wholo subject of

name was
St. Patrick*!

Life of St. Patrick.

114

In the preface to the same hymn, contained

Eestitutus.

length, thus

SecL nail,

made

details are given

Leabhar Breac, the

in the

this

viz.,

hymn

at

was he who

of Eestitutus,

the son

in honour of Patrick

disciple of Patrick,
sister;

more

and he was

for

he was a

also the son of Patrick's

6
and he was of the Longobards of Letha, ut dixit

Eodhaich O'Flannagan.
"

Sechnall, son of

The most

Ua

Baird, the gifted,

gifted of living men,

Of the race of the pure,

Longobards of Letha."

Two

firm, white-coloured

other persons are also said to have been sons of

Limania, probably because they were sons of a

Ua

Baird f they were Comitius, Bishop of Cluain-sean-moil,

now

Clonshanville, co.

Roscommon, and Diarmaid, who

mentioned in the Tripartite as the nephew of

is

St.

Patrick
Dr. Lanigan, with a mistaken eagerness to show that

he was above what the world

6

Letha.

Liber Hymnorum,

calls prejudice,

made

the

p. 29.

6 Ua Baird.
It is a disputed point whether the Longobards were so called
from the length of their beards, or from an ancestor named Bard. Then
there is also a question about the origin of the Longobards, who are menDr. Todd
tioned at a still earlier period than the present in Irish History.
conjectures that Eestitutus may have been a Longobard of Armorica, or
northern Letha, and adds on the whole, it is possible that there may be
found more golden grains of true history in these rude and seeming blunders
about Longobards of Letha, than woidd at first sight seem probable to the
modern readers." Liber Hym. p. 39. Perhaps, also, there might be found
"golden grains" in the " rude" legends which the modern critic is so ready
to reject without the slightest inquiry as to whether it is even possible that
such things could be true, neither the legend in the history should be rejected
merely for their "rudeness."
:

jJ> .^-.

'

1^ 4--^

Golden Grains of Truth.

rash

mistake of being above believing on the mere

evidence of early Irish historians

bis day,

accounts of

has, since

Thus, while

hagiographers

as

to

tin-

of St. Patrick's relatives, he overlooked

the

the

rejecting

number

much which

been proved to be simple truth.

" golden grains " of truth on which these accounts wen-

founded.

The fact that

so

many

persons were mentioned led the

learned doctor to consider that none of them existed.

more thoughtful mind, or perhaps we should rather

say one more free from the fear of being thought too
bigoted,

would have drawn precisely the opposite con-

The discovery

clusion.

which

may

still

of the tombstone of Lugnath,

be seen with

the island of Inis-an-ghoill, in

warning

to all

who

its

ancient Inscription on

Lough

Corrib, should be a

rashly refuse to believe

what they

are pleased to consider improbable.

And now we
of legend.

It

return once more to the " golden grains"

would appear that the

saint, like St.

Francis of Assisi, and Blessed Martin Porres the Do-

minican, had been given, even from his earliest years,

a special power over nature and the animal creation.

Adam and Eve forfeited the peace of Paradise for the

tumult of sin and the world.

But

in their primeval

power over all

The world was full of life when Adam firsl
The leopard and the lamb, the lion and
L'azed upon it.
Bui when he
kill,
alike
under his control.
were
the

state of innocence they

were given

full

creatures.

rebelled against the control of the Creator of all things,

his power,

and

which had been only delegated, ceased

He was

for ever.

when he

at once

only ruler because he obeyed

ceased to obey his power to rule ceased

But the Eternal mercy had provided a remedy, and

proportion as

man

in

availed himself of this remedy, he

Hence the

obtained some degree of his former power.

who

also.

most

saintly,

most

perfectly, obtained the

are simply those

who obey

God's will

most perfect control over

the lower creation.

':<:

The lion-tamer goes

'/--.

ti

into the den of wild beasts with

his loaded

whip

the other.

If he falters for a

in one

hand and

By

a terrible fate awaits him.

some attempt
His power

is

his deadly

moment

when he would tame

He

in

brute force he makes

to control brute force.

not his own.

weapon

or forgets a weapon,

Not

so the saint.

needs no earthly weapon

The

the wolf or the bear.

force

><',

lie

<*

uses

is

the Eternal

the Eternal will.

He goes forth,

but as a conqueror.
cold has no
others,

Power communicated

power

to

him by

not to attempt conquest,

Fire has no power to burn him,

to chill him, the rain

may

fall

but he passes along dry shod, even across

on

rivers.

The wolf obeys his bidding, and forsakes his natural

and the tree falls as he wills it to fall, and not

prey,

according to the ordinary laws of nature.

Countless instances might be given of this glorious
prerogative of true sanctity.

The man

of science

may

calculate the distance of the stars, the motions of light,

the disturbing cause of changes in our system

he

may

discover wise remedies which shall heal in time the

But the man

diseases incident to our earthly being.

God can

alone rule those elements.

most powerful and who the most wise

conjectures about science, or he
effects

and

alter those causes

Who,
?

then,

is

of

the

He who makes

who can

control those

There are few, even amongst non-Catholics, who are

not in

some degree familiar with the acts of the early

martyrs.

Those acts have been transmitted to us

the most part with unquestionable authority.

for

In them

we find frequent instances, in which the ferocious and

hungry animals refused to touch the saints, whom heathen philosophers, in their ignorance, were so anxious

And

to destroy.

themselves

it

was not unfrequently the martyrs

who were

obliged to arouse as best they

might the courage and natural desire of the Hon and

the tiger.

In the acts of the well-known child martyr,

we

find that fire

had no power

St.

Agnes,

to hurt her, yet the

ilames were so fierce and the furnace into which she was
cast so powerful, that several of the

around were burned to ashes.

pagans who stood

But Agnei stood

in

the

midst calm and peaceful, while the fiery element formed

Again, we
an arch of triumph around and over her.
read of saints

whom

who passed dry shod

cold

was powerless

to hurt,

and

over rivers, and through torrents

of rain.
It is related in the life of St.

a Franciscan

friar,

Leonard of Port Maurice,

lately canonized, that

he was often

exposed to torrents of rain in his journeys, and yet that

the garments he wore were not wet.

tara

was known

St.

times without the water touching him.

performed by

Peter of Alcan-

have passed across rivers several

to

The miracle

Martin of Tours, when he by the

St.

Sign of the Cross caused the falling tree to turn in a

direction exactly opposite to that to which
is

it

inclined,

a matter of history.

Thus

it

be seen, that however wonderful

will

have been the miracles performed by

are not

may
they

more wonderful than those which have been

performed by other
Life

St. Patrick,

observes,

Patrick, that "

Patrick

The

writer of the Tripartite

mentioning the baptism of

God performed

this

at

saints.

after

place

viz.,

St.

three miracles through

the

fountain

of

water

through the ground, his eyes to the blind man, and his
reading the ordo of baptism without knowing a letter up
to that time. 7

Several other noticeable miracles are related as hav-

ing happened while he was

sion the house

even the

The

fire

child

still

was flooded where

a child.

On

one occa-

his nurse lived,

and

as

was extinguished no food could be cooked.

had asked

for food,

but the nurse replied

There are several instances of saints having learned to read miracuIn the Life of St. Catherine of Sienna we are told that she learned how to
read without having been taught by anyone. She herself informed her confessor, Blessed Raymond of Capua, who has written her life, that after she had
spent several weeks in fruitless efforts to learn even the alphabet, she prayed
to our Lord to enable her to learn to read, so that she might at least be able to
recite the Divine Office, if it was His holy will. " Before the end of her prayer, she
was able to read every kind of manuscript as rapidly and as perfectly as the
most highly educated person." See the Life of this saint, translated and published in America.
7

Time.

lously.

must have a

that they

could be attained.

kindled before his desire

fire

Patrick then went to apart of the

St.

house which the water had not yet reached

dipped

he

drops

his fingers in

from his

fell

hanged into

and

five fingers

of

spai'ks

water rose

the

when playing with

nurse

brought his

fire,

not.

five

they were miraculously

and the

On

home an armful

glowed,

fire

another

companions in

his

Here

some water, and as

of

occasion,

he

winter,

sheets.

ice

The intense cold of a severe winter had probably caused

some difficulty in procuring fire-wood, and the nurse
EJ

exclaimed that

some fagots
should be so

made

Even

would be better

The boy

and then, casting the

ice

did, long streams of flame

gave light and heat to

this

God

it

was easy

willed that

upon the

marvellous

fire

all

came

forth,

it

fire,

the sign of the cross and breathed over

he

as

he had brought her

if

replied that

to prevail over water, if

for fire

he

it

to burn.

it.

which

and as those who surrounded

looked and wondered, they beheld

flames of light' issuing also from the saint's face, ev< n as

8 Ice sheet*.

In

similar nature
into a

pond

is

the Life of St. Peter of Alcantara a miracle of a

recorded.

On one

somewhat

occasion, in winter, the saint had plunged

of ice, either through mortification or to cool the bodily heat whirl)

divine love caused

him

the

fire of

all,

the ice at once melted, and the (raters of the pond

to suffer continually.

To the amazement (
commenced to boil as

tiny had bean contained in a vessel placed over a large furnace.

It was
often remarked that snow melted at once when he came near it.
L[h
if

Peter of Alcantara ; by Father de Beavain, S.J., vol. ii. p. 63.

Light.
In the second Book of Machabees we find a remarkable instance in
which water was sprinkled on the sacrifices, and a great fire was kindled at
which all the people wondered. Jocclyn has remarked this in the chapter in
which he relates the miracle of the ice being converted into fire. Colgan, c. v.

""".""'"

Moses was made radiant by the

of old the face of

light

of God.

may

It

be

the miracle was intended to be

that

emblematic of the flames of Divine love which he was

to enkindle

It

Celts.

of his

enforced

mouth

in the icy hearts

would appear that

had been employed

as a boy,
his

by the words

pagan

of the

Indeed in

servitude.

Patrick,

St.

in tending sheep before

those

primitive

ages such occupations were not considered a degradation

or

slaves.

a merely menial duty unless performed by

Once, while he and his

came suddenly

the lambs

hastened with his

ran the

received a fatal blow

made

were thus engaged

to all appearance she

the

young

had

saint at once raised

the sign of the cross on her over the

wound" remained

Only the "white

Once,

to testify to the miracle.

was attacked by a

who

wolf,

The nurse reproached

sheep.

As they

and

1
wound, which was instantly healed.

their flock

and Patrick

them away.

sister to drive

little girl fell,

her up, and

sister

to their mothers,

St.

also,

carried off a

Patrick for

his

neglect in permitting this, but on the following day the

wolf appeared again, and brought back the sheep with

is made in the Lives of the Saints of supernatural
surround them, or to be emitted from them, when
they were working miracles or absorbed in prayer. In the depositions made
for the canonization of St. Paul of the Cross, it is said that on one occasion
specially his countenance lighted up, and brilliant rays (lashed from his face.

p.

66.

Frequent mention

light or rays appearing to

Life of St, Paul of the Cross, p. 122.

1
Healed. This sister is called Lupita by Colgan,

of St. Patrick's nurse to her charge

so faithfully tended him,

the West, vol.

ii.

p. 6.

reminds us of

aud even followed him

St.

p. 118.

The devotion

Benedict's nurse,

into the desert.

who

Monks of

^^_
5

i^p

him.

ar

II<

Restores some Animals

Like the nurse of

wished never

to

St.

to Life.

Benedict, this good

charge, and

Leave her

woman

was equally

and well she might be, when she saw

him thus " magnified by God " in prodigies and miracles.

faithful to him,

At one time he
killed

went

restored five

by a vicious cow

cows

some assembly with

to

the latter

fell

prayers of

St. Patrick.

to

life

his nurse

was restored

dead, but

On

who had been

when he

another time,

at

and guardian,
to life

reproached him because he did not bring

honey as other boys

wild

pliea of

returned to the well,

it

when a

tribute

there

filled his

was changed

at once

was none

by the

another occasion, his nurse

did,

home

bucket with water, and

into the purest honey.

of curds

sup-

and Patrick
Again,

and butter was required, and

to supply the

demand,

St,

Patrick

made

any

saint

curds and butter of the snow.

It is scarcely possible to read the Life of

without finding a record of similar miracles

haps the most noteworthy of

may

all

but per-

be found in the

Life of Blessed Sebastian, of Apparizio, a lay brother of

the Order of St. Francis.

It

hearing a person was about to

cause

it

like a lamb.
Tribute.

related of him, that

one of his oxen be-

could not be tamed, he asked for

look tamed

'

is

kill

it

so completely that

it

it,

and by one

followed him

home

Several other incidents of a similar kind

It will be remembered

tli.it

in those

times tribute was usually

The Book of Kights Lays down with great exactness the various
tributes which were demanded by the Irish chieftains from their subjects
the custom obtained also in other countries, though it was not carried out so
[>aid in

kind.

systematically.

are

also

The power which

related.

St.

Francis of

Assisi possessed over the animal creation is almost too

well

known

to need

more than a passing

of his disciples, St. Joseph of

allusion.

One

Cupertino, restored a

number of sheep to life who had been killed by a hail

storm, and whose loss would have proved a serious calamity to a poor man.
performed in the

way

Many

in all ages of the Church.

a miracle, or rather
saintly

miracles also have been

when necessary,
own day such
were performed by the

of procuring food

many

Even
such,

in our

Cure of Ars, whose name will doubtless ere long

be added to the glorious catalogue of the Church's

saints. 3
3 Saints.
It is a common excuse when miracles are mentioned for people to
say that miracles do not happen now. They do happen, and are quite as
Those who question the
frequent and as wonderful as they have ever been.
possibility of a miracle happening in the nineteenth century, and those who
question the miracles related in the Life of St. Patrick, are referred to the

Life of the

Cure of Ars, who died in the year 1859.

tiL&@fcm

i)<tpttv 3r37
St.

Patrick's

A TNT

and

Captivity

PATRICK

Release.

has given us himself an

account of his captivity and subsequent

trials.

commences

lie

his

Confession

withthe history of his captivity and the

age at which he was taken from his
father's

with a qualification.

The expressions

house.

he uses must

mility which

The

saints

of hu-

be taken

have ever considered

themselves the most unworthy and the most ignorant

of mankind.

Hence, when

St.

Patrick says, that he

was ignorant of God (Deum verum ignorabam), we

cannot for a

moment suppose

and practised the Christian

that he had not learned

faith.

Indeed, this could

be scarcely possible, since he himself informs us, that

his father

was a deacon and

That such could not be

his grandfather a priest.

meaning,

his

also,

evident

is

from his account of the way in which he devoted

himself to prayer

whde

The holy

in captivity.

les-

been

sons which he then practised could only have

learned in a pious household, and the value of such

early training

was

proved by the

fully

saint's

subse-

quent conduct.
Organized expeditions for the purpose of procuring
slaves

from foreign countries were

then frequently

planned and effectively carried out by the

This

is

legal enactments.
fully

Irish princes.

proved by the twofold testimony of history and

According to the best and most care-

computed chronology,

a.d. 400,

and remained

St. Patrick

was captured in

in captivity until a.d. 406.

The

famous Nial of the nine Hostages was then king of

Ireland,

and was devoted

the Britons and Gauls.

to hostile expeditions against

Indeed the

Scoti, or Irish,

were

almost as formidable and as celebrated plunderers in

this age as the

the

Danes were

Latin poet Claudian

were sent by

at a later period.

Even

has mentioned that troops

Stilicho, the general of

Theodosius the

Nial was
Great, to resist Mai's adventurous hosts.
slain in one of these expeditions, at " Muir-n-Icht, the
sea between France

and England," which

is

supposed

The Saint's Capture in Gaul,

have been so designated from the Tortus Iccius of

to
(

tesar.

There can be

little

doubt that

Patrick was capThe Book of Rights

St.

lured in one of these expeditions.

informs us that " foreigners," were especially required

to be presented as slaves to certain princes,

amongst the "rights"

fact

to

and were

which they

laid

in

claim,

and which were sternly exacted.

The provincial kings,

and even the chief monarch or Ald-Bigh, were not
exempt from this obligation, and were bound to present
vassals

their

find

with

also

certain

presents.

Thus we

:
The Btipend of the King of Burghrigh
From the King of Eire without sorrow
Ten tunics brown-red,
Ten

And

the

King

foreigners without Gaedhealga [Irish].

of Cineal

Aodha was

entitled to

Five sheilds, five slender swords,

Five bondsmen [brought] over the bristling surface of the
Five fair hailed, truly line women. 2

In the Historical Preface to the

the

Hymn

cause of Patrick's coming to Erin

"This

is

the

way

it

happened,

viz.

sea,

of St. Scchnall

is

thus related:

the seven sons of

Sechmaidhe, king of Britain, that were in banishment,

ravaged Armoric-Leatha.
They happened to come
5
11'onten. Book of Rights, p. SO and 131.
Burghrigh, now Brnree. The
king of this district was called O'Donovan, and his country lay on the
t
side of the Shannon.
The kings of Cineal Audha were of the race of Aedh
[Anglicised Hugh] though the territory was called Baa Kuidh, DOW .A
from the cataract of that name at Ballyahaonon.

Xi/e

12S

q/" $.

Patrick.

upon a party of the Britons, of Ercluaide, on that

Calpurn, son of Fothaid,

occasion in Armoric-Leatha.
Patrick's father,

two

sisters

was

killed there,

were taken captive

and Patrick and

The sons

there.

his

of Secht-

maidhe went afterwards over the sea to Erin, and

Lupait was sold there in Conaille Muirtheinihue, and
Patrick was sold to Miluic, son of Ua-Buain, in Dal-

Araidhe, and to his three brothers, and they sold his

two

sisters in Conaille

know

Muirtheinihue, hut they did not

it.

In the Scholiast on Fiacc's

;'.,

the account
ever,

is

Hymn,

that his mother

is

We

find,

how-

daughter of

said to be the

Ochmuis (mater Conchessa Ocmusii

by Colgan,

as given

substantially the same.

This agrees

filia).

with the narrative as given in the Tripartite, where,

however, it is added that his mother was a " daughter
of Ocbas of the Gauls,
liast

i.e

of the Franks."

mentions a brother of the

Sannan, and

five

sisters,

main, Darerea, and

named

Cinnemun.

saint,

The Scho-

who

is

called

Lupait, Tigris, Lib-

These are not men-

tioned in the Tripartite.

St.

Patrick himself states that thousands were carried

captive into Ireland, a statement which

firmed by

the history of the period.

The

is

amply con-

saint

was sold

men, who probably had united in procuring

One of these eventually bought the
slaves from Gaul.

to four

3 ]i_

Hymnorum, p. 27, 28.

who inhabited that part of

Liber

of the tribe

Conaille Muirtheinihue was the name

the present county Louth extending

from the Cooley mountains to the Boyne.

The Saint

129

in Captivity.

captive from the others, doubtless seeing that he would

thereby secure a faithful scrvaut for himself.

been no question

There has

as to the place where St. Patrick

spent his six years of servitude, or of the prisons

he served.

leaf is missing both

and British Museum MS. of the Tripartite

Latin translation of Colgan
is

no

is

but as the

remarkably accurate, there

supplying the details of the saint's

difficulty in

even were there not other

captivity,

whom

from the Bodleian

sources

of in-

formation.

The circumstances of the

saint's servitude are

related in the Preface to St. Sechnall's

fymn

thus

" Four persons purchased Patrick, and Miluic was one of them

and from

he had the name of Cothrighe.

this

not serve four houses

servant he purchased

him alone
the

to the

Hebrews

Afterwards he did

but when Miluic saw that he was a faithful

him from the other three, so that he sea

end of seven years, according

and he

suffered

much hardship

to the

custom of

in the wilderness of

Sliabh Mis in Dal-Araidhe, tending the swine."

St.

Patrick has himself told us

pains of Ins servitude.

how

dreadful were the

The nights were passed

woods or on the mountains.

Iu the

he was

exposed to burning heat, in the winter to bitter

Yet

this servitude

Like

eternal freedom.
his

cruel

Blaster.

and

was

masters

to

his vigour of

St.

(el

for

Vincent of Paul, he served

faithfully

mind

cold.

him but the preparation

for

love

Like him also he prayed

and Divine love was

the

in

summer

of

the

Great

day and night,

spiritus augebatur) increa

his compensation

for earthly suf-

&

ire-

J
'

e,.

".

Well might

feriiig.

say that the spirit was fervent

lie

within him (quia tunc in

me spiritus fervebat), when

one

day and one hundred times in the

The snow, the rain,
prayer to God.

hundred

times in the

night he

made

his

the frost, were alike powerless to injure him, for the

divine fire within

This

was such that he

the saint's

is

own

felt

no harm.

statement, delivered calmly

years after the event, though

it

may

excite a smile of

contempt from the would-be philosopher. But Patrick

had learned another philosophy and a higher science.
now.

harm him

could

Such contempt

as

little

then

as

There were two

known by almost

districts

in

the

similar appellations.

North of Ireland
These were Dal-

The former obtained

Riada and Dal-Araide.

from Carbry Riada (long arm)

or,

as

Bede

its

calls

name
him,

Reuda, one of the three Carbrys, whose names are

famous in the pre-Christian history of Erinn.

He

esta-

blished a colony in Scotland, in connection with the

head-quarters of his clan, which were established in the

present county of Antrim.
the

name

of

into Argyle.

Noio.

The

district of

It will bo remembered

by African

The Scotch colony obtained

Airer Gaedhil, which has been modernized

pirates.

At Tunis

lie

Dalaraida was that in which

that St. Vincent of Paul was taken captive

was

sold to a fisherman, who, fiuding he

could not bear the sea, sold him to a physician. On the death of this master
he was sold to a renegade Christian, whom he converted by his piety and
prayers, aud with whom eventually he escaped across the Mediterranean to
Marseilles.

In his captivity, and while working laboriously for his hard

masters, he consoled himself, like St. Patrick, with reciting or singing the

Psalms

of David.

The Place of the

St. Patrick

Saint's Captivity.

spent his six years of servitude.

It took its

name from Fiacha Araidhe, who was king

23 G.

131

of Ulster

is

This district extended from the present town

Newry, county Down, to Sliabh Mis, now Slemish,

of

in the county Antrim. 5

St. Patrick's
is

master was king of North Dalaraida

thus mentioned in the Annals of the Four

a.d.

38S, Milchuo, son of

Dalaraida.

Buani

Hua

Buain, king of North

In the Tripartite Life he

Princeps Dalaradiae."

filius

he

Masters

called

is

"Milcho

Dalaraida,

as Dr.

Reeves has well observed, not only enjoyed a succession

of chieftains from a very early date, but also held an

important place amongst the Irish principalities. 6

The writer

of the Scholiast on St. Fiacc's

Hymn states

that Milcho dwelt in Arcuil, a valley in the north of

Dalaraida,

mar Mount

Mis,

now

Slemish.

Hence, the

very place where St. Patrick spent his years of lonely

servitude can he accurately identified even at the present day.

This district

is

now

called

the valley of the

from a river of that name which flows through

site wdiere St.

commanded

to fly

from his master

The

The

is still

marked by

the

valley through which

Braid flows, divides the parishes of Skerry and

Rathcavan, and the whole

is

Braid,

Patrick had the vision in which he was

ruins of an ancient church.

the

it.

rich in

district, as

memorials of the

saint.

Reeves, Down and Connor,

Antrim.

l'rincipalitki Visitation of

p.

Down and

might be expected,

It

334.

Connor,

should be visited

Book
p.

of Rights, p. 21.

339.

Life of St. Patrick.

by the pilgrim, after a previous noting down of each

site, and the subject which it commemorates.
Skerry was anciently called Sciric (rocky). Tradition
assigns the foundation of this church to St. Patrick.

The present ruins are not of very great antiquity, but

close beside them there are traces of a smaller building,
which was probably erected at an
at least,

on

all

earlier date.

Such,

the opinion of Dr. Eeeves, a high authority

is

matters of antiquarian investigation.

The present

ruin measures 64 feet by 18 feet 10 inches.

There

is

rock close to the north-east angle of the church, where

a faint impression of a footmark
called St. Patrick's footmark, but

perly termed St. Victor's, since

may
it

be seen.

This

is

should be more pro-

all tradition 7

avers that

mark when he visited St. Patrick.

Colgan informs us that when he wrote (in 1647), this

the angel

place

left this

was a famous pilgrimage. 8

There

a holy well in the neighbourhood, a

is

the south of the

Ordnance

Tradition.

Map

hill

of Skerig.

It is

as Tubernacool holy well.

Dr. Todd

says that as

St.

little

to

mentioned on the
There

is

Patrick himself does not mention

Had St.
the apparition of an angel, therefore no angel could have appeared.
Patrick mentioned an angel, no doubt Dr. Todd woidd have attributed the
vision to the saint's imagination.

In either case he would have disbelieved.

mention it, but St. Patrick was not

It is quite true that St. Patrick does not

He does
life or a complete record of his spiritual experiences.
elsewhere mention the apparition of Victor hence there is no reason why his
may not have appeared to him here also. The Tripartite Life expressly
writing his

angel

mentions that Victor assisted him while in captivity. So does St. Fiacc.
8 Pilgrimage.
Hodie hie locus Schire Padruic appellator et in hunc usque
diem plurima peregratioue, maguoque populi concursu et dovotione frequen-

tatur.

Colgan,

p.

171.

'"3

Vision

Tubcrnacool Ilohj

11

townland called BaUytigpatrick, in the valley of the

Braid, between Blemish

While

dream or

St.

and Skerry.

Patriek was with Milcho, this king had a

vision, in

which he saw his servant come into

fire appeared to

the house where he was, and flames of

issue

from his head.

Milcho thought that " the flame

broke upon him to burn him," but he drove it from him

and it did him no harm. His son and daughter were
with him, and

and

seemed as

it

their ashes

if it

were scattered

consumed them
all

and told him his

The
interpreted to him thus

called Patrick at once

saint

sawest on

me

Milcho

which the

vision,

which thou

fire

the faith of the Trinity which burns

is

within me, and

entirely,

over Erinn.

it

is

this faith

which

I shall

hereafter

Thy

preach unto thee, but thou wilt not believe.

son,

however, and thy daughter they will believe, and the

fire

of grace shall

St.

came

Fiacc

tells

consume them.
us when and by

to St. Patrick to escape

indeed in this part of his

life

patience and humility.

It

made

whom

was

his

Nor can

it

was

is

his

crown him
the duty to

the duty to the neighbour be separated

the earthly duty

who

We have

faithfulness that

his heavenly master

with the reward of special graces.

God and

summons

an admirable example of

his earthly master secure his sen-ices

faithfulness which made

those

the

from servitude.

and

ever most faithfully performed by

serve not unto

man but

unto God.

Patiently

for six long years the saint suffered hardship in the wil-

Them. Libtr

Hyranoruui,

p. 2S.

derness of Dalaraida

but the time of release had come.

whom

Patrick had learned the language of those

St.

win

hereafter he

was

eloquence.

He had

to

might be the better

evil,

God by words

to

of burning

learned their customs, so that he

reform what was not entirely

fitted to

and might know how best

what was bad.

to abolish

His own soul had been trained to lessons of humility, he

had been purified by suffering, he had learned to com-

mune more

God and now he has other

make for his glorious mission, and God
him to his new work.

closely with

preparations to

himself calls

" Victor said to Milcho's slave

He

go thou over the

placed his foot upon the Leac [stone],

sea.

trace remains,

its

it

wears not

Mi

away."

Patrick himself thus relates his

St.

escape

On a
me

saying to

"

Thou

And

thy country.

fastest well,

after a short

me Behold thy ship

:

near, but perhaps

whom

I fled

had been

who

heard a response

And it was

ready.

know anything

immediately after this

of the Lord,

is

thou shalt soon go to

time

two hundred miles

been there, nor did

with

his

certain night, as I slept, I heard a voice

saying to

and

call,

off,

and

my way

nothing, until I arrived at the ship

my

arrival the ship

Do

not think that you can go with

left

not

had never

of the people.

and having

for six years,

directed

the

And
man

power

in the

to good, I feared

and on the day

of

had left her place, and I spoke to

them and asked that I might go with them. And the
master was displeased, and replied sharply with anger
:

us.

When

heard

St. Patrick's

this I left

Escape from Captivity.

them, and wont to a cottage, where

received hospitality, and

and before

had finished

began

are calling thee

pray as
I

had

for these

men

returned to them,

me Come, we receive you in

us, as you may wish.
So on
:

be friends with

that day I ceased to fly for the fear of God.

I

went along,

heard one of them

come quickly,

and immediately

and they began to say to

faith,

to

my prayer

calling out loudly after me,

good

135

However,

hoped of them that they might say to me,

'

Come, in

the faith of Jesus Christ,' for they were Gentiles."

Although the various manuscripts of

more or

points of difference, of

version of the Confession, as

Cotton collection,
volume.

But

this

will

it

less

St.

Patrick's

some

slight

importance.

The

Confession agree in the main, there are

still

stands at present in the

be given at the end of this

copy has been carefully collated with

the other versions, and each difference will be noted

and the authority

given.

translation

is

given of the

notes as well as of the text, so that the ordinary reader

can judge for himself of the various copies.

One

version of the

distance which he
(cc.

milia passus).

suum.

The

had

Book

Armagh

of

says that the

was two hundred miles

to travel

Probus has also duccenta milia pas-

Tripartite quotes the Confession.

there can be bttle doubt as to the distance,

probable that the saint was

Indeed,

and

obliged to traverse

it

ig

the

whole of Ireland before he reached the port of embarkation.

It is

not surely too

had commanded

his flight,

much

to suppose that

Be who

and told him that " the ship

tffeSf^*3>r H>|

136

Life of St. Patrick.

was ready," guided him on his journey, and made known

It
to him the port from whence he should escape.
would have served Peter little to have had his chains
struck off in prison

if

the gates had not been opened

also for his deliverance.

The

Bollandists read veni

ad Benum

in the place

where the Book of Armagh reads Diregabat ad bonum.

It will

be observed that

St.

Patrick avoids

all

mention

of places in his Confession, either intentionally, or

probably by accident, hence the only

localities

there were those where his family resided.

considers the Bollandist version correct,

and

more

named

Dr. Lanigan
says, indeed,

what is obviously true, that a transcriber meeting with the

word benum, which he did not understand, would be more
likely to write bonum, than to write the former word

embark

saint

Il

Bollandists, therefore, make the

mouth of the Boyne. But both
Dr. Lanigan and Dr. Todd have shown that this argument is untenable. The Boyne is always Latinised
for the latter.

Boindus,

word

is

or,

according to Ptolemy, Bovinda.

a proper

to Bantry.

The

name

it

may more

The ancient name

If the

correctly be referred

of the district

was Ben-

traighe, the shore of the Ben, so that Ben, Latinised into

Benum, was the Bay.

If this theory be correct

with the almost universal reading, that

neyed two hundred miles to the

1

Latter

Ship.

ship.

St.

it

agrees

Patrick jour-

Lanigan, Ec. Hist. vol. i. p. 149.

Todd thinks bonum the correct reading, Memoir oj Si. Patrick,
Dr. Lanigan has suggested also that if bonum were a proper name, it
p. 308.
might signify the river now called Bandon, which falls into the sea at Kinsale.

Dr.

at the

ill

PZace of the Saint's Embarkation.

5>'

The

137
at land

saint informs us himself that he arrived

This

exactly the time which

after a three days'

sail.

would he required

iu those days for a

is

voyage from a

southern Irish port to the northern part of Gaul.

must he conjectured from

It

narrative that

was some considerable

dis-

tance from the place where his family then resided.

He

the

own

St. Patrick's

place where he landed

writes thus

Alter three days

we

landed, and fur twenty

days we wandered through a desert.

In some copies of the Confession there

from which,

if it

be correct,

we must

The Bollandists have

endured a second captivity.

inserted the paragraph,
after a

few years

Book

version.

of

is

Armagh, though

it is

It is

decidi)."

made about

the

made some

Patrick does write of a second captivity, that

Mr. Joyoe'l admirable work

dants of Beann, one of Conor's sons, were called from him

[Bantry],

..,

first

doubt that

little

great

evident from the whole context, that

I find the following paragraph in

-Ji

again

iterum

given in the other

the transcribers of the Confession have

(et

sentence follows in which the saint refers

St.

And

capturam

in

captivity in such language as to leave

mistake.

"

not contained in the version

to the statements he has already

was again taken captive

This sentence, however,

of the

which runs thus

non multos adhuc

post annos

a paragraph

is

infer that the saint

the Race of

Beano

a part ol

them

settle! in

it

if

must

" The descenI

Wexford, and

another part in Cork, and the barony of Bantry, in the former county, mil
the town of Bantry, in the latter, retain their names." The Origin and History
This
of Irish names of places; by P. W. Joyce, A.M., If. R. I. A., page 11G.
valuable work should be in the han

man who has

the least interest iu his national

li

scholar,

In itory.

and

of

every

Irish-

have occurred during the time which intervened between

from Milcho and his arrival at home.

his escape

If this

the correct interpretation, the words post annos non

is

multos must be an interpolation.

words occur two or

the

speaks

saint

How

Britain after a few years.

transcriber
in the

known

Two

to all

who have had any

experience in such

headings of chapters in the Book of

of the

are as follows

voyages with the Gentiles and his

his

trials in

and the supernatural supply of food

and the
Of

and repeat them again without

place,

Armagh
desert,

easily the eye of a

observation where they really should stand,

matters.

Of

where

might catch the words and write them

wrong

further
is

on,

being with his parents in

his

of

Indeed these very

lines further

three

the

for himself

Gentiles.

which he suffered

his second captivity

for three

score days from bis enemies.

It will

be remembered that although the early portion

of this valuable Life

manifestly an

yet the Life by Probus

is lost,

amended

text of Mactheni

Probus gives

omission can be easily supplied.

of

a second

captivity

clearly distinct

question
3

Matters.

Bollanclists,

is

from the

one which

The

in

text iu the

but makes

first captivity.
is

it

Book

full,

of

the narrative of the

of the narrative of
first,

have simply

it

details

to be

Hence the

obviously impossible to

Armagh

is

seeing the apparent discrepancy which

By the introduction

is

hence the

manifestly corrupt.
is

made

in

The

some copies

a second captivity into the middle of

left

out the last paragraph.

Escape from Captivity

Tlie Saint's

decide,
It is

and

it is

not a subject of any greal importance.

just possible that the lessons of the

Rheima

The

furnish the key to the whole question.

on

St.

Fiacc's

Hymn

this gives

a second and

According to this account,

authority.

after St. Patrick fled

treviary

was, probably, the source from

which they were taken, and

more ancient

Scholiast

from Milcho he was captured by a

man named Kienan, who sold him to some sailors.

He afterwards repented of what he had done, and
procured the saint's liberation,

journey southwards.

It

is

who then continued

very probable

that

his
this

statement contains the correct explanation of the second

sel

captivity,

and

and

it

explains

why

St.

Patrick introduced

same paragraph with the account of the

into the

why

he continued the narrative of the

after he bad

first

it

first,

captivity

mentioned the second. 4

The desolation of the country through which St.

At the commenceis easily explained.

Patrick journeyed

ment of

the fifth century

European society was

in a state

The world and the Church,

were engaged in deadly and

of chronic dismemberment.
the Church

and

desperate conflict.
of

hi resy,

Faith alone could enkindle the eye

Hope with a glimpse

of future peace.

The mighty

empire of Rome, which had served unconsciously the

Divine purpose in extending the knowledge of Christianity,

was now

falling to pieces, as

human

Kienan was afterwards baptized by

St.

empires must

Patrick,

and founded

tbe church r monastery of Daimldiac- Kienan, now Doleek, in the county

Meath. He is commemorated in the Martyrology of Donegal at 'J4 Nov.

7 <^-

sooner or

The barbarians were about

surely

clo

to

another service to the Church, though equally

clo

later.

unconscious of their mission.

Christians,

when

perse-

cutions ceased, began to forget that the end of their

existence

was

to prepare for

eternal kingdom, rather

arj

They

than to seek the enjoyment of temporal goods.

needed the purifying

them

to

a better

purification

fire

life

was given

of suffering once

more

to recal

and holier purposes, and

this

Spain was ravaged by a

to them.

who called themselves Christians

by creed and barbarians by
nature. France was invaded on the north by the pagan
Franks, and on the south by the Arian Burgundians.
Everywhere there was war, and the desolation consequent upon its ravages. Hence vast tracts of country

host of half-savage men,

in name, yet were Axians

were depopulated

for,

though

cities

1
v

might escape, the

poor were sure to be the victims of either or of both

1

>

<

parties of combatants.

As

St.

Patrick and the sailors or merchants journeyed

through tbe desert, two remarkable events occurred,

which he has
the

men

left

on record in

his Confession.

Many

(multos ex Mis) had fainted, and were

dead of hunger upon the road.

to the saint,

them from

they

would

and powerful God.

be

sincerely

He

converted,

with

that

if

whole hearts, God would send them food,

Him

all

things

were

possible.

Even

for

replied

thento

The master appealed

and asked could he not obtain help

bis great

of

left half

as

for

he

spoke a herd of swine appeared on the road before

them

and they gave thanks

Patrick.

to

God and honoured

"When they had rested

for

two

and were

nights,

The

thoroughly refreshed, they continued theirjourney.

men now

discovered some wild honey, and one of

offered a portion to St. Patrick, saying at the

that

it

fused

was

offered in sacrifice.

His doing so

it.

received

full

is

it

may

same time

saint at once re-

as evidence that he must have

Christian

instruction in

father's house, or

The

them

doctrine in his

be that the holy instinct of

extraordinary sanctity prevailed over natural mclination.

Those who are familiar with early

will

remember how many martyrs

we should

say, entered

ecclesiastical

history

perished, or rather,

on immortality during the severe

Roman emperors, merely because

they would not honour even the " genius of Caesar," when

persecutions under the

by

so doing they

must perform an act of

Men who were

ready, to

sacrifice

their rulers, dared not preserve their

condition
trifling

of

act

So, also,

performing

idolatry.

twenty

own

lives for

lives

which could give a suspicion of

and on the same

on

the.

even the most apparently

idolatry.

principle, in the centuries

which followed the so-called Reformation, thousands

were found

in Ireland,

and hundreds in England, who

sacrificed their lives, or their

whole worldly

sooner than listen even for a few moments to the

estates,

new form

of prayer, which had taken the place of the ancient Sacrifice of

6

the Mass.

The same causes have produced the

Patrick. Et ego honorificatus sum sub oculis eorum.

Life of St. Patrick.

142

same results in all ages of the Church. In pagan Rome,

heathen Gaul, in once Catholic England, the " honey"
has been rejected, and the demon has been

And when

foiled.

most unreservedly

souls give themselves

and generously to God, they not unfrequently receive in

Even the powers

return the reward of special suffering.

work

of darkness are allowed to

limits of

desert

Divine permission.

and in the

their will within the

Christ

lives of all

who

was tempted

in the

are called to a special

ever some desert into which

nearness to Christ, there

is

they are driven for their

souls' greater purification,

wherein they are refined and purified by special

ing.

The very night

refused the honey

of the

day on which Patrick had

was the time chosen

assault of diabolic malice.

and

suffer-

How

for a

remarkable

terrible this assault

must have been we may judge from the words which

the saint himself uses in recording
that he could never forget
tentavit

me

Satanas,

it

it

for

while he lived.

he declares

Et

fortiter

quod memor ero quamdiu fuero

in

In

the Acta of the well-kuowu martyr, St. Polycarp, we read

that as his captors were conducting him on an ass towards the city, Herod
and his father, Nieetas, took him into their chariot and asked him what harm
could there be in saying Lord C;esar, or even in sacrificing, to escape death ;
15

Foiled.

and when he refused they flung him from the chariot. When brought before
the Proconsul he was offered a discharge if he would swear by the genius of
It is well known that
Similar instances are too numerous to record.
Ca;sar.
during the persecutions of Catholics which followed the so-called Reformation
both in England and Ireland, men sacrificed their lives and property willingly,
sooner than even listen to the Protestant prayers. Yet, strange to say, there
are Protestant clergymen, in England at least, who try to persuade themselves
and others that the service to which these martyrs would not even listen is the
same as the Catholic Mass. In the appendix to C'halloner's Missionary Priests,
he mentions an instance in which the Protestant Archbishop of York attempted
to entrap fifty-three Catholics to hear him preach, but they all shut their
ears, though compelled to remain in the place by armed men.

p?"

-3"

"

&'

<

When

? fcr*

Temptation

77d' Saint's

hoc corpore.

*T

in the Desert.

\\.\

remembrance of that night of

the

temptation was so strong, after the lapse of seventy

or eighty years,

"On

how

must have been the

terrible

the same night," Bays the saint,

"as

reality.

I slept,

Satan strongly tempted me, and he appeared to

me

my

But how

limbs.

it

came

invoke [invocareni] Elias I

the sun arising
Elias,

sun

with

fell

in

In

into

CJ

not

and then
1

saw

called Elias,

behold the splendour of the

upon me and removed

believe that

my mind that I should

know

heavens, and whilst

my might,

all

on

fall

that I had no strength in

a great rock, so

like

was succoured by

Spirit even then cried out for

all

my

my

heaviness.

Christ,

me, and

and that

hope that

his

I will

be so also in the day of my adversity, as the Lord testifies

For

in the Gospel.

Spirit of

it

is

not you that speak, but the

your Father that speaketh

in you." 7

In the Second Life the words in reference to the

invocation of Elias are given in Irish, but the chapter
consists only of a few lines

and Colgan says

note to this chapter that the rest

et
7

Hubertino et Alnensi." 8
You.

St.

controversy.

Math.

Even

x.

if

20.

St.

is

The

in his

wanting, " in a
Irish sentence runs

This passage has been the subject of much useless

Patrick intended to say Eli, and to pray directly

lies lose nothing by the admission.

There is ample
evidence that the practice of invoking the saints was customary from the
earliest agea of Christianity, and that it was a general devotion in Ireland

to our Diriin

past denying.
Bat if all the transcribers were mistaken, and w n
where they should have written Eli, how comes it that St. Patrick should
have said he knew not how it came into his mind to do so ? Surely he who
was so constant and fervent in prayer to God could not have wondered that
he should pray to Him. The most simple interpretation is, that St Patrick
v.l> not in the habit of invoking
iat and did not know how the saint's name
occurred to him at the moment.
Alneiui. Tris. Tha. p. 17, n. 22.
is

/.'

In the Third Life the person invoked

Patriciua

Eli.

vocavit

the Irish version of the Tripartite are missing,

only

gather

from

Colgan's version

bably contained on this subject.

called

is also

As the leaves

&c.

Eli,

translated

doubtless

is

is

it

faithfully

supposing that by the word used by

fa

meant

There

Elias the Prophet.

is

expressly
8

Armagh.

Indeed,

it is

The

from the

authority' for

St.

Patrick he

also the authority

of the version of the Confession contained hi the

of

not some few persons found

it

saint's

meaning had

difficult to reconcile

the

fact of his invocation of a saint with their anxiety to

make

it

appear that the early Irish converts were not

Catholics. 9

Probus informs us that

B

Prophet.

St.

Patrick preached to the

Colgan, 121, xxiv. Invocavit Heliam Prophetam.

Personal assaults and temptations of the evil one are frequently
c.

p.

9 Catholics.

Sulpicius Severus
recorded in the lives of the saints, as well as angelic visits.
informs us, in his Life of St. Martin of Tours, that he was frequently assailed
altars he had
which
the
form
of
the
gods
whose
phantoms,
took
by frightful

broken, appearing to him in the shape of Jupiter or Mercury, oftener still

of Venus or Minerva and making the air resouud with their clamours and
reproaches.

The

Life of the Cure of

Ars gives mauy

details of sufferings

on the holy servant of God by satanic malice. For many months he

could not get even a brief rest, so terrible were the noises with which his midinflicted

night hours were disturbed.

and laymen, who were at

Life of the Cure of Am.

They were heard by many

last obliged to

Burns

&

Al

Book

probable there would never

have been any question about the

waft-

what they pro-

Here

Hence we have very ancient

original.

we can

stated that St. Patrick invoked Elias the prophet.

passage

of

Co.,

othars, both priests

admit that they were supernatural,
London, p. 121.

S>
f

^S&^1

'ff^^C^
Patrick in Gaul.

St.

which we may well

Bailors <>n their journey,

have done.

to

There can be

little

believe

him

doubt thai he had

already determined on his apostolic mission to Ireland

it is

for

at least manifest, that he lost

and

it,

this

may

preparation

have consisted in prayer,

The portion of the

no time

be said

of the

is

It gives

us,

in

briefly

to

and study.

self-discipline,

history of St. Patrick which records

Gaul

his education in the monasteries of

mission,

preparing

in

deepest

fact,

for bis Celtic

and importance.

interest

epitome of the ecclesiastical

an

history of the period, and a glimpse into the lives of

men who laboured

the noblest and holiest

the Catholic Faith in Europe.

on the continent of Europe

Christian

life

essential

introduction

residence there; and

to

to extend

brief description of
is

an account of

this description

almost an

the

saint's

can scarcely

fail

to be full of interest.

We
Bociety
It

have already glanced at the

at

the

was imt

commencement

satisfactory

revolt

of

state of

the

European
century.

fifth

and schism were the

normal state of continental nations.

Heresy and schism were sanctioned,

by

if

not upheld,

But however evil the

there was hope, and more

so-called Christian emperors.

state of the

world might

than hope

in

he,

the Church.

Even while the

power proclaimed the triumph of heresy, the

power was establishing those

institutions

ever been the best safeguard against

The name of Roman

It!

Ji-^i

citizen,

secular
spiritual

which have

it.

which

until

now had

been a
into

title

of the highest honour,

contempt

the

name

of saint

was rapidly falling

was daily honoured

more and more. When a nation falls, she rises no more.

There is no power of national vitality within her she
;

has accomplished her purpose

vidence are
civilization,

fulfilled

and

is

she

the

designs of Pro-

barbarism to

from

rises

subdued by barbarians,

or amalga-

mated with a more powerful race her special identity

is lost, and in the history of nations, her record is only a
;

record of the past.

nations,

who

But

orders, her standing

full of

young

it is

not so with those spiritual

The

exist within the Church.

recruits,

army

religious

of brave soldiers, are ever

ardent and eager for the battle.

If in

one place these soldiers seem to be vanquished,

it is

only that they

may

new

appear with

force

and

The Fathers of the Desert had

The monks of Gaul took
accomplished then- work.
up the arms which they had laid down, or had died in
vitality in another.

defending, and

compared the

carried

isles of

on the

religious, to a collar of pearls

the value

conflict.

upon the

Ambrose

He knew

sea.

and importance of these armies of

secrated to God, and at the gates of his

city he established a convent of

His

St.

the Mediterranean, peopled with

souls con-

own

episcopal

monks.

well-known work on Virginity was written at

the request of his sister Marcellina,

and he answered

therein the old accusation, so often reiterated, as

were new.

He

defended the virgins,

liberty to choose the service of

God

who

if it

only asked

in preference to the

*..".

>

5=

^>

^r

"<F

77ie

--*-

'.';.

Monks of Gaul.

147
>

service
it

of a husband,

need not be anxious

and

lie

the

lest

assured the world that

human

race should

fail

for lack of progenitors.

was at the

It

close of this century also that the great

Augustine, vanquished by the grace of God, obtained

him by the prayers of

for

God without

reserve,

his mother,

gave himself to

and learned that there was some-

thing greater than to be the friend even of an emperor.

Thus, while

and

Augustine was writing

St.

liis

Confession

which has been the guide of so many

his Rule,

religious orders, St. Patrick

was preparing

work which he has recorded

in his Confession also,

by penitence and

obtaining,
the

spiritual

for the great

and

prayer, the grace of being

father of thousands

who

should hereafter

follow the rule of the great Doctor of the Church.

St.

Augustine, indeed, went to his reward almost at the

when

very time

on

But
more

Patrick, in middle age,

St.

his apostolate.

went

forth

there were others

directly on the

life

whose influence was exercised

The unvan

of our saint.

ing

testimony of his biographers show the connection of his

family with that of
stance,

St.

monastery of Tours,

This circum-

Martin of Tours.

combined with the

fact

that he

after his release

went

to the

from captivity, to

prepare himself for his apostolic labours, must satisfy

but those

who

are wilfully incredulous.

cise relationship
1

Apostolate.

St

was

is

43'2.

all

the pre-

another question, and one which.

Augustine died at Milan, Iged

rrived in Ireland, a.d.

What

7G,

ad.

430.

St Patrick

> >

148

Life of St. Patrick.

we have

as

before observed, will probably never

be

settled.

We

have already said something of

parentage and

early

history.

for

heaven.

his

most

painful,

still

reward saw the garment taken up to

When

freed from the terrible servitude of a

which must have been

life

Martin's

St.

while

cloak with the poor beggar,

soldier that he divided his

and

was

It

him

to

he sought for one

in every respect

who might

guide his

course in the heavenly army, in which he had so long

He

desired to be enrolled.
instructor St.

chose for his leader and

Hilary of Poictiers who, like the great

Athanasius, had been honoured by banishment for his

Martin remained at

fidelity to the Catholic Faith.

St.

Milan whde his friend was in

exile,

him

in

:->G0

monastery of Liguge, which

most ancient in Gaul.

an important work

and returned with

Here Martin founded the

to Poictiers.

said to have been the

is

But God had destined him

in the Church,

yet deeper lesson in the spiritual

and he had
life

by

sacrificing his

His special

love of retirement for the good of souls.

warfare was with the powers of darkness,

sway over the great mass

for

to learn a

who

stdl held

Later he

of the populace.

defended the truth in the courts of princes, and opposed

the harsh cruelty of the Spanish bishops, eager to shed

blood

the blood

the

ardently

cloister,

of heretics.
for

pined.

from public

duties

AVhen

But

his heart

from youth,

which,
a

permitted

brief
his

was

he had

interval

return

of

still

so
rest

to Tours

he at

commenced

once

the

foundation

of

mo-

nastery.

The

site

which he selected was ahout half a league

from Tuns, and was then a desert enclosed on one side

by the tight hank of the Loire, and on the other by

Here

rocks.

St.

Martin was the

first

exam-

to give the

ple of these austerities which he invited others to practise,

and he made

branches of
bial as

for himself a cell of the interlaced

His

trees.

words have hecome prover-

last

an aspiration of perfect sanctity

still

necessary for thy people,

But

his

work was accomplished, and

reward surrounded by holy

"Lord,

if I

am

refuse not to labour."

souls,

he went to his

who were

ready

to

continue the work which he had begun, until they also

should be no longer necessary.

The exact year of

St.

Martin's death

is

not known, but

dates have be n given varying froni a.d. 400 to a.d. 404.

Hence

it

seems doubtful

if

St.

Patrick could have been

present at his death-bed, yet the writers of the hives of

the Saint are unanimous in then- testimony of Lis having

i

>

had personal intercourse with

St Ninian of Scotland was

the

same

period.

his saintly relative.

also at Marnioutier about

He had journeyed

to

Home,

then, as

now, the great centre of Christian unity, and Lad passed

twenty-four years in that city preparing for his mission.

He

received episcopal consecration from Pope Siricius,

and, accompanied by some of the

monks

monastery, proceeded to Scotland,

also

On

of St. Martin's
his

arrival

he

founded a religious house, and as he heard of the

ML

Life of St. Patrick.

death of
cated

Martin before

St.

which

very year in

he dedi-

completion,

its

under his invocation.

it

Ninian died the

St.

Patrick arrived in Ireland,

St.

A.D. 432.

biography

Martin's

St.

In

Severus.

brought to the

which a

more with

he had been a lawyer, and

cloister

refined and cultivated tastes,

and prayer enhanced more and

of penance

life

spiritual

his legal career

was written by Sulpicius

life

early

When

brightness.

he renounced

he sold his patrimony, and chose for his

dwelling one of his villas in Aquitain, where he lived

as a brother with his converted slaves.
life

was one

persevered in

of the
it

most extreme

with wonderful

Their

austerity,

fidelity.

It

retreat that Sulpicius Severus wrote the

Martin, a work so treasured

copied

with his

it

own

him wherever he went.

biography

is

by

St.

mode

of

but they

was in

this

Life of St.

Patrick, that he

hands, and carried

it

with

This remarkable and beautiful

contained in the Book of Armagh, and

is

one of the most interesting portions of that important

relic of early Irish history.

It

would be impossible, and indeed apart from our

subject,

to give details of all the

ments in Gaul

monastic establish-

at this period, or of all the saints

who

illumined the darkness of pagan and military barbarism,

but there are two of them, heroes of peace and sanctity,

whom we

cannot pass over.

Both Lerins and Auxerre

were places honoured by the presence of

and

for this reason, if for

no

other,

St.

we must

Patrick

desire

some

Dr.
The Monastery of Lerins,

mode

information regarding their founders, and the

life

of those

Lerins

is

who dwelt within

an island in the Mediterranean, not far from

In 410, the very year in which

Toulon.

of

their cloisters.

Patrick

St.

who

escaped from captivity, a young noble

preferred

poverty to riches, and asceticism to pleasure, made for

himself a home.

The

by serpents

infested

island
all

was

The barrenness soon disappeared,

of the

and

barren, deserted,

the more reason for his choice.

was one

for labour

most important duties of the monk, and

it

scarcely an exaggeration to say that one-half of

wft

marshes of Europe were reclaimed, and made

by these patient
as

tillers

of the

soil.

These

men

is

the

fruitful

laboured

none others could labour, for to them labour was not

undertaken to procure the meat which periaheth, but in

obedience to one of the
of our

human

first

laws of the eternal author

A monk

life.

who

ceased to

A monk who

ceased to be a true monk.

labour

laboured

negligently would almost surely be a negligent monk.

The

desert also soon ceased to be such.

the

attract

spread abroad never

given the rich

fled

and

saintly,

fails to

gift of

win those to

loving

it.

away, or ceased to exist

Patrick, had special

The

saintly

odour of virtue once

the

whom God

has

The noxious animals

for

Honorat, like

St.

power of control over the animal

creation.

The account transmitted

to us of the

has some features of peculiar beauty.

scribed

monks

of Lerins

It is thus de-

by a pen more gifted and eloquent than ours

ifiSfci

Life of St. Patrick.

152
"There

perhaps, nothing

is,

more touching

by one

annals than the picture traced

in monastic

of the

most

illustrious sons of Lerins, of the paternal tenderness of

for the

Honoratus

He

He

neglected no

banish every sadness, every painful recollection

of the world.
their food,

He watched

their

sleep,

their labours, that each

their health,

might serve God

they

them with a

said,

"

we

more than

" In him,"

filial.

find not only a father, but an entire

family, a country
to

love

-,

Thus he

according to the measure of his strength.

inspired

he

could read the depths of

their souls to discover all their griefs.

effort to

whom

numerous family of monks

had collected round him.

the

whole world."

any of those who were

When

he wrote

absent, they said, on receiving

his letters, written, according to the usage of the time,

upon

tablets of

wax

" It

is

honey which he has poured

back into that wax, honey drawn from the inexhaustible

In that island paradise, and

sweetness of his heart,"

#1

under the care of such a shepherd, the perfume of life

These monks, who had sought
breathed everywhere.
happiness by renouncing secular
that they had found

it;

and proclaimed

life, felt

to see their serene

joy, their union, their gentleness,

and

and modest

their firm hope,

one could have bebeved oneself in presence of a battalion of angels at rest.

The churches
Troyes,

Kietz,

of Aries,
Frejus,

Avignon,

Valence,

Lyons,

Metz,

Nice,

Vienne,

Venee,

Upt, Carpentras, and Saintes, borrowed from the happy

isle,

as

it

was everywhere

called, their

most

illustrious

77je

Monastery o/Lerins.

Honoratus, taken froin his monastery to be

bishops.

elevated to the metropolitan see of Aries, had for his

successor, as abbot of Lerins,

and

of Aries, his pupil

owe

Hilary, to

whom we

the admirable biography of his master.

whom the gentle and

worldly

the penitent

He went

Hilary,

tender Honoratus had drawn from a

after a

life,

entreaties, caresses,

desperate resistance,

and

by

force of

tears, retained in the episcopate

and laborious

life

of the cloister of Lerins.

through his diocese and the neighbouring

country always on
q

and afterwards as bishop

relative,

foot,

and barefooted even

in the

snow.

Celebrated for his graceful eloquence, his un-

wearied

zeal, his

ascendency over the crowd, and for the

numerous conversions which he worked, he was once

w ith

variance

him of

the Pope, St. Leo the Great,

his title of metropolitan to

punish him for certain

uncanonical usurpations; but Hilary

and

after his death, the

at

who deprived

knew how

to yield,

Great Pope did him justice by

2

him Hilary of holy memory."

Such was Lerins, and such were the men with whom

calling

St.

Patrick dwelt, from

we may

most perfect

But

whom

he received, and to

whom

well believe he gave in return, lessons of the

there

sanctity.

was one of the inmates of

monastery of whom,

for special reasons,

this

holy

we must make

whde all others may be passed by in

The name of Vincent of Lerins has been
handed down to posterity as pre-eminent amongst those

special mention,
silence.

Memry. The Monks

of the

We,t, v

.1.

i.

pp. 4G5-6.

who have

written most boldly and effectively in defence

He was

of the holy Catholic faith.

the companion of

and we cannot doubt that he was

Patrick,

above

Vincent,

others,

all

also his friend.

sympathise most

would

deeply with tbe aspirations and desires of the apostle of

a whole nation

and

in that

abode of sanctity

may have

well believe that there

we may

been some who foresaw

with prophetic light the future glory of the holy and

stranger

monk who,

Again,

for a brief space,

dwelt with them.

from the description of

shall quote

of the

West

" Holding the

monks

of Lerins]

Lcrins,

who was

first

rank amongst these [the

was the great and modest Vincent de

the

first

controversialist of his

name,

and who has preserved to posterity the name of the

which had been the cradle of his genius.

He composed

this

Monks

monastery, as given by the fervent author of the

the short and celebrated

isle

work which

has gained him immortality in 434, three years after

the Council of Ephesus, and on occasion of the Nestorian

He would
humbly, " Eemarks

heresy which that Council had condemned.

not put his

name

of the Pilgrim"

to

it,

and

entitled

it

Commonitarium

Peregrini.

In this

he has fixed with admirable precision, and in language

as decisive as
faith,

by

it is

simple and correct, the rule of Catholic

establishing

Scripture and tradition,

definition

it

on the double authority of

and originating the celebrated

of orthodox interpretation

Quod

quod ubique, quod ab omnibus creditum

semper,

est.

After having thus established the immutability of

155

Vincent of Lerins.

St.

Catholic doctrine, he demands, "Shall there then be no

Church of Christ

progress in the

who would

and

and not chance.

centuries, there

intelligence, of

man

as for

shall

In:

for

be so envious of the good of men, or so

cursed of God, as to prevent

gress,

"There

i"

answers, " and even great progress

progress," he

all

must

But

it 1

With

it

will he pro-

the growth of the ages

necessarily be a growth of

wisdom, and of knowledge, for

the Church.

But the

each

religion of souls

must imitate the progress of the human form, which,

developing and growing with years, never ceases to he
the same in the maturity of age as in the flower of

youth."

Vincent has inscribed at the head of his masterpiece

a testimony of his gratitude for the sweet sanctuary of

which was

Lerins,

when,

ligion,

after

he says, the port of

for him, as

re-

having been long tossed about on the

sea of this world, he

came there

to seek peace,

and Btudy

that he might escape, not only the shipwrecks of the

it

life,

but the

fires

3
of the world to come.

Let us pass from Lerins to Auxerre, and from

Ilonoratus to St. Germain.

we must
ration

Indeed

it

is

to the

St.

specially look for testimony as to the prepa-

which

St,

Patrick received for his apostolate.

It

Germanus that he learned the Canons it

must, therefore, he full of interest and all important to
inquire what Canons St. Germain taught. It was to St.
was from

St.

Germanus

r_'"

that he looked

*Come The

for

spiritual

Moults of the West, voL

i.

i>.

guidance for
486.

"TT

rt*mft

we should know
Even had we no other
source of information as to the doctrines taught by St.
Patrick than a knowledge of the doctrines taught by St.
It is all essential that

thirty years.

how Germanus

himself lived.

Germanus, our information would be complete.

years of spiritual guidance

must have reverenced the

spiritual

teach

guidance

St.

years.

Thirty
the son

father.

Thirty years of

how much

the father had to

which he could

Germanus was born

He

how deeply

us

and how the son desired

instructions

378.

us

tell

tell

to

treasure

all

the

obtain.

Auxerre about the year

at

was, therefore, St. Patrick's senior by ten

But while the Apostle of Ireland was enduring

the hardships of slavery,

and deprived of every oppor-

tunity of increased mental culture, St.

Germanus was

pursuing a liberal course of education, and excelling in

more than one branch of human

science.

that his parents were noble, but

little

them than

their names.

It is believed

more

is

known

of

The future bishop was destined

by his family for a legal career. They were Christians,

and he had the benefit of a Christian education. As they
were desirous that he should excel in the course of

was sent

life

Rome

which they had chosen

for him, he

complete his studies.

Here, at this period, regular col-

legiate education

parts of the

was

carried out,

to

and the youth of

to

all

continent flocked thither to obtain the

benefit of superior instruction.

The students were assigned

officers called

special lodgings,

and

Censuales were appointed to look after

5^g^
:kJgKs3Btew^

St.

None were permitted

their morals.

-v

after the

GermanuA ofAuxerre.

age of twenty,

lest

attachment to their native place

that

eminently desirable for a good

After St.

which

Germanus had returned

ing step by step, he became at last

birth

He had

to

Duke

Gaul, he rose

of both parties,

While holding
which town

Advanc-

or Governor of

previously married a lady of high

and considerable wealth, from

by consent

so

is

citizen.

rapidly in the profession which he had chosen.

Armorica.

Rome

remain in

to

they should lose or weaken

whom

he separated,

when he became a

priest.

his legal office he resided at Auxerre, of

St.

Amator was

the bishop.

Paganism

still

prevailed even in those parts of Gaul where Christianity

had been long preached and fervently practised, and the

Christian bishops of that age were obliged with the one

hand

to repress

idolatry.

heresy and with the other to put

They were,

rave exceptions,
riously.
lization

St.

in truth, apostles,

fulfilled their

and

apostolic missions

Amator had to contend

also with the

and misery which ever follows

but miracles evidenced his

it is

faith

and

glo-

demora-

in the train of

war

assisted his mission,

related of this holy bishop that he restored,

the Divine power, sight to the blind,

power caused the lame

became

wealthier class of

by

and by the same

to walk.

Such was the bishop under whose auspices

manus

down

and with some

saint.

Eoman

It

was

citizens to

the towns where they resided.

have

St.

with

villas

Gerthe

outside

To these country places

Hunting was the

they retired for rest or amusement.

fe&<i*

usual

Goth and Eonian, and Ger-

favourite pursuit of both

manus was
chase.

especially devoted to the pleasures of the

There was a large tree of great antiquity in the

centre of the

town

of Auxerre,

whereon the nobles were

wont

to display trophies of their skill.

been,

and indeed was

tion,

This tree had

an object of pagan venera-

still,

and the custom of thus exposing the

chase was pagan

also.

spoils of the

Germanus, as a Christian, did

not believe the superstition, but Christians then, as now,

were not always perfect he did from motions of vanity

what was done by others from motions of

Whatever

his motives

superstition.

might have been,

it

was a

great scandal for the Christian governor of the province

to countenance

in

any way a pagan custom.

St.

Amator expostulated with him, as in duty bound.

Germanus still continued the obnoxious exhibition.
Amator appealed to him again and again, but he would
not

listen.

As

the scandal could not be repressed in

any other way, Amator took the bold and wise course
Germanus was furious, and
of destroying the tree.
vented his indignation in angry words and

angry threats.

Yet, in

all

this

still

more

Providence was work-

ing secretly for the eternal welfare of the future saint

and the Church.

his soldiers,

Germanus

collected a large

awe, or perhaps to seize and imprison

the

body of

and proceeded to Auxerre, either to overSt.

Amator.

In

meantime the holy bishop was favoured with a

revelation, in

earthly course

which he was informed that

was nearly

at

its close,

his

own

and that the

man who was coming

to attack him with his armed band

was the person chosen by God to succeed him in his
office.

Amator, on receiving

St.

this divine

communication,

did not wait for the arrival of the angry governor, but

Autun, in order to obtain an interview with

set out for

who was then

the Prefect of Gaul,

The Bishop

place.

was expressed by

character

meet

of Autun, St.

his episcopal brother,

vied with
visitor.

him also in
Amator soon

his

staying at that

whose

Simplicius,

name, came forth

to

and the Christian prefect

showing honour to their

explained his object,

he
wished to inform the prefect of the revelation which had
been made to him, and to obtain his permission to confer

St.

the tonsure on Gcrmanus.

The

whose intercourse with

St. Amator is
marked by the deepest reverence
for his episcopal character and his great sanctity, at
once complied.
Germanus, he said, was indeed neces-

prefect,

described

sary

the

to

Caesar

as being

republic

demanded

sanction.

but

when one

higher

than

his services, he dared not refuse his

Amator returned

Auxerre, and on

to

his

arrival

Described. Tillomnnt, vol 0, p. 114.

There were three dstinct ranks in the government of the
Poman provinces above the many inferior grades and subdivisions. The
highest office was that of prefect
the next below that of governor.
The
prefect had the administration of the whole province.
Hence no change
Could be made in the administration without the permission of the pp
*

* Sanction.

it

was

therefore, absolutely necessary that

tion for the retirement of St.

Germanus from

Amator should

obtain his sanc-

office.

&*?

wrm.

Life of St. Patrick.

many

assembled as

own
as

flock,

far

as

the

He

concerned.

that period, to
to succeed bim.

He

as he could collect quickly of bis

and informed them of the divine

fact

of his

exhorted them, as was customary at

wbo was the fittest person

The people were amazed and silent.

consider

then desired them to proceed to the church.

manus and

his

party had joined

the bishop imperatively

down
all

revelation,

impending departure was

their

the

demanded that

arms on entering the sacred

Ger-

and

crowd,

all

should lay

When

edifice.

bad entered, he ordered the doors to be fastened

then proceeding to where the governor stood, he seized

><.

him by the mantle, took front him his secular robes,

clothed him in ecclesiastical garments, and solemnly
invoking the name God, ordained him priest.

How
human
<j

complete and glorious a

feeling

solemn hour

there

Naturally

St.

mere

sacrifice of all

must have been

most

at that

Amator might have

felt

angry at the obstinacy of the governor in refusing

comply with

his wishes

about the pagan tree

with such natural feelings

saintly to

if

to

and

indeed he were not too

have entertained them

judiced against him, and, above

he

would be pre-

unwilling to admit

all,

him to any ecclesiastical office. But God had spoken

God knew best who was
it was enough for Amator.

most

fit

to govern His

vanity or obstinacy in

Church

and the one

Germanus,

served to humble him, and thus

more

to

suitable for so exalted a position.

fault of

may have
make him

only
still

Wi

-,.

^ y^r

'-''

---- -

;.^- '^

X~

Patrick at Aitx*

St.

->>

L63

rre.

The holy bishop died immediately

'>

alter the ordination

>>

of St. Germanus, but not until he had impressed on the

people again and again predictions of his future sanctity

and implored them

last

him as

to elect

St Amator, when he

his successor.

or probably

felt

knew that

hia

hour had come, desired his attendants to carry him

into the church,

and

here,

on his pontifical throne, and

surrounded by a vast multitude of the

peacefully breathed his

last.

Even

faithful,

he

as his blessed soul

ed away, a choir of saints "were seen descending

from heaven and bearing away his

spirit in the

As they

a dove to the eternal throne.

form of

bore forth his

mortal remains to the cemetery, the procession was met

by a paralytic,

who had been thus

He came

years.

and he was not disappointed.

present,

the

afflicted for thirty

hoping to be cured by

St.

Amator,

Germanus, wdio was

gave orders that his limbs should be bathed

water which had been used

remains of the

An

saint.

fco

in

wash the mortal

instantaneous cure was the

result.
St.

Germanus was consecrated Bishop of Auxerre on

it was in this very 7< ar
St. Patrick came to
place himself under his

the 7th of July, a.d. 418, and

that

No

guidance.
death, and

all

doubt, the fame of St. Amator's holy

the supernatural circumstances connected

with the elevation of

St.

Germanus

were widely known, and

St.

to the episcopal Bee,

Patrick

may have

beer

of the

most

Bp daily attracted by them.

Ml-;

And now

St.

Germanus commenced

life

7TT

164

Life of St. Patrick.

extraordinary austerity, of such austerity as even the

fathers of the desert found difficult after long years of

From

trial.

the day on which he began his ministry

day of

to the

his

death, a period of thirty years, he

never touched wheaten bread, nor did he allow himself

the

common

seasoning of salt with his barley, the only

None

food which he permitted himself.

in

Gaul ate meat at

Germanus

this period

refused even

oil,

monks

of the

on any occasion.

St.

His

vegetables, or wine.

biographer, Constantius, informs us that the

food

little

which he allowed himself was only taken twice in the

week

at

evening,

and more frequently he abstained

until the seventh day.

had not much

since even

an

to learn
ano-el

It is probable that St. Patrick

from him in the way of austerity,

had commended

in his lonely captivity in Dalaraida

his fasting while

but the

men who

accompanied Sulpicius Severus into his retreat had found

They

even abstinence from meat very hard to bear.

reminded him that they were Gauls, not angels, and

that as such they could scarcely be expected to live like
angels.

Indeed, an abstinence from animal food must

have been most trying to those northern

customed to

live exclusively, if

races,

ac-

not abundantly, on the

spoils of the chase.

The

saint's clothing

was

ecrually penitential

and winter he wore the same

tunic.

As

description

this

may

was probably adopted by

be interesting.

garment of coarse wool, or

summer

dress, the cuculla

and the

St. Patrick,

The tunic was a long

serge,

which covered the

wffir~fWFii

'
;

finvi~inw

^i^i'^Til^^^^^^i'! WrfK^A

^''

Austerities practised by St. G< rmanus,

whole body, and reached quite to the

was

the cuculla

feet,

small hood for the bead, which ended

in a point,

and when not drawn up bung over the neck and

At

His iniur garment was a hair cloth.

shoulders.

But

night he lay on four planks strewn with ashes.

he had one treasure from which he never

parted,

treasure for which, after his death, an empress

made

most earnest

entreaties,

relics of the apostles

rermanus
and of several mart vis.
to his chest ly a leathern
(

day and night fastened

it

belt

and obtained as the greatest

This treasure was a small hox, containing the

favour.

wore

the

Patrick bad already learned to venerate the

St.

relics of the saints,

devotion

hut we

may

well believe

was increased by the example of

how
St.

his

Ger-

manus.

The

saintly Bishop of

for his miracles.

Let

Auxerre was also distinguished

it

be remembered by those

who

condemn

the lives of Irish saints, because the super-

natural

continually manifested therein, that there arc

other

is

quite as marvellous,

liv s

ticity there

and of whose authen-

has never been any question.

A man may

altogether refuse to believe in miracles, just as a

man

may refuse to believe the Bible, or to believe history, but

no man should condemn the biographers of St. Patrick as
credulous, and discard their testimony as untrustworthy,

simply because they record his very wonderful miracle-.

They may

settle this

question with St. Jerome,

the Life of Paul, the

who

first

wrote the Life of

St.

Hermit

Anthony

with

St.

who wrote
Augustine,

of the Desert, and

166

who

Life of St. Patrick.

believed and recorded miracles as wonderful as

we

any, which

shall presently relate.

There was one devotion practised by

with which

St.

St.

Germanus

Patrick had loDg been familiar.

It is

recorded of the Bishop of Auxerre that he, like our saint,

was frequently accustomed

prayer,

and

it

to

spend the entire night in

was remarked that

his

most wonderful

miracles were generally performed after these vigils.

We have now described

the religious houses which St.

Patrick visited, and the persons with

ciated

it is

time, therefore, that

immediate histoiy of our

St.

Gemianus

and of

his

again,

saint.

We

Patrick's bell.

he asso-

return to the

shall

and hear more of

most blessed end.

st.

whom

we should

meet with

his holy life

'

-^

'*

**

=r

Off-

~W

*-

~
--|p:

> >

St. Patrick at Tours,

Avxerre, and Levins.

"'".

ire

informed by

St.

Patrick himself

that his parents were most earnest in

their

entreaties that

main with them.

clear

we
relations of father

he should
It

is

re-

not quite

whether by the word parents

are

to

understand the nearest

and mother, or merely

his kindred.

Ac-

cording to some accounts, St. Patrick's parents were both

killed

when he was taken

that he
1

ami

Urgtd. Probus says

his

captive.

was strongly urged

distinctly that " he

mother Conche8a." Coljjan,

confusion in the whole narrative.

c. xii.

It is at least certain

by some persons nearly

waa with his father Oalpamina,
But there i consi.leraUu

p. 48.

>

him

related to

remain

to

step

by

step

thus

and that he

them,

with,

Thus

generously resisted the temptation.

another for the great and glorious work which

To renounce

him.

one of the

all is

after

trial
lies

before

and most impe-

first

rative conditions for the Christian priesthood

is

he led on

is

he prepared by one

is

and

if it

necessary for the ordinary exercise of this most sacred

office,

how much more

missionary

himself from

frees

necessary

He renounces

all

that he

home

forsakes a paternal

for the Christian

is it

that he

all

may

may gain all, he

all.
He

possess

to find a still better

and

Such

ministers.

is

holier

whom

portion in the devoted love of the people to

he

the Christian priest, and such was

Had he in that moment of trial listened to

human inclination, his crown might have

Patrick.

the voice of

been given to another

God we do not

for if

we

fail to

do the work of

injure his work, for another will obtain

the favor which

we have

rejected.

would appear probable that

favored with the well-known vision

St.

It

in

Patrick

which

was

his Irish

mission was specially revealed to him, immediately after

his

return from

captivity.

recorded at length

happily

In the
;

Confession

it

is

and though that work

cannot be used exactly as an historical narrative, yet

there

is

a certain sequence of events in the whole

composition.
to the

Some authors have

time of his residence with

referred the vision

St.

Germanus, but

the words " post paucos annos in Britannia

vidi,"

&c, can only be explained

in the

one way.

ct ibi

Mri

=*i^

B
77a' Cltristiiin Missionary.

It

169

Bhould ever be remembered that the exterior work

is but a small portion of his real life,
and

of a saint

that the success of this

work

shain of providences,

of which the

and thinks

is

connected by a delicate

with his interior

Less,

world sees

life.

arc ever

art,

but they

soul,

yet this

searching for the beautiful in nature and

rarely search for the beauty of a

beauty

is

immortal.

Something of

at times even to mortal sight,

by

the majesty, or

of

God

even as

but

human

won by

its

little

Men

radiance appears

and men arc overawed

the sweetness of the saints

needs saintliness to discern sanctity,

it

needs cultivated taste to appreciate art.

thing of beauty is only a joy to those who can
discern
its

it

beauty, and

it

needs the sight of angels to sec and

appreciate perfectly

Thus, while some

all

men

the beauty of a saintly soul.

scorn as idle tales the miracles

recorded in the Lives of the Saints, and others

give
scant and condescending praise to their exterior works
of charity, their real life, their true, nobility is

hidden

and unknown.
trials

God and

the angels only

and the triumphs of holy human

know

the

souls.

had the human hopes and fears and affecwhich would naturally incline him to be influenced

St. Patrick

tions

by the earnest entreaties of his parents.

another and a

mightier

influence

at

But there was

work, and

the

Divine Spirit was calling him to sever these holy

ties
for those which were still holier, to renounce the
service
of his father on earth for the yet more binding
service
of his Father in heaven.

And

then

when

St. Patrick
s

170

Life of St. Patrick.

had made the

is

sacrifice,

the special consolation came.

after the lonely wrestling with

It

temptation that the

In the visions of the

angels are sent to comfort us.

night the angel brings the message to the apostle

He

appears to come from Ireland, perhaps because he was

clothed as the saint had seen his captors clothed, and he

bore with

him innumerable

and then,

hilibus),

letters (ejristolis

saw written thereon the Voice of

of the Irish

innumera-

as he presented one to Patrick, he

the Irish.

The voice

Truly from that hour to this that voice has

not ceased to resound in the ears of our great apostle.

father, our friend, listen to us

Ah, our

also send thee letters once

pray that we
so willingly

may

come

still.

We

would

more by angel hands, and

ever be faithful to what thou didst

And

to teach us.

while he read the

many
who made this

beginning of this mystic communication he heard

voices, united

earnest request

We

and walk amongst

It

one holy

as in

was enough.

strain,

entreat thee,

holy youth, to come

us.

The

voices

from the western

sea,

borne upon the midnight breeze, had thrilled the heart

of the great-souled apostle.

He

could read no more

had read enough. The message was given,

though the words were few. It needed only that he
should know who called him it was the voice of the
in truth, he

Irish it needed only that he should know why they

they would have him come and walk amongst
called

them.
holy,

The holy youth should teach them

also to be

and he came and taught them, and they have

learned

and

if fidelity

to the lessons taught

the best

La

proof that the scholars were indeed earnest

desire for instruction,

we may

dixy the

Patrick

did

in

their

surely say that not in vain

midnight

from over the

call

Western Sea.

Thanks be
years
asked,

to God, exclaims the saint, that after many

He hath granted to them that for which they
And again, in another part of this Confession, he

returns to the

same

subject,

and thanks God once more,

with burning words, that through his ministry so

many

people should have been born again to God, and that so

many

priests

should have been ordained for these faith-

ful converts.

The testimony of the various Lives of the Saint

scarcely needed to prove
his intercourse

how

with heaven.

some

There

we may

the Confession in which

is

frequent and sublime was

not a page of

is

not find a record of

Yet

vision or supernatural favour.

all

is

told

with such pure simplicity that the reader hardly realizes

how wonderful

is

Immediately after the

the record.

relation of the vision in

heard the voice of the

which he saw Victoricus, and

Irish,

in which, like St. Paul, he

he mentions another night,

knew

not whether the favour

Then

granted to him was within him or nigh to him.

it

was that he heard words of mystic import which

could not understand,

he

ice,

me

'
:

when, adds the

He who

rejoicing

:"

gave His

life

Blessed, indeed,

until
saint,

the

"He

for thee

was

it

for

:'

close

of

their

thus addressed

And

him

to

so

awoke,

have heard

'"'>'>'>

the voice of

tlie

Irish,

but how incomparably more

blessed to have heard the voice of Jesus.

gave His

for thee."

life

Yes,

it

"

He who

was Jesus Himself who

condescended to speak to His favoured servant, and

who had given His

life

that Patrick should give his

Him.

life for

Greater love

there could not be than that friend should give his

for friend,

and

if

He

mioht well ask

for Patrick,

we cannot give our lives

for our

life

Friend

He no more needs such personal devotion,

He counts as done to Himself
that which we do for those whom He calls friends, even
though the world may scorn and despise them.
Jesus, since

how happy

One

for us that

other favour also

is

recorded by our saint as

having been granted to him at

this period.

He

heard

one praying within him and above him, so that he was,

as it were,

encompassed by prayer.

And

as he mar-

it was
him that it was the Holy Ghost who was
thus making intercession for him.
Thus was he enlightened, comforted, and strenghtened

velled at this strange and unusual manifestation,

revealed to

for the great

work

to which he

was

called.

M\

But while

he was thus favoured with divine communications, he

did not neglect the necessary preparations for his mission.

He knew, as only saints can know, that however great

may be the favours granted to us by God, we are none
the less bound to use every
plish

what we

means

ourselves to accom-

believe to be his designs.

There have been instances in which

God

to

u^ *i

it

has pleased

impart the knowledge of theological science

..ejirni,

,'u

;:f nu

..ifi.i

..%.!

St.

Patrick at Tours.

rapernaturally to holy men.

of Providence

But

knowledge

all

173

in the ordinary

costs us labour,

and

ways

were
presumption even for the saints to expect that
God
would grant such favours, and to neglect the
ordinary
it

duties of a student.

wil!

'"'

remembered that St Patrick was

from captivity in

He went

his

freed

twenty-second year, a.d. 410.

Auxerre in 418. It would appear that the

eight years which intervene,!
between thesauri's release

and
his

to

his visit to St.

Germanus were spent

family at Boulogne, hut

the

Vita Quinta

we

are

principally at

partly with
Tours.

In

told that he rested [requies-

cens] for a few years with Ids parents.

After this there

an account of another captivity, and then

some not
very clear details follow,
which are not given in the
Tripartite. According to this Life, St.
Patrick then came
is

to St. Martin,

Tours,

and remained with him

receiving the

instructed by

him

in science

Tn the Tripartite

Tours to

visit

tonsure

St.

we

from

and

doctrine.

are informed

.Martin,

for four

him,

years at

and

being

"he

set out for

that he might receive the

mona>tie tonsure, for hitherto he had

only the tonsure
of servitude; and receiving then the
monastic tonsure
from St, .Martin, he abandoned all the
cares and
pleasures of the world, and devoted himself
entirely to
prayer and abstinence, so that he made
the resolution

nevermore

to taste flesh meat." 3 In the

Doctrirw. Colgan,

p. 48.

Rheims Breviary

Meat.-Ib.

p.

121.

his visit to St.

Martin

time [four years]

which

Patrick visited

is

Martin, and with

St.

St.

said that " on a certain occasion

it is

remained with him

There

and the same

Usher mentions an ancient Life of

remained there.
Patrick, in

also recorded,

is

given as the period during which he

is

due reverence

for forty days."

an accumulation of evidence in favour

in fact

of this four years' visit to Tours,

and

it

must

also

be

observed that in each instance the authors of these Lives

wrote as

if St.

Martin were living at the time of the

This certainly cannot be reconciled

arrival.

saint's

with what appears to be the most correct chronology of

the

life

either of St Patrick or St. Martin.

one of these historical

dated with ease

if

we had

It is

also,

eluci-

the key, but which, wanting

that key, presents a formidable appearance.

be remembered

simply

which might be

difficulties

It

the Saints in early ages

must

who wrote the Lives

were much more anxious

that those

of

to

record their virtues and to relate their labours than to

attend to those critical details which modern writers
consider so essential.

The

austerity of the

monks of Tours, and the sanctity

by some interesting detads 01

of Patrick, are evinced

his residence in this monastery.

observed that the

food,

and that

monks

trial.

inured to a most severe

life,

It has already

been

Gaul abstained from animal

this abstinence

without considerable

had not as yet

of

St.

but

was not accomplished

Patrick had long been
it

would appear that he

entirely renounced the use of flesh meat,

St.

Patricks Pittance followed by a Miracle,

nor was he

any way bound

in

7:>

to this strictness, since his

vocation as apostle might require (bat he should live as

others did under certain circumstances.

While at Tours

he probably wished to conform, as far as possible, to the

nil.'

whom

of ili"-f with

ami

brief period,

have been as

he had taken

up

abode for

his

there, at least, his abstinence

would

strict as theirs.

Once, however, he had procured a small portion of

meat

bis

lor

ami

repast,

this,

probably to avoid any

scandal, he carefully concealed.

he saw

Wa

him thus

dressed
face

man
am a

vision of a
:

"

servant of

be discovered."

Patrick

Then

is

ad-

left,

grief for

make

excuses for

conduct of the sinner.

as he

is

it

the in-

But He who had

saint supematurally thai

slight degree

he was c.dled,

be was departing

from the high profession

to

which

now comforted him supematurally

wept prostrate on the ground,

Victor, appeared to him,

bis fault

self-in-

perchance, he should

the special characteristic of a saint, even as to

warned the
some

lest,

what appeared to
To know a fault and to weep

a fault and to

variable

Kveii

with one

the vision disappeared, and

overwhelmed with

him a grievous crime.

in

who

God

view a monk who, yielding to

dulgence, conceals some meat,

know

as he did so

faces,

contemplate the ordinary actions of man, but

with the other

for it

But even

with two

and desired him

also

his an

to arise, lor

was pardoned.

But, although the

Divine pardon, he

saint

still

was thus

desired to

assured of the

humble himself

fur

men, as one who, loving much, could not

his euilt before

do too

much

beloved.

was

It

make

Church, to

usual,

from the

to be observed in a

where

all

earliest ages of the

public accusation of faults and to do

public penance for them.

fail

having offended his

to manifest his grief for

This holy custom could not

monastery

like that of St. Martin,

were in earnest in seeking perfection.

men who had

Thus

any degree become degraded by

in

sin,

became ennobled by penance, and, whde the worldly

and the pagan thought that they proclaimed

their

degradation by such acts of humiliation, they were, in

proclaiming their greatness

fact,

greatest of

all,

be exalted

said

"

He

for

has not He, the

that humbleth himself shall

and has not He Himself given the

ex-

ample of the lowliest humility and the most perfect subjection to obedience

And

sometimes pleases

it

Him

that His servants should be glorified in their humiliations

on earth as a

slight foreshadowing of the glorifica-

them in heaven. Thus

To humble himself, and to atone
for his fault, he brought forth the meat before all the
By the
brethren, and confessed what he had done.
tion
it

which they

was with

command

shall receive for

Patrick.

of his superior he threw

and even as he

was crowned by a

miracle, for the

changed into innumerable

to

eat or drink in itself that

Him, but the

into

it is
is

some water,

and obedience

meat instantly became

fishes.

would our Lord teach us that

we

it

did, his act of humility

Thus

figuratively

not so

much what

pleasing or displeasing

act of self-sacrifice which

we perform

vim

St. Pa. trick's Visit to

in abstaining from
inclinations.
It is

Tours;

what naturally

Islands.

our fleshly

gratifies

said that
this

tJte

Patrick remained four years at

St.

would bring us

to the year 414,

supposing

the sainl to have proceeded to Tours immediately after

his

arrival

in

But

Gaul.

have remained a year with

date a.d. 415, and
before the

known

still

if

we

allow that

his parents,

it

may

he

would give the

leave an interval of three years

date of his visit to St. Germanus.

was probably during

this interval,

It

whether of three or

four years, that the saint visited some of the places

vaguely mentioned

in the various Lives,

not be accurately identified.

from captivity was

at

Tours,

and

his

His residence

two-and-twenty.
visits

and which can-

His age at his release

to other

places,

all

occur

between the twenty-second and the thirtieth years of

his age.

Jocelyn says but

with

Germanus.

Colgan,

little

He

of St. Patrick's intercourse

simply

mentions:
This

"The

saint

mentioned l>y
Jocelyn. He strongly condemns a superstition practised in his time by the
Irish, who need to plunge meat in water on St. Patrick's Day, and when
dressed eat it, and call it St Patrick's fishes. Such superstitions, or rather
It is very
sinful evasions, are always severely condemned by the Church.
usual now, however, to give permission for the use of meat on St. Patrick's
Day, which always occurs in Lent.
As an evidence of the similarity of the miracles recorded in the Lives of the
Saints, it may be observed that a somewhat similar circumstance is men:
In consequence of ill health she
in the Life of St. Agnes of Montepulcianno.
was required to eat flesh meat, from which she had abstaiued for years. She
obeyed the commands of her superior>>. but at the moment when the meat was
placed before her it was miraculously changed into fish by the same power
which caused the water to become wine at the Feast of C'aua in Galilee. fl e
*

Inclinations.

tht Life

p.

121,

Tripartite.

of St. Agnes of Montepulcianno,

p.

-II.

is

also

by the

desired that all his acts should be sanctioned

Apostolic

and

authority,"

therefore he

closed his purpose to Germanus,

named
(Vita

for his

Sergetius.

the

to

upon a Rock, and that he

chair of Peter, founded

gave him

went

who approved

of

it,

dis-

and

companion a holy servant of God

Probus

very

gives

Quinta), but either he

full

details

has himself strangely

confused the accounts from which he compiled his narrative, or his transcribers

for

the whole

rent.

of his

have disarranged his history,

life

Indeed, so hopeless

at

period

this

is

incohe-

the confusion, that Lani-

is

gan well observes, we must look

for

some more con-

sistent authorities to guide us as to this part of our

saint's history.

There can be no doubt that

St.

islands in the Tyrrhene sea during

Patrick visited the

some part of the time

of his preparation for his apostolic mission to Ireland.

It

was here that he received

here also he was favoured with

To

the present writer

it

the.

Staff of Jesus, and

many divine

revelations.

appears most probable that

this visit took place after St. Patrick's introduction to

Germanus, and before his

visit to

Rome.

It

must be

observed once more, that the biographers of the saints in

the early Christian centuries were

much more

intent on

giving correct accounts of the favours granted to

them

by God, and on the correspondence with grace which

they manifested in their

lives,

than

in giving critical

details of their history.

The evidence

of St. Patrick's

connection with

St

Records of the Book of Armagh.

179

Germanus is ample and beyond controversy.

llymn of St. Fiacc it is briefly stated thus

In the

" He [the angel Victor] sent liim across the Alps over the sea marvellous
was his course,
In- stayed with Germanoa in the smith, in aouthern Letha.
:

Until

In the Islands of the Tyrrhene sea he stayed : therein he meditated

He read the canon with IJeruianus : it is this that history p

Iii

the

Book

Patrick one
"

The

of

Italy,

From

Armagh, amongst the sayings of

St.

preserved, which runs thus:

fear of the

Gaul and

TV

is

Lord was the guide of

my

journey tlirough

and to the islands which are in the Tyrrhene

sea."

the titles of the lost chapters of the Life of St.

we

Patrick contained in this Book,

find that

tin.:

sixth

chapter contained an account of St. Patrick's journey

Gennanus, he remained

into Gaul, where, having found

with him, and proceeded no further for a time.

....

part of the

Book

of

Armagh which

is still

In that

preserved,

the circumstances of the visit of St. Patrick to

Germa-

nua are fully detailed.

"The
him

angel Victor came to him and declared thai

to go forth with tin- evangelic net,

nations to

the

fit

whom

the mercy of

God had

time had come he set out

name was
witness,

fish for

sent

work

Germanus sent an ancient

was time

for

him; therefore when

for

which he had long

priest with him,

Segetius, that he might be both a

for the holy master,

it

those barbarous

strengthened by the divine

assistance to undertake the missionary

prepared, and

and

whose

companion and a

Germanus, had not yet conferred

episcopal consecration on him."

In a treatise on the Irish Liturgy, which

mwr

Spelman
< '\

"']&'

^"^^^g^y^r^JV:^!7

Life of St. Patrick.

refers to the seventh century, the connection

our saint and

"

Germanus

St.

between

thus recorded

is

They [Lupus and Germanus] subsequently preached to the

St. Germanus of Auxerre and the

Bi items or Scots, as the Life of

Life of

Lupus

St.

testify

and they

spiritually trained

up and

nourished with sacred learning the blessed Patrick, whom, being

they by their commendation elevated him

consecrated bishop,

to the chief episcopate of the Scots

The biographer of

and

Britons.'* 5

Germanus,

St.

Eric, or, as his

name
r&r
t

more generally

is

on

Latinized, Hericus, has written fully

this subject also.

.V

"

As the

father,

discipline of children

have deemed

commemorate one

whom

it,

redounds to the glory of their

have considered

he [Germanus] had instructed in

who, as

well,

it

briefly to

many sons in Christ)

religion
1 mean Patrick

of the most famous of the

his Life records,

was the

special apostle of Ireland,

and spent

eighteen years under his most holy instruction, and drank in no

small draughts of learning and the Sacred Scriptures from this rich
fountain." 6

The important
with Germanus

Indeed the subject

questioned

be what
6

Britons.

St.

Canon

fact that St. Patrick read the

is

also
is

mentioned in the Irish Nennius.

one which

and the only matter

Germanus taught

is not,

and cannot be

for investigation

St.

would

Patrick with regard

Essays on the Early Irish Church, by the Very Rev.

At page 246 he gives the original of this treatise.

The Life of St. Germanus of Auxerre was
monastery whose name was Constantius, and is well

Monsignor

Moran.
e

Fountain.

of his

the reign of Charles the Bold, the

church, 16th January, S59.

It

body

of the saint

was about

monk

authenticated.

was transferred

to

In

new

this period that Hericus republished

the Life of the Saint, with a commentary.

xv. p. 24

written by a

See

Tdlemont. Hist. Ec,

vol.

$4

r-n
Catholic Teaching the same
to doctrine and discipline.

and

interest

This

1S1

a subject full of

is

We

of importance.

full

Ages.

in all

have already

sketched the Life of the Bishop of Auxerre up to the

period of his consecration as bishop.

was precisely

It

then, A.D. 41S, that St. Patrick placed himself

under

his

spiritual direction.

There can be no doubt that our saint had fully and

deeply "weighed the importance of the Divine

call

which

he had received, to be the apostle of a nation.

The

Catholic missionary, while relying absolutely, or rather

I

should

because

say,

relying

on

absolutely,

the

Divine Spirit promised to the Church for his guidance,

does not neglect

the ordinary

all

means supplied by

Providence which might avail for the furtherance of

his work.

to go

would be presumption

It

forth

without a

of the country to which he

has been pleased to

in

some

taught,

was

sent,

impart the

gift

cases supernaturally.

dare go forth

and

differences

teach

to

this

is,

for a missionary

knowledge of the

unless

Thus,

language

God

because

languages

of
also,

no

man

he has been himself

marked

indeed, one of the most

between the apostles of truth and the

dis-

seminators of error.

The
"What

faith
St.

of the

Catholic Church

Germanus taught

taught at Milan, and

St.

is

unalterable.

in Auxerre, St.

Peter at Rome.

Ambrose

As each new

missionary went forth to convert pagan nations,

he

took with him a definite creed which

to

reject,

and heresy

to deny.

'

it

He knew

was perilous

that each

dogma

^v

1S2

Life of St. Patrick.

which he should teach had been taught

who

to

hhn by those

received the sacred deposit, of Divine truth in an

unbroken sequence of theology.

first necessity, it

tial

was

rather,

Hence it was
we should say, the

duty of the Christian missionary to learn

he should teach

and thus

it

is

of the
essen-

fully

what

that years of study are

considered now, and were considered then, the duty of

the candidate for the priesthood.

And,

if

such study

is

important and essential for the

how much

ordinary exercise of the sacred ministry,

more important

is it

for the apostle destined

by Divine

How

Providence to convert a whole nation to the Faith.

could such a one go forth and ask the
to give

up

men

had something

their old beliefs, unless he

more than mere conjecture to

his creed could be

offer

of that nation

them in exchange 1

modern

creed of a Protestant bishop has been shaken in

times,

why

If

shaken by their arguments, as the

should he attempt to teach them at

all %

But, happily for Ireland, St. Patrick learned his canon

from one who had authority to teach, and from one

whose creed could not be shaken by the conjectures or

questions of his

convert.

first

was

It

also

that the saint should be fully instructed on

of

Church

discipline.

teaching and ordaining

mitted to him.

and

necessary that he

and

details

The

awful responsibility

many

priests

of

would be com-

His advice would be esteemed a law,

his very opinion

decision

essential

all

an obligation

should

be

hence

it

was most

able to give a correct

decisions in accordance with the princi-

of canon

plea

by the Holy Catholic

Thus was it well that he

law, as taught

Church, on every Bubject.

should have read the ('axon with Germanus.

It is also

more than probable

that the subject of civil

Though

law would have been considered.

it

was

not, he

Patrick

knew

to assist in Christianizing the laws of

ancient Erinn, and Providence prepares each instrument

for the

work

strument

tion.

for

may

when

designed, though the in-

some of the

difficulties that

would

arise

pagan nation began to renounce their national

customs.

Roman

is

it

person of ordinary prudence could scarcely

to foresee

fail

which

not be always conscious of the prepara-

Germanus, from his previous study of

St.

law, and from his loug

and

brilliant career as

governor of a partly pagan and partly Christian pro-

must surely have had considerable experi

vince,

on

this subject

another reason why he

was

specially

fitted to instruct St. Patrick.

We
was

informed in the Tripartite that Germanus

are

distinguished

ministry,

reason

by

and miracles.

why

was a

it

birth,

dignity,

life,

Here again we

find

special grace for St.

have been favored by his guidance.

wurking miracles, which

to

Learning,

another

Patrick

t'>

The power of

our want of faith appear

more than ordinarily wonderful,

is

frequently granted

The
lands.
Germanus were frequent and marvellous,

to those appointed to evangelize heathen

miracles of St.

and we can scarcely doubt that they were

special consolation

and instruction

;.-'

4'^

a Bubject of

to St. Patrick.

184

Life of St. Patrick.

Germanus was consecrated Bishop

St.

and

visited

by

saints

remained together

Patrick,

St.

of Auxerre in

In the course of this very year he was

July, a.d. 418.

Scholiast on St.

Fiacc's

it

probable that the two

is

for

several

Hymn

that St. Patrick accompanied St.

In the

years.

expressly stated

is

it

Germanus

to Britain,

and that he afterwards

to root out the Pelagian heresy,

There can be no

returned with his companion to France.

reason for questioning this statement

even Usher gives

high authority to these scholia, and considers them as

an independent and valuable addition to our information concerning the

The history

known
the

of St. Patrick.

need more than a passing

to

unhappy

originator of this

He went

Briton.

life

of the Pelagian heresy

of the time

but

to

it

Eome,

as

almost too well

is

allusion.

sect,

Pelagius,

was by

birth a

was indeed the custom

must be feared he

scarcely

made

his

pilgrimage in the spirit of devotion and humility which

generally characterized such undertakings.

time he remained in obscurity,

with

Augustine, with

St.

whom

he had some

himself to the education of youth.

man

though

it

edifying.
five

years

corre-

After a time he appears to have devoted

spondence.

edly a

For some

although acquainted

of considerable learning

is

said that

He

first

He was

undoubt-

and apparent

his private life

piety,

was not very

gave publicity to his errors about

before St.

Germanus was elevated

to the

Two young men, who had been his pupils,

were now his warm supporters and in the history of

episcopate.

Brfsefe

The Pelagian Heresy.

one of these we trace the bistoiy of

185

heresy; for Bede

all

informs us, that Julianus of Campania was an ambi-

man, ami was mortally disobliged by the

tious

bishopric.

loss of a

The heresy of Pelagius consisted in

declaring, con-

trary to the teaching of the Catholic Church, that the

sin of

Adam

the

aid

way

does not in any

and that man

divine

of

Africa, in 41

this heresy

Pope Innocent was appealed

their decrees,

God without

were

Councils

grace.

where

G,

affect his descendants,

able to fulfil the law of

is

held

in

was condemned, and

to for a confirmation of

which he granted.

He

condemned

also

Pelagius and his followers, and declared them excom-

municated,

they renounced their

unless

St.

errors.

Augustine, in noble and memorable words, evinced his

(

'atholicity
"

Rome

and

his loyalty to the See of Peter

has spoken

the judgment of the bishops of Africa has

been sent to the Apostolic See

arrived,

question
error

may

at rest

discussion

error

God

Valentinian

did not cease.

In

the

grant that the

issued another

and, in 425,

Agricola then fled from

promulgate Pelagianism in Britain.

probably quotes

from

Honorius

418,

condemning the heresy

issued an edict

to

Ronie has spoken

has ceased

cease likewise."

But the

Gaul

the letters of the Pope have

and confirm that judgment.

is

Bede,

Prospers Chronicle,

who

informs

us that the English bishops, finding that these false

gaining ground, and

doctrines were
1

HialiOjiric.

IJcdu,

lib.

i.

cap.

that

they were

vii.

-^$:

BaSte

fe'

unable to oppose them effectually, requested the

Rome

brought a report to

assist-

Palladius had already

ance of the bishops of Gaul.

of the

state of Britain,

and Prosper

manus

as

and

making in its Church

that Pope Celestine sent Ger-

the ravages which heretics were

relates,

his representative to direct the Britons to

The probable

the Catholic faith.

position

and dignity of

Palladius, the deacon, has already been fully explained.

St.

Germanus paid two

during the

him
St.

first

(a.d. 429).

Patrick

to Britain

visits

and

it

was

of these that the saint accompanied

The

came

interval from the time in

Germanus

to

this

until

which

date,

was

spent in study at Auxerre, and in visits to the islands

of the " Tyrrhene Sea," of which many curious and interesting details

are

whatever view

may

given.

indeed quite

It is

clear,

be taken of the accounts given

by the sairjt's biographers at this period of his

that some portion of it was spent at Lerins.
have already given

details of

full

that monastery and of

its

inmates.

life,

We

the foundation of
It

only remains to

record the events which are said to have occurred there,

at least, in some of the Mediterranean islands visited
by our apostle. Lanigan has well observed that St.
Germanus could not have selected a better school than
that of Lerins for St. Patrick, since it was the abode of
or,

so

many men eminent

also observes that there

St.

for sanctity

was an

Marguerite, close to

Lerins,

brated as the place chosen

by

and

learning.

island called Lero,

St.

which became

He
now
cele-

Eucharius of Lyons

ft-

'

.+.'

"+

-^.xiSB^

fr.'^f

Patrick receives the Staff of Jesus.

>S7.

for his

-^

Those islands

retreat.

were

indeed,

at

thie

second Theliias, and their inhabitants

time, a

were

persons wholly devoted to religion and separation from

the world. 8

was daring

It

mentioned

in

The

life

rejected.

is

gift of this relic is

the Tripartite, and

authenticity of this

legend

Lerins that he

St. Patrick's visit to

received the Staff of Jesus.

must

It

the

and

antiquity

should be recalled before the

remembered, as

also be

cumulative evidence of great weight, that this staff was

supposed, from a very early date, to have been a heavensent

gift,

and as such was venerated and preserved with

extraordinary care until the very time of

its

wanton

destruction,

According

to

the

account in the Tripartite,

by the

Patrick and his companions were cast

an

!hrist

One

had

men

explained to

visited their family while

made

that they had

those

of the

much

Him.

a feast for

who thus honored Him

St.

upon

where they found a strange family,

island,

children being apparently very

parents.

tide

the

older than the

St.

Patrick that

upon

earth,

He had

and

blessed

according to the best of

and had promised that they should be

" without age and without decay to the judgment day."

their power,

The
who,

blessing, however, did not reach to their children,

it

would appear, grew aged

in appearance,

in the

ordinary course of nature as years went on.

The man then declared that they had long expected

2d!

H'-r.y.

- Ec.

Hist, ry, vol.

l>-

179.

^ V'

i'

i,)ni

|i

^wi

:
i
i'.i ii?ff Mi

,i i

ii|*

"

'

'
i

'i

>

:^-^i

i'i

188

.1

'

.'.f

'|

i
!

f,

,y

T^fl^&s^ajrj^

Life of St. Patrick,

the coming of St. Patrick, which

had been

foretold to

with the further information that he was to

them,

preach to the

staff,

But

his arrival.

St.

take the staff until

Himself.

Irish.

namely, a bent

token was

left for

the saint,

which was to be given to him on

Patrick replied that he would not
it

was given

to

him by our Lord

Patrick remained with this family for three

9

days and nights, and then went to Mount Hermon, in

Here our Divine Lord

the neighbourhood of the island.

appeared to him, and gave him the Staff of Jesus, desir-

him

ing

to go

and preach

In the Scholiast on

mentioned that

St.

on Mount Hermon.
to have
staff,

to the Irish.

U'.'i

Hymn

St. Fiacc's

it

is

simply

Patrick received the Staff of Jesus

In the Vita Tertia the saint

is

said

met with a hermit from whom he received

this

but no place

is

mentioned.

It

is,

however, added

that the staff was then [at the time the Life

was written]

But the

writer, in a

in the city of Patrick [Armagh],

subsequent chapter, mentions that our Lord appeared

to St. Patrick

we

on Mount Arnon.

find an account

In the Vita Quarta

similar to that given in

Probus does not mention the

the Tripartite.
this

somewhat

mysterious

staff,

but

Jocelyn

gives

gift of

very

full

details.

According to his account,

way

to

Rome,

visited a holy

works was just [nomine ac opere

he received the Staff of Jesus

Hermon.

Of

when on his
name and
justum], and from him

St. Patrick,

man, who in

this

the identification of this place,

his

solitary
more

having

hereafter.

informed him that he had received the

hands of the Lord Jesus.

in this island,

some of

staff

from the

There were other

solitaries

whom

others aged and decrepit

appeared to be youths, and

men

and Patrick

informed,

is

men who
Lord while He

as already stated in the Tripartite, that these

retained their youth had seen our Divine

was on

earth,

and that He had blessed them

for their charity in receiving

k'

The legend,
material

it

will be observed, is told without

by the

variation

regard to the staff

itself,

was transmitted by
treasured

St.

different

if

any

With
it

Patrick to his successors, and

by them with a veneration which can only be

we

adduced

writers.

there can be no doubt that

attributed to their firm belief in

Nor,

specially

Him.

its

believe in miracles at

why

to our saint.

such a favor

may

supernatural origin.

all,

can any reason be

not have been granted

His mission was a special one

it

was one

which required the exercise of more than ordinary power,

in dealing with the

demons

of darkness

centuries held a whole nation in thrall.

have

converted

countries,

tribes

of

continent

al

disciples.

St.

Patrick was called to

Dr.

Todd, ever unhappily anxious to discredit anything which

in the least approached the supernatural, has remarked sharply on the circumstanoe that the Tripartite mentions "women," and Jocelyn "men," as
the persons who preserved their youth.
But there is nothing cither in the Tripartite to lead one to suppose that there were no men, or in Jocelyn to lead
one to suppose that there were no women. A man who had made up his
mind not to believe the details of the Life of Wellington would have no business to write his memoir.
Careful and scholarly criticism is one thing to
have a predetermination not to believe certain facts is not scholarly.
1

districts

but generally they have been assisted by

numerous bands of
tj

and

who had for

Many apostles

itat'rial.

190

Life of St. Patrick.

convert a whole nation, an entire and isolated country,

and he had few,

if

any, helpers in his work.

needed special graces and

What, indeed, could prove

been so necessary to others.

more

effectual in

subduing the visible power of the

demon than such a

Himself?

If the

Hence he

which might not have

helps,

staff,

staff

blessed

of a

and given by Christ

prophet could

effect

how much more efficacious would be the Staff

And we shall find that it was precisely for
Jesus
?
of
miracle,

the purpose of subduing

and expelling the powers

of

darkness that this staff was used. 2

The legend
their

of the

men and women who

youth cannot of course be

we suppose

that

it is

still

retained

literally true,

nor can

intended to be so understood.

It

may have

been a vision by which the saint was told

that those

whom

young

in truth

Christ Himself

and beauty

it

had blessed were ever

may have been

to

show

that the redeemed ones grow not old in Paradise, and

that, there,

age

is

as beautiful as youth.

The present writer has seen a small cross of

wood which was said

by our Divine Lord, who appeared to a nun in Italy, and
number of these crosses that He might bless them.
It must, however, be distinctly understood by non-Catholic readers, that
Catholics are not in any way obliged to believe this or similar statements,
which are merely given on the ordinary testimony of human information. A
Catholic knows that such favors may be granted by God to His saints, and
therefore will be guided as to his belief or disbelief in such occurrences by the
*

Used.

to have been blessed

desired her to procure a

weight of evidence for or against such statements.

A Protestant at once
without taking the trouble of further inquiry. A Catholic says,
hears that a miracle has been performed, or that a supernatural event
has occurred, "It may be true j" a Protestant says, " It is not true." If all
the marvellous discoveries of science had been treated thus, and rejected
without further investigation, we may doubt if civilization would have been
rejects them,

when he

greatly advanced thereby.

Our Divine Lord appears

191

Saint.

to the

All the ancient Lives of our Saint concur in stating

that

our Divine Lord appeared to

this

time

on a mountain.

This mountain

called

is

llermon, Arnon, and Morian, and the identification

must always remain

the site

0'><>

Patrick ahout

St.

Indeed

doubtful.

it

of
is

<pnte evident that several of the saint's biographers have

confused

some of the events of

Patrick's

life

this

portion of St.

with the history of Palladius.

tirely different sites are indicated in the

place.

It is also stated in

Two

en-

Lives for this

one of these Lives that

St.

Patrick was ordained priest by a bishop

named Senior,
who dwelt in a city with seven walls, near Mount Hermon. Colgan thinks that the real name of this bishop
was Senator, not Senior, and that he may have been a
friend of St. Germanus, who lived in Italy, and who is
mentioned by

his biographer, Constantius.

suggests that Senior

may

Dr. Lanigan

not be a proper name, but

only an epithet indicating that the bishop was aged.

Todd thinks

Dr.

priest's orders

that Palladius

may

have received

from this prelate preparatory to his con-

Rome as first bishop of the Scots. 8

ILrmon
Mount
is variously described as being on

secration at

" the south side of the ocean," " on the sea of Letha,"

"on a rock

in the

and "near the

all

' Scot*.

p.

Capua."

lapua,"

It is epiite clear that

these statements cannot be correct, as they are in

man,
i.

Tyrrhene Sea," "in the city of

city of

ii.

For all

references on these subjects sec Coiulantiu*, Vit. S. Gerami the Hollamlists. Colgan, p. C2, n. 17. Lanigan, voL
ami Dr. ToJJ's Memoir, p. 337.

cap. n. 6,

ICC,

'
i

All the conjec-

cases absolutely contradictory.

some
tures

which have been made

fail to

the subject, and

we can only

of the Tripartite

is

throw any light on

believe that the account

the most probable.

Here

it is

stated

Mount Hermon was near the island where St.

Patrick met the man or men who had the Staff of Jesus.
that

Thus, without being able absolutely to identify the place,

we have something like certainty that it was near Lerins,
or possibly a hill on that island.

present writer

is

name

that the

of

from devotional reasons, to some

the monastery of Lerins

The opinion

of the

Hermon was

given,

hill

that the

or eminence near

name

remembered, because it ceased to be used

had

left

the locality,

and hence that

all

monks

attempt

The unanimous

identification will be useless.

mony

ceased to be

after the

at

testi-

of the writers of the various Lives of St. Patrick

leave no doubt of the existence of some elevation bearing

that name.*

The

Lives, however, agree in their accounts of the

visions

with which

mountain.

St.

Patrick was favored on this

Here our Divine Lord appeared

to him,

and

commanded him to sit upon His right hand. He then

conversed with him as a friend with his friend, even as
Almighty God conversed with our first parents in the
Our Lord then commanded St.
Garden of Edeu.
Patrick to " go to Ireland and preach therein the word

* Name.
Dr. Lanigau conjectures the site to have been the celebrated
Mount St. Michael, in the bay of Cancale, near Avranche, but he founds his

conjecture
p. 166.

oil

a Celtic derivation which

is

quite untenable.

Ec. His. vol.

fcfc

18 88^

'

N^

77c

<>t

FiisioN

Then

eternal life."

OTi

Mount HI

the saint

rich in gold

and

made

men

our Lord, and asked that the

rmo?i

three petitions to

Inland might be

of

he might be the judge of

silver, that

the Irish in the day of judgment, and that he might

have a place on His right hand

in the

kingdom of heaven.

This remarkable vision and the requests of the saint

perhaps, amongst the most widely

We

records of the saint.

known

cannot suppose for a moment

that he asked earthly riches for the people to

was going

to preach the gospel of poverty

tion, so that

we must

believe the gold

some mystical meaning.

this

symbol the

and

silver

desire, that

bad
in

and

surely,

this conjectural interpretation be a true one, it cor-

nent

among

all

Preemi-

people for charity, preeminent amongst

people for devotion to the one true Faith, surely in

this at least the

prayer of Patrick has been answered.

Nor can we doubt

them

at

that he

the last day,

may have

who

terrors.

stewardship of

many

cities

himself was

faithful

many

be placed with the

talents

and

the

blessedness and

chosen ones

what more can we ask

whom

the

governance of

Bis one petition for

simplicity and love

Jesus in the heavenly kingdom.

desire,

its

servant was he to

should be confided.
full <>f

desired to judge

humanly speaking,

wire,

indebted to him for the knowledge of

its

he

they should be rich in the

responds with the history of the Irish nation.

all

whom

and humilia-

Perhaps he would convey

gold of charity and the silver of a pure faith

if

are,

traditional

a1

that he mighl

the right

hand of

What more could we

hand

to be on the right
2

^ITht^t

_,^

T355
j*oV

194

Life of St. Patrick.

day of

in the

fear,

when

so

many

most sweet Jesus, grant to us

and with

all

thy

may

saints,

shall be

upon the

also that we,

left

with Patrick,

attain to this most

happy

state.

It is also said that the saint

banished a furious beast

from the islands while he was residing there, to the

great comfort and relief of the inhabitants.

Pro-

testant writer has called this legend " a childish story

;"

but surely he could never have read the Lives of the

Fathers of the Desert, as recorded by
Augustine, or he would have

St.

to

St.

known

Jerome and

that the power

subdue or destroy noxious animals was no uncommon

gift

and that the

exercise of such

power has been

re-

corded again and again' upon the most ample testimony.

We
v-

must observe once more, that the Lives

of the

Saints were written for edification, and not with the

view

to critical accuracy,

which

is,

in

some respects

very justly, considered necessary in the present age.

The

writers of the various Lives of St. Patrick

had many

ancient manuscripts before them, and they have con-

tented themselves with copying these documents as they

stood, or taking certain paragraphs

ap the
6

There

latter course

from each to make

was adopted by the

a remarkable family likeness, if we may use the expresthe Lives of the Saints.
In the Life of St. Francis of Assisi, we find

State.

sion, in

That the

Life.
is

a record very similar

scarcely ever

knew of

to the above.

The biographers

of

St Francis, probably,

the existence of St. Patrick, hence even ingenious scepno ground to suggest a plagiarism of idea. In 1224 our Divine
Lord appeared to this saint, and conversed familiarly with him, sitting on a
stone which Francis had used as a table.
He then promised him certain
favors, one of which was that the Order should continue uutil the Day of

ticisim can find

Judgment

Guided by

Germanus for Thirty

St.

writer of the Life attributed to Probua

Years.

must be

even to the most cursory examination of

Hence, in our

own

narrative

its

i9.j

evid( at

contents.

we have followed what

seems the most correct sequence of events

in

the Life of

our Apostle, after a careful examination of the various

authorities.

Much

confusion and difficulty have been

caused by the supposition that

thirty years with St.

St.

way

purely gratuitous, and in no

is

Patrick resided for

But

Germanus.

That he looked

to

as his spiritual guide for thirty years,

is

statements of any of those writers.

St.

Germanus

this supposition

indicated by the

undoubtedly true

and

this

simply means

that St.

E
Patrick, having placed himself under the direction of the
saint,

continued to look to him for advice during the

remainder of his

This would be a period of pre-

life.

from the year of his consecration as

cisely thirty years

Bishop of Auxerre.

We

can scarcely

fix

any

definite

number

of years for

the time during which St. Patrick remained at Lerins

and

in the islands of the "

Tyrrhene Sea," but there can

be no doubt that he returned to

the year 429.

undertook his

was

It

first

in

Germanus before
St. Germanus

St.

year that

this

expedition to Britain to assist the

bishops of that country in checking

heresy,

and there

was accompanied
can one

fail to

is

ample evidence

in his journey

reflect that this

by

the
to

ravages

St. Patrick.

seems

of

prove that he

happy

Nor
antici-

pation of the services which English Catholics should

hereafter receive from the priests of

Gaul and Ireland.

Life of St. Patrick

During the long ages of persecution which followed the

rejection of the Catholic Faith

by that

and the

nation,

ascendency of heresy, France was the nursery where

careful nurture

men who

was provided

and devoted

for the saintly

served the English mission

whde even

at the

present day the ministrations of the Catholic Church in

England are principally sustained by

Irish priests.

on

It is expressly stated in the Scholiast

Hymn,

that St. Patrick accompanied St.

The

England.

Fiacc's

St.

Germanus

writer thus relates the circumstance

to

" It happened that St. Germanus came to Britain to root out the

Pelagian heresy, and he came accompanied by Patrick, and

others

many

and he unceasingly labored to root out that heresy, until

intelligence

was brought

infected with

it.

to

him that

his

own

city

had begun to be

Then he and Patrick returned

to France, and

they applied themselves to combat the same pestilential errors."

Probus also mentions that

Patrick evangelized

St.

both in Britain and Normandy.

bury mentions
on the

this also

and

"William of Malmes-

in the curious old tract

Irish Liturgy it is at least implied,

tinctly stated.

The

if

not dis-

Bollandists do not admit

it,

but

this is solely because it interferes with their chronology,

which has long since been proved

to be

very incorrect.

Dr. Lanigan thinks, with some appearance of probability, that St. Patrick

Germanus and

St.

was met

Lupus.

officiated there in

some way.

was sent

by

thither

St.

which the people of that

There

at Boulogne
is

by

St.

evidence that he

Malbrancq says that he

Germanus
district

to

repair the loss

had sustained by the

removal of

St. Victrieius,

who had been made

llishop

of Rouen.
St.

to

Lupus,

who was chosen by

accompany

St.

Germanus

the Council of Troyes

most distinguished men of the

some time

known

He

age.

in the monaster}' of Lerins,

tual direction of

was one of the

to Britain,

bad

under the

Bpent
spiri-

St Honorat, and was thus probably

personally to St. Patrick.

St.

Lupus was con-

two years before the

secrated Bishop of Troyes about

expedition to Britain, and he was distinguished for his

and

holiness, his learning,

no records of

shall only briefly notice

with

in

this

mission,

are

we

the principal events connected

it.

The two

saints

Auxerre direct to

Ae then

his eloquence.

St. Patrick's share

and

companions journeyed from

their

Paris.

As they journeyed,

abounded, and the record of their travel

is

miracles

simply a

At Metrodoruxn,
Germanus met and blessed the

record of supernatural manifestations.

the present Nauterre, St.
little

Genevieve,

and predicted the sanctity of the

future patroness of Paris.

vH

Her

was then but seven years of

as that of an angel

her vows,

fair

age,

young

seemed

and by her own

and consecrated her young

to

face, for she

him radiant

desire he received
life

irrevocably to

the service of Heaven.

While
malice,

at sea a terrible storm

was evoked by

and Germanus was loudly

the sinking ship.

called

upon

diabolic
to Bave

few words of prayer, and a few

drops of oil sprinkled on the raging waters, in the name of

the

Most Holy

Evil

medium

produced an instantaneous calm.

Trinity,

gave notice

spirits

of

approach by the

their

of the possessed, and the faithful everywhere

received the bearers of gospel peace with joy.

con-

ference, or synod, followed, where the propagators of error

were allowed to state their

convincingly refuted

case,

which was fully and

by the Gallican

bishops.

St.

Germanus preached wherever he went, and we cannot

doubt that he was assisted by

have had special

The triumph

of truth

was confirmed, and,

An

enhanced by a miracle.
post in the

Eoman

service,

She was

to the bishops.

who must

St. Patrick,

convincing eloquence.

gifts of

official

who

brought his

blind,

if possible,

held a high

little

daughter

and he asked that she

might be cured. The bishops who had been led astray by

Pelagianism were present, but they declined to attempt
the miracle, and joined with the multitude in asking
St.

Germanus

to obtain this favor

from God.

be remembered that the saint always carried a

of relics with

him

this

he applied to the

It will
little

box

invoking the name of the Most Holy Trinity, and the

cure was granted

instantaneously.

wonder at the devotion of

saints,

when he was thus

and that

he,

St.

We

can scarcely

Patrick to the relics of the

a witness of so

Hke the master from

whom

many

marvels

he learned his

Canons, should have brought with him on his mission a

similar store of holy treasures.

After the conference, or synod, the saints proceeded

to St. Albans, to

honor the

relics of

the

child's eyes,

first

English

Here

martyr.

St.

German us

that, as Constantius

deposited

some of the

which he had brought with him,

relics of the Apostles,

has touchingly observed, he might

thus unite the bones of those who, in distant parts of the

earth,

had lived the same saintly

action

was

at once explanatory

great Cathoiic doctrine of the

And

life.

truly the

and emblematic of the

Communion

of Saints,

which teaches us that time and space form no barrier to

heavenly intercourse
tually,

that

more

nay, even

we may be

so,

by the

assisted as effec-

saint

who

died

thousand years ago, as by those who are most willing

and best able

Nor were

to help us on earth to-day.

who
God the more by dishonoring the
God a saintly soul. The ground

there wanting heretics then, as now,

professed to honor

work of

noblest

whereon

Alban had been martyred was

St.

with his blood.

St.

Germanus,

still

stained

like a true apostle, took

with him only one treasure from the English shores,

and

this

was a handful

on

his return,

of the dust reddened with the

This he carefully enshrined at Auxerre

martyr's blood.

where he

built a church in

the Church's devotion to those

tude,
rites,

honor of

St.

Already the heretic Vigilantius had condemned

Alban.

and had compared

it

who had

in bitter

mocking those who could

so

attained beati-

words to Gentile
reverence a

little-

But he was answered, and though the answer

dust.

has remained on record some thousand years and more,

the

same objection continues

to be repeated

"

We

do

not adore," replied St. Jerome, "even the sun and the

'

jmm^-iu
'

'

"'

"Ly

ifrr

.__$-..

.l^hjiJ^:.

200

1,

~-F

'
'

*-

&

'nfcj

'

Life of St. Patrick.

moon, or the angels, much

we do honor the

Him

whom

for

less the relics of

they are martyrs."

apostolic times, they

No

doubt,

and aprons

that they might be used as relics,

condemned the people who

are favored

to

Paid

St.

and they would have

by God with the

But

gift

to those

of working

by a miraculous

the contempt and disbelief of thousands

is

cure,

a matter

scarcely worth a thought.

It

was while

or illness.

He met

and was obliged

He

Germanus met with

him any bodily suffering

in Britain that St.

the only accident which caused

www

Vigi-

touch his body

so used them.

miracles, or have been favored

if

lived in

would have condemned

for allowing handkerchiefs

wm

and those who agreed with him had

iantius

who

martyrs but

of martyrs in order to adore

relics

to

with a serious injury in the

resided in a thatched cottage, and

culously saved from

fire,

For the further

cured.

foot,

remain stationary for some time.

was here mira-

and afterwards miraculously

of his mission, and an

details

account of the famous Alleluiatic Victory, the reader

must be

The

referred to the Life of the Saint. 6

Gallican bishops returned to Auxerre in about

a year, and

it

was then that

immediate preparation

manus returned

in

St.

Patrick

commenced

for his Irish mission.

430.

It

was

his

Ger-

late in that year, or

early in 431, that St. Patrick set out for

St.

Rome

to re-

8 Saint.
See Tillemont, Ecc. Hist., vol. xiv. p. 50. Also a very beautiful
English Life of St. German, republished recently by Kelly, 8 Grafton -street.
Dublin. It is one of the series edited by Dr. Newman before his conversion.

HMMH

Si. pafruh prtrubinq nt

lam

J-

>

.J

^-

'

fr. *

+-

and mission

from the Holy See.

those

who have

+~

Roman

Proofs of St. Patrick's

cexve jurisdiction

Mission.

for his

Irish

apostolate

with what eagerness

It is strange

separated themselves from the Catholic

Church attempt

to explain

away

deny

or

yet there are few details in the saint's

The reader

better authority.

judge

shall

this visit

life

given on

for himself on

this subject.

The
from

and perhaps the most important evidence,

first,

unquestioned antiquity,

its

saint's

Eome

journey to

When

"

knew

apostleship of Erinn, he
;

and

it

was

that

it

[i.e.,

was

the failure of the mission

for

him God designed the

went subsequently

him

to

Rome

to receive

Rome, who read grada

Germanus and Amatho, king of the

Celestinus,

(orders, degrees) over

*

that contained in

Patrick heard this thing

of St. Palladius], and

grade

is

Here we have a detailed account of the

the Tripartite.

Abbot

of

Romans, being present." 7

Some

folios are

Tripartite,

missing from the Irish version of the

but Colgan's translation

essentially accurate,

is

admitted to be

and we can supply further

details

from that source.

In compliance with the admonition of the angel, and
the

command

Peter, the

of God, he determined to visit the seat of

head of our

apostolicity,

faith,

and the fountain of

all

and through such authority to strengthen

and consecrate

his apostleship

and

his journey.

On

disclosing his idea to his master, St. Germanus, he not

7

Present.

This extract

is

from Mr. Hennessy's translation of the Irish ver-

sion of the Tripartite, from which, unfortunately,

some

folios are missing.

l||l ([^li|lll'|lUi|il| '

l

Jy

l
i

,;

|l, li l

J|#l V:4|fl 1l|IM

|
j

204

Life of St. Patrick.

only approved of his holy intention, hut assigned him

Segetius the Priest, his

own

vicar in spiritual matters,

and

as a companion on his journey,

holy conversation.

as a witness of his

Another extract on the same subject can scarcely

to interest the reader

and

" Patrick having set out for

with devout

the apostles
Celestine,

who was

to satisfy the

Rome,

most

found

Pope

favor with

the forty-fifth from St. Peter.

by

fail

after visiting the shrines of

veneration,

the conversion of nations belongs

sceptical

This Pope, as

right to the successors of St.

Peter (cum successori Petri jure incumbat conversio gentium), had

already sent the illustrious Deacon Palladius, with the apostolic

number

God

of twelve companions, to preach and announce the

word

of

to the Irish." 9

In the annotations of Tirechan, contained in that part

of the

Book

of

Armagh which,

as Dr.

marked, was evidently becoming

Graves has

illegible

when

re-

the

the

made from it, more than a thousand

we find the following express testimony to
Eoman mission of our saint :

"

In the thirteenth year of the Emperor Theodosius, the Bishop

present copy was

years ago,

Patrick was sent by Celestine, Bishop and Pope of Rome, to instruct

Bishop Palladius was

the Irish.

first

sent,

who was also

among the

Patrick by a second name, and he was martyred

8

Conversation.

tion

which

Colgan,

It is difficult to give an English translap. 122.

convey the spirit and letter of the original hence,
" Angelicis monitis, divinoque acquiesceus mandato
scdcm Petri fidei nostra; magistrum, et omnis apostulatus

shall clearly

we append an

extract

Patricias, statuit

fontem adire

ejusque apostolic!

Colgan, p

roborare et consecrare."
9 Irish.

called

Scots,

123.

authoritate,

suum

iter

et Apostolatutn

Proofs of St. Patrick's

Then

as the old saints have said.

the angel of God, Victor, and by

lieved,

Of

and nearly

who

Patrick
" St.

is

died in A.D. 664, the

also attested thus

Germanus sent the

ezigebat),

received

and

Patrick,

St.

Roman

all

Ireland be-

Eileran the

mission of St.

blessed Patrick to
(licentia) of the

See to go forth and preach,

the second Patrick was sent by

Pope Celestine

were baptized by him."

might receive the sanction

l"

Mission

In the Vita Quarta, attributed to

Wise,

all

Roman

Rome, that thus he

Bishop of the Apostolic

for so order requireth (sic

enim ordo

having come to Rome, was honorably

by the holy Pope Celestine

and

relics

of the saints

being given to him, he was sent into Ireland by the same Pope." 1

Perhaps the simplest and best evidence on

ject is that of the saint himself.

this sub-

In the Life of

St.

Patrick by Probus, he records the following prayer of

St.

Patrick

now,

"

Lord Jesus Christ

me
Roman

conduct

beseech Thee, to the See of the Holy

Church, that receiving there the mission to preach with

confidence,

the

Irish

tribes

may become

Christian

through me."
In truth,

St.

Patrick could not have undertaken such

a mission without the express sanction of the See of

Rome, and without obtaining

reigning Pontiff, so that even

jurisdiction from the then

if

the various writers of

1
Pope. Colgan, p. 39. It was unworthy of Dr. Todd, both intellectually
and morally, to try and discredit the Roman mission of St. Patrick, with all this
evidence before him. He admits the authority of the three Lives for any

purely indifferent matter, but

advanced he discredits them.

most gifted intellects.

when

the supernatural, or Catholic doctrines are

So much influence has prejudice even on the

206

Life of St. Patrick.

his Life

had not alluded to the

no question raised about

subject, there could be

by those who were even

it

cursorily acquainted with the ecclesiastical history of

the period.

Happily, however, as the subject

great interest,

and

one of

is

which, for controversial reasons, it is

important to prove beyond

cavil,

we can

give extraneous

evidence that the accounts of the early Irish biographers

of St. Patrick were substantially correct.

St.

Eric, or

Hericus, of Auxerre, the biographer of St. Gennanus,

an independent and credible authority.

of the connection between St.

Germanus and

and the Roman mission of the

And

"

as

latter

St. Patrick,

Germanus saw him magnanimous

for virtue, strenuous in the sacred ministry,

that so strong a

is

He writes thus

eminent

in religion,

and thinking

it

unfit

husbandman (robustissimum agricolam) should be

inactive in the culture of the harvest of the Lord, he sent

him

to

holy Celestiue, the Pope of the city of Eome, accompanied by his

own

priest, Segetius,

who might

probity at the Apostolic See.

ment, supported by

its

bear testimony to his ecclesiastical

Being thus approved by

authority,

and strengthened by

its

judg-

its blessing,

he journeyed to Ireland, and being given to that people as their

chosen apostle, he enlightened the whole nation then by his preach,
ing and miracles, as he continues to do at the present day, and will
so for ever continue to do,

by the wonderful

privileges of his aposto-

late." 2

In S22 Bishop Marcus wrote his Historia Brittonum,

in
2

which he introduces a short sketch of the Life of our

Apostolate Bollandists, Julii vii. See also, for a careful and scholarly
on this subject, Essays on the Early Irish Church,

collection of all the authorities

by Monsignor Moran,

p. 22-38.

which, \vc cannot doubt, was taken carefully

apostle,

from the most authentic sources then extant.

be says
"

In this

Under

Scriptures,

divine guidance Patrick was instructed in the Sacred

and then he went

time studying, and being

Rome, and remained there a long

to

filled

with the Holy Ghost, learning the

Holy Scriptures and the Sacred Mysteries.

And

whilst he

there applying himself to these pursuits, Palladius

Pope Celestine

as first bishop to convert the Irish to Christ

God, by some storms and

signs,

was

was sent by
;

but

prevented his success; and no one

can receive aught on earth unless

it

be given to him from above.

This Palladius, returning from Ireland to Britain, died there in the

jEE

land of the Picts.

The death of Bishop

Palladius being known,

the patricians Theodosius and Valentinian being the

Roman

rulers,

Patrick was sent by Pope Celestine, the angel of God, Victor, ac-

companying, guiding, and assisting him, and by Bishop Germanus,

to convert the Irish to the belief in the

Further evidence might

still

has been said to satisfy those

being

satisfied, for

Holy Trinity."

be adduced, but enough

who

are not incapable of

other additional evidence would not

have additional weight.

We

can

well picture to ourselves

shrine of Peter.

We

which he knelt before the aged

Kingdom

Patrick at the

can imagine the devotion with

Pontiff, to

whom

Heaven had been

the

Keys

of the

Tu

Pctrus he would exclaim, perhaps from depths of

es

of

confided.

emotion, rather with the voice of the heart than with

the voice of the tongue.

Thou

fromthce,and thee alone, can

art Peter,

Celestine,

and

receive the right to exercise

the powers delegated to thee from Christ through Peter.

rr~

Thou art Peter.

An

been shown to me,

Him,

all

angel has called me, visions have

have seen the Lord and spoken to

unworthy

as

am, upon the mountains

and

may not be obeyed unless thou

dost

in the islands of the sea, but

even an angel's voice

Thou art Peter

sanction and bless the obedience ; nay, even the Lord of

angels Himself requires that I should obtain from thee

the right to undertake the mission to which

Himself vouchsafed to

And

thus,

call

Tu

exclaimed with voice and

Taught by Patrick the one

es Petrus.

true Catholic Faith, taught that

of Christ, they

have

said,

by

must also be

Holy Catholic Church

have never swerved
Temptations,

if

they would be children

children of

Rome

taught, I

Patrick, but I should rather have said

taughtby God Himself, since

has

from that hour to the present day, have the

faithful children of Patrick

intention,

He

me.

for

He it was who instituted this

the

Irish nation, ever faithful,

one hour from their allegiance.

sufferings,

conflict,

death, have been again and

contempt,

poverty,

again their portion, but

they have never ceased to exclaim

Tu

es Petrus.

All

the world might be in tumult around them, the horrors

of earthly storms might threaten to engulf them, but

they rode in the Bark of Peter, and riding thus they

were protected by Peter's God.

What

to

them was

when they knew that they were gaining

heavenly crowns 1 What to them were trials and persecutions, when they knew that this was none other than
earthly

the

loss,

King's highway of the holy cross, the Faith in

7%e Irish faithful

which
to

all

-t-

to St.

>

h^-j

+..,

Patrick's Teaching. 209

the successors of Peter have walked

them was death

had the Keys of

itself,

Life,

since they abode

What

by those who

and the harsh grating of the doors

was

of their earthly dungeons

scarcely heard in the

anticipation of the opening of heaven's golden portals.

And

one by one as they passed to the Land of Peace,

and were welcomed by their glorious apostle, how they

rejoiced that they

lias

had remained true

Heresy

he taught.

desolated Christendom from

Patrick

came

to the Faith

which

after heresy, schism after schism,

to tell of the

the

time when

One Lord, One

Faith,

St.

One

Baptism, to the Celts by the Western Sea, and the

What

Faith which he taught alone remains unchanged.

Celestine then taught

even

now

obey the

is

taught by Pius to-day, and

the faithful successors of Patrick hasten to

call

exclaiming also

of that most saintly of Pontiffs, and,

Tu es Petrus,

link together the past

and

the present in the golden chain of an unbroken unity

of doctrine, in a magnificent sequence of varying, yet

harmonious

discipline, suited to

each clime and century

harmonious, because springing from unity; harmonious,

because manifold are the

peoples contained

therein

without discord or division.

Ol.l4^^^>!
2c

"The

death of Palladius being made known, the mission pre-

ordained by God, and the conversion of the nation of the

by the

often promised by the angelic oracle, were given

Irish,

apostolic

so that Pope Celestine, in the presence of St.

Germanus and Amatorex, the Roman, ordained him bishop, and

authority to Patrick

gave to him the name of Patrick

At

the same time were

ordained Auxilius, Esserinus, and some other companions of Patrick

and then the three harmonious choirs mingled

rejoicings

the

first

of the heavenly

Romans, the third of the

who

come and

live

Here we have

'

second of the

All the Irish pray you,

amongst us and

it

and

their chants

the

Irish infants of the region Caille Fochladh,

cried out to Patrick, saying

priest, to

spirits,

liberate us.'

holy

"*

distinctly stated that St. Patrick

was ordained by Pope Celestine and some person

called

Amatorex, the Roman, and that

in the

this

was done

presence of St. Germanus.

In the Scholiast on the

that

Hymn

-'~'j

of St. Fiacc,

it

is

said

" St. Patrick was consecrated in the presence of Celestine and of

Theodosius, the younger,

who was king

of the world.

It

was

Amatorex who consecrated him."

In the Life of the saint by Probus (Quinta Vita) we

find the following

"

As

yet,

however, Patrick had not received the epis-

copal degree, for he

knew

that Palladius,

" Therefore his [Palladius] disciples,

Britain,

that

is,

....

who were

in

Augustine, Benedict, and the others,

hearing of the death of the chief deacon Palladius, came

3

Liberal* ui.

Colg.111, p, 50,

212

Life of St. Patrick.

to St. Patrick to Euberia,

death of Palladius.

and announced to him the

But Patrick, and those who were

with him, turned aside from their journey to a certain

man

of wonderful

sanctity,

named

a chief bishop,

Amator, living in a neighbouring place, and there

St.

knowing what things were destined for him,

was exalted to the episcopal degree by the same ArchPatrick,

Also some other

bishop Amator.
to the office of

on which

St.

clerics

were ordained

But on the same day

minor degrees.

Patrick was consecrated by the sacred

blessings, the canticle of the Psalmist

was appropriately

sung by the choir of the

chanters

clerical

'
:

Thou

art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech.'"

This special mention of the psalm which was chanted

on the day of

St. Patrick's consecration,

to suppose that the account

was present on tbe

no

mention

Eoman

either

occasion.

of

would lead us

was written by one who

Here, however, there

Celestine,

is

Germanus, or the

emperor.

In the Vita Secunda

St.

Patrick's consecration

very briefly recorded, the writer merely saying that

is

" Patrick also turned aside from his journey to a certain wonderful

man, a chief bishop, by name Amator; and from him

St.

Patrick

received episcopal consecration."

The whole

narrative, however,

is

given in a series of

paragraphs rather than in a continuous detail of

dents, but again, it will be observed, the
4

Melchisedech.

Colgan,

p. 40.

name

of

inci-

Amator

St. Patrick's

Consecration an Bishop.

appeals as the ecclesiastic

who

Marianne Scotosj an eminent

ordained

Patrick.

St.

Irish writer of the eleventh

century, chronicles the mission of St. Patrick thus

" In the eighth year of Theodosius, Bassus and Antiochus being

consuls, Palladius

bishop

to

the

was ordained by Pope

Irish

believing in

Patrick, who, being a Briton

Celestine,

and sent

to

the

by

Celestine,

and sent as

was consecrated by Pope

birth,

archiepiscopate

of Ireland.

and converted the whole island to the

Dr. Reeves has pronounced this

fiTTi

St.

There,

during sixty years, he confirmed his preaching by signs

miracles,

first

After him was sent

Christ.

and

faith of Christ."

work

to

be the most

elaborate historical production of the middle ages, which

has

always enjoyed

learned.

the

highest

The autograph of

this

signature of the illustrious writer,

encomiums of the
chronicle,
is

with the

stdl preserved in

the Vatican Library, the guardian of so

much

that

is

valuable to literature.

Prosper also mentions

who ordained

St. Patrick,

"'Whilst that

St.

thus

Celestine as the person

:

Pope [Celestine] labored to keep the Roman

island [Britain] Catholic, he caused also the barbarous islands to

be gathered to the fold of Christ by ordaining a bishop for the

Irish."

There are four names mentioned by

common

in connection with the ordination of St. Patrick

Pope Celestine

second, a bishop, variously

consent
:

First,

named

as

Amator, Amotus, Amatorex, Amathus, Amathrex, and

Amatheus:

it is

obvious to the least critical reader that

wm

%?xm_

names

these

synonymous

are

third,

Roman emperor

and, fourth, the

St.

Germanus
With

Theodosius.

regard to the place where he was consecrated bishop,

it is

Ebmoria

called

in the

they do not directly

bishop by

state,

of

Armagh, Euboria

Record

is

though

was made

subject has been

critically considered in the Eccle-

for October, 1866,

and we

an epitome of the opinions advanced

ject

infer,

that the saint

The whole

St. Celestine.

very carefully and

siastical

Book

Jocelyn and other writers

by Probus.

obviously one

still

shall give

there.

open to research and

Ussher was of opinion that

St.

The subcriticism.

Patrick was con-

secrated in Italy, though he hesitated to decide whether

it

was by a

certain Bishop

Ware

tine.

Amator, or by Pope Celes-

inclined to the opinion that St. Patrick

was consecrated by

Celestine.

Cotton expressly asserts

was consecrated a bishop

that he

at

Rome.

Colgan being of opinion that the saint was consecrated

and in the town of Eboria, and

in Gaul,

finding that

corresponding to
conjectures,

was no town there with a name

he was obbged to briug forward
that the word might be a corruption

there

first,

this,

of the ancient Bononia,

that

it

might

refer to

now Boulogne

tory of Liege in Belgium, which

Eburones.

Dr.

and, secondly,

some town in or near the

Lanigan

terri-

was inhabited by the

agreed with Colgan, but

suggested that the town might be Evreux in Normandy,

which was known by the name Ebroica.

Dr.

Todd

thought that the bishop Amatorex might be an

acci-

TheJPlace where

St.

Patrick was Coisecrated. 215

dental sojourner in a place near Ebnioria, wherever that

was, and evidently inclines to the opinion that

Some

in France.

it

was

mediaeval writers were of opinion that

Amatorex was the well-known

St.

Amator

of Auxerre

but clearly this was impossible, since he died before the

elevation

St German us to the episcopate.

The
name alone could have suggested this

of

similarity of

theory.

The

solution of the writer in the Ecclesiastical

much

has

recommend

to

difficulty of finding either

to correspond with

He

accounts.

the

He

it.

first

a bishop or a town in Gaul

most ancient and authentic

next mentions a town in Italy and an

Italian bishop, as the probable place

and by
tion.

whom

We

own words

Record

points out the

St.

and person where

Patrick received episcopal consecra-

shall continue

the account in the writer's

"John of Tinmouth writes that St. Fatrick dcclinavit iter

quemdam hominem mirabilem, summum Episcopum et sanctum
Amotum nomine et ab illo gradum episcopalem accepit.' Probus
'

ad

says that he was

'

and Maccuthenus,
bilem hominem,
"

"J,

Now,

man

of wondrous sanctity,

Book of Armagh,

in the

summum

it is difficult

his contemporaries,

and a chief bishop;'

also styles

him

to conceive a bishop so remarkable

and

many

'

mira-

Episcopum.'

so

famed

for his sanctity,

among

and yet uncom-

records of the French Church about the

memorated

in the

year 430.

Neither in the synod then held in France, nor in the

Lives of St. Germanus aud of the other great ornaments of France

at that time,

" But

is

if in

there found any mention of his name.

Gaul, neither a town can be found to correspond

fffoSiBmr&aSQl

with Eboria, as

Italy

all

acknowledge, nor a bishop

who might answer

Amator, can such a town and such a bishop be found in

for St,

We

the town

unhesitatingly answer that they can.

in

which

we

death of Palladius,

Indeed, as to

Patrick received the intelligence of the

St.

precisely find at the foot of the Alps

an

Eboria or Eporia, also styled Iporia and Eporedia, lying on the

route from
to

Ravenna (where probably

Gaul and Ireland.

merly

is

the

travellers generally passed

Italy to Gaul.

It

in olden times, as

What

century.
relics

This

is

was the route

by the
more

of St. Germanus,

pomp from Ravenna

they were

first

first

St. Germanus then

modern town of Ivrea.

lived)

For-

when journeying from

pursued by the army of Hannibal
through

it

Napoleon in the beginning of

when they were

to Auxerre.

this

was the road hallowed by the

striking, it

We

translated with solemn

learn that from

Ravenna

conducted to Vercelli, and there the presence of the

angelic choir around the

saint's relics

the newly built cathedral.

From

along the Alps, the triumphal route

was said to have dedicated

Vercelli to Ivrea,
is

and thence

marked by the many churches

dedicated to St. Germanus, each of which was erected on the spot

where

his precious relics

were deposited

town and small diocese of

in the

for

Ivrea,

little

while.

Thus,

there are at present

seven chapels bearing the name of St. Germanus, and marking the
route taken in this sacred procession.

" It was also this road that St. Malachy pursued

to

Rome and
;

when

travelling

during his short sojourn in this town he performed

one of his most striking miracles, raising the son of his hospitable
host to

life,

saint of
Italise.'

and

is

as

recorded by

is

St.

Bernard in

his Life of this great

Transalpinas quum venisset Iporiam civitatem

Armagh
The memory of this miracle remains to the present day,
:

'

mentioned in the lessons for the

are used in the diocese of Ivrea.

St. Udalric,

who made

We

this his route

towards Gaul, and dying in Ivrea,

feast of St.

Malachy, which

read also of another saint,

when

is still

returning from Italy

venerated as

its

patron.

Indeed this passage over the Alps was the most frequented down

^a

Piece where St. Patrick was Consecrated. 217

Tin-

to

our

was

own

and from
Cloyne

The famous Mount

times.

Bernard Monastery

St.

purpose of assisting travellers on that route

built for the

ho Life of the blessed Thaddeus O'Maher,

we

in 1492,

Bishop of

learn that he, too, whilst journeying on this

road from Koine towards Ireland, enriched Ivrea with his sacred
remains.

"It

is,

perhaps, no small confirmation of the opinion that Iporiaov

was the town thus referred to by our ancient writers, that it

brings together in one harmonious whole all the elements of their,
at

first

We

Bight, discordant narrative.

our apostle

understand

way from Pope

said to be on his

is

why

once

at

Celestine

when he

received in Eboria the intelligence of the death of St. Palladius;

we understand how
in

it

is

that St. Patrick's consecration is so

empha-

having been performed in a neighbouring town.

tically described as

conspeciu Theodosii, in amspectu Cclestini, and, again, in cms}

Gcnmini.

being

There

literally

is

nothing, indeed, to prevent these accounts from

The

true.

Germanus

history of St.

justifies tho

conjecture that he was then actually at the court of the emperor,

which often journeyed

city Turin,

to

and

too, are often

met

from Ravenna to the imperial

fro

xmim

the./

have come down to

us, visiting

western empire, and other

cities

Ravenna, the head-quarters of the

of North Italy.

"Thus, again, another point becomes

^n

The Popes,

of those times.

with, even in the scanty records of that age that

intelligible

on which our

ancient writers are agreed, and which, nevertheless, was wholly

in-

explicable on the supposition of St. Patrick's consecration having

been celebrated
lestine

>:?<

in Gaul, viz

that at the time of his consecration

gave to him the name of Palri

was a name commonly assumed

Gibbon assures

'

Patricius was his

highest order or consecration),

Peter,

who gave

it

to

him'

and

(ap,

Oolgan, ZVrh Thavmal., page

4).

it

name
was

Todd,

Si

Italy in

Now, the Book of Hymns,

as.

attests that

in

the

century, as

Celestine, the

fct

St.

his

comarb of

ami

.Marcus, in his

2 D

J_

on

(i.e.,

in its Scholia

at his degrees

The holy Bishop

This

Patrick

fifth

Life of St. Patrick.

218

notice of St. Patrick, also mentions this fact

he

says,

he was

that

when

consecrated,

by Amatheorex, he received the name Patrick,

Maun.

called

Ussher mentions

the

for before

chroniclers,

Florence of Wigorn, Ralph of Chester, and Henry of Marleburgh,

Pope Celestine

as referring to

The

change of our apostle's name.

this

Vita Tripartita also attests

it

St. Celestine

'

ordained him

bishop in the presence of St. Germanus and Amatorex, the

and gave him the name

Patricius,'

plicable in all the Gaulish theories

dicens

ad

Domino

Some one

will,

perhaps, say that there was no saint at that time

whose name corresponds with Amator or

Amatheorex, remarkable

for his learning

and

which

city, in

Maximus

is not more distant

The name Maximus in the old

form would be precisely Amator, and the transition from

that to the various Latinised names given above

Maximus, Bishop of Turin, flourished

Gennadius assures
in

reply

ruling the

a straight course,

than a few miles from Ivrea.

St.

We

sanctity.

that there was at this very time the great St.

Celtic

wholly inex-

in the north of Italy

see of Turin,

is

Sanctus ergo Patricius vole-

'

Apostolico suscepto itiuere versus Hiberniam venit

fines Britannise.

"

and adds, what

:

Eoman,

us,

and he was

still

is

as

easily explained.

early as 425,

as

bishop of that see in 451,

which year he assisted at and subscribed the Acts of the Synod

of Milan.

" His fame for learning and eloquence, and

justifies

the epithets which are added to his

Lives of St. Patrick, and even the

title

still

more

name

for sanctity,

in the ancient

Komanus, which they some-

times add, has reference, perhaps, to the tradition mentioned in the

Life of St.

Maximus, that he was a native of Eome, and a near

re-

lative of the great Pontiff, St. Leo.

"From all

this

we may conclude that

St. Patrick,

intelligence of the death of St. Palladius,

was

still

when he

with the Pope Celestine, as also with the emperor and

manus

that the

intelligence

town Eboria,

at

was brought to him,

received

in close relation
St.

Ger-

which he had arrived when that

is

no other than the modern

:fe8

I\ Tea, hallowed l>y the memory of two other ornaments of the

Church St Malachy and the blessed Thaddeus, and, in fine, that

was from the great Doctor of Turin, the

it

illustrious St.

Maximus,

that our apostle received his episcopal consecration." 5

Patrick has himself

St.

left

us some details of great

regarding this important period of his

interest

life.

Then, as now, the most rigid inquiries were made as to

who were about to be advanced

and such caution was expressly and

the previous life of those

to the priesthood,

most justly used in regard to those who were to receive

the awful responsibility of ruling the Church of God.

It

would appear from

St. Patrick's

Confession that

he had committed some fault in his boyhood, which,

with

all

why

This was brought against him as a reason

he should not be consecrated bishop, and he

the charge
it

humility, he could only attribute to his

his

ignorance.

and the humiliation very deeply.

was just one of those

infinite

before he

He had

himself

made

was made a deacon, and

aggravation of the

trial

ment should be brought

4

which God

wisdom not unfrcquently appoints

favored souls.

little

special trials

it

that his

against

No

in

for the

this fault

seemed

to

felt

doubt

His

most

known
him no

own acknowledg-

him

after a lapse of

Consecration. Articlo in the Irish Ec. record, Oct. 18G6, pp. 16-18.

By

Monsignor Moran.
It should he observed that the expressions
which might he taken as assertions of Pope Cclestine's presence at the consecration of the saint do not necessarily require this interpretation.
The \v. r.l i
"ordinatns episcopus a Papa Celcstino," as Malmeshtiry and other! write,
may not mean more than that he was appointed bishop of tlic Irish by that
If these expressions were used in regard to an ordinary prelate, tho
Pope.
literal meaning would of course be the one intended by the writer.
the Rev.

^w^Wic H ftiiyrf
t

220

Life of St. Patrick,

So great was the anguish he endured that

thirty years.

he declares he was tempted to

and

and made

corrected him,

better for the great

Again he

was

short,

that,

is

fall

away both

Yet he thanks God

for eternity."

work

his trial a

to

means

which he was

of fitting

its

anguish was keen

time

him

called.

consoled by a heavenly vision.

though

for

having thus

for

The

and he

trial

tells

us

on the very night of the day on which he was

thus charged with his boyish

vision

and writing upon the

fault,

wall,

he saw a heavenly

and he heard a divine

from which he learned that what had afflicted

him had also touched the Heart of Jesus, for the word
" we " was used to show that what afflicted Patrick
afflicted Christ also
to show the blessed union of the
voice,

saint with the

Lord of Saints

when even good men

to show, perchance, that

afflicted their brethren, as, alas

they wall sometimes do, that they also grieve their

common

Lord, to

whom

each

is

precious as the apple of

an eye. 7
6

Eternity.

"Utique in

illo

die fortiter impulsus

sum ut caderem

hie et in

aeternum."
7

Eye.

There

some obscurity

is

in

the passage in which St. Patrick relates

After mentioning the writing which he saw opposite to him, he

adds that he heard a divine response which said " We have seen with dis"Male vidimus faciem
pleasure the face of a designatus without name"
designati nudato nomine." Several conjectures have been made to explain
It is quite clear from the context that St. Patrick understood
these words.
the words to have been said by our Divine Lord, for he enlarges on the word
thou hast seeu,' but we have
vidimus, and adds "He did not say thus,
He that
seen,' as if He therein joined Himself with me, as He hath said

this vision.

V^$l

'

'

'

i. 8].
The word desigtoucheth you, toucheth the apple of my
natus was applied by the Romans to those priests who selected the victim for
sacrifice, and perhaps the words implied that the person who accused St.
Patrick was as it were a designatus choosing the saint as a sacrifice.
The

eye.' " [Zach.

s^=

irf;!Si&=

There can be no doubt as to the time of

Ireland,

arrival in

with
B

The date

it.

of his arrival, a.d. 432,

oncurrence of events

Lanigan are agreed upon

upon other

differ

points.

The ninth year

The

apostle's mission thus

of Theodosius, king of the world, the

the reign of Leoghair6.

Rome

it

was

however they may

Life of St. Patrick in the

of the episcopacy of Sixtus, coarb of Peter,

of that year;

proved by

Both Colgan, Ussher, and

this subject,

Leabhar Breac records our

"

is

Patrick's

connected

assigned by historians as

it is

by hagiographers.

well as

St.

or of the circumstances

first

year

and the fourth year of

iEtius and Valerius were the two consuls

in this

after Celestine.

year Xystus assumed the supremacy of

This was the fourth year of the reign of

LaeghaireV'

An
tise

ancient proverbial quatrain preserved in a trea-

on the Brehon Laws confirms

this statement

"Patrick baptized with glory,

In the time c.f Theodosius
Ho preached the Gospel, without falsehood.
To the worthy people of the sons of
;

Tn the

same

recorded thus

"The coming
faith, in
if

tract the

coming of the

saint

further

is

of Patrick into Ireland to propagate baptism

and

the ninth year of the reign of Theodosius, and in the fourth

Laeghairo, son of Nial of the Nine Hostages."

it was an allusion to some hook written against tlio

mission of St. Patrick, but this seems most improbable. The word di
uadated the "elect," ana the word bishop (applied oonjecturally

Bollandists think that

before

it,

in

nan.

a very excellent translation of the Confession by a

The

arrival

Four Masters

and mission of St. Patrick

:

recorded by the

Patrick was ordained to the episcopacy

St.

by the holy Pope

him

is

Celestine, the first

who commissioned

come to Ireland and preach, and give

to

the precepts of faith

Innisfallen, Patrick

and

came from Eome bishop

and devoutly preached here the

to the Irish

In the Annals of

religion.

into Ireland,

In the

faith of Christ.

Annals of Ulster in the year 432 Patrick came to

Ireland, in the ninth year of Theodosius, the younger,

and

first

Sixtus was the

of the episcopacy of Sixtus.

forty-second Bishop of

and Fridra, reckon

Rome,

and Marcellinus,

as Bede,

This was in the

in their chronicles.

twelfth year of Laeghaire, son of Nial.

Petrie
oldest

has described the Leabhar Breac as

and best Irish manuscript relating

history

now

possessed."
this

to Irish

preserved, or which, perhaps, the Irish ever

We

have already given a brief extract from

important document, and we

now append

account given therein of the saint's mission

"We

the full

ought to know at what time Patrick, the holy bishop and

chief instructor of the Irish, began to

and baptize, and

and

" the

Church

to banish all the

consecrate,

and

come

to resuscitate the dead,

demons from

to ordain

for the Apostle says

therefore that Patrick

'I

and

bless,

Ireland,

and

all diseases,

to sanctify

and

and to contest and triumph

have fought a good

came

to Ireland to preach

and to cure

to Ireland

fight,' etc.

The year

was the four hundred and

thirty-third from the Incarnation, in the ninth year of the reign of

Theodosius, king of the world, and in the

Possessed. Essay on Tara,

first

p. 85.

year of the episco-

Date of
pacy of Sixtus, the coarb

St. Patrick's Mission.

successor) of Peter,

(i.e.

year of the reign of Laeghaire

sixtieth year of his

instructed the
'

men
He

here

and

in the,

he baptized and

crucifixion of Christ to the tribes of the FenL'

of

him

to

Clonard

great was the son of Cal[ihurn,

vine-branch laden with fruit.' ....

Palladius was sent by

to the Irish.

Pope Celestine with a gospel for Patrick to

This was the four hundred and first year

from the crucifixion of Christ.

to preach in Ireland, JEtius
this year Sixtus
it

for sixty years

Meek and

and

in the fourth

the character given by Heleran of Patrick, at the time

is

'

it

and

of Erinn, as Fiacc says

when he brought an account

preach

and

Niall at Tara,

preached for three score years

The

And

own age

Mac

2-2A

In the year after this Patrick went

and Valerius being

resumed the supremacy of

consuls.

Rome

It

was

in

after Celestine,

was the fourth of the reign of Laeghaird, son of

Niall, at

Tara."

Indeed, the only objections which have been

made

to

the clear statements of our annals as to the year of St.

Patrick's arrival in Ireland,

who wished

to

have come from persons

uphold some special theory, and found

necessary to dispute the date in order to

make

it

their

view of other matters consistent. 9

A\

Inn

St.

Patrick had received the Papal authorization

for his mission, he hastened to fulfil

speed of holy
Consistent.

Dr.

zeal.

Lanigan says, "

It

proofs of this being the true date." Ec.

"There

is

it

with the untiring

Again we find some touching and

no discrepancy amongst

would bo a waste
//;</. ,v,l.

i.

p.

of

20BL

time to adduce
(Tsahet

Irish writers as to the year of St. Patrick's

mission into Ireland. "- Primordia, p. 880. Those who wish fur further information on this subject are referred once more to Manmgnor Moran's E>sai/s

on the Early Irish Church.

F^W

Life of St. Patrick.

224

beautiful legends of the circumstances which attended

The miraculous
voyage and arrival in Ireland.
been mentioned; perhaps,

his

transit of the leper has already

which such a miracle would

show that Patrick had come to
the most wretched and the most sinful, and that those
who might be rejected by man would not be rejected by
besides the deep impression

make,

him

it

was intended

to

the servant of the great Master who came

and save the outcast

came near the

sailed

to behold the

be opposed.
if to

defend

it

ones.

As the

vessel in

Irish coast, the saint

to seek

which he

was permitted

demon foes by whom his mission would

They appeared to surround the island, as
against his approach.

But the powers of

darkness were unable to do more than show their malice

the all-powerful sign of the cross dispelled their

angry hosts

and the

saint informed those

who were

with him of their presence and their defeat.

There are two

of being the place

sites,

each of which claims the honor

where

St.

Patrick landed.

According

mouth of
town of
Wicklow. Here, it is said, he was repulsed by a chief
named Nathi, and he re-embarked and sailed' north

to one account, he touched at Inver Dea, the

the present Vartry river, on the strand near the

Probus says

wards.
"

Then

[after he

had obtained the authorization of the Holy See]

and came into

Patrick, the venerable priest of the Lord, took ship

Britain,

and avoiding any delay, with the utmost speed and a proshe entered our sea in the name of the Holy

perous passage
Trinity."

fjagg&issB^ jhz^l T:

Site where St. Patrick Landed.

digression then follows on the vices

government of Laeghaire"
"

The holy

and general

and the writer continues

Patrick, the bishop, with his ship laden with spiritual

treasure, that

is,

dicationis), is

with the armour of holy preaching (sancts pne-

borne into the wished for port of the region of

Evolein, which on that account

is

celebrated amongst us.

dually he directed his course to that pagan king Milcho, to

Gra-

whom

formerly he had been sold a captive, carrying to him the price of

in merchandise, both heavenly

and earthly, that he

from eternal captivity the man by

whom he had formerly

his release

might

free

been kept in earthly bondage." 1

'

It is

any

evident from this that Probus was not aware of

tradition of St. Patrick's having landed further

The

south.

Tripartite
to Leinster

saint's visit

thus
"

II

the great authority for the

is
;

and

arrival

his

is

recorded

When

Patrick came from Pome, where he arrived was at

Inbher Dea, in Leinster.

Xathi, son of Garrahan, came also against

him."

Iii

the Vita Secunda,

is

it

simply recorded that

St.

Patrick landed at the "port of the same river Dea,"

probably alluding to that at which Palladius had landed.

1

The Vita TertiaaaA Jocelyn agree with

and, indeed, the authority of the latter

make

it

more than probable that

stantially correct.
it

was

^^

Bondage.

,,

sufficient to

their account is sub-

should also be remembered that

probable the saint

1

..

It

the Tripartite,
is

would make

Colgan,

Trias Thaum.,

p.

for

125

the

neanM

226

Life of St. Patrick.

there, instead of proceeding at once to

and land

port,

Dalariada, though, no doubt, he intended to visit that

part of Ireland as soon as possible.

The place where the

was the

accounts,

saint landed, according to these

territory of Cualann,

been thus named by Probus.

that Evolein

work.

a misprint, as there are

is

and should have

It is probable, however,

many

in Colgan's

remarkable and significant miracle occurred when

He had applied

the saint landed in Wicklow.

fishermen,

a few

who were drawing

But they refused

fish.

to

in their nets, to give

;

and

to the

some

him

un charitable-

ness of their refusal added words of injury and con-

Like his Divine Master,

tempt.

barren

fig-tree,

not because

what He sought, but

as an

who had

He had

cursed the

failed to obtain

example and warning to

sinners, Patrick also cursed the river,

and henceforth

the churlish sailors were obliged to seek for fish elsewhere.

The miracle was, "undoubtedly, one

fitted to

convert these rude and barbarous men, and to

specially

show them that there was a God who ruled the elements
which the pagan Irish worshipped and that the priests
;

of this

God

did and could exercise miraculous control

even over the lowest of God's creatures. 3

- Wm-h.
The present barony of Kathdown, in the north of the county
Wicklow, corresponds to the ancient Cualann. The name is still preserved in
that of Glencullcn, a valley near Bray. The Sugar-loaf mountain was

anciently called Bliabh-Cualann.

3

I'atriuk

Dr.

Todd has commented,

T had almost said bitterly, on this

seem to have occurred to him that, in condemning St.
as uncharitable, he was also condemning our Divine Lord, who

Creatures.

miracle.

It does not

St.

Patrick

in

Wicklow.

The author of the Vita Secunda, which, iu the main,

Book of Armagh, informs us that St.

agrees with the

Patrick

made one convert

in

Wicklow notwithstanding

According to this account,

the opposition of Nathi.

son of Finncadh, was converted and baptized by

Sinell,

But the same Lives

the saint.
is

was the

first

what,

person converted and baptized by him in

It is quite possible, as

Ireland.

also mention,

the generally received opinion, that Dicho

indeed,

Colgan has suggested,

that both accounts

may

have been the

convert in the south, and Dicho in

first

may

be true, and that Sinell

the north.

Todd has observed

was of the

race

of the kings of Leinster, of the clan Hy-Garchon,

and

Dr.

that this Sinell

a cousin of the Nathi who repelled

list

(of

which more

as the saint's bell-ringer

by O'Donovan, he

is

hereafter), Sinell
;

is

registered

in another authority, quoted

called St.

Patrick's door-keeper.

It is quite possible that this fervent convert

may

followed our apostle, and have held these two

offices.

There

is

which still bears the name of St. Patrick's

Island; the parish in which

Patrick.

have

a small island on the coast near Dublin, and

close to Skerries,

it is

included

It is said that the saint

cursed the barren 6g-trce.

It is not

little

is

called

Holm

stopped at an island

on the east as he journeyed northward, and

by the Four

of St. Patrick's household, as given

Masters

In the

St. Patrick.

this,

no doubt,

remarkable, though

it is

only

what might be expected, that the miracles of the fiaints so closely resemble
those of the Lord of Saints, and that persons who object to Uie former, wo
must hope unconsciously, condemn the latter.

the one which

is

still

said that St. Patrick

is

came

cuchor attended by a large

may have been

the

In the Annota-

bears his name.

Book

tions of Tirechan, contained in the

name

of

Armagh,

also to the islands of

staff of ecclesiastics.

it

Mac-

This

of the Skerries islands at that

But the word Macchucor

signifies the islands of

the sons or descendants of Corr,

and the appellation

period.

Hence

belongs properly to the islands of Arran.

most probable that Tirechan

when they may have been

visited

must again remark that

early

much more
critical

by

"We

St. Patrick.

thought

biographers

the

in

whose Lives they wrote than of

5
accuracy in then details as to time and place.

It is also recorded that the saint sent

some of

his

panions to Inbher-n-Ainge, the mouth of the

"Water, to seek for provisions,

was

the arrival of Patrick and those

and

satisfactory.

" Patrick

Probus

at

account

is

Tripartite
find

went afterwards from Innis

it

recorded that

Patrick, past Conaille

past the court of Ulster, until he stopped at Inver Brena.

Ecclesiastics." Venit vero Patrioius

cum

Gallis

ad

insolas

and

He

Maccuchor

et

Lnsola orieutali qua? dicitur insola Patricii."

6

Place.

Jocelyn mentions the landing

the coast, which

is

called to this

day

of the saint in a small island near

St. Patrick's

Island

" Qiue non longe a

terra distans, insula S. Patricii usque in pra;sens nominatur."

Jfilchon.

"Hodie Milchon vocatur." Colgan,

<

'Si

merely records

who were with him

The

Here we

cursed.

He

does not mention these incidents.

an island caUed Mdchon.

com-

Nanny

and that as they faded to

find a supply, here also the river

clear

it is

later period,

circumstance

every

of inserting

history of the saints

some

refers to

p. 49.

Colgan,

p. 71.

St. Patrick's

went afterwards to

Landing-place in Ulster

Iribher Slant,

and they went ashore to put

there

it

to

'

Ne

had their

and to

is

to-day.

rest

ships,

so that

"When he saw the divines and

whereupon Dichu came and

his lord,

tell

clerics

their fatigue

he thought they were ladrones or thieves, and he went

clerics

Then

tlerics.

where the

was the swine-herd of Dichu, son of Trichim, found them,

where Sabhall Patrick

tin-

oil'

tradas bestis

set

his

dog at the

was that Patrick uttered the prophetic

it

amis

et

obmutuit.'

When

verse,

Dichu saw Patrick

he became gentle, and he believed, and Patrick baptized him, so

that he was the
Patrick.

Then

ratricius dixit

first
it

in Ulster

who

received faith and baptism from

was that Dichu presented the Sabhall

to Patrick

i
'

God on Dichu,
gave to me the Sahhall
He shall be hereafter
Heavenly, joyous, glorious.
The

blessing of

Who

'

The blessing of God on Dichu,

Dichu with full folds (flocks)
;

No

one of his sept or kindred

Shall die except after a long

It will

partite
rf-

life

'

"

be observed bore that the author of the Tri-

mentions two places in connection with

Patrick's landing in Ulster.

and Inver-Slani: be "stopped" at Inver-Brena,

"went afterwards"

to Inbher-Slani,

identity Inbher-Brena,
St.

we

St.

These were Inbber-Brena

Thus,

if

he

we can

at once find the site

where

Patrick landed in Ulster.

Conailie Mwrtheimhne, which we

are told St. Patrick

"passed," was a territory comprising that part of the

county Louth extending from the Cuailgne (Cooley)

mountains to the Boyne.

ward

f<>r

the

site.

Thus we must pass

far north-

Happily the identifications have been

made with

and

great clearness

Two

success.

places

have been mentioned as the probable locality indicated

by the words Liver Brena, these

Strangford Lough.

Harris,

in favor of the former

suggest the

lieve, to

that

Dr. Lanigan was the

It

latter.

much depended upon

Slani,

we

first,

be-

was obvious, however,

the identification of Inver-

and that the places should be found near each

other.

Harris said that a river Slain

end of the Bay of Dundrum.

favor the view that

into the north

fell

Dr. Lanigan declares that

he cannot find any trace of such a

who

Dundrum Bay and

are

Ware, and Lynch concurred

river.

Those writers

Dundrum Bay was

the land-

ing-place of the saint support their arguments

by

local

of the parish of Ballykindar

The inhabitants

tradition.

point out a nook in Middle Ballykindar where they say

that St. Patrick landed.

called after the saint,

Dundrum Bay
unpublished

is

There

also called

map

in

a holy well there

is

and the ruins

of a little church.

Holy Bay

the library

in a very ancient

of Trinity College,

Dublin.

But the contra argument

site in or

near this locality which has ever been

to bear a

There

name
is,

is,

that there

is

no

known

at all similar to Brena.

however, very strong evidence in favor of

Strangford Lough.

The Four Masters have the

ing record under the year 2,546 a.m.

tion of the sea over the land

at

"

An

Brena in

follow-

inunda-

this year,

which was the seventh later eruption that occurred

in the time of Parthalon,

River. Ec.

and

this is

Hist., vol.

i.,

named Loch Cuan."

p.

214.

".'Sstfer"
iaLJ
Wg 5 ?

eT~

Identification of St. Patriots Landing-place. 2:u

O'Donovan observes

Dr.

" This

called

is

Brennesse in the Second and Fourth Lives of

St.

Fretum
Patrick

pul dished by Colgan (see Trias. Thauni. pp. 14, 19, 39).

was evidently the ancient name of the mouth of

It

Strangford

Lough

in the county of

Down,

as the lake

formed by the inundation was Loch Cuan, which

the Irish

still

An

The circumstances

are too long to detad

but the result has been the complete identification

of a river which enters Strangford

mouth

the

Sabhal
is

is

of Strangford Lough."

apparent accident has led to the discovery of the

rivev Slani.
here,

name

still

which

of

(Saul),

is

Lough

at Ringbane,

not two miles distant from

where the saint met Dichu.

by the people

called the Slany

This river

of the district.

the landing of our saint and his

Thus, the exact

site of

companions

been ascertained beyond question.

lias

Dichu, the saint's

first

convert,

monarch of

Ireland.

His

on the 29th November.

The

of the race of Fiatach Finn,

festival

was held

at Saul

calendar records six brothers of Dichu

Irish

was son of Trichem,

Laeghaire

8 Question.
See a very interesting paper called "An inq-iiry into the true
landing-place of St. Patrick in Ulster," by Mr. J. W. llanna, privately

printed.

He remarks

of a well or fountain

"In Slan,

that in the

named

Hymn

Slan, thus

of St. Fiaco there is

mention made

in the territory of Bentvi Bairche,

hunger and

thirst possessed

him

not."

In the gloss on the word Slan, it is said to be at Saul. The word itself signifies health, and the well appears to have been given this name became a
was cured by the use of its waters. Benna Bairche, or " the peaks of
They had obBairche," was the ancient name of the Mournc mountains.
tained their distinctive Appellation from Bairche, the shepherd of Ilos, Kin^
leper

of Ulster,

who herded

the king's cattle there in the third century.

now

of Deen, Ailill of Magh-bile,

Movilla, Duirthech of

Aendrium, now Island Magee, Eoghan and

of CUlcleitba,

now

both

Niall,

and Eoss (wbo met

Killcleif,

St.

now
Bishop of Armagh, who

Patrick at Brethon, or Bright) of Dundalethglass,

Downpatrick.

St. Jarleth,

was appointed by

third

Patrick himself, was son of Trien,

St.

brother of Trichem, and consecpiently cousin to

St.

Dichu.
All the annalists agree in
visit to his

trick's

the

of St. Pa-

details

He

master Milcho.

old

left

his

boat with Dichu on the river Slani, and hastened on

his mission of

recollections

mercy and

traversed each well-known site

elapsed since his fligbt

had made that

changed

little

as he

Full thirty years had

memorable

are

scarcely

of tbe stately basaltic

and then

countless

memory,

yet the place was

even yet the natural features of that

part of Dalaradia

name

his

and the angelical vision which

flight so
;

What

forgiveness.

must have crowded upon

SliabJi Mis, bears the

The very

altered.

now

hill,

called Slemish,

same sound

while

its

outward appearance remains the same.

As

the saint turned to gaze on the woods where he

had tended Milcho's

flocks,

he saw the house of his

and on approaching

master surrounded with flames,

nearer he learned that the chief,
arrival

and

its

object,

worldly possessions on

had
fire,

set

to

his house

and then

the flames to perish with them.

him

who had heard

and

of his
all

his

cast himself into

Pride would not allow

submit to his former slave

and he must have

had some apprehension that an interview with Patrick

would result

in his submission, voluntarily or involun-

tarily, to his spiritual

It is quite possible, also,

rule.

that he

had heard of the supernatural powers exercised

by the

saint

he

only exercised

little

in

knew

that these powers were

judgment on

rare

occasions,

in

way

for

order that such judgments might prepare the

incomparably greater mercies.

It is said that St. Patrick predicted the

ti

temporal

fall

Milcho's family, and that none of his sons should

of

succeed him in his Uttle kingdom.

was

in store for at least three

son,

But a better portion

members of his family his
:

Gnasacht, was subsequently ordained Bishop of

Granard," and two of his daughters consecrated their

virginity to

the

King

of virgins in the neighboring

monastery of Clon-Bronaigh.

The

saint's

prediction

that the children of Milcho should not succeed him,

and that they should always be

been thoroughly misunderstood.

how

appears perplexed

But surely the

many

to reconcile these circumstances.

difficulty is

instances

purely imaginary.

Scripture

in

has

subjection,

in

Even Dr. Lanigan

and

in the

We

find

Lives of

the Saints, where punishment was averted, or after a

time withdrawn, -when those

it

repented sincerely

episcopacy was
those

still

who had

and surely the

subjection,

Granard.

and the

though the devotion of

who consecrated themselves thus

suffered from

cloister

to

God

obtained

" Martyrulogy of Donegal," 24 Jan.

i'

them the happy exchange from temporal slavery 1

for

to

the sweet and peaceful servitude of Christ.

We

must remember the various

times, places,

and

circumstances, in which St. Patrick

''Discoursed of the things to be

When

He

way

could not speak to

different address,

to eternity."

alike

all

each required a

and went through a

different process

Well might the poet add

While he spoke, men say that the highest

tide

of conviction.
"

time gives

On the shore beside Colpa ceased to sink

And they say the white deer by Mulla's side
;

O'er the green margin bending forbore to drink

That the Brandon eagle forgot

That no

leaf stirred in the

Such stupor hung the island

to soar

wood by Lee

o'er,

For none might guess what the end would

he." 2

To understand perfectly the mission of St. Patrick

his acts, we must also understand something of the
customs, habits, and dispositions of those whom he

and

evangelized.

Differences of character require

differ^

ences of treatment, both individually and nationally.

1

Slavery.

"Nemo

do

tiliis

ejus sodebit rex super

ratioue in generatiouem, insuper et

semen

sedem regni

ejus a gene-

ejus serviret in sempiternum.''

There is the remains of a large rath, of Cyclopean constructhe townland of Killycarn, parish of Brury, and barony of Lower
Antrim, which is said to have been one of the residences of Milcho. See
Ordnance Maps, 2S-29.
' Be.
" lunisfail, and other poems," by Aubrey de Vere.

Book of Armagh.
tion, in

St. Patrick's

people

Return

quired such teaching as should

Even

ou their senses.

we

He

find that

Dichu,

through

impressed

easily

to

make

senses,

re-

in the life of our divine

Lord

acted at different times with sternness

and with gentleness, with mercy and

place water

the

a vivid impression

was turned

a few guests at a

severity.

In one

into wine for the satisfaction of

wedding

in another place a

whole

drove of swine were dashed to pieces, and the swineherds put to the loss of

we

find

Him who

fallen sinner with

lation

is

much valuable property. Again,

Wisdom receiving a

the Eternal

words of gentleness,

not of conso-

if

while on another occasion he could use a scourge

of cords to drive out the intruders from His temple, and

who would

let

We
saints
office

pick up their merchandize

find similar differences of action in the lives of

;

and where men are called

to the high

and glorious

of being the apostle of a nation, such differences

will be

more manifest, because more necessary.

Patrick returned without delay to his faithful con-

The

vert at Saul.

"

Ho

Tripartite says

turned dckcl (right-hand-wise), and went back again into

the territory of Uladh, until he arrived at Magh-inis to Dichu, son

of Trichina,

and he remained there

faith, so that

he brought

Gospel to the harbor of

The

saint

for

a long time disseminating

the Ulidians with

the net of the

life."

had arrived

the year 432

Dichu,

all

in Ireland in the

autumn

of

he remained during the winter with

preaching in the surrounding

districts

with

""""

r
ti

im

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;

|^5^

V.

'i

t 3| j 1
i

ii

ijii|.
i

(1

iii',

rjujTiU

i .il

236

i~

T li W'i
'

wn ,

^>^ W.
'

'
j

lT4'.

'r

'i

|1| Tr7fe:iv^.

Life of St. Patrick.

Many

wonderful success.

Again we

winter.

are

details full of interest

work during

related of his missionary

find

like

that,

this

memorable

the Apostles, he

labored not only by the exterior works of an evangelist,

but also by the

far

more

a saint.

proved so

efficacious.

speech

and self-denying aus-

difficult

And

terities of

thus

it

was that

his

words

His actions were as elocpient as his

he had and he exercised that sublime charity

which gives even

its

very

life for

the brethren.

If he

taught others to pray, he also excelled them in prayers.

" Hymns, 2 and the Apocalypse, and the thrice fifty
Psalms, he was wont to sing." And " from the praise of

God he

If he taught

ceased not."

mortification, he

was the

first to

others to practise

give the example

for

even the bitter cold of winter could not prevent him

from passing the night in the frozen

day " he preached upon the

"

While in the

we

rivers,

while by

hills."

territory of Benna-Bairche with Dichu,

are told in the

Hymn

of St. Fiacc that he sang each

night a hundred psalms to adore the King of angels.

His bed was on a stone, and a rock his pillow, and

all

covering he wore

would not allow

we
'

his

for

only a wet sackcloth, for he

body

to be in

warmth

and then

are informed that he wrought great miracles, that he

Hymns.

Audite."

This word

We

is glossed thus: "Immuim, i.e. the hymn of Ambrose or

frequently read in the Lives of the Saints of their having prac-

and notably that of remaining for a considerable

time in half-frozen ponds or rivers. St. John Climacus relates the austerities
of the monks of the desert in his Ladder of Perfection, and specially mentions
exposure to heat and cold.
tised similar mortifications,

s&&8

t-i

healed the lame and the lepers, and that he restored the

dead to

And we marvel

life.

since Christ Himself

not that

it

should be

had promised these powers

successors, since Patrick

had

so faithfully

so,

to ffia

subdued and

kept under his body, that he might well merit to obtain

a more than ordinary power of relieving the spiritual

and temporal

necessities of others.

Jocelyn gives the fullest details of the events which

occurred during the winter of 432-3.

Probus and the

Tripartite pass over this period of the saint's history

very

One miracle

briefly.

special record.

related

by the former deserves

Dicbu had a brother named Rius, who

opposed the mission of the saint as ardently as

forwarded by Dichu.

appear that he had

asked him

if

it

aged man, and

lost the use of his limbs.

St.

it

it

was

would

Patrick

he would believe in the Christian faith

Christ restored

formed,

He was an

him

to health

and

would appear, than some

if

Better in-

vigor.

so-called Christians

from whence the apostle received power, the

man replied,
me such a

" If thou canst through Christ perform on

miracle,

forthwith will

believe in

Him."

Then

St.

Patrick prayed to Christ, and laving his hands upon

Rius, he blessed him,

and the aged and infirm man

obtained once more the vigor of manhood.

miracle followed.

The

saint, after his

But another

convert had been

baptized, and had brought many into the fold, asked

him whether he would wish still to remain on earth, or
to depart immediately to the God of love, whose power

had been so

lately exercised

on his

behalf.

Rius chose

heaven instead of earth

and receiving the sacraments

Church from the Apostle of Erinn, he commended

of the

his spirit to the Lord,

and was taken

to eternal rest.

The famous monastery of Saul was founded at this

The site whereon it was built was given to St.

time.

Patrick by Dichu. It
large barn,

is

probable that

where the saint preached

was

of the Vita Tertia

state

St.

to be erected north

was
It

usual,

was

suitable

Padruic, which was Latinised Horreum

The author
that Dichu asked

Patricti.

as

originally a

more

This church was called in

building could be erected.

Irish Saball

it

until a

and Jocelyn

Patrick to allow the church

and south, instead of east and west,

and that he complied with

also at this period that St.

received the grace of conversion.

related in the Tripartite, but not
also gives full details.

As

this request.

Mocha

or

Mochao

This circumstance

by Probus.

is

Jocelyn

the saint journeyed towards

Durlas, the present Bright, he saw a youth herding

cattle,

and preached

no doubt by some

special

Colgan, 125.
Jocelyn gives a mystical interpretation, which he honestly states

Rent.

Request.

to be his

to him,

p.

own

conjecture, as to the reason for this departure from the accus-

usage. Dr. Reeves suggests that the name Sabhal or Horreum was a
some peculiarity, such as a deviation
from the ordinary rule of position, and mentions several churches called
Sabhal; but there is no ground for this conjecture, for the word Sabhal [pron.
Reeves'
Down
Saul] means a barn hence the origin of the name is obvious.
and Connor," pp. 40 and 120. Dr. Todd, in referring to the account of Dichu's
grant of the Sablial, states, that it "has been foisted into the Acts of St. Patrick
in later times ;" and also there says, " We are told [of it] in the later Lives,"
Dr. Todd
Memoir, p. 409. Another evidence how prejudice distorts truth.
must surely have known that this grant is mentioned in all the Lives, early
and late, and notably in the Tripartite, the best authenticated and earliest

tomed

technical term for a church possessing

'

of

all.

'

St.

The young man at once obeyed the divine

inspiration.
call,

Mochae's Staff or Bachall.

and, no doubt, received with

needed

for the ministry.

priest,

having learned

it

the special graces

Ee was baptized and ordained

that

all

was necessary with a

rapidity which could only be attributed to a supernatural

The

gift.

some

relics,

saint gave

him a copy of the Gospels and

but the Tripartite also mentions a backatt

or staff which

was given

to

aco rant of this mystical staff

Tripartite account runs thus

him by God. A fuller

given by Jocelyu.
The
" And he gave him also,

is

another time, a bachall which had been given them by

God

viz., its

head into Patrick's bosom, and

Mochae's bosom."

Jocelyn says that

its

end

year

in

after

Mochae's conversion, while he and Patrick were eonversing together on holy things, a staff

fell

from heaven

between them, and the head thereof rested upon the

bosom

of Patrick,

Mochae.

and the end thereof on the bosom of

Immediately

after

the

festival

of

Christmas

St.

Patrick prepared for the most important event in his

Colgan, j>. 125.

Reeve* "Down and Connor," pp. 188-9. Moa grandson of Milchos, and subsequently Abbot of Aondruim, now
Mochae was also
Mohee Island, so oalled bom Btoehae, its patron saint
He died a. ii. 497. In the Life of St. Fimiian he is spoken of
called Coelan.
4

Mochae.

chae

mi

thus: " Kt misit eum [St. Kiuanum] ad venerabilein senem Ccelanum Noeudrumenseni Abbatem, et ut corporis illius ac auim;u curam habaret diligeuter

commendavit."
His monastery was very famous both for the learning and sanctity of its
members. St. Kinnian of MoviUa, and St. Colman of Dromore, were both
d there. Jocelyn says that the staff was called the Flying Staff, and
was preserved in the church. A somewhat similar incident is related in the
said that she also received a
It
Life of St. Agnes of Montepulciano, p. 50.
small cru&s from heaveu, which was long preserved as a relic in her convont.
is.

&u&i ^mm.

0'>*>

Life of St. Patrick.

He

mission.

determined to

stronghold, and

paganism in

assail

by one bold and decisive

to effect,

its

action,

His residence in the

the conversion of multitudes.

north of Ireland had doubtless been of considerable value

knowledge of the language and customs

in reviving his

His companions,

of the people.

become

time to

tongue to

assist

of

blessing

sufficiently

more

also,

would have had

with the

familiar

efficiently in the great

God had

Celtic

work. The

already crowned his labors in

Dalaradia with wonderful success, and he might well

hope

for a still greater harvest in the future.

The Paschal season was approaching, for Easter

It was a time at
fell early in the year of grace, 433.
which the Church looked for special graces it was a
;

time at which the powers of darkness were believed to

be more

There

than ever subject to the powers of

were

triumphs

glorious

early festivals.

celebrated

The Eed Sea had

been, as

light.

in

those

it

were,

passed victoriously, and as the overthrow of ancient

idolaters

was commemorated, might

gested that the same

idols of a later age.

have conquered

it

not well be sug-

God was powerful

The powers

for a

moment

Passion, but the light

to cut

down

of evil might

to

in the darkness of the

and glory of the Resurrection

showed how powerless were

their

mightiest

efforts.

There was to be a resurrection for ancient Erinn

and a new spring-tide of

faith

Celt what more appropriate

porally, could be chosen

the

seem

and love

also,

for the ardent

time, spiritually or tem-

The devout biographers of our saint, writing in an

when piety was not scorned as weakness, or faith

age

in the

supernatural as credulity, have given, as might

be expected, glowing and eloquent accounts of this gnat

event. "The Paseh," writes Probus, " was approaching."

was to be celebrated

It

as the

time in Erinn, and

for the first

Son of God and His

disciples agreed together to

celebrate the Pasch, so did Patrick also

companions, where they should

his

Paschal time in the nation to which

The writer

5ET

"

As

first

consult with
celebrate the

God had

of the Tripartite says

sent them. c

the solemnity of Easter approached, then Patrick considered

was no place more

that there

solemnity of the year,

i.e.,

suitable

to

celebrate the

the Easter, than in

Magh

high

Brcgh, 1 the

place where the head of the idolatry ami druidism of Erinn was,
viz., in

Teamhair [Tara].

They afterwards bade

farewell to Dichu,

son of Trichim, and put their vessels on the sea, and they proceeded until they anchored in Inblier Colpa. 8
in the Inbhre,

and went by land

and Patrick's tent was fixed

They

left their vessels

until they reached Ferta-fer-fec,

in this place,

and he

lit

the Easter

fire."

Two

circumstances are mentioned as having occurred

during the saint's journey to Tara.

Tliem

ejus,

Colgan, Quinla T'i7a,p. 48.

One

of those

" Et consilium Patricius

ubi prim hoc ipsuin Fascha in gentibus ad qiias

illoa

is

the

et discipuli

mint Deal

celebrarcnt."
7

Magh

Breyh.

A plain in the east of

Meath.

The name was afterwards

Book of

applied to the country lying between the Liffey and the Boyne.
Riglds, p. 11.
' Inbher Colpa.
8 Ferta-fer-fte.

The mouth of
the graves of

thi-

i.e.,

Four Masters, at A.D. 51

'-.

the

men

of

Fog or

Fiacc,

now

Slane.

conversion of St. Benignus, one of the most celebrated

of his converts

the other event was the foundation

When

of the church of Trim.

Patrick and his

St.

companions arrived at the mouth of the river Boyne,

he

left his

nephew or

disciple

which they had

vessel in

Lomman

sailed,

in charge of the

and proceeded by land,

probably with the view of preaching on his journey.

The

first

he rested, probably at or in

place where

the neighborhood of the

town

site

now

occupied by the

was received by a man named

of Drogheda, he

Seschnen, and passed the night with him.

of

his

attached

host,

fascination

the

to

saint

by

The son
that

holy

which good men exercise unconsciously, cast

His parents desired him to refrain

mark of respect lest he should awaken their
But Patrick
guest, who was weary with his journey.
had heard their conversation, and was, no doubt, interiorly urged to claim the young Benen for his Creator's
flowers over him.

from

this

The boy was baptized immediately, and hencefollowed the saint, to whom he was bound by more

service.

forth

than ordinary

1
ties of devotion,

and eventually suc-

ceeded him as Archbishop of Armagh.

According to the Vita Tertia, which gives the

1

Devotion.

The

fullest

anecdote of his strewing the saint's couch with flowers is

There this interview is made to take place before St.

told in the Tripartite.

Patrick's visit to Dichu, but, as

we have

already remarked, the sequence of the

narrative in the early part of this most valuable compilation, is very irregular.
In the Tertia Vita fuller details are given, which are evidently the ground of

Jocelyn's narrative.
Tripartite.

WJ

h.

Colgan,

But the incident

Vita Tertia,

p. 24,

of the flowers is only

and Sexta

mentioned in the
and the Book of

Vita, p. 73,

V^
:!'

Foundation of

Church of Trim.

Benigntta insisted on going with St.

details,

whom

the

S^aBai

Patrick,

he called bis true father, and clung to him so en-

him up

treatingly that the saint took

in the

chariot,

in which, according to this Life also, he travelled.

should be remembered that

in Ireland in the

summer

delay to the north

of 432

and even

It

Patrick probably arrived

St.

if it

he went with

little

be supposed that he

did not prepare for his visit to Tara untd after Christ-

mas, there would be ample time for the events recited

in the

Book

of

Armagh concerning

church of Trim.

was

left at

the

mouth

of the

Boyne

vessel in

which the saint had

Lough.

He was

to

delayed for

received.

row

It is

is

next told that he desired

Boyne

to

until

where Ath-Truim (Trim)

by no means

Lomman

wished to preach

we cannot doubt

that he

many weeks wherever he was well

his vessel against the

at the place

from Strangford

sailed

If St. Patrick

the people on his journey,

may have

Lomman

to take care of the

"take care of the ships during the

forty nights of Lent."

to

the foundation of the

According to the Tripartite,

clear

whether

St.

is

Lomman

to

he would arrive
to-day.

Patrick

But

it

desired

row down the stream at the end of

forty

days, or whether

he returned to him and gave the

command. 2

details,

These

however, are immaterial.

Command. The Book

of Armagh says that he remained another period of

Jocelyn follows this narrative.
With regard to the whole narranothing improbable, or even unlikely. Why, then, should it
have excited the ire of Dr. Todd ? Surely his Memoir should have been en" A narrative of events recorded as having happened to St Patrick,
titled
1

forty days.

tive, there is

tew of which arc true."

The

story,

he

says,

was "avowedly

of late origin

"

>

_.

246

Life of St. Patrick.

Lomrnan arrived

" against

Trim

at

the

stream,

under the guidance of the Lord," at the door of aras

Feidilmidh [the house of Feidilmidh],

tite

has

Laeghaire

dun

at the

it,

Mac

In

Neill.

the Tripar-

or, as

of Fedhlimiclh,

the

son of

morning Fortchern,

the

Fedhlimidh's son, found him with " his gospels before

him, and he wondered
Then the mother came

at

the precepts

to

seek

and believed

it

and welcomed the

Britons,

who had

message of peace, and

tarried so long listening to the

she also heard

he heard."

her son,

She was "of the

it.

clerics

;"

her

and she was daughter of the King of

name was Scoth,

When

Britain.

she had heard, she sought for her husband, and told

him all things that had happened

to herself

and her

son.

Like the other Irish chieftains, the good Fedhlimidh

received the missionaries joyfully, and " forthwith believed" (statingue credidit), with

all his

The

family.

seldom gives himself to any undertaking with

He must

heartedness.
furious rebel

(p.

413, n.)

he must be

Celt
half-

be an enthusiastic loyalist or a
all for

good,

or, alas

and that

and then he coolly quotes from the original in the Book of Armagh
" serotinis temporibns invents ;" yet he himself translates
" Here begin some few
p. 257, thus

to prove his opinion,

these very words fairly and correctly at

other things discovered at later times."

Mow

no ordinary scholar could be at

Such criticisms are worse
a loss to know the meaning
than unfair and only respect for the memory of the dead can prevent ona
of the

word

inventa.

The writer of the Book of Armagh narrates

The author of the Memoir tries to
them " avowedly of late
make
If all history were treated in this way, and new discoveries of hisorigin."
torical events were to be cast aside as modern inventions, because the documents had not been discovered until a century or two after the events to which
they referred, we might give up literary criticism altogether.
from calling them dishonest.

some things discovered

at later times.

his readers believe that this writer considered

Pf77

<r~

o-

Foundation of the Church of Trim

but rarely,

all for evil

and

this national characteristic

notably manifest in the lives of St. Patrick's converts.

is

They gave themselves without a thought they gave

their possessions without reserve
and that this devotion was no mere evanescent feeling, has been proved
;

by long centuries

of fidelity and suffering.

According to the account in the Book of Armagh,

Scoth, or, as she

is

there called, Scothnoe,

was the mother

of Fedhlimidh, and consequently grandmother of Fort-

Lomman

chern.

also

and

was "of the Britons;"

is

called Gollit,

to

have been his mother.

St. Patrick's sister,

his father

Darerca,

Thus they were

is

said

able to con-

srai
verse

in

saluted

the

British

Lomman.

tongue,

the former, he devoted

substance,

and race

to

all

Fedhlimidh

which

in

Immediately

after

the baptism of

his territory,

Patrick,

possessions,

Lomman, and

and

Fortchern his son, unto the day of judgment (usque in

diem

judicii).

Lagen, leaving
Trim.

He then crossed the Boyne to Cloin

Lomman and his son at the Fort of

Here they remained

until Patrick

and

built a church with them.

"When

visit

took place

it is

was sometime

is

not stated, but

to them,

St.

Patrick's

probable that

these events

The age of Christ 432, the fourth year of Laeghaire.

Patrick

came

to Ireland this year,

Irish,

men, women, sons, and daughters, except a few who did not

and proceeded to baptize and

bless the

consent to receive baptism from him, as his Life relates.

Trim was founded by

___

it

after his visit to Tara.

The Four Masters thus recorded

"

came

Patrick,

it

Ath

having been granted by Fedhlim,

son of Laeghaire, son of Niall, to God, and to him, Lornau, and

Flann Mainistreck

Fortchern.

cecinit

3
:

Patrick, abbot of all Ireland, son of Calpkrann, son of Fotaide,

Son

of Deisse, not

Cormac Mor, son of

to be dispraised, son of

fit

Lebrintb,

Cockinas was kis modest motker

Of numbers, not small

Nemtkor 4

kis skare,

town

kis native

which Patrick redeemed from

sorrow."

There can be no doubt that the saint had companions

with him when he came to Ireland, and that he was

accompanied by these persons and by some of his converts

when he

visited Tara.

we

Before

relate the great

and important events which occurred

we must

there,

Flann of the Monastery. He was abbot of Hainister-Buithe,

Monasterboice, in the county Louth, and died December, 105G.
Nemthor. Four Masters, vol. i., p. 131. Since the first Part of this
work was issued, Mr. P. J. Kennedy, author of "Legendary Fictions of the
3 Cecinit.

now
4

Celts" (Macmillan & Co., London), and other valuable works, has called my
attention to the occurrence of the word Nevtur in the Black Book of Caermarthen. This book was written, or rather compiled, in the twelfth century,
by the religious of a priory near the old Welsh city from which it takes its

name.

It contains several of the old

poems attributed

poem a dialogue occurs between Merlin and

name Nemthur occurs thus
first

In the

to Taliessen.

Taliessen,

in

which the

" Before two men in Nevtur will they land,

Before Errith and Gurrith, on a pale white horse."

The

original

is

" Rae deuur ineutur

Rae

ytirran,

errith a gurrith

y ar welugan."

Mr. Skene, the editor of this work, observes, in a note, vol. ii. p. 321,
"Neutur or Nevtur is probably the same place mentioned by Fiech, in his
,

Nemthur

Life of St. Patrick, written in the eighth century, as

by

with

Alclyde

or Nevtur.

Dumbarton."

This
appears to be the only trace of the word which has been found, independently
It is clear that the reference is tc a seaof its use in the Lives of the saint.
port town, from the expression, "in Nevtur will they laud."
It

is

identified

his

scholiast

^.

or

'

'"^V^tT^'l'nj'^iin"^ '**^\si <

St. Patrick's

give

249

Household.

names of those who were considered the special

and some of whom, at least, were

tin'

disciples of the saint,

with him at Tara.

In the Four Masters,

the most important

and the

most carefully compiled of our ancient annals, we find

the following account of St. Patrick's disciples
"

The age

of Christ,

18,

the twentieth year of Laeghaire,

The family 5 of Patrick of the prayers, who had good Latin,

I remember
no feeble court [were they] their order, and
;

their

names.
Sechnall, 6 his bishop, without fault

Mochta

Bishop Ere, 8 his sweet-spoken judge

caeirthinn

his

after

Sinell, 2 his bell-ringer

Family.

and Aithcen, 3

Mescan, without

priest

his great

Benen, 9 his psalmist, and Coemhan, 1 his chamberlain

The

him

champion Bishop Mac-

list of

evil, his

his true

friend

cook

and

his

brewer

the principal persons of St. Patrick's household

is

given

and also in the Book of Lecan.

Sechnall or Secundinus, nephew of the saint, and author of
His history has already been related, ante, p. 68.
in his honor.

in the Tripartite (Colgan, p. 107),

*

the

Sechnall.

Hymn

Mochta

Ere.

St.
St.

The

Mochta, whose conversion has also been recorded.

Bishop of Slane.
He is termed in the Tripartite

lirst

" Cancellarius."
* Benen.
His conversion has just been recorded.
1
Coemhan, Not easily identified.
He is called Coemhan of Kilready.
* Sinell.
He is called Sinell of Killairis, hi3 Ostiarius. In the Tripartite
he is called Sinell of Kildare.
* Aitheen.
The patron saiut of the church of Badoney, in the valley of
Gleann-Aichk, near Strabane, county Tyrone.
4 Metcan.
He is called Sanctus Meschanus de Domnach juxta Fochmuine
fluvium, Cerviciarius (Colgan, p. 88).
Dr. O'Donovan, in his notes on this
portion of the Fuur Masters, supplies the word [Mescain] from the prose list
in the Book of Lecan.
I wish especially to call the attention of the reader
to the fact, that whenever Dr. O'Donovan quotes the Tripartite, be quotes it
as St. Evin's work, thus
"Evinus, as edited by Colgan," " Evinns names
them as follows." This is high authority for the belief that we may
certainly attribute the Tripartite Life to St. Evin.
St Mcacan's church was

2 n

Life of St. Patrick

250

priest Bescna, 6 sweet his verses, the chaplain of the sou of

The

Alprann.

His three smiths, 6 expert at shaping, Macecht, 7 Laebhan, and

Fortcheru
artificers, 8

His three

of great endowment, Aesbuite, Tairill, and

Tasach.

His

embroiderers, 9

three

not

despicable,

Lupaid,

and

Erca,

Cruimthiris.

Odhran, 1

his charioteer

without blemish

Kodan, 2 son of Braga, his

shepherd.
situated near the river Fochinhuine,

but the

now

the Faughan, county Londonderry;

has not been identified.

site

His church, Domhnach-Dula, was in the plaiu of Magh-dula,

county Londonderry, through which the river Moyola flows.
Macecht and
Smiths. The Tripartite only mentions two smiths,
6

Bescna.

St.

St.

Fortchern, but Dr. O'Douovan thinks the omission was a blunder of Colgan's,
Colgan, howcorrects his text by the prose list in the Book of Lecan.

aud

ever,

may

have had other authorities which he preferred to follow.

have

availed myself of Dr. O'Donovan's notes on this passage in the Four Masters,

but

have

also consulted every other available authority.

He was of Domhnach Arnoin, and the maker of the famous

bell, used by the saint, which is still in
Laebhan, according to Colgan, had his church in the present
diocese of Clonfert it was called Cill Loebhain, and is probably the church
now designated Killian. Fortchern, whose father founded the church of
Trim, has already been mentioned. He had a second church at Cill-Fortchern,
in Idrone, county Carlow.
8 Artificers.
In the Tripartite they are called SanctusEssa, Sanctus Bitens,
Only the last has been accurately identified. His history
ac Sanctus Tassa.
is well kuown.
He was a native of Rathcolptha, now Baholp, near Down.
St. Tassach is meutioned in the notes of St. Fiacc's Hymn as having been the
first who adorned the famous Staff of Jesus with a suitable covering.
He also
administered the last sacraments to his holy master, as we shall record mora
fully hereafter.
Colgan thinks that Essa should be Ossa or Ossan, as St.
Patrick had a disciple of that name, whose memory was venerated at Trim.
9 Embroiderers.
Colgan has Tigrida for Erca.
Lupaid was the saint's
sister, already mentioned ; Ere was the daughter of Dairi, who granted Armagh
Of Cruimthiris it is only recorded that she was of royal birth,
to the saint.
7

Macecht.

Fimi-faidheach, or sweet-sounding
existence.

and
1

life.

lived a solitary

Odhran.

Rodan.

life.

He will also be mentioned hereafter as having saved St. Patrick's

He was

of Disert-Odhran, in

Not identified.

Hy-Falgy.

Patricks Ilonxcltohl.

St.

Ippis,8 Tigris, ami Erca, and Liamhain, with Eibearlta;

For them Patrick exceeded in wonders, lor them he was truly

miraculous.

Carninch 4 was the priest that baptized him

German

his tutor

without blemish.

The

priest Maisach, of great

endowment, was

his

man

for supply-

ing wood.

His

sister's

son was Bauban, of fame

Martin, his mother's brother

Most sapient was the youth Mochonnoe6

Cribri

1"'

his hospitaller.

and Lasri of mantles, beautiful daughters of Gleaghrann

Macraith the wise, and Ere, he prophesied in his three

Brogan, 7 the scribe of his school
not a thing unsung,

It is

Good

the

man whose

and

whom

the priest Logha, 8 his helmsman,

Machin, 8

liis

true fosterson

great family they were, to

a crozier without sorrow

Chiefs with

wills.

whom God

gave

the bells are heard, a good family was the family

of Patrick.

'
4

These are said to be the names of five sisters of the saint.

Caminch. In the copy of Flann's poem preserved in the Book of Leuan

Ippis.

the reading is Gornias.

6 Mocfionnoe.
The Tripartite

mentions two hospitallers, Catanns and

Trim has Caalan and Brogan. Mochonnoe lived
boot 492, according to Colgan, and founded the monastery of Gnllen, in the
Lanigan
King's County. He is said to have been of Welsh extraction,
makes him later. Be. //;.'., vol i., p. 424 St. Cadan or Catanns is venerated in the parish of Tamlaghtard, and barony of Reenaght, county Lon-

The Book

Ocanotns.

of

donderry.
t"~>,

'

<

'ribriand Latri.

They were the daughters of Glerannus, son of Ciunincus,

and lived at the church

I

Hi

of Kill-Forchann, near Killala.

Brogan. A nephew of St, Patrick.

Loglia.
The same as Lngna, whose tombstone has already been men-

tioned.
Mtirliin.

St.

Mochin

of

Endrom.

in

Loch Cuan

who gave him a gospel and a reliquary.

many other names and offices are mentioned.

Patrick,
)K.ern

he was baptized by St.

In the copy of Flann's
There can be no doubt

that some of these offices were exercised by the persons who are mentioned as
holding them, but St Patrick's mode of life was too simple to admit of his

having a numerous retinue or any kind of

^-iii

-C>4^-~

state.

252
May

Life of St. Patrick.

the Trinity, which

boon of great love

is

powerful over

distribute to us the

all,

The being who, moved by soft Latin, redeemed by

Patrick's prayer."

In order to understand this account of

household,

and

it

St. Patrick's

should be remembered that the Irish kings

chieftains

had

officers

to fulfil certain duties, or

who were regularly appointed

who held their offices by right

Thus the biographers

of inheritance.

of the saint

would

naturally assign to his immediate followers the occupa-

which they might bebeve most suitable

tions

is

no
are

doubt that they

named

as

Auxilius and

Tassach, there

fulfilled.

who

Iseruinus,

ordained priests

when he was

are

said

St.

are

to have been

consecrated bishop.

The famous Laeghaire was holding

when

to each,

The only persons who

having accompanied the saint from Rome,

or which, as in the case of St.

his court at Tai*a

Patrick arrived in that neighborhood.

The

Tripartite says that

" This

was the time

in

which the great

chieftains

were wont

to

celebrate this festival.

wont

to

come

come

festival of the Gentiles,

to Laeghaire

Mac

Neill to Tara, to

The druids and the magicians were

to prophesy to them.

The

fire

the

fire

of Tara

that no

fire

it,

There have been some

precise

object

of this

was com-

silver

would be accepted

but he should suffer death for

warm

festival.

O'Connor considered that

it

should be lighted in Erinn before

and neither gold nor

from anyone who would light

also

of every hearth in

Erinn was usually extinguished on that night, and

manded by the king

i.e.

The kings and princes and

the Fes of Tara, was usually celebrated.

it

it."

discussions as to the

Dr.

Petrie

and Dr.

was the Beltinne, but Dr.

>Si.

Patrick at Tara

U' Donovan has proved

that there

on the

hill

of Usneach, in Westnieath

not stated to have been the Beltinne

Lives of the saint.

much

value, that

"

probability

The

eve, A.D. 433,

we
is

no authority for

is

was always

this opinion, because the Beltinue

and

lighted

further, it is

any of the

fire in

Dr. O'Donovan's opinion

prefer giving

that the

was nut the

fire

it

lighted at Teamhair,

T,uiJUnini\ but

is

of so

own words

in his

some other

on Easter

lire;

and

it is

stated in the Second Life of St. Patrick published by Colgau, that

it

was the Feis Teamhrach, or Feast of Teamhair, that Laeghaire

and

his satraps

were celebrating on

of the Life of St. Patrick in the

this occasion

Book

while the author

own

Laeghaira was then celebrating the festival of his

which appears to have been the truth, and

regular septennial Fait, which
to celebrate the king's

There can be

own

little

met

ever, that

ground

It

universally called

this

any of our

nativity,

was not the

but one convened

is

the true account

on the 1st of .May

La Bealltaine

for the lighting of

annals,
is,

and that the

that this day

it is

is

Even grant-

in Irish.

ing this to be the date of the festival,

that an arbitrary

it

should be observed, how-

no time has been specified

for dating it

so

after Samhain,

doubt that

these Bealtinnc fires in

if

birth-day." 2

of the convention at Tara.

quite possible

and proud, monarch, such as

all

history

represents Laeghaire to have been, might have celebrated

the Bealtinne on his birth-day, and for the time being

antedated, the usual period.

1
For O'Connor's opinions see R<r. Hih. Scrip,
Saint.
" Essay on Tara."
"' B.jok of Rights."
* Day.
Introduction, p. 50-51.

~TT

IZ3

of Lismore asserts that

vol.

i.

For

Petrie'a,

254
It

Life of St. Patrick.

was Easter

Paschal

fire

eve,

knew

it, it

would not prevent him."

illuminated

fire

was

divine love

Magh-Bregh, even as the

all

And

The Paschal
fire

of

so soon to illumine the western isle from

The king and

shore to shore.

his

of the

graphically, "

what he had done, and adds

against

he

The author

Slane.

was not aware of the royal prohibition

Tripartite says he

if

and Patrick had kindled

upon the Hill of

light flashing over the plain,

his chieftains

saw the

and he demanded who

had dared to violate his commands. His druids, better

informed than himself, replied, " that they knew who
had made

morning

before

that the

and

this fire,
it

--.

if

it

were not extinguished

would never be extinguished

man who had

kindled

it

Well might the old pagan tremble

and princes."

and burn with indignation

his throne,

and

would surpass kings

for

at the apparent

insult.

"That

we
It

will

is

not

how

it

shall be,"

go until we slay the

he exclaimed, "but

man who

lighted the

fire."

was the old boast which the angels have heard, and

smiled

at,

not once, but often, before and since the days

of Laeghaire

subdue

men

who

Mac

Neil.

We

that they should oppose us

One mightier than

Laeghaire's wrath
of a pebble

fell

full of

warned him not

Who

we

wfll

are these

Yes but there was

!

these men, against whose

power

harmless as the rivulet, as the

upon a mountain of

His druids,

will conquer,

shall dare to resist us

fall

granite.

dreams of magic and incantations,

to enter the house

where Patrick was.

.V

He respected their advice, and when his chariots had

dashed across the plain he alighted in front of the Ferta.
Here he seated himself in state, surrounded by his
attendants,

As
in

and Patrick was "whispered out" to him.

came forth, he saw the horses and chariots

the saint

which the king and his companions had arrived, and

his thoughts turned froin

ness to the

this display of earthly great-

Power which ruled over

all,

and then, says

the Tripartite, he sang the prophetic stanza

"Hi in

curribus et hi in eirus [juis]

Xos, auteni, iu nomine Domini Dei nostri ma."

As he entered

the place where the king and his atten-

dants were awaiting him, grim,

silent,

saluted him, and none dared to rise

commanded them

strictly

only, "

to

and

for

stern,

remain seated

save

whose heart was touched by divine grace

man was

called Ere, the son of Diga,

none

Laeghaire had

:"

one
this

and he rose up and

saluted the saint respectfully.

A strange scene followed.

many

questions

insolently

The king asked

St. Patrick

the druids contended with him, and

denounced

trine of the Trinity.

his preaching, especially the doc-

These rude men, accustomed to

decide arguments by blows rather than

by words,

re-

quired some extraordinary evidence of the power of this

God, of

whom

they were

they had never heard before, and

little

inclined to reverence.

whom

The names

of

two of the king's druids are mentioned, Lochru and

'

Starua. Colgan reach incocabimut

after noetri.

Trias Th.

p. 120.

256

Life of St. Patrick.

Lucat Mael

the former was especially oltd urate and

blasphemous in his language, and the saint prayed that

he might be

lifted

out and

even as

die,

obtained the death of Simon Magus.

Lochru was raised up into the

ah-,

St.

Peter had

In an instant,

and then dashed upon

the ground, where he died, falling upon a stone.

was only hardened

king, like Pharaoh,

this miracle,

Patrick.

and commanded

But the

Let God

mies be scattered, &c.

place,

The

more by

his people to seize St.

saint, for all

psalm Exurgat Deus

still

defence, entoned the

and let His eneThen an earthquake shook the

arise,

a mysterious darkness surrounded the pagans,

and a storm arose which

terrified the

horses so that

they dashed across the plain, and the chariots were

The men who had followed Lochru

overturned.

upon each other in the confusion, mistaking

for Patrick's

companions.

The

fell

their friends

king, at last, terrified,

but not convinced, made a " false peace" with the saint;

and

his queen,

who had accompanied

him, knelt at his

feet for his blessing.

Laeghaire, however, was

He wished

to kill the

still

meditating treachery.

man whom he

could not silence,

but God had revealed the intended treachery to the

In order to accomplish his wicked purpose,

Laeghaire asked him to return with him to Tara, " that

saint.

he might believe for him before the

men

of Erinn."

In

the meantime, he had desired

men

to be lying in

bush between Ferta-fer-feic [Slane] and that

The

saint set out,

am-

place.

accompanied by eight companions

cast " a

But God

and the young Benignus.

garment

of invisibility [dicheltair] around them, so that not one

of

them was

As

seen."

the Gentiles watched for them,

who

they saw only eight wild deer, and

the mountains, and a

On

towards

fled

after them.

the following day, Easter Sunday, Laeghaire held

high
safe

young fawn

festival

at

he thought himself

Possibly,

Tara.

from further trouble, as he had not heard anything

more of

Mass

St.

to say,

Patrick.

But the

saint

had

his

Easter

and we may well imagine with what

fer-

vor he offered the adorable sacrifice for the people to

whom

he had devoted his

life.

Even

joys he could not forget his mission

closed, while the chiefs, magi,

in the Easter

and, as evening

and bards kept

old Tara's banquet hall, the grave

and

revel in

terrible apostle

appeared suddenly before them, the doors being closed."

'

Them. Colgan, Quinla Vita, p. 51. This is also recorded in the Triand in the Book of Armagh. Indeed, the account is almost verbally

partite,

similar in each.

Dr. Todd has treated the whole account of St. Patrick's visit to
with unconcealed contempt. One part he stigmatizes as a " manifest

Cloned.

Tan

Another part,
Moses with the magi
like good Catholics, and

imitation of Daniel's explanation of Nebuchadnezzar's image."

?:

he
of

"intended to imitate the contest

Pharaoh."
Because these Catholic writers,
says,

is

especially like

religious to

whom

of

the language of Scripture

familiar, write in this style, he thinks tin y

is

peculiarly

nmst necessarily be guilty of the

knew to be absolutely false. According

him the whole narrative "is reduced to the single fact, that St. Patrick,
some Jicriod of his mi iimajy labon, appeared in the court of King
Urc." But Dr. Todd has not told us, if all the rest of the narrative is
false, on what grounds he proves tliis one part of it to bo true, and why he

miserable crime of writing what they

to

at
I

258

Life of St. Patrick.

Again we are
guests paid

the

told that one only of the assembled

him any

astonished

honor.

courtiers,

king's chief bard, rose

up

As he appeared

before

Dubhtach Mac Lugair, the

to receive him,

and he

obtained the grace of conversion to the Faith.

poet was attended by a youth

we have
The

named

whom

Fiacc, of

already given some account.

druid, or magus,

Luchat Mael, now proposed to

enter into a trial of his powers

We

possessed by St. Patrick.

whole history of

against the

cannot

this eventful Easter,

authority.

These men,

powers

fail to see,

marked

in the

indications

of the workings of a Providence at once full of

and of

also

The

who had

wisdom

until then

worshipped the elements, were to learn that there was a

God who

controlled

and thus to be

these elements,

taught that there was an almighty Creator of

all

things.

These magi had exercised certain powers by their

cantations

under the absolute control of a God of

believes the Lorica or
rity.

in-

they had to learn that these powers were

Hymn

whom

they had

genuine on the same authobrought against the Scripture narrative

of St. Patrick to be

This very Line of argument

is

and they also " reduce " the whole account of the Exodus
to the " simple fact" that such an event may have happened, while denying
absolutely as "impossible" all the miraculous circumstances which attended
With regard to the miracle of the " closed doors," such occurrences are
it.

by modern

sceptics,

We

read in the life of St.

comparatively frequent in the Lives of the Saints.
Anthony of Padua, that he was seen several times in different places at the
same moment. Once, while he was guardian of the convent of Limoges in
Aquitaine, he was preaching the Passion in the cathedral on the night of
Maunday Thursday. His religious were at the same time singing matins in
When it was time to read the lesson which should have come to
their choir.
his turn, he suddenly appeared, and having sung it, again vanished, although,

during this interval, he was not perceived to be absent from the pulpit, or to
have discontinued his discourse. S<. Francis and the Franciscan*, p. 154.

.IS

Patrick and the

St.

never even heard.

Magi

They were

259

at Tara.

also to learn, that

what-

ever might he effected by the powers of darkness wen'

evils to he avoided,

not henefits to be sought

and much more, did

St.

This,

for.

Patrick teach the chieftains of

old Erinn at Tara on tins Easter Day.

The magus
doubt,

first

attempted to poison

seemed to him the

it

easiest

St.

Patrick

way

no

to avoid all

chance of a defeat.
But the saint, like St. Benedict, 7
was divinely warned of his danger, and he blessed the
vessel of ale, so that the poison

became congealed

33

more, he restored

like
it

ice.

fell

from

it,

ami the

Then, blessing

to its natural state.

ale

it

once

Luchat

.Ma el

then proposed that the " hosts " should go out into the

open plain, and that he should show there what he could

do.

Patrick agreed to the proposal, and

St.

came

forth,

when they

and a vast multitude had assembled, the

druid "began the druidic poetry and the demoniacal

arts,

greatly."

snow

the

until

girdles of

men

fell

so that

et viderunt omncs,

it

would reach the

and they wondered

The monks of the monastery of Vico Varo, attracted by

Benedict
had Baked him to be their Birperior. He refused at first, but at
They were not prepared, however, for
length yielded to their importunity.
Like 8b
the cbictneaa of his rule, and at last attempted to i>"i*"ii him.
Patrick, he made the sign of the cross upon the vessel, which instantly broke
Butler's Lives of Saint*.
as if a stone had fallen upon it.
tlreathj
The power of the devil to effect su|>ernatural wonders is abun"

St.

his fame,

dantly evident both from Scripture anil the Lives of the Saints.
We give
one instance out of many. It is related in the Life of the recently canonized
St. Pan] of the !rosa, that when he was preaching out of doors at Santatiora,
<

a sudden and most violent storm came on, which he at once dispelled by
He told the people that the storm had
blessing the air with his crucifix.

been caused by the

devil.

Lift of SL

I'avl of the Croju, p. 69.

him

Patrick then asked

St.

magus

the

Then the

next day.

exclaimed

tion,

and not

in

to

remove the snow, but

do so until the

replied that he could not

good

"

with a holy indigna-

saint, fired

By my

debhro, in evil

is

thy power,

and turning towards the four points

;"

of the heavens he blessed the plain,

and the snow

dis-

The druid now brought darkness over the

Patrick once more
plain, but was unable to remove it
prayed to the Lord, and the sun shone forth. Various
appeared.

other trials followed, and

trial

by

St.

fire

it

was

at last agreed that a

should decide the question.

Patrick offered to allow one of his people to be

shut up in a house with the magus, and then to

building be fired
also

let

the

provided one of the Celtic magi

remained in the building and stood the same

It

test.

was

further

agreed that the worshipper of

heathen gods should be clothed in the casula or tunic

of the saint, and the Christian in the tunic of the druid.
St.

young Benen,

Patrick chose the

fresh from the

baptismal waters, and thus purified from sin

Luchat

Mael, with a heroism worthy of a better cause, was his

own champion.
side filled

Benen

hut was then erected, and at one

with dry faggots, in the midst of which

or Benignus

druid's tunic

was

and there the magus

8

Dehhro.

This

placed,

the other side was

word

is

with green wood,

stood, covered with the tunic of

translated by O'Donovan, in his supplement to

O'Reilly's Dictionary (in voce Modtbroth), as

ment (from Cormac's

and covered with the

filled

Glossary).

my God

Judge, or

God

of

Judg-

tbe saint.

was then applied

light

to

the

hut, while

the great multitude watched outside for the result, with

eager faces and beating hearts.

was soon proclaimed.

the

God who had

It

The triumph

created the elements, to

His

Again and again

will.

when

natural office

had refused

obedient
to

do

its

Christians were subjected to the

flames in the arenas of pagan

marvel was

fire

for

make them

who were

obedient to the will of the creatures

to

of Faith

was indeed nothing new

manifested.

Rome and now

;

a similar

That portion of the house

which should have burned most rapidly under ordinary

was not consumed, the fair young

came forth unharmed, but the mantle
of the magus, with which he was surrounded, was
burned to ashes. The side of the hut where the magus
circumstances,

acolyte Benignus

had rashly ventured to place himself, was entirely con-

sumed

of

he was burned to death, but the tunic of the

with which he was surrounded, bore no trace

saint,

fire.

The only
was

effect

which

this miracle

had upon the king

to increase his hatred of the apostle

trines.

And

such, indeed,

is

and

his doc-

usually the result, while,

as in this instance, special graces have been offered and

1
Fire. This ia mentioned in the Tripartite (Colgan, p. 12"), by Probus
Indeed tho
(Colgan, p. 51), by Jocelyn (Colgan, p. 75), and the other Lives.
incidents connected with the saint's visit to Tara are most fully detailed by
all.
It if observable that the trial by water, as proposed by Laeghaire, il

mentioned in the Book

of

Armagh, though not

in the Tripartite,

other respects coincides so clearly with the former.

St. Fr.incis of Assissi that
in

Egypt

We

which

in

read in the Life of

he offered to undergo a somewhat similar

test

wheu

If those are

rejected.

blessed

who

believe

without

seeing,

how

whom

" signs and wonders" are manifested, and

still

must be the condition of those

fearful

refuse to believe.

In the Life

of St.

Patrick as related

(Quintet Vita), a curious

is

to

who

mentioned.

by

trial

and

by Probus

significant circumstance

It is said that the

king

first

proposed a

and suggested that the books of both

water,

parties should be

thrown into the water, and declared

that he would adore

him whose books should come out

The magus objected

unhurt.

to this test, saying that

he " would not go to the judgment of water with him
(Patrick), for he

that he

fear of this test.

in connection
is

had water

had heard of

baptisms

hence his

There are several noteworthy subjects

with

this part of the ancient

Lives.

It

evident that the Catholic doctrine of baptism was

fully taught

by

St. Patrick.

had so much fear of

The magus would not have

his use of water if the saint

had

mere ceremony.

It

treated the sacramental use of

is

Probus observes

for a god."

St. Patrick's

also

it

as a

remarkable that the "books" (libros vestros) should

be spoken of

by Laeghaire

in

the

plural

number.

Evidently the writers of the Lives believed that the

Irish

had books as well as the

saint.

The words quoted

above are found in the Vita S. Patricii contained in

the

Book

The

of

Armagh

king, terrified

also.

by the prodigies he beheld, simula-

ted a conversion which the rest of his

been insincere.

life

proved to have

It is related also that St. Patrick pre-

WL

St. Patrick's

Hymn

or Lorica.

dieted the extinction ofLaeghaire'a family, and that

terrible

judgment, probably a sudden pestilence,

fell

some
upon

the people, by which thousands perished.

As

St.

Patrick journeyed toTara on Easter morning he

composed a hymn, some portions of which are

still

repeated at bed-time by the Irish-speaking peasantry, so

true

have

apostle.

the}-

been to the memory of their great

This remarkable composition was sometimes

Feth Fiatlha, or instruction of the deer, in

called the

consequence of the escape of the saint and his companions when they

appeared to Laeghaire like deer

fleeing to the mountains.

The hymn
Lorica of

is,

however, more generally

The name

St. Patrick.

to such compositions because they

known

of Lorica

were used as a

tual breastplate or corslet, to protect those

them from

spiritual or

temporal dangers.

in fact, used as prayers.

The Lorica

composition of singular poetic

as the

was given
spiri-

who recited
They were,

of St. Patrick

beauty,

is

and of such

ardent devotion as one might well believe our great

Thus

apostle to have possessed.

it

was that he invoked

the divine protection as he traversed the vast plain of

Magh Breagh;
of

all

thus

it

was that he appealed

Wind and Water, might

great

to the

Lord

things that those creatures of Fire and Cold, of

be

made

work which he was about

to serve

him

in the

to undertake.

Undertake. This hymn lias been translated by Dr. O'Uonovan and Dr.
It was also transand published in the Essay on Tara by the latter.
gnat care by the eminent Celtic scholar, Mr. Whitley Stokes,

Petrie,

lated with

Life of St. Patrick

st.

Patrick's lorica.

bind to myself to-day

The strong virtue of the Invocation

The Faith of the Trinity in unity,
The Creator of the elements.
I

of the Trinity,

bind to myself to-day

The
The
The

virtue of His Eesurrection with His Ascension,

The

virtue of His coming to the sentence of judgment.

virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,

virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,

bind to myself to-day

The

virtue of the love of seraphim,

In the obedience of angels,

In the hope of resurrection into reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,

In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,

In deeds of righteous men.

I

bind to myself to-day

The power

of Heaven,

who

pointed out the mistake made by O'Donovan in translating the word

Atomring, with which the hymn commences, as an obsolete form of the
dative of Temur or Tara, and rendering it "at Tara." The word is a verb;

ad-dam-ring; composed thus: ad-ring, adjungo, with the infixed pronoun dom,
to me, and the verb ring, to join.
To a Catholic the meaning is at once
apparent; the saint invokes, or prays for, the help (virtute) virtue of the
Blessed Trinity, the angels, and the saints in his great undertaking.
In the
well-known Litany of Jesus the virtue of our Divine Lord's Incarnation,
Life, Passion, and Death are invoked in a similar manner.
The latest trans,
lation of the Lorica is that made by Mr. Crowe for the
Kilkenny Archeological
'

'

Journal," October,

lSti9.

The light of the sun, 8

Tho whiteness of snow,

The force of fire,

The flashing of lightning,
Tho swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The hardness of

rocks.

bind to myself to-day

The power of God to guide me,

The might of God to uphold me,
The wisdom of God to teach me,
The eye of God to watch over me,
The ear of God to hear me,
The word of God to give me speech,
The hand of God to protect me,
The way of God to lie before me,

The

God to shelter me,

God to defend me,

shield of

The host

of

Against the snares of demons,

Against the temptations of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,

Against every

Whether

man who

meditates injury to

rac,

far or near,

Whether few

or with

many.

Sun. Some singular misapprehensions have been made about this vente.
has been thought that the saint invoked the power of the sun as he had
invoked the power or virtue of the angels, apostles, and virgins. But, apart
from the fact that no Catholic missionary who had come to convert a nation
from idolatry could be supposed to be himself a worshipper of false gods, thu
obvious meaning is that he had, as indeed he proved, full power over these
3

It

elements,
lie

and he bound them to himself on that occasion

necessary for his Master's work.

~?=r==z>&^t

tjL,-

'

ir

to serve

him

as might

Domini

est salus,

Domini

est salus,

Christ i est salus,

Salus tua

Domine

sit

semper nobiscum. 5

Dr. Todd has well observed that the Hymn of St.

Patrick " notices no doctrine or practice of the Church
that

is

not

tury."

how

known

to

have existed before the

This observation

is

educational prejudice bbnds

men

to truth.

one can doubt that Dr. Todd intended by

to

convey the idea that the

Catholic doctrines, for he

though in a

Hymn

is

the

fifth

It

far different sense to that

practice

does not " notice

It

which had not existed before

century."

the

Three

adorable

of the

One, co-equal and co-eternal.

in

This doctrine had been

impugned by the Arians, and

and consequently before the

Patrick accepted
then,

is

which

was defined by the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea,

\V2r>,

No

remark

did not contain any

commences with an invocation

Trinity,

this

fain to believe that such

he intended to convey thereby.

any doctrine or

cen-

But Dr. Todd's observation

doctrines are modern.

literally true,

fifth

another remarkable evidence

its definition,

and does now.

as the

fifth
<

century.

!atholic

a.d.
St.

world did

But the Arians refused

to sirm

* Nobiscum.
The last four lines arc in Latin, as given above. Dr. Todd
has observed a coincidence of expression between the latter part of the Lorica
of St. Patrick and a passage in Bishop Andrew
It is more
than probable that the Protestant bishop copied from St. Ignatius, and there
is

a most singular and marked similarity between the well-known

of that saint and a part of St Patrick's hymn.

prayer

Anima mea

Life of St. Patrick.

268

the Nicene creed then

and how many members of the

Church to which Dr. Todd belonged are there now

really believe the Divinity of Christ

with

St. Patrick,

and say

boldly,

Next we

who would,
invoke the " virtue of the Crucifixion,"

who

God

has died for

find St.

me

Patrick invoking the virtue

or

power of the seraphim, the prayers of the fathers, the

purity of virgins, and the good deeds of the faithful
generally
before

the

a practice which was unquestionably in use

century, as

fifth

martyrs in the catacombs of

the

very tombs of the

Eome

testify to this day.

And then we find him placing the virtue of these

men and their good works between him and the
restless

powers of

evil,

and concluding with the

tion of his invocation of the Trinity

our
V,-

faith.

And

thus

it

is

the

holy
ever

repeti-

keystone of

that Catholic litanies, and

even the Sacrifice of the Mass, commence with the

invocation of the Three in One, and conclude with the

Three in One

also,

whose divine assistance

is

implored

either in prayers or blessings.

"When Tirechan wrote

his Annotations on the Life of

our saint in the Book of Armagh, this

believed to have been composed
its

by

authority has not been questioned.

three days

St.

and churches in Ireland

was that the

saint's festival

and three nights

as

if

Patrick

another

The first of
was kept for
Patrick himself had

evidence of the antiquity of the Lorica.

these honors

was

Indeed,

Tirechan informs

us that in his time four honors were paid to

in all the monasteries

Hymn

St. Patrick.

Misconceptions about (he Lorica.

been present

Mass

his

time

The

latter is

Hymn

was sung

and of which we have given a

Hymn

honor by

St.

Hymn

was the Latin

Dr. Petrie has

He

transla-

composed in

Seconal] or Secundums, which will be

giveu at the end of the present volume.

which

whole

was sung always.

undoubtedly the Lorica which he com-

Irish,

His

tion.

for the

Hymn

and, fourthly, his Irish

posed in

his

secondly, there was a proper preface for

thirdly, his

2fi9

made

a suggestion about the Lorica,

founded on a most curious misapprehension.

is

thinks, because St. Patrick prays in

it

to be protected

:i

"women,

list

smiths, and druids," that the com-

was not considered orthodox, and hence was

position

passed over by Colgan and others.

forgot that St. Paul,

whose orthodoxy

But Dr. Petrie

would

he, at least,

never have questioned, had akeady declared that the

Christian should be

armed against many

and that our wrestling

blood, but

is

also against "principalities

is

and the "spirits of wickedness

3-

We

have

spiritual foes,

not only against

already

explained

and

the high places."

in

Dr.

flesh

and powers,"

Todd's mistake in

supposing that

The

'Volume.

St.

Patrick invoked the elements.

Part of the Tripartite concludes with the

first

Tirechan writes

of the feast of St. Patrick as the

dormitationis ejus in medio veris," to distinguish

td

saint.

The

third

and fourth honors were

iii

iiii

Ymnuin

it

from other

ejus per totum tempus cantare.

Cauticum ejus Scotticum semper canere.

" solemi>nitas

festivals of the

270

Life of St. Patrick.

prophecy of

St.

Patrick that none of Laeghaire's children

should succeed him on his throne.

ever tempered by mercy, even

But

when

justice

was

the spirit of the

times required that stern judgments should be passed

on those who rejected the message of peace.

Laege-

womb

queen begged that the child then in her

aire's

exempted

should be

from

the

malediction

husband's race, and her petition was granted.

of

her

Lugaidh

ascended the throne in A.D. 479, according to the Four

Masters, and died in a.d. 508.

His death

is

briefly

and

not very clearly alluded to in the Tripartite, but no

other event of his history

Book

of Lecan there

is

it is

said that St. Patrick

but

it

is

now

came

him

in

the

which

to Ireland in his reign

generally admitted that the paragraph

refers to Laeghaire,

written the

In

specified there.

is

a paragraph about

name

and that the transcriber must have

of the son in mistake for the

name

of

the father.
" These miracles," says the writer of the Tripartite,
" live to this day.

These are the miracles which the

divines of Erinn knew, and

thread

Memoir

of

which they put under a

The writer

narrative."

of

Patrick's

St.

exemption

says, that the account of Lugaidh's

from the malediction of his race

is

inserted in

the

Tripartite to account for the fact of Lugaidh's having

reigned after his father.

whatever of
proof that

its

it is

Yet there

is

no appearance

having been an interpolation, and no

except Dr. Todd's conjecture

arguing on his

own

and then,

conjecture, he states that " this

mode

of meeting the

sidered satisfactory."
this

mode

difficulty

can scarcely be con-

Surely

may

it

reason whatever,

There can be

little

fur

Patrick performed
failed to convince

false,

without any

not satisfactory either.

is

Be was overawed

doubt that Laeghaire died a pagana time by the miracles which St.

but even the miracles of Christ

many who

beheld them.

could not deny the power thus

fear

made

Yet they

visible to

produced a temporary submission.

them,

The year

before Laeghaire's death he had attempted to enforce

Hi

the Boromeau tribute, and he was taken prisoner by

the Leinster men, at a place called Ath-dara, a ford on

the river Bartow.

Here he was obliged

to take the usual

oath of the ancient Irish Celt, and to swear by the sun,

and the wind, and the elements, that he would never

again come against them.
his oath,

The following year he broke

and renewed the war.

He

died soon after, ap-

parently by a stroke of lightning, or some such visitation, for the

the

wind

> >

of selecting certain circumstances as true,

and rejecting other circumstances as

and

>

'

be retorted that

pagan annalists declared that the "sun and

killed

him" because he had

violated his oath. 7

1 Oalh.
Once more I am obliged, with great regret, to refer to Dr. Todd's
Memoir. He most unjustly charges the " Franciscan friars," who wrote the
Annals of the Four Masters, with "paganism," for representing the sun and
wind to have taken vengeance upon Laeghaire. Yet even in the very sentence in which he makes the charge he disproves it unconsciously, by saying
One should have thought that the
th it " this is the language copied," 4c.

most ordinary intellect would have seen that people do not necessarily believe
what they " copy." No one would have been more severe on the same friars
than this writer if they had not " copied," and copied faithfully, every reliable
document they could get

mmm

FT^S?

tSSSfW

ti

Even

the fashion of his burial proved

He was

veterate pagan he died.

what an

buried,

in-

by his own
" armor of

desire,

on

valor,"

with his face turned southwards, towards the

ramparts of Tara, in his

the

Leinster men, as
St. Patrick's

meet the people

assembled

was

and

if

at public places,

wisdom.

It

is

where multitudes were

this in a country

so scattered,

accomplished,

he were fighting with them.

great object appears to have been to

where the population

and where so much work had to be

one of the

was with

many

evidences of his great

this object in

view that he pro-

now Tell town, in the county

Honday. 8 An annual fair was held

ceeded to Aonach Tailtenn,

Heath, on Easter
here, at

which multitudes assembled,

mid-way between Navan and

an ancient

,(
!

tradition, in

The

celebrated here.
torical evidence,

number

to assist at, or to

This town

be entertained by the games.

is

situated

Kells, and, according to

pagan times
tradition,

marriages were

all

however, wants his-

and probably had

its

origin from the

of matrimonial engagements contracted at the

public festivals held here.

Monday.

Tripartite.

" Prima

feria venit Patricias

ad Taltenam."

The

Lanigan observes "That

given in Latin in the Irish manuscript.
this was Easter Monday is clear from a passage lower down, which, after the
account given of the saint's transactions with Carbri and Conall, runs thus :
These two passages
'Paschaj quoque clausula finita, prima feria exiit,' &c.
sentence

is

appeared as quotations from some old Latiu work, and are therefore entitled
Good Dr. Lanigan
to a certain degree of credit." Ec. Hist. vol. i., p. 236.
probably was entirely unacquainted with ancient Irish MSS., and hence did
not know that what he conjectured to be a quotation was a usual fashion of
All our ancient Irish MSS. are interspersed with Latin
writing at that period.
sentences.

St.

Patrick

Carbri and

now

two of Laeghaire's

visited

Conall.

The famous

Hostages had eight sons, four of

Hy

genitors of the Northern

the Southern

Hy

given below, as

labors

were the pro-

Nialls, the other four of

Their genealogical table

Nialls.

is

will be a matter of interest in con-

it

nection with our

whom

brothers,

of the Nine

Niall

Patrick's missionary

of St.

record

:
Niall of the

Ill
Northern

Hy

Nine Hostages.

Nialls.

III

Southern Hy

Eoghan, Enna Finn, Carbri,

Conall Gulban,

Nialls.

Lakciiairk, Conall Crlmtlmn,

Maine.

Klac,

Attempted

St

Patrick's

Founder of Donagh

life.
|

Culumba and

St.

Adamnau

l'atrick.

were descended from him.

Lugaldh,
who was spared from
|

St.

Patrick's

malediction, and was king a.d. 433.

Carbri attempted, or at least wished, for

clear

whether the attempt was made or

Patrick and his followers, by throwing

river Sele,

now

it

not

is

not, to kill St.

them

the Blackwater, in Meath.

into the

For

this

crime the saint pronounced a solemn malediction on

him, and, as a punishment, deprived the river of

salmon.

its

Such judgments were of absolute necessity in

an age of violence, and where striking examples were

needed to produce an impression on the multitude.

Patrick then proceeded to Conall Crimthan, whose resi-

dence was at Donagh Patrick, and here he was favorably received, aud the site of a church was granted to

him.

2l

It

was on the Easter Wednesday of

week, that what was called

this

memorable

Baptism took

St. Patrick's

which was kept anciently on the

place, the festival of

Those who are familiar with the

5th of April.

siastical history of the early

eccle-

Church, will remember that

week was specially chosen as a time for public

The neophytes were clothed in white gar-

Easter

baptism.

ments the paschal rejoicings, and the memory of

;

resurrection,
to a

new

life

reliable
St.

virtue of which

we

Christ's

also are raised

made the
we had not

in the waters of regeneration,

peculiarly

season

that

by the

appropriate.

tradition for the fact,

Even

if

we might

Patrick would wish to

well suppose

have a public and

solemn administration of the Sacrament of Baptism.

He

had probably baptized but few of his converts publicly,

and only those whom he knew were enlightened and
prepared by some very special grace.

These,

we may

him to instruct those who had received

and some
his teaching at Tara and at Telltown
thousands of those thus assembled were now to receive
believe, helped

the grace of regeneration.

In the waters of the historic Boyne the

first

public

baptisms were celebrated in ancient Erinn.

The 5th of

April, a.d. 433, fell

upon a Wednesday,

according to the calculation of Dr. Lanigan

somewhere about
Thus,

we have

this date there can be

that

it fell

no question.

the very day, and, almost to a certainty,

the very date of this great event.

It is probable that

1
3

the baptism took place not far from the present

Kells.

Before

we

proceed further with the Life of

must be remembered that from

it

town

of

St. Patrick,

this date there

is

considerable difficulty in following the regular sequence

of events.

Can

be pardoned for once more calling

attention to the fact that the writers of the Lives of the

Roman

whether Celtic or Saxon,

Saints,

or Frank, were

incomparably more anxious to give details of their

good works, and the

miracles

than to afford their readers a

attributed

to

them,

critical analysis of their

lives'?

Huw

great

was the pains which they took

accurate in their statements,

is

be

to

acknowledged even by

enemies.
They bebeved that the saints were
endowed with " power from on higlr' to work miracles
their

hence they did not find

it

necessary to refer

"natural causes," or to question them.

This

is

them

to

especially

the case with the Life of St. Patrick written by Probus.

He

has divided his work into two parts.

The

contains a well connected narrative of St.

life,

from his birth

to this

first

part

Patrick's

memorable Easter week.

It is

quite evident that he considered this the culminating

event of his apostleship, as well he might.

The King of

Erinn, though not converted to the Faith, had at least been

so far
8

subdued as to submit exteriorly

Usher,

power of

quoting from the Book of Sligo, mentions "the three

and death." The baptism was,
fii>t public celebration of that sacrament
which was commemorated iu the early Irish Church.
K-U*.

Wednesdays

of Patrick, his birth, baptism,

undoubtedly, not his own, but the

r~

to the

mw\

mm

His queen bad followed his example, and

the apostle.

obtained even for her unborn child an exemption from

The

malediction.

earnest convert

multitudes

example could not

and the two principal magi

men who had

nation was an

chief bard of the

his

fail to

influence

of the laud

the

hitherto been accredited with supernatural

power, and revered as the teachers of the nation in

their comparatively pure worship of fire

and elements

they also had fallen beneath the power of these very

elements,

making

it

evident that their gods could not

protect them.
It is true that the great majority of the people

pagan.

still

should

we

But

were

consummate

Patrick, with

St.

not rather say with heavenly

wisdom, had

commenced boldly by preaching to the ard-righ, the

princes, and the chiefs, knowing that through their
influence

and example the multitude could be most

easily reached.

Henceforth, wherever he journeyed on

fame of

his apostolic mission, the

of his miracles,

obtain for

him

bis success, the prestige

and the submission of the

rulers,

would

at least a patient hearing.

Probus apparently thought that in his second book

it

would only be necessary

to collect together the prin-

cipal incidents of the missionary life

saint.

He

concludes the

first

" These things being accomplished

book thus
[his

of our glorious

Ma gestis], the holy Patrick,

according to the precept of our Lord Jesus Christ, resolving to

teach

all

nations in the

name

of the Father, and of the Son, and of

the Holy Ghost, departed from Themoria [Tara], and preached

Coincid*

</'/:.

-y -/.>.</, ,/i

Various

in

-J77

Lii>\<t.

everywhere throughout Ireland; the Lord co-operating with him,

and confirming his words by the signs following.'

The second book then commences, and

The writer begins by

to

relate

headed,

Of

and death

to compile his

Various miracles and circumstances of the

of the saint, are then recorded with

life

" Father,

of our

and with God's assistance

work.

little

stating that he purposes herein

the miracles

St. Patrick,"

touching simplicity.

is

Miracles and Death of St. Patrick.

the

we

These

a rare and

shall also record pre-

sently.

The
there

narrative of the Tripartite

some attempt

is

events

and, on the whole,

is

also irregular, but

at relating the regular order of

it

may

be taken as a guide

for the

biography of our

MS.

missing, but Colgan's translation

is

saint.

folio of
is

the original
zo faithful,

that the loss can easily be supplied from his version.

The arrangement of the

of

Armagh

Life of St. Patrick in the

closely resembles the Life

by Probus

no doubt, was the model on which the

written.

Here,

as that which

also,

we have

we

tant events of Easter

was

same paragraph

states, after relating the

week

at Tara, that St.

and

impor-

Patrick

forth to preach according to the precept of our

divine Lord,

and that

signs which followed.

1

mr -^^^
3

and,

latter

translated above from Probus;

Miarchu-Maccutheni also

went

find the very

Book

his

words were confirmed by the

He

then also proceeds to give

Following. Culgnn,

p.

51.

278

Life of St. Patrick.

an account of these "

of a Life

of our

Jocelyn, the last writer

signs."

has continued his narrative

saint,

without any division of books

relating St.

Patrick's

miracles without

The
which

much

and, apparently, after

to Tara, has

visit

hymn

First Life in Colgan is the

is

related his

regard to chronological order.

of St. Fiacc,

rather a panegyric than a biography.

The

Second Life [Vita SecundaJ concludes abruptly with

Patrick's visit to Tara

that

some history of

St.

and

am

St.

strongly of opinion,

Patrick was written during his

was used

lifetime,

and that

the

part of the Life by Probus. and the Tripartite.

first

this history

'

/;^?\

1'KICK.S

BKLL

as the basis of

ONALL

presented his house

at

Rath-Airthic to St. Patrick for a

church, and the saint in return
o-ave

some

special

hlessing

to

this part of the plain of Tara, so

that
there."

At

" none

should

be

slain

left
be conclusion of Easter week, the saint

and on the first feria, i.e., the Monday after Low

Sunday, he went to a place called the Ford of the Tivo
placed
Tribes, which Colgan says was in Meath. Here he
a devout woman,
three of his disciples, and a nun

Conall,

whose innocence and purity

is

said to have given her a

,17%

Life of St. Patrick.

280
singular

power over the animal

creation.

then founded at Druim, Chorcorthri? where

church was
St.

Patrick

placed his nephew, Diarrnid, the son of Eestitutus.

Again we find mention of

St. Patrick's altar stone,

as an object of miraculous intervention,

and a subject

Lower

After St. Patrick's visit to

of special veneration.

he returned to Conall, who was one of his most

Kells,

beloved disciples.
special

mark

Here he

left

his altar

stone as a

of his favor to the good prince.

he promised, from thence

But, as

"the stone of the

altar,

moving through the air, without any person touching

it, followed him to the place where the cross is now
(ubi

The

crux),

saint,

however, brought

placed
it,

the

nunc

it

and

at

mill

near

the stone

river."

and

back,

again at Domhnach-patric, where he fixed

left

it

" importable,"

predicting

miracles should be performed there

He

Christ, the true corner-stone.

special

the

judgment should

befall

that

many

by the power

of

also declared that a

any person who should

-

attempt to move the altar stone, or who should violate

the sanctuary which he established in that church.

In a.d. 722, Cinaeth, the son of Irgalach, King of

Tara, slew a person

who had

fled here for protection,

and the stone emitted three streams of pure

blood,

2
Druim Cliorcorthri, now Drumconrath, the barony of Lower Slane, county
Meath. Arehdall, "Mon. Hib.,"p. 532, observes tliat Chorcothrai is a small terThe name,
ritory not far from Tara, but gives no clue to the exact locality.
however, is preserved in the townland of Corcarna, parish of JUoylogue, and
barony of Lower Kells, some four or five miles west of Drumconra.
3 River.
This portion of the Tripartite is missing from the
Colgan, p. 130.
original Irish MS., which wants several folios.

rsion

and Baptism

>>f

Ere.

which ceased not to flow until reparation had been

made

for the sacrilege.

number

Patrick founded a great

>St.

the translation of the Tripartite,

them

to give

When
;^o
'

of churches

al

but as the names and particulars are given

tins time,

it

in

will not be necessary

here.

relating the particulars of the conversion

and

baptism of Ere, the son of Digo, Tircchan mentions

some curious and singular

>:
:

details.

why he had

of his convert

risen

St.

Patrick inquired

up when

the

Book

of

Armagh,

replied,

see sparks of fire going

of the Lord,

which

have with

Loigles, or the

Calf of

called in

know

lips to

not

my

lips."

He

answered,

to the fountain

the Cities;' a well within the fort

and here the

or enclosure of Tara,

book," ami baptized

me V

Then they went

will receive it,"

Why,

is

the saint asked, " Wilt thou receive the baptism

Then

"1

"

up from thy

the rest

all

remained seated, and Ere, or Hercus, as he

Eire

saint

"opened

his

and many thousand men.

court had assembled to see the

new ceremony

some of them mocked, and others conversed together

as men would at a public meeting in which they felt
more

curiosity than devotion.

Patrick overheard the

conversation of two of the chieftains

him
1
'2.').

Sacrilege.
It

who

stood near

one was inquiring from whence the other had

Tliis

would

fix

is

also told

the date of

by Lynch, "Cainbrcnsis Eversus," toL

tlio

transcription of this copy of

tin;

should be observed also that the writer mentions the

whi.h had been placed where the altar stone stopped.
Cities.From Luny, a calf, and La, a fort, or city.

after 722.

It

ii.,

p.

Tripartite

Life of St. Patrick.

284

come, and the one who was thus questioned replied

" I am Endeus, son of Amalgaid, son of Fiacha, son of
:

Eochaidh, from the western regions, from the plain of

Domnon, and from the wood of Fochlut."

What recollections were
The wood of Foehlut
It was from this wood, from the
aroused by the name
western sea, that Patrick had heard the voices of the
Celtic children yet unborn, who called him to come and
He had come, and we may well imagine
help them.
that he "rejoiced greatly," as Tirechan records, when
!

he heard these words.

The

saint had,

no doubt, intended to

visit this part

and now a

special oppor-

of Ireland as soon as possible,

He turned to Endeus at
tunity seemed offered to him.
" I will go with thee if I be alive, for
once, and said
:

me

the Lord hath said unto

made some

objection

to go."

Endeus, however,

he probably knew that some of

the Irish princes were unfavorably disposed towards

Patrick,

and he feared

But the

him.

his

own

saint assured

safety if he accompanied

him

that he

had come

to

Tara on his account, even as Joseph was providentially

sent before the children of Israel into Egypt,

and that

his safety

would be insured by having him

panion.

Endeus consented, but requested that Patrick

would baptize

his son,

who was

that he and his brother

went

to their

mocked
St.

own

as Ere

for his

com-

of tender years, saying

would not " believe"

until they

country, because they feared being-

had been.

Patrick baptized Conall and " pronounced a bless-

ing upon him."

The boy was confided then by

saint to the care of Cethire,'"' the bishop,

him

up.

St.

however,

probable,

It is

done until

sons

King

Nadfraich,

.Mac.

by another

wife, Erca,

With such

of Lchister.

that this

his wife Tresi, sister of

and seven

of Munster,

daughter of Eochaidh, King

family

it is

a matter of

was the

eldest son,

six brothers to get

Ard-righ.

with

St,

It

and he had gone

some dispute
had asked

Tara with

settled there

would appear, that

Patrick, he

to

little

Endeus

surprise that contentions arose about property.

'

was not

Patrick came to Tirawlcy.

Amalgaidh7 had eight sons by

.l'-n-iis

the

who brought

his

after

his

by the

interview

his intervention

also,

and that the king and the saint concurred in desiring

the lirothers to divide the property

to recognize the claim of

But Endeus promptly

sons " to the

God

Endeus

between them, but

to the chieftainship.

offered his portion as well as his

of Patrick,

reason," concludes Tirechan,

and

"For this
we are the
From these

to Patrick."

"some say

that

servants of Patrick to the present day."

Commemorated in the Martyrology of Donegal on the 16th June,

Amalgaidh (pronounced Awlcy). The barony of Tirawley, in the county
Mayo, takes its name from him. Dr. Todd, in despite of Tircchau's plain
statement to the contrary, says that St. Patrick " must " have mci Endeus after
the year 449, because Amalgaidh died iu that year, and it is " difficult to
* Cethire.
7

imagine" that any dispute could have taken place in his lifetime.
A cursory acquaintance with Irish
it would be wisest not to imagine at all.
belli was seldom wanted cither for public or private
I

history proves that a casus

fends.

Tirechan expressly states that

St.

Patrick visited Fochlut iu tho

"second Easter " "Pasco, secnmla;" and the Tripartite says that Amalgaidh
So much for Dr. Todd's "imagiteas baptized by St. Patrick, with his eons.
nation."

words,

it

appears probable that Tirechan himself was a

descendant of this family

of

but nothing definite

him except that he was the

disciple of St.

is

known

Ultan of

Ardbraccan.

noteworthy that the same authority informs us

It is

of an agreement

Amalgaidh,

made by

for his safe

paid," says Tirechan,

St.

Patrick with the sons of

"

conduct to their country.

"a sum

money

of

in gold

He
and

the price of fifteen souls of men, as he

silver, erpial to

himself in his writings declares [ut in scriptione sua

affirmat], that

passage across

no violent men might hinder them in

Ireland."

all

This

is

their

if

a clear allusion to

the passage in St. Patrick's Confession, where he says

that " he gave presents to the kings, besides the cost of

keeping their sons

who walked with me,

they should not seize

>a

And

fifteen

As

think

me

with

my

in order that

companions.

paid them the price of not less than

men," &c.

this passage is not in the

copy of the Confession

contained in the Book of Armagh,

it

roboration of the Confession as given

a valuable cor-

is

by other

authori-

and of the value of Tirechan's annals.

But the saint had a great work to accomplish before

ties,

8 Annals. Dr. Todd has tlie following note in reference to this subject.
" The foregoing passage is not in the Book of Armagh but as it is so plainly
by Tirechan, it must have been in his copy of the Confession in
the seventh century, when the original autograph was in existence. We must,
therefore, be cautious in rejecting the evidence of what I have, for convenience'
interpolations, that is-, the passages not in the Book of
sake, called the
Armagh." "Memoir," p. 446, n. 6. What a pity that Dr. Todd was not
;

referred to

'

'

always equally cautious

<i>\^

CJ^

St.

rthrows /he Id

The

his departure Gram Tara.

as

->.-^~

'"

rr-'.<<5v

might be expected, not

Tiemmashad

idols, as early as B.C.

which

stood,

Magh

practised

Tiernmas died

there,

for

in

was connected with the

site

This,

there.

by the Four

stated

w.i

it

Slceht, or the plain of adoration,

showed that even the

idolatry

introduced

and

idol

veneration.
it

1620

Crom Cruach was set up

The very name of the plain

then that the greal

public

government was,

Beat of

from the chief druidical

far

lishmenl in the country.

worship of

tlie

indeed,

who

-Master.:,

also

expr

is

record that

with three-fourths of the

men

of

Erin about him, on the night of Samhain9 precisely.

According

to the

Dinnsenchus, this was the principal

idol of all the colonics

to time,

who

settled in Ireland

and they were wont

of animals

and other

was situated

in

to oiler to

The

gifts.

the presenl

yel

it

was all-important.
God was the ma

that his

bipped and feared

of

from time

the firstlings

Magh

Slecht

county Cavan, and in the

barony of Tullyhaw; and here

de-troy this famous idol

plain

it

St.

Patrick journeyed to

a bold deed and a brave one,

He had proved
i<

of the elements,

to the Celt

which they

he needed also that he should

prove his power over the idols which they had believed
all-powerful for centuries.
Ii

is

by no means certain what was the form or exact

appearance of the

The name

Crom Cruach.

the bent or stooping

monument.

It

is

signifies

called the

Cenn

"Sum/min. All Hallows' Eve so allied by the Irish to the present (lay.
"
oomponnded of Skint rammer, and bain, end. Ft
oli., p. 43

It is

Life of St. Patrick

Cruach in the Tripartite

and there

was made of gold and

silver,

rounded by twelve other

idols,

Todd evidently
stone,

which

it

said that

is

and that

it

it

sur-

formed of bronze.

Dr.

was a

pillar

inclines to the idea that

it

A stone

by no means improbable.

is

was

was

long preserved at Clogher which had been dedicated to

an

Kermand

idol called

with plates of gold.

of destiny,
'/N

avers

was a

that there

town
which used

Fail, or stone

not exactly worshipped as an

if

certainly held in considerable veneration

sent

was covered

Kelstach, which

The celebrated Lia

of

certain rock

Kdmacthomas,

idol,

was

and tradition

near the pre-

Cloch-Lobhrais,

called

pagan

to give forth oracular responses in

times.

The destruction
in the Tripartite

" Patrick, after that,

went over the water

stood the chief idol of Erinn,

gold and with

silver,

around him.

brass,

Crom Cruach

of the

is

thus related

i.e.,

and twelve other

When

to

Magh

Slecht,

where

lii

Ceun Cruaich, ornamented with

idols,

ornamented with

Patrick saw the idol from the water

'

named Guthard [loud voice] (i.e., he elevated his

and when he approached near the idol, he raised his arm to
which

is

Staff of Jesus

from
face

Pi
I

on him, and

it

did nut reach him.

attempt upon his right

his

was

side, for it

and the mark of the Staff

lay the

went back

was to the south

lives in his side

the Staff did not leave Patrick's hand

lie

V'i

voice),

still,

his

although

and the earth swallowed

the other twelve idols to their heads, and they are in that condition, in

commemoration of the

the people

And

all

cum

rege Laeghaire

the people saw him

their dying if Patrick

And

miracle.
;

(i.e.,

they

it

he called upon

was that adored the

all

idol.

the demon), and they demanded

had not sent him to

hell."

W!i'i: r

r
:

'''

,
i

f';

r irr
l

ariBikJUil^^^

'

'-

-"T5B^

~^1

"

-=al

Tr
Cromdubh Sunday.

A great
and the

battle took place on this very plain in 1256,

has been described bo carefully and accu-

site

O'Curty remarks

rately that Mr.

" It

is

fully clear, that, if

ancient native documents,

monuments

ruined

289

of our country

if,

any man

acquainted with our

fairly

and practised

the excavation of the

in

of an Utility so thickly scattered

such a

I say,

man were

hand, and an extract from the Life of

in his

over the face

to go with this article

St. Patrick,

he may.

perhaps, discover the identical Oram Cruach himself with his twelve

buried

down

where they

satellites,

l>y St.

and were interred when Btruck

fell

Patrick with his crozier, the

Bachail Iosa, or sacred

Staff of Jesus."

This idol was also called Crom-dubh, and

it

is

re-

markable that tbe next Sunday before All Saints

called
is

by Irish-speaking people Cromduff Sunday.

more than probable that the day was

commemoration
This

is precisely

the date at which

it is

was held en the

festival of the idol

likely

before

in

mosl probable that

:

and as the greal

1st of

that he would have effected

that

named

of St. Patrick's destruction of the idol.

the miracle of its destruction occurred

is

so

is

It

Such

event.

miracle

November,
its

it

overthrow

would be long

remembered by the people, and they would naturally

remember the day on which it occurred by some such
significant appellation.
St.
in

Patrick having

Meath and

now

accomplished his greal work

the adjacent

districts,

prepared for his

journey to that western shore which he had so long

desired to visit

Irrr.

It

is

probable that the saint travelled

7T

in a straight

plain of

line

Magh

or from Tara,

across the

country, cither from the

where he had destroyed the

Slecht,

may have

which he

revisited

idol,

before

leaving that part of Ireland for his distant mission.

The

Tripartite states that he

went over Snamh-da-en,

where he forded the Shannon miraculously, and that

charioteer,

his

Buadmael, died, and was buried here imme-

diately after his landing.

It is remarkable,

and a matter

of great interest both to the archaeologist and the hagiographer,

how

accurately nearly every site mentioned in

the ancient Lives

of

St.

Patrick

can

be identified.

and coherence of narrative and known facts of topography and history, which
render the details of the Life of St. Patrick of the most

There

is,

in fact, a coincidence

unquestionable authenticity.

Snamh-da-en? was the ancient name of that part of

Shannon which lies between Clonmacnoise and

the

Clonburren.
that noble

Thus we can point out the very part of

At Cill
where the saint crossed.

river

Buaidh he founded a church, probably on or near the

site of

the present church of Killemry, to the west of

Lough Ree.

The

saint then proceeded to

Magh-nai,

a plain in the county Roscommon, wishing, as usual, to

proceed direct to Cruachan," the ancient palace of the

kings of Connaught.

This plain was situated between

the towns of Roscommon, Elphiu, Castlerea, and Strokes-

Snam7i-da-en.

The swimming or passage

no van, " Hy-Many," p. 5.

Cruachan. Top. Poems,

p. xxxiii.

oE

the two birds.

See O'Do

St.

>>.**

Patrick meets Ethna and

i< thlema.

town.

Here be was met by two brothers who were

druids,

Mael and

('a plait, and who were said to have

two daughters of King Laeghaire, Ethna the

fostered

and Fethlema the Ruddy.

Fair,

Tims,'

druids

tried

and brought darkness

to exercise their magical arts,

He

over the plain, which was dispelled by the saint.

then visited Elphin and other places in Connaught,

As

where he founded churches.

are recorded fully in the Tripartite,

these
it

foundations

will he

unneces-

sary to mention them here.

There was a well or fountain, called Clebach/' on the

slope of the royal fort or palace of Cruachan, where the

women were accustomed

bathe at

to

Ethna and Fethlema arrived

sunrise

when

at this place one morning,

tiny found the saint there with a "synod of clerics

with white garments and their hooks before them."*
The maideus were amazed at what tiny deemed a
heavenly apparition
and one, more courageous than
;

the rest, began

to question

asked, had they

eome

of the earth, or a

phantasm

the saint

Were

whence,

she

they sidhes, 1 or gods

:
3 Clebach.

This word

signifies a tux or wolf.

There is still .1 well at tlio
surrounded by a doablo fosse. For details of this most enrious
and interesting remaiD, see O'Donovan's note under the year 1223.
4 Tlicm. So in
the Book of Armagh and the Tripartite,
lint Probus expressly says that Patrick hail three bishops ami many clerics with him.
Colgan, pp. 53, Si in our oopy of Colgan, 54 is misprinted 5S.)
6 Sidhc This was the name given by the
Irish to fairies who inhabited the

Bath, which

is

hills.

It is doubtful

r with

the Celtic

daughters and
pa-lite.

whether the word

ride,

a blast.

St. Patriate will

i;

oognate with the Latin root softs

The conversation between Laeghaire's

be given in

full in the translation of

the Tii-

"

Then they inquired where the God of these strange

lived % was he beautiful 1 was he rich 1 and then

men

they asked whether he was in the elements which they

worshipped, " in the sea or in rivers, in mountains

or in valleys

The

last of all

He told them

than

He

is

was not slow

saint

tioning.
ful

But

and how

to be loved,

they asked,

to be

how

earth,

and

the Light
And

One.

seas,

of all

then,

and

He

to reply to their eager ques-

more power-

He

all.

rivers

the Life of

was who

it

had created these elements, who was the God

and

is

of the one true God,

more beautiful than

all,

found

of heaven,
all

things

things the ever blessed Three

having instructed them as fully

in

as

might be in the Church's Creed, he added, with that

inimitable
excel

"

grace,

But

which

in

I desire to

unite

souls

saintly

you

to the

so

often

Heavenly King,

inasmuch as you are the daughters of an earthly king."

Then

how

Him

see
"

And

them
Heavenly Kmg, that they " might

the virgins implored the saint to teach

to believe in this

face to face."

Patrick said

'

Believe ye that by baptism you put off the

of your father and your

sins

They answered, 'We

mother?

believe.'

"

'

Believe ye in repentance after sin V

"

'

Believe ye in

at the

Day

of

life

after death

Judgment V

'

'

We believe.'

" Believe ye the unity of the Church T

'

Church.

in the
is

'

We

believe.'

This is from

Book

omitted.

We believe.'

Believe ye the Resurrection

Dr. Todd's translation of the original as it stands

In the Irish version of the Tripartite this question
of Armagh.
It is observable, however, that Probua has it (Quinla Vita

Colgan, p. 58, rccte 54)

" Creditis unitatem sancta: Ecclesioe

?"

They desire

ancient

["hen, writes the

them, and

to see the

put a white

Face of(

chronicler, Patrick baptized

garment upon their heads, and

they "asked to see the face of Christ."

the fervor of

these

nothing but the

Most
you,

293

'hrist.

So great was

young and noble

Beatific Vision

converts,

could

thai

them.

satisfy

blessed ones, pray for as also, that we, too, with

may

see the face of Christ ere long

But Patrick told them they must pass through the

dark portals of death before they entered the gates of
Life,

and that they must

also

"receive the Sacrifice,

if

They answered, " Give us

the Sacrifice, that we may behold the Son our Spouse."
How many holy virgins have asked and obtained this
they would see their Lord."

same grace, both before and since

not been granted to
did,
....

many

and, though

from earth to heaven, the

moment

known

in ecclesiastical history. 7

Then the holy maidens wen;

was indeed most
garment.

fitting, in

And

their

laid to rest together, as

one bed, and covered with

friends

wept

for

them, even

while they rejoiced, virgins, following the Virgui

7

History.

has

after receiving

the Sacrament of Love, yet such instances are

and recorded

it

to pass, as those noble ladies

In or about the year

Lamb,

Dominican, died
on Holy Thursday, with two
of his novices, one at each side, who had served his Mass, The whole narrative is
far too long to insert here, but it may be read at length in Catholic ].
published by Burns and Co., London, p. 37.
The fact that their death was
a sjiccial favor granted to them by our Divine Lord, and foretold by Him,
seems to be well authenticated. Dr. Lanigan, always inclined to be sceptical,
has endeavored to explain away this passage by saying that probably it only

after celebrating the

bat this

Holy

1277, Brother Bernard, a

Sacrifice of the Mass,

to tho religious profession of the virgins (h'c JIUl., vol.

is

obviously impossible.

i.,

p. '211)

Life of St. Patrick

294

in white raiment, in the heavenly

kingdom.

"When the

days of mourning [ululationis] for the king's daughters

were accomplished, they were buried near the well

Clebach, where they had

was made according

pagan custom

but, adds Tirechan, with us

is,

seen the saint.

first

to the

it

the remains of the virgins.

the ground

is

called

The grave

like a Fcrta,
Reliquiae, that

Nor can we doubt

was consecrated wherein these holy

that

relics

were placed, for the writer states expressly that the

F&rta, with the bones of the holy virgins, was granted to
Patrick and to his heirs for ever, and that he built a

church of earth near the place.

In

doing

this,

in-

would only follow the usual custom of the

deed, he

Holy Catholic Church, which ever loved

to offer the

Adorable Sacrifice in or near the place where the saints

reposed.

How

few ever give a thought to the memory of the

virgins as they pass the old rath of the

chieftains

Yet there

is

whole of Ireland which

saintly memorial.

Heremonian

scarcely a spot throughout the

is

not consecrated by some

Here some great miracle was

per-

formed, there some church was founded by Patrick

himself
river

in this place he preahced to thousands, in that

he baptized thousands.

Why

do not our people

4
Reposed. The Tripartite says, " And Sen-domlmagh of Magh-al was presented to Patrick in sternum." And others say the relics of the maidens
were brought to Ard-Macha, and there they await the resurrection, el ibi

raurrcctionem expectant. The plain of Magh-ai, now Mochaine, extended

from the town of Roscommon to the barony of Boyle, and from the bridge of
Cloonfree, near Strokestown, to Castlerea.
Book of Ili'jhts, p. 104.

Z^L
His

Visit to the

Wood

up these holy memories

treasure

qfFochlut.

Why

taught them, and reminded of them

are they not

memory
memo-

Better the

of holy deeds and saintly lives, than the angry

ries,

too long cherished, of oppression and wrong.

remembered that

It will be

naughl
the

St.

the "second Easter."

in

death

Patrick went to Con-

So

it is

probable that

holy virgins took place

of these

between

Easter

and

verted,

and the circumstances attending their conver-

The two magi were con-

Whitsuntide.

sion led to the use of a proverb, Calvus is like Caplait,

because the one was shaven after the other.

Patrick

St,

remained seven years in Connaught, according to Tircchan, and the author of the Tripartite.
useless to give a
there, in

given

list

of the churches

It

the present part of this work, as

fully,

would be

which he founded
it

with careful identifications of each

There

the translation of the Tripartite.

are,

will

be

site,

in

however,

some points of

interest

noticed here.

Nbl the least remarkable of these

visit

and importance, which

wood

of the saint to the

town of

Bcnl

Killala.

It

shall be
is

the

of Fochlut, near the prewill

be

remembered how

deeply moved he had been by even the very mention

of the name, while at the court of

Tata

how great,

then, his emotion

he beheld the very

site,

King Laeghairc

at

must have been when

and walked

in

the

wood from

which he had been called "to come over and help the
Irish Celt."

by two
Gleran,

As be approached

virgins,

who

the place he

was met
named

the daughters of a chieftain

are said

to

have been the very children

whose voices

the

veil,

founded.

Their names were

had heard in Gaul.

lie

Crehrea and Laissair, and

St. Patrick, after

them over a

placed

giving them

which he

religious house

Their relics were preserved at the church of

Kil-fhorclarm, on the

west of Cross-patriek.

tanks of the

Moy, about a mile

This being accomplished, the saint proceeded to the

Amalgaidh usually assembled,

place where the clan

order to

his

fulfil

dividing the

and

promise to Endeus,

Here

inheritance.

crowned with wonderful

success,

his

and

in

assist in

preaching
assisted

was

by won-

One of these miracles was the resusciAengus named Feidelm, who had died
some time before. The prince had promised to believe
if Patrick would restore her to life.
As soon as the
derful miracles.

tation of a sister of

saint arrived at

Forrach-nec-Amalghaidh, he went with

Conall to the grave by the lower road to Citt-Alaidh.

Aengus, however, went by the upper road,

reason for so doing

is

not mentioned.

When

but his
the saint

had reached the grave, he resuscitated the woman, who

was pregnant.

After her baptism she preached to the

Cross-patrick.
The Tripartite says " It was they that called upon Patrick
from their mother's womb, when he was in the islands of the Tyrrhene Sea."
They are patronesses in Cill-Forglainn, to the west of Muahlli.
1
Forrach-nec-Amalghdidh. The assembly grounds of the tribe of Amal:

gaidh.

Dr. O'Donovan has identified the

mouth

site.

It is in the present parish of

Moy, between Balliua and Killala. The

name even is yet to be found in the townland of Farragh, in that parish, and
there are two hills in the neighborhood, either of which may have been the
very site whereon St. Patrick preached to the princes and people of Tirawlcy
One hill is called Mulloch Fharraidlt, the Hill of the
on this occasion.
Assembly the other Cnoc-a-tirrol, the Hill of the Meeting.
Ballisakeery, near the

of the

Woman

His Restores

Life

to

people of the " pains of hell and the rewards of heaven,"

and brought her brother with tears to believe "

and Patrick."

of Regeneration,

day

that

Patrick

for

God

He, then, also received the Sacrament

and 12,000 people were baptized on

in the

well

Aen-Adharrac. 1

of

Manchen

left St.

Here St

govern the church which he

to

founded.

Probus records

St. Patrick's visit to

Cruachan Aighle

as having taken place immediately after these events.

The

says Patrick went to

Tripartite

Cruachan Aighle
is men-

on the Saturday of Whitsuntide, but the event

tioned quite apart from the circumstances related above.

Jocelyn has not attempted any very regular sequence

in his history,

and the account comes near the end

the Life, but he

this

mountain.

lema.

*
is

Tirechan,

the

in

Book of Armagh,

Cruachan Aighle immeafter the baptism and death of Ethna and FethAll the accounts of this remarkable and impor-

mentions
diately

of

says St. Patrick passed the Lent on

St. Patrick's visit to

Aen-Adharrac

The one-horned

called Tober-en adare.

the dead, granted by

God

In the

hill.

A remarkable
to the saints,

Book

of

Armagh

the well

instance of the power to resuscitate

is

mentioned

in the Life of St.

Co-

where we are told that she restored a nun to life who had been dead
and was lying in her coffin in the church when the miracle
touk place. A picture was long preserved at Poligny, where the miracle
occurred.
"St Clare, St. Colette, and the Poor Clares," pp. 229-233.
s Cruachan Aighle.
The Hill of the Eagle, now Croagh Patrick, or Patrick's
There is a singular and very
Hill, in the south-west of the county Mayo.
lette,

for several days,

Thus we hud in the Life of

Francis of Assisi that he spent a " Lent" on the mountains of Alvernia,

beautiful family likeness in the lives of the saints.

St.

before the Feast of St. Michael, in the year 1224, where our Divine Lord

appeared to him several times, and promised special favors for his order.

M St Francis and

the Franciscans,"

p.

190,

Life of St. Patrick.

298

tant period of his history are, however, substantially the

same indeed

it is

not a

little

remarkable that so

many

authors, writing under such different circumstances, in

different countries,

and

cumstance in

itself is

have

at different periods, should

This one

coincided so accurately in every detail.

cir-

strong confirmatory evidence of

the authenticity of what they have related.

It is probable the Tripartite gives the

account of the time during which

forty days

St.

and nights of fasting and

mountain.

If

Book

of

vigil

upon

this

he visited Tirawley during the second

Easter after his arrival in Ireland, as

the

most correct

Patrick kept his

we gather from

Armagh, he would have been occupied until

Pentecost with his mission there.

He may

have desired some weeks of retirement

then well

for prayer

and

special penitential exercises, which, after the sacraments,

are the great source of strength for the Catholic missionary.

may have made him wish

who had witnessed his
and who might ignorantly refer

His humility,

also,

to retire for a time from

wonderful miracles,

them

those

to his power, instead of to the

power of God.

Alone upon the mountain, the saint watched and

prayed and wept for forty days and

many

How

foi'ty nights.

may we owe

graces and blessings

even

now

to the

intercession of our great apostle during that period of

penance and intercession

came

At

its

close,

to torment him, in the shape of birds,

the

demons

whose black

forms kept from him the fight of heaven and the sight
of earth.

He

prayed, saying the Psalms of holy David,

He Prays and Weeps

upon Croagh Patrick. 299

which the maledictions of heaven were invoked upon

in

Then he rang

the powers of darkness.

hell

which he appears

to

his hell

the

have carried with him every-

where, and which, no doubt, was specially blessed,

" To drive

Then he threw the

that a piece

demons from the upper

all

amongst them

bell

was broken from

it.

air."

in holy anger, so

But God,

wise purposes, permitted all these efforts to

to

show the

saint that no efforts,

His

for
fail,

own

perhaps

however holy, could avail

against the powers of darkness, as

long as

God was

pleased to permit that he should be tried by them.

Patrick

now began

front of his casula

to him.

Thus

weep

to

so abundantly that the

was wet, and then the angel came

also

do the angels come to us

not, in-

deed, always in visible form, as they appeared to our

great apostle and father, but not less surely and truly,

danger

when God's providence

rescues us

from the

which has caused us

many

and many anxious

also

fears

hours.

The angel was probably

Victor,

who

so constantly

attended the saint, and appeared to him on so

occasions.

He

many

cleaned the casula, and brought white

birds about the mountain, and they sang " sweet melodies
1

"6

Bell.

bell.

for the apostle,

This

is

now freed from

oalled in the Tripartite

Prohus does not mention

this,

the attacks of the

Bernan

nor does

Bright*, Brigid's gapped

he give any details of St.

Patrick's visit to Cruacltan Aighlt,

*

marked

tP^i

also, in the Life of St. Francis of Assisi, we are told freThere are some
the birds surrounded him, and sang for him.
resemblauces between the Lives of St. Patrick and St. Francis; and

Melodies. Thus,

quently

how

300

Life of St. Patrick

powers of darkness.
victory

was

The

attained, the

In the Lives of the Saints

cumstances

we

many

find

suffered,

in this world, of nearness to

of His divine approbation.

favors follow,

spiritual

soul, the true life, gains

similar cir-

and penance in

after a period of prayer

which the body has

and the

had been borne, the

trial

reward was about to follow.

a thousand-fold, even

God, and of special tokens

How could

be otherwise,

it

when such persons have but followed the example

the Son in

^"

whom He was

well pleased

of

conversation between St. Patrick and the angel

is

recorded in the Tripartite, which reminds us of Jacob's

" / will not let thee go unless
declaration to the angel
:

thou bless

me

6
;

and of the conversation between

St.

Francis of Assisi and his guardian angel, as recorded in

the annals of the Order.

"

asked for
it is also

souls,

and

St.

Patrick, like St. Francis,

so great, so ardent, so

consuming was

observable that the Franciscans have been specially devoted to

recording both the history and hagiography of Ireland.

were Franciscan friars ; Colgan was a Franciscan friar

The Four Masters

and many of the

Irish annals were compiled by Franciscans.

9
Me, Gen. xxxii., 25. As the conversation between the angel and St.
Patrick will be given in the Tripartite in full, it has uot been considered

Since the first part of this work was issued, a

necessary to insert it here.
very absurd theory has been ventilated by a person, to whose position, for the
It is that the Lives of St.
credit of Catholicity, I will not even allude.

made up by students, who wrote essays on this and Irish history

and who, when they could not get sufficient material for their
All I can say is, that they were wonderfully
essay, invented a miracle.
No doubt, anyone could invent a miracle but how does it happen
gifted.
that all these inventions hang so well together that places and dates and
that they are confirmed by modern research
and
public events all coincide
what becomes of the veracity of the compilers of these Lives, who used these
" essays." I am pained thatany Irishman should have propounded such a theory; I am grieved that it was proposed for the acceptance of a large audience of
voung men.
Patrick were
generally,

1H

Favours Promised

to

him by God.
(

his desire for the salvation of his

he could not easily be

satisfied.

adopted country, that

It

was on

this occasion

that he obtained for his faithful ones the privilege of

releasing

"seven every Thursday, and twelve every

Saturday, from

pains

;"

and that Erinn

covered by the sea seven years before the

Then he was promised

ment.

who should
should at the Day
those

recite his

of

;"

fire shall

for all

and that he

" seven persons for

and that on the "clay when the

twelve royal seats shall be on

four rivers of

daily,

be

of Judg-

special graces

hymn

Judgment save

every hair in his casula

should

Day

Mount

Sion,

and the

be about the mount, and

when

the three peoples shall be there, namely, the people of

heaven, and the people of earth, and the people of

that he should be judge over the

"When

day."

went

to

St.

Patrick

made

men

hell,

of Erinn on that

this request, the angel

heaven until the evening, and then he returned

to the saint to tell

him

that his prayer

command him to ring

kneel down and bless the
to

was granted, and

his sweet-sounding bell,

and

people of Erinn.

After St. Patrick's descent from the mountain, he visited the country of the

four churches,

He

also

Corco-Themne, where he founded

and baptized many thousand persons.

visited

well

called

Tobar-Finn-maujhc,^

Lanigan("Ec. History." vol. i., p 227) says that this

To>ir-Finnmaight
In the Book of Arma-h, Ftnn-itagh,
in Mayo, but gives no authority.
White Plain, is said expressly to be in Hy-.Many, which shows that he
was wrong. Dr. O'Donovan has identified the district in the barony of
Athlone, County Roscommon. The history of St. Patrick's visit to the well is

was

or the

given very fully in the Book of Armagh.

/'I

where the pagans believed that a god had

his resi-

This well was covered with an immense stone

dence.

which the saint removed, and thus destroyed the devowhich the people had for it.
The veneration which the saint had and always
manifested for the cross is specially dwelt upon by his
tion

early biographers.

was

It

his custom, as

it

was

also the

custom of the early Christians, to sign himself frequently

with that sacred symbol
the cross of Christ over

day and night."

special faith in,

which the

It

is

and,

we

and veneration

Irish Celt has

from our great apostle.

are told, " he placed

him one hundred times each

more than probable, that the
for this pious

ever manifested,

So exact was the saint in the

practice of exterior reverence to the cross, that

he passed a wayside

custom

inherited

is

cross,

even

if it

whenever

were at some con-

siderable distance, he at once dismounted from his horse

or chariot in order to

pay due respect

to the

symbol of

our salvation.

On
it,

one occasion he passed by a cross without noticing

but in the evening his charioteer,

asked

why

While praying before

exterior mark, or

told which, that

inquired
the

tomb

who
:

it

by a divine

it,

intimation,

it,

saint

to the

by some

he knew,

some one had been buried

seen

The

and went back

at once rose from his dinner,

cross.

who had

he had omitted his usual custom.

we

are not

there.

He

was, and a voice answered him from

"I am a poor pagan, and

whilst living, I was injuring

my

soul

was buried here

untd

died,

and

The Saint Illuminates the Plain.

The

waa buried here afterwards."

why

the sign of Christianity

The

grave.

spirit

foreign lands,

answered

this

through

his

my

grief,

it

to

lands,

She thought

grave.

was placed,
recognize

in

country

and she came from foreign

this cross over

able,

inquired

"A certain woman was

was over the grave of her son

was not

saint

had been placed over

and her son was buried here in

during her absence

and placed

30:3

it

for she

her son's

grave." 8

The
to

saint, after this,

caused the cross to be removed

The writer of the

the grave of the Christian.

partite then abruptly relates

3Eti
Patrick's charioteer
find

them

the

saint

Tri-

how, on one occasion, when

wanted

his horses,

and could not

in consequence of the darkness of the night,

illuminated

Hfted up
all

his

hand,

the plain as

if

and

his

five

fingers

they were five torches,

so that the horses were immediately found.

Probus,

however, gives a fuller account of this miracle, and says

that

it

occurred on the night of Sunday, after a stormy

day, during which St. Patrick had been exposed to the

fury of the tempest, which came on suddenly, and inun-

dated the whole province

the

place where the saint

was, however, remained dry."

8 Grave.
The account of this miracle as given by Probus, differs in detail
from that given in the Tripartite and the Book of Armagh. See Colgan, p. 55.
* Dry.
In the Life of St. Hilarion, we rind a curious account of his having
blessed some horses which were to run in the public games at Gaza. They were
the property of a Christian, and their owner assured the saint that he was obliged
to join in these public games on account of his office, and not from inclination.
He also informed him that his pagan opponent had bewitched his horses by ma.
gical incantations, so that he was continually reproached by the non-Christian
population with being unable to defeat them.
Under these circumstances, the

St.

Patrick remained seven years in Connaught

then, having established Christianity in

and

that remote

region, returned, through the north of Ireland, to his

The

old converts in Meath.

the narrative of his

Tripartite thus concludes

Ireland

in that part of

labors

" Thrice Patrick went across the Shannon into the land
of Connaught.

Fifty bells and fifty altar chalices and

fifty altar cloths

of

them

to the

he

left in

in his church.

men

the land of Connaught, each

Seven years was he preaching

of Connaught,

and he

left

them a

blessing,

and bade them farewell."

him water to bless the horses the result was a triumphant victory,
and the conversion of many of the pagans, who declared that
Manias, the
God of Gaza, was defeated by Christ."

eaint gave

'

'

ry i;v
'

,n.|i,yi

and the sea into Crick-

wards between Es-Euaidh

Conaill.

Here he " fixed a

an abode

for seven bishops,

and said

stake,

he predicted the birth of

Conall and Fergus

upon the head

Mac

is."

Who

sliall

this place

As he placed

Neill.

be born of his

will be a sage,

Near

Columba, when blessing

St.

of the latter he said

" A youth

would be

it

and there Bite? the bro-

son of Aisicus, from Elphin,

ther's

his

hands

tribe,

a prophet, a poet."

After the saint had left a blessing on the towns, and

and churches, in

forts,

Magh

this part of

Donegal, he went to

Itha.

curious

and

characteristic conversation

is

recorded

have taken place at Fidh-mor, between

to
2

Bite.

Patrick

This was Beoadh, Bishop of Ardcarne, in the county RoscomAsieus, Bishop of Elphin.
of
Son of Conall Gulban he was married to Erea, daughter of Loam
St.

He was nephew

mon.

St.

Fergus.

St.

whom

he had a son Felim, the father of St. Columba. In relating

this circumstance Dr. Lanigan throws a doubt upon the Tripartite, saying
"If we are to believe the Tripartite." I have been blamed for a want of

Mor, by

respect to Dr. Lanigan's

memory and

services in calling attention to these

but surely it is the first duty of a writer to explain, as far as may be,
the mistakes of those who have written on the same subject. The remark
was indeed only made by one person, strongly prejudiced against the present
writer's view of St. Patrick's Life ; but as others may possibly also misapprehend our criticisms, it has seemed advisable to explain them. Predictions are
frequently found in the Lives of the Saints, and only an unwise prejudice
could induce anyone to discredit the Tripartite narrative because this prethings

diction

is

contained iu

Magh
tical

rence

Itha,

it.

NowVeagh; it lies between the church of Donaghmore, of

and the royal palace of Aileach. I fear that those who are scep-

* Fidh-mt,r.

about miracles will question this incident.

is

related in the Life of St. Colette,

which at

somewhat
least

may

similar occur-

prevent

it

from

being attributed to the " imagination" of

St. Patrick's biographers, or rele.

We

are told, in the Life of St. Colet'je,

gatod to the invention of a " student."

The Miracle performed for Eoghan.

and Eoghan,
Eoghain.

son of Nial, and ancestor of the Cine!

He complained

to the saint that his brother

took precedence of him on account of his ugliness, prob-

ably in accordance with the Celtic law, which required

chieftain to be free from

The

personal blemish.

all

saint

and when
inquired what form he would wish to have
Eoghan expressed a desire to resemble the appearance
of his "satchel-bearer," Moo, of Inix-bo-fuide, who was
St Patrick's nephew, and son of his sister, Darerca, he
;

covered both with the one garment at night, and in the

morning Eoghan's

desire

had another wish, and

be increased

was

this

this, too,

But Eoghan

gratified.

was that his stature should

he confided to the

saint,

who

obtained for him also the increase in height which he

desired.

Patrick then blessed

and journeyed on

to the

Eoghan and

his sons,

royal palace of Ailcach of the

Kings.
I

am

prepared for scorn

not only from those

who

am

prepared

for laughter,

power
by which He

utterly disbelieve in the

which God has delegated

to

His

saints,

has enabled them to work miracles, but even from those

whose

faith should teach

them

better things.

It

mat-

when she was fourteen years of aire, her stature was so remarkably dimi.
nutive, that her father taunted her with it on many oceaaionB, and declared
she would be of no U9e in their little household. After one of these painful
scenes, the young saint, deeply grieved at her real <>r supposed inca] acity t'>
a chapel dedicated to our
In dp her parents, res.
that

'

Her praj
Blessed Lady, and to ask the favor of an increase in stature.
'it,
a miraculous growth; and, in
heard, and Bh
addition, a social dignity and majestic sweetness in her whole carriage which

remained her sjucial characteristic through

the Poor Clares," p. 186.

life

"

St.

'

'lare,

St

<

"I,

^jMi

l i ii O ij

ilff ii

H^ifl ^^^TPBr^ Wh

'

'

l'

"

l-''i;

'

>lu^vP Hi tli f
i

l|l

Life of St. Patrick.

Truth

ters little.

is

not

because

less truth

disbe-

it is

by many. A miracle is none the less true because

modern scepticism finds in it some special subject of
lieved

criticism

some

happened.

special reason

why it

" could not" have

have already said so much on the subject

am
No amount

of miracles in the introductory chapters, that I

unwilling to enter upon the subject again.

of arsTiment will

convince a

man

Those who have not received the

able

and there are metaphysical

against

his

will.

gift of faith are excus-

connected

difficulties

with the whole subject of evidence, which would need

more space
others,

who

to explain than can be given

here.

in the Life of St. Patrick,

and who,

nevertheless,

possibility of a miracle, I

by the power

place,
St.

why

Patrick

some other

also, in

if

a miracle

any time or in any

of God, occur at

reject the miracles recorded in the Life of

There

Patrick for which

of

can only say

would

deny the

not, perhaps I should say dare not, altogether

can,

To

are pleased to discredit the miracles recorded

saint.

common

It should,

is

no miracle in the Life of

we may not
If

you

St.

find a parallel in the life

discredit the one,

you must

consistency, discredit the other.

however, be well and clearly understood,

that miracles which have not received the special seal

of the Church's approbation,

by acceptance

for canoni-

zation, are to be received as true or rejected as false

the ordinary evidence of

who

human

may

be said by those

that

some of the miracles related

testimony.

believe a miracle

is

Now,

on
it

possible,

in the Lives of our

aI

111:1

bui

admit that

to be drawn.
historical

same

and others may not

v be true

saint

here.

testimony

all

are supported

Deny one

historical evidence.

that

and

any

by

it

we can say

is,

do occur by God's permission, these

have occurred

and, again, let

fact,

me

earnestly re-

that there is not

single miracle recorded as having been

the life

true.

that such miracles are recorded

by St. Patrick, for which you

that

you

for believing the

does not therefore follow

quest attention to the important

in

is

precisely the

miracle, and

single miracle must, of necessity, be

that, as miracles

o.

so,

select certain miracles as true,

reject others as false,

All that

may

be

The process of " natural selection" will not avail

But though it would be impossible to make any

line of demarcation,

and

may

All are recorded on precisely the same

have no reason or rational trround

rest.

It

cannot sec where the distinction

may

of some other saint.

performed

not find

a parallel

Hence, the theory

the miracles attributed to St. Patrick are to be

discredited, because they

were frequent, or because they

were extraordinary, at once

There

is

falls to

the ground.

also a peculiar fitness in these miracles.

We

need go no further than the one at present under consideration to prove this.

L8

"What more bkely to impress

Ground. I am almost ashamed of so frequently returning to this subbut it seems of urgent necessity a recent writer having suggested tli.it
the legends of the Irish saints should bo " related as Livy does the legi
Koman history." Thus would a German inlidel relate what In- would Ball
We do not doubt that
the "legends" of the life of our Divine Lord.
this theory wis put forward thoughtlessly but it is, nevertheless, injurious to
Catholic
treatment
of
the
lives
the
saints.
of
a true
4

ject

310

Life of St. Patrick.

the Cinel Eoghan, than a miracle which showed respect

and which was

same time a supernatural intervention, of which

for their prince, regard for their laws,

at the

they could not

fail

to be continually

reminded

These

brave and rude, but earnest men, with a cultivation

peculiarly their own, with the deepest reverence for
nobility of appearance, were best influenced

such a miracle as

The sons

of

by

precisely

this.

Eoghan were

to future greatness

and

such a miracle could not

all

destined

their personal

by Providence
knowledge of

to react powerfully for the

fail

future advancement of Christianity.

If

we had not evidence

in the lives of other saints

of similar miracles having occurred, this miracle might

be relegated to the same class as the legends told by

Livy of Eoman history;

all

it

might be explained away, and

the supernatural element, which

term

chaff,

might be threshed

sons would call the wheat of

out,

common

But we dare not pursue such a

process of sifting,

by
can

sense left behind.

course, lest, in the

we might unhappily

wheat of truth had been

intellect, or

some writers would

and what such per-

an unworthy

cast aside

find the pure

by the pride

stating boldly our belief in the supernatural.

I

for a

of

desire not to shock prejudice

moment admit

that

such a

Nor

course

is

the wisest, even from a consideration of expediency.

Protestant readers are far more likely to respect those

who adhere

firmly to then principles,

the moral courage of those

who

and

will

honor

boldly admit, even in

!^^V
//<

this

Aileach of the Kings.

r/.v/As'

ago of Bcepticiam, that they believe miracles have

happened and do happen, and who do not

to apologize for

find

it

necessary

them, or to explain them away.

Honesty

thebesl policy, in theology and in literature, as well as

is

in social

proved

life.

110

temporizing policy has,

gain in the

Catholic truth

way

has unhappily done no

it

we

believe,

of convincing Protestants of

undermining the faith of Catholics;

little evil in

andmanya youth of

promise and of early piety becomes a sceptic in after

life,

because his respect for his faith has been lowered

by the injudicious, though unintentional, questioning of

miracles,

scarcely
St.

which he has heard from those who, perhaps,

mean

all

Patrick's

was

partite,
fortified

that they have thoughtlessly said.

next journey,

to Aileach

residence

of

according to the Tri-

of the Kings.

the

This was the

Northern Hy-Nial

kings.

Here he prophesied that kingship and pre-eminence

should be over Erinn from Aileach, and the prophecy

was amply fulfilled.

The Northern Hy-Nialsheld sway

over the country for centuries

this race

and the

chieftains of

were the most powerful opposors of foreign

invasion until the flight of the Earl of Tyrone.

The

saint then visited

Eoghan of the
6

Magh-dala,

where he built

Erom thence he proceeded

seven churches.

Islands,

to Tir-

where he built a hermitage.

The remains of this celebrated fort are near the

town of Londonderry. For drawings and description, Bee the
Ordinance Memoir of Templi n
7 Mwjh-dala. The name is still preserved In the river
Moyola, which fall-'
into Lough Neagh.
Aileach of the Kings.

present

Tir-Euyluin of the Islands.

Now

Inishowcn.

'

WWW

'|T

|^U- JWf" v

j'

ll

!l

'
i',

l1

rni W f fi/y i^ffi|TW i T^

,

ii/b

312

MICTMWI fl yrM.

iw

q/"

^^P^??!^

St. Patrick.

At Bredaeh he met " the three Deachnans, the sons of

Patrick's sister, in the country of Ailell, son of Eoghan,

and he ordained Oengus, son of

and he remained there on Sunday

Ailell, in

that place,

Domhnach-bile

is its

name.

That the custom of erecting seven churches

in the

same

neighborhood was prevalent in Ireland from the time

of St. Patrick to the seventh or eighth century, there

Hence

can be no question.
",y

it

is

difficult to see

Dr. Lanigan should seek to throw

discredit

why

on the

frequent mention of the erection of seven churches by

St.

Patrick in various places.

an able writer and a pious

It is to

be regretted, that
should have ex-

ecclesiastic

pended so much argument, and used such contemptuous

terms, in alluding to this matter.'
If,

indeed,

mary

it

could be proved that

same neighborhood,
8

Matter.

lar

view

if
;

it

would be a

was not

custo-

churches in the

sufficient

argument

have already alluded to the remarks made by one person

as to the present writer's

grieved

it

in ancient Erinn to erect seven

criticism of Dr. Lanigan.

I should be deeply

anyone, whose opinion was worth consideration, should take a simihowever, I think few are likely to do so. Any person accustomed to

historical investigations, would

simply characterize a writer as utterly incapable

who did not thoroughly investigate
every point connected with his subject, and show the errors of former writers.
telling
the
truth, or propagating error out
simply
between
The question lies
the latter course would seem to the
of respect to the memory of the dead
preseut writer the more disrespectful, as it would imply that the dead had
wilfully misrepresented facts, instead of doing so merely through inadvertence.
In the present instance Dr. Lanigan writes thus : " Not to dwell on some stuff
about seven churches said to have been founded in that neighborhood by
"Ec. Hist.," vol. i. p. 265. Yet Dr.
St. Patrick in as many weeks," &c.
Keeves, who has translated the passage where these churches are mentioned,

of compiling an ordinary narrative of facts

from the Tripartite, gives identifications of the

disciples to whom the churches belonged.

sites,

and names

of the saint's

//.

DalrAraidhe and Dal-Riada.

visits

313
>'>>

against the

of

recurrence

statement

the

theso

[f

churches were originally erected of costly materia],

might be objected that no wealth could

effeci

is

no

lies

on

buildings in seven weeks, and here there

of such

But the burden of proof

question of a miracle.

We

the other aide.

many

have too

it

the erection

authentic remains

of groups of churches in sevens to allow a denial that

many more such groups may have been erected ami

that the material of which these earlier
is well known
it

churches were

dimen-

their extremely small

and

built,

sions,

were such as to allow of their being erected in

days.

\'<'\v

lie,

Then.' are, however,

a certain class of persons

who

convince, and

are

ase of prejudice,

ami there always

whom

afflicted

will

no argument can

with a certain moral

which makes argument, however

convincing, simply valueless to them.

Tiie saint

next

and Dal-Riada.

whom

to

who was

druid hail given the

afterwards

Erc's twelve

that he

of the church if he

brethren.

ami

St.

Patrick in their district

Tripartite

for the

before his brothers.

would be king eventually,

was

esteemed

than

his

expressly mentions that

St.

less

The

appelhjtiOB
tin- Icing to

Ob-an.
bod."

Tbe name

originated in tbe circumstances of tbe birth, which were said by

"-rJ -r-

he

that time he

The

child,

of ((lean,

would offer some land

was preferred

Patrick predicted that

at

posthumous

name

a bishop.

sonswi lcomed

and Fergus promised

though

the districts of Dal-Araidhe

visited

Here he baptized

is

the diminutive

<>f

ole, bail

or evil.

Patrick

" cells

many

left

and establishments in Dal-

Riada;" for the names and identifications of these places

we must

refer the reader to the latter part of the present

work.

In Dal-Araidhe he found a well at Lathrach Patraic,

and there Daniel, Patrick's angel and dwarf,

name

preserved, almost intact, in the

still

is

and

Glenavy,

is

Patrick

The

modern

but one of a thousand instances in

which the minutest

of St.

is.

by

details recorded

have been

recorded

the biographers

with the most

scrupulous care, and an accuracy which fully stands the

test of

modern research.

facts before

One should suppose, with such

them, that Catholics, at least, would cease to

question the miracles of the saint recorded by the same

and accurate

careful

writers.

We

believe

that this

questioning has simply been the result of the centuries

of discredit,

turbed

stituted, as to
fact,

which discredit has accumulated undis-

and there are some minds

whatever proof there

Some very

so unhappily con-

be unable to take a new view of an old

may

be of

its

accuracy.

interesting details of St. Patrick's visit to

Dal-Riada and Dal-Araidhe are

given in Tirechan's

Annotations in the Book of Armagh.

Lathrach Patraic that

is,

Patrick's

swamp.

Colg.in,

After he had

however, has trans-

lated it thus "In alio cjusdem regioni3 loco Lcttir-phadruic it posteritate appellate " (Septima Vita, p. 147).
He also says, Daniel was called Abliac, a dwarf,
:

from his short stature, and that from him the church was denominated LannAbhaic, the church of the dwarf, being then a parish in the diocese of Connor.
It is now called Glenavy, the letter G having been prefixed by the English
settlers.
In Pope Nicholas's Taxation, a.d. 1306, it is simply called Lenneuvy. Peeves' " Down and Connor," pp. 47 and 236.

ordained

Mac Erca

bishop,

at

Axdstraw, in the pn

county l^nrone,-he crossed the Bonn, and blessed the

place where

is

the

had erected many

little cell

of Cuil-Raithen.

When

he crossed the Buas,

cells,

he

and, at

Duin-Sebuirgi, 4 sat upon a rock, and consecrated Olcan

bishop.

erected

The

He then returned into the plain of Eilrie, and

many other churches, which the Coindiri possess.
saint at this time also revisited the scene of his

many

here, however, pass over

details which,

interesting,

would unnecessarily increase the

work

we do

will

but

find

them

We

mountain of Slemish.

early captivity on the

must

however

size of

our

so with the less regret, as the reader

in

the Tripartite.

All the more im-

portant acts of the saint, however, shall be carefully

recorded here.

what time

It is not certain at

a bishop for Cloghcr

St.

Patrick consecrated

but the details of that event are

One of his comwho appears to have attended him on all his

journeys, and who is emphatically denominated his
very curious, and are fully recorded.
panions,

"strongman," was carrying him over a stream.

exclaimed in a fashion which indicated that he did
find

it

so easy a task as

3 Cuilliititliat.

it

had once been.

St.

Ee
nol

Patrick

The present Coleraiue. Dr. Lanigan (" Ke. Hist.," vol. i., p.
was not acquainted with the valuable contents of the Book of Armagh,
and very naturally wonders where Harris got the information given above.
267]
*

Bum. The

bu'm-Schuinji.

present river Buch.

Dunsevcrick.

The whole

of this

passage

is

a clear indi-

cation that there were strictly defined territorial dioceses in Ireland

Book of Armagh was compiled,

annexed to Ihe See of Connor.

mk

in the

J &}

eighth century, aud that

when

tlio

observed that this was not usual with

he was getting old now, that the

settled all his

companions in churches, whilst

Carthainn
saint

had

he was

still

The

left to travel.

found a church

sufficiently near

prelate

up

for intercourse,

that

he

who governs

it

thus the

to-day can trace his succession

very time of St. Patrick.

Mac Carthainn was

left

And

to

and

Clogher was founded, and the esteemed

of

to the

him

saint desired

him

yet not so near as to cause inconvenience.

diocese

Mac

him.

replied, that

It

would appear

a favorite with the saint, for

him the Domlinach Airgid, which was sent to

when he was on the sea, coming

Patrick from heaven,

Bishop

to Erinn.

Mac Carthainn

died a.d. 506.

Preaching was the great means used by

for the conversion of Ireland

St.

and hence we

Patrick

find frc-

quent mention of the places and circumstances where he

poured forth that eloquence which

The

Faith.

the

Tripartite

won thousands

mentions a

to

remarkable

sermon, or series of sermons, which lasted " three days

and three

during which, such was the holy

nights,"

fascination exercised

by the

no longer than an hour.

Cloak er,

St.

Brigid

fell

into

saint, that

When
an

each day seemed

preaching thus near

ecstatic state, in

which

she had a vision which was afterwards interpreted

by

St Patrick.

remarkably detailed and characteristic account

is

given of the resuscitation of Eochaidh," son of Crimthann.

Eochaklh.

This jinnee

of the Orgillians

book

iii.

ch.

"(3.

from

is

mentioned by O'Flalierty, in tracing the history

O'Flalierty,
three Collas were descended.

whom the

'&r-''

r^r:

Eochaidh reston d
This prince had a daughter

many

her to

met the

3he

man

517

named

Ee wished

Cinne.

In the meantime

companions, and

his

If

to Life.

of noble family.

and

saint

*-1f?

he, as usual,

began at once to instruct her in the Christian doctrine.

She listened

him, was convinced of the truth, and

to

When

baptized.

give her to the

she

now

him

to

her father sought her, that he might

young prince

in

desired another alliance,

permit her to

"wed

marriage, he

found

and Patrick implored

the

Eternal

Spouse."

Eochaidh had evidently some knowledge of the Faith,

and

He

yet, withal, a not

unusual pagan dread of baptism.

promised to do as Patrick wished, on two conditions:

him heaven

if

the saint would promise

if

he would promise also thai he would not compel him

to be baptized.

tradictory
this as

went

The conditions seemed strangely con-

many

to live

occasions,

"united

agreed to
to

res! in

peace.

passed on, and Eochaidh

;

still

remained amongst

but the pure and holy incense of

daughter's prayers were ascending for him day and

night before the eternal throne, and

he,

like

another parent, was to reap the rich reward of the

fice

which he made.

comes to
pared.

all

At

last

many
sacri-

death came to him, as

it

prince and peasant, prepared and unpre-

The dying

around him

1HE

his

and

Christ,"

with another holy maiden, near Clogher,

the unbaptized ones

a

other

Cinne was then

where both virgins

V

and

but Patrick, no doubt divinely inspired on

on so

request.

as a reward,

to take

|IJfr f

chieftain desired
care

that

those

who

si

he was not buried until

St.

Patrick was then in Ulster at Saul,

Patrick came.

and here the death of Eochaidli was

him by a supernatural communication.

his favorite retreat;

made known

He

to

at once set out for Clogher, and, on his arrival, found

had been dead for twenty-four hours.'

The saint desired that he might be left alone with the
corpse, and, after spending some time in prayer, he comthat the

chief

manded him

to arise in the

name

of God.

The dead

7 Hours. There are few canonized saints who have not at some time or
other obtained the power of restoring the dead to life but, perhaps, one of
the most remarkable of those resuscitations was that performed by the instrumentality of St. Colette, at Poliguy, in the early part of the fifteenth century.
A religious, whose life had not been very edifying, died in that convent.
;

was then at Besancon, but the departed soul appeared to her, and
was permitted by God to appeal to her for help, that she might
be saved from eternal reprobation. Her great misery was caused by the
The saint at once sent an express
suppression of grave faults in confession.

'

'

St. Colette

said that she

all haste to Poliguy, desiring that the religious should not be

When the messenger came, the unhappy nun was
buried until her arrival.
Colette arrived on the evening of the third
in the choir.
cofBn,
in
her
lying
day, but so absorbed in ecstacy, as to appear unconscious of the crowds who
thronged around her, and who, having heard of her message, expected some
They only dispersed when assured that the nun would not be
great event.

messenger in

prayer.
buried uutil the following morning. The saint passed the night in
The office was said as usual in the morning, aud at its conclusion she went to
Thousands
religious.
several
of
the
the sanotuary, attended by the confessor and
had assembled in and around the church, and there was an awful stillness of

The saint, after praying before the Most Holy Sacrament,

approached the bier, aud commanded the dead to arise. The nun arose, and
was led by the saint to the altar. She made her confession to the priest,
aud said the penance enjoined her with tears and sobs of anguish, which
moved the awe-struck assembly to their very inmost hearts. Then she arose
and told them, with a clear and firm voice, that she had owed her salvation,
under God, to the merits of her holy abbess ; and that an angel had protected
expectation.

her soul from the demons who claimed it as their lawful prey, until the
With tears aud
miracle of her restoration to life could be accomplished.
burning words she implored those who surrounded her to pray for her, since
she must now return to God, to pay the heavy debt still due to his divine
Then she prostrated at the feet of her superior,
justice for her careless life.
and, after imploring her blessing, placed herself on the funeral bier, and calmly

expired." "St. Clare,

St. Colette,

and the Poor Clares,"

pp. 230-233.

as

man obeyed

him

sary to urge
tion

it

was no longer neces-

He was

value and importance.

and then he declared, as

> > >

sacrament of regenera-

to receive the

had learned, as only the dead can

for he

and then, indeed,

Learn,

it-;

instructed and baptized

one

could

thus restored

indeed do, the pains of hell and the bliss of heaven.

he was to be

Still,

" chief

the

in

free

his

on the part of God,

offered him,

kingship of

his

brave old chieftain

desire.

St.

country,

or

knew now

he could understand

Bat

heaven."

the difference be-

tween an earthly kingdom and a heavenly.

was quickly made

Patrick

fifteen years in the

daughter had chosen the heavenly alliance

His choice

now why

his

in preference

an earthly; and he declared, almost in the words of

to

countless holy virgins, that

sovereignty of the

the

if

whole world were given to him he would renounce

and count
tilings"

him

to

it

which he had

Then

seen.

oh

indeed, else should

Oh

we

and

to undertake

it

as soon

many
Domhnach Maighen, 8 a

the saint continued his journey southward,

wonderful miracles occurred. At

man, named Victor, concealed himself, probably

most

"What,

seek for or desire on earth,

as the will of our Creator shall permit

like

most happy departure.

to prepare for this journey,

As

the saint desired

go in peace, and "journey to God."

blessed voyage

it,

comparison of the "good

as nothing in

many

Domnach

others,

itaighen.

ties, see Tripartite.

that

For

fearing,

he should be asked to make

notes identifying thil and the following locali-

mm m

some

which

sacrifice

be painful to his natural

avouIcI

But Divine Providence intended that he should

feelings.

hereafter rule the

Church

as a bishop,

and his place

of

concealment was miraculously illuminated, and thus

was made known

the

to

At Enach-Conglais
him but the

saint.

some wicked men attempted

to poison

aware of their design, turned the curds which

saint,

At Naas he baptized

contained the poison into stones.

and Ulan, the two sons of the king of Leinster

Ailill

and then baptized Moghain and Feidelm, the daughters

of the former,

who

consecrated their virginity to God,

and were anciently venerated on the 9th of December.

The

saint then sent messengers to call the steward of

the fort of Naas,

to be asleep,

when he heard
prised

if it

when

for

him

who was named

exclaimed

it,

were his

last sleep

;"

the servants went to

dead.

He pretended

Fallen.

from enmity and contempt.

This,

and

St. Patrick,

" I should not be sur-

and

him

so, in truth, it

was;

again, they found

similar interpositions of Provi-

dence, which seem to some would-be critics a blot on

the character of the saint, were manifestly the

of

many

conversions, and of great good to others.

people were awe-struck, as were the Jews

means
The

when they

heard of the sudden and awful death of Ananias and

Saphira.

The

into a proverb

fearful

end of Fallen, we are

an evidence of

and they often reverted

Naas."
love,

Thus, those

its effect

told,

passed

upon the people

to " Fallen's sleep in the fort of

who

could not be

were subdued by divine

fear.

won by

divine

BE
He
It
to

would appeal that the saint wont direct from Naas

He had visited Dricrin, who was king of

Wicklow.

the

>:

Plain of Magh-Lifd.

Visits the

Hy-Garehon, and who had married a daughter of

King Lacghaire.

This prince,

however,

saint

on

of his

hospitality,

the

plea

refused the

father-in-law's

Patrick, an evidence that Laeghaire's con-

dislike to

we have

version had not been sincere, as

already sug-

gested.

Another member of the family, however, received the

saint willingly.

ri

His name was

Cillini,

and Patrick

prophesied that his son should be king of the

l.i

rchon. It

is

of the acts of our saint,

were made.

Hy-

remarkable, in reading the ancient records

how

frequently such predictions

In ancient Erinn, where the succession

was

not hereditary, but depended upon the will

of the

people and the qualifications of the candidate,

it

was

manifestly the intention that the best man, according to

opinion of the age, should succeed.

St. Patrick

simply

followed out this line of action, though in a different

probably to impress upon

sense,

a very impressible

people the one great end of his ministry,

was always the

holiest

nwards

And

that

the

as only temporal

could influence the opinion of the multitude,

for their Bakes, at least,

to be given for
St.

best.

he allowed a temporal reward

a spiritual

act.

Patrick once more turned northwards, at least as far

as the plain of Magh-Lifi, from which the present river

Lifl'ey

takes

oratories,

its

and

name.

left

Here, as usual, he built

some of

cells,

or

his disciples to instruct his

wn y V

ii

iifff

iij

!.

,
!

i
|

W,

,-

,>w

ii

H I IB

i!
,

|i

-.l[i

IBS'!

Z/e

324

o/* $.

'

illlTfl-

il

'I

fe^

VS^jSs^g^,

Patrick,

converts.

He

and Mac

Fail

Usail at Cil-Usaille, and Iserninus1

left
2

As

in Cella-Ciulinn.

lie

went

into the

western Life, the sons of Laighis attempted to entrap

him

some

into

water-pits.

As a punishment

for this

act of treachery, the saint declared that none of their

descendants should be either a king or a bishop.

writes

the author of the Tripartite,

Cholium

This,

where Moin-

to-day.

is

According to the Tripartite,

visited

is

the saint

must have

Tara at this time, as the author of that Life says,

" Patrick went from Tara, until he met Dubtach Mac

Ui Lugair, in Hy-Ceinnsellagh." As we have already
given the history of the vocation of St. Fiacc at length,

we

refer the

here

recorded.

The

reader to

saint

what has been -already

erected

churches in this part of Ireland.

great

number

From want

sideration, the writer of the Tripartite has

been accused

of gross exaggeration, in saying that "in thirty

forties are the

of

of con-

and

churches which he [Aengus] gave to

9 Usail.
This was the Irish name for St. Auxilius. According to tin
Four Masters, he died August 27, a.d. 454, on which day the Calendar of the
O'Clerys has, " Usaille, son of Ua Baird, Bishop of Cill-Usaille, in Lemster."
His church is now called Killossy, or Killashee, and gives its name to a parish
There are no remains of the church, but
in the barony of Naas, Co. Kildare.
there is part of a round tower with a square base.
1 Iserninus.
It will be remembered that Iserninus was ordained with St.
Patrick, and came to Ireland with him.
He died A.D. 4G9. Trias. Th., p. 19.
- Mac Fail was of the race of Lughaidh, king of Muuster, and brother to
of
Cill-Cleitghe.
St. Colmau
He succeeded Iserninus, and died of the plague,
11th June, A.D. 048. He was patron of Kilcullen, county Kildare.
3 Moin Cholium.
This is now the old church of Moone, giving name to a
parish and barony near Tiruolin, in the south of the county Kildare.
See, for
further details, Beeves' " Adamuan," p. 280.

Recorded.

Ante,

page 40-50.

Explanation of

the

number of Churches.
Churches

Patrick in the cast of Leinster."

fortiea certainly

writer of a crime which

It

sixth century,

in thirties or

Bounds a gross exaggeration

wc

but

we accuse an ancient

should bo very careful before

ginations.

'-i-l

may only

exist in our

own ima-

must be remembered,

that a church in the

and a church

nineteenth century,

in the

were very different structures

church or oratory,

such as was then usual, was built roughly of wood or

stone,

and

its size

might not exceed ten

probable, that each family had

is

feet

by

It

six.

some such church or

oratory in their forts, and a priest to minister to their

spiritual

by "

Hence,

necessities.

thirties

and

forties," it

if

churches were erected

would only prove, what

already know, that a very great

were converted to the Faith by

number

St.

Patrick

v.c

of families
;

and that

these converts were extremely zealous, and prized very

highly the privilege of assisting at the Sacrifice of the

New Law, and

We

of receiving the rites of the Church.

have, indeed, a most satisfactory evidence of this in

that very part of the Tripartite which relates the erection
of such a

number

of churches.

The

writer,

who

is

generally admitted to have been St. Bvin, states, that

St. Patrick was " a Sunday in Domnach-mor of Magh-

Reta
6

;"

and that the people of the

Domnach-mor of Mayh-Hcta. O'Donovan

iu Lcix, following

Offaly,

and

is

Ifeati ng

places Magh-Bechet, or Kiada,

bat, according to tlio

called Morett, a

mauur

in the

were buildin"

district

Feilire-Aengna,

barony

of

it

is

in

Portnaliincli, in the-

Queen's county, containing the church of Cuil-lieannchoir. An old map of

Lcix has Murct, near the border of Lcix, in that part if Otfaly called Claninalii-r,

of which the O'Dcmpscys wcro chiefs.

205, 210.

"Book

of

Uights," pp. 193,

The

a fort there.

saint

them

sent

Avord

that

Mass was

building would be impossible, unless

its

offered

there every day.

The saint left a blessing upon the Leinstermen also,

and went through Bealach Gabhran, into Ossory, where
he founded many churches and establishments, and predicted that the clerics and laics of this part of Ireland

he left them "relics of holy

men," and some of his people " in the place where
should be distinguished

Martrech

is

to-day in Magh-Eoiglme."

There was

still

one province in our island which had

not been evangelized by the saint.

Ulster

first,

He had

evangelized

and, after seven years spent in that province,

he went by slow journeys,

into the wild

still

and beautiful

"preaching and teaching,"

districts of

Connaught.

he returned from thence he naturally desired to

first

converts,

to

see

how they

strengthen them in the Faith.

>.:-5

progressed,

As

visit his

and

to

This accomplished, he

evangelized Leinster; and then, even following his usual

plan

commencing

of

his

mission

journeyed to Cashel of the Kings.

is

at

the

court,

he

notable miracle

recorded as having taken place on the night of his

would appear

that, after the introduction of

idol-worship into Ireland

by Tiernmas, they were wor-

It

arrival.

shipped in other places besides the famous plain of

Slecht.

"T^J'T

'.rc.

'liT

Bealach Gabhran, now Gowran, county Kilkenny.

W'P

'

,"

-~arn-F

nnm

Magh

E Tripartite records

were idols

at

that

there

and

Cashel,

that

they were found prostrated on the

morning

of the

after the arrival

He was

saint.

welcomed

Aengus, son of Nadfraech, and his people, by

he was conducted into the

sons of Nadfraech and

upon

whom

ceremony,
of

fort.

many

lie then baptized the

of the

men

he invoked a special blessing.

St.

Patrick inadvertently

Aengus with the point of

by

whom

of Munstcr,

During the

pierced

his crozicr.

the foot

The brave

::~?K~
(l?*V.

328

Life of St. Patrick.

young prince bore the pain

saint inquired afterwards

he replied that he thought "

it

stance of devotion could

special benedictions
his race.

rule of Faith,"

Such a noble

not pass unrewarded,

were bestowed upon him and upon

left

And

says that St.

a stone here on which the Kings of Cashel

were crowned afterwards.

"

in-

and

Jocelyn, in mentioning this incident,

Patrick

the

not complained,

was the

a part of the usual ceremony.

or

when

and,

in silence,

why he had

The writer

of the Tripartite

twenty-eight kings of the races of Alell and

Acngus reigned

in Cashel,

This Ccnngegain (Fin-

ghinne) was King of Cashel until a.d. 897

observation, evidently

made by

and

this

the transcriber, would

Dr. Todd,

for some reason by no means apparent, has rejected the

mentioned in the Book of
but there are many other circumstances not mentioned in the same
compilation which he has accepted. There is, in fact, quite as much evidence
for St. Patrick's visit to Cashel and the circumstances attending it as for any
King Aengus was a well-known historical
other event in the life of the saint.
Cashel of the Kings was a famous fort from an early period of
character.
The only objection given by Dr. Todd is a few lines in the
Irish history.
Tripartite, which states that "no man shall be King of Cashel until the
comarb of Saint Patrick has confirmed him." Now, this appears to be merely
a remark of the writer of the Tripartite; and when we recollect how great
was the moral power which St. Patrick exercised in Ireland, there is noMoreover, Dr. Todd says that the passage
thing very wonderful about it.
above quoted is not to be found in Colgan's translation of the Tripartite this
is a grave mistake, and it seems most extraordinary how one so accurate as
Colgan has " Nee nomen
Dr. Todd could have made such a statement.
juraque obtinebit Regis, donee a moo successore coronabitur et consecrabitur."
Dr. Todd was beyond all suspicion of
Colgan, Seplima Vita, cap. 30, p. 15G.
wilful suppression, and it seems very strange how lie could have overlooked
It would appear from some other circumstances also that he had
this passage.
not studied Colgan carefully.
7

fiaee.

whole

ordained with the crozier,

until the time of Cenngegain."

P
I"

.;.'

of this account, apparently because it is not

Armagh

& g>r^
fits 17n'7 fo CasheL

the date of the transcription

fix

this

at

period pre-

cisely.

A^

history of Aengua

tin-

is

sowell known, this incident

an important and interesting data

affords

the date of the saint's visit to Cashel.

for

Keating says

in the battle of Cill-Osnadh, a.d. 489.

that he reigned for thirty-six

place the

commencement

years,

of his

and

Usher

has

conjectarally

Patrick's arrival in Minister,

f'-ii

places the date a.d. 445.

tween the two,

is

the

fixed

453

his

not known
of

date

8t

Dr. Lani

a.d. 449.

The truth probably

for it is clear that

would

this

reign, a.d.

age at the time of his death unfortunately

lmt

determining

Aengus was killed

lies

be-

only conjectural argu-

ments can be brought forward with regard

to the chrono-

logy of the principal events in the mission of the saint,

Much

unnecessary argument, however, has arisen in this

instances, in consequence of false premises

and in other
being

made

the ground of argument.

does not say that Aengus was

King

The

Tripartite

of Minister

he

is

merely spoken of as the son of Nadfraech, and his brother

Ailill is

spoken of in precisely the same terms

this simple foundation, a

yet,

on

whole structure of controversy

has been raised up, and refuted.

It should

first

be

shown that any really ancient authority had clearly

stated that Aengus was King of Minister at the time

of St, Patrick's

visit,

before

any attempt

is

made

to

discredit the narrative of St. Evin.

The

saint

now

continued his journey towards the

south, until he arrived in the present county Limerick.

"

r- < Mrvfa iiii irt*<

''

After passing through Aradha-Cliach, he "went on to

Jochtar-Cuillen,

had been

killed

where he restored a child

by

He

pigs.

to

a Cele-De of his people, to resuscitate him

man had

who

life,

Malach

desired

Britt,

but this

not the faith or the obedience necessary for so

great a work,

and another gained

uow commanded Bishops

his crown.

and he prayed with them.

the miracle,

Patrick

Ibar and Ailbhe to perform

expected, after such a notable event,

all

As might be
the people of

Ui-Cuanach believed.
3

At Groan a number

women came

of

to the saint,

aud

bewailed his departure, and he gave them a special

Many

blessing.

the

Limerick and
cident

is

connected with his

neighborhood.

its

very curious

Aradha-Cliach.

Mac

Ere,

made a banquet

This

territory, according to

Jochtar-Cuillen.

This

is

now

Malach

iu the east

the parish of Cullen, barony of Clanwil-

liam, county Limerick, formerly extending into Ui-Cuanach.

states (Top.

for

O'Donovan, comprised the

and the entire barony of Ui-Cuanach (Coonagh),

Limerick, mentioned iu the next note.

in-

of Cae, a mountain in Hy-Figente. 4

parish of Kilteely
of

in

visit to

about three miles south-west of

lies

Lonan, son of

him on the top

8

most remarkable incidents

are

related about the foundation of the church of

Mungret, which
the city.

of the

the saint

of

life

Dr. O'Donovan

Poems) that Ui-Cuanach was part of Ara-CKach.

Britt.

See note to this passage in the Tripartite.

Obedience.
It will be remembered that St. Benedict ordered his disciple,
Maur, to walk on the water and draw out the child Placidus. The miracle
was performed, aud, as Bossuet has well observed, it is difficult to say whether
-

St.

it

should be attributed to the obedience of the disciple or the faith of the

master.
3 Oi-ean.

Now the church and parish of Grean, containing the town of

Coonagh and Clanwilliam, in Limerick.
This territory adjoined Ara-Cliach, from which was

Pallas-green, in the baronies of

4

Hy-Figente.

it

deacon,

named Mantan, 5 who

Patrick's people,
feast,

\v;is

described as one of

is

assisting in the preparation of the

and a troop of jugglers came

to the saint to ask

He sent them
Lonan and Mantan, hut they refused to give them
food, which was an act of contempt to the order of the
food,

for

and -would take no excuse.

to

saint,

and was punished as such.

youth now came up the mountain, attended by

his mother, with a wether,

the

banquet.

animal to the

which had been cooked

The

saint

men

to save his honor,

for

begged of him to give the

and he at once

complied cheerfully, though his mother was unwilling

that he should do so, fearing the

king's

displeasure.

The whole of this scene is singularly characteristic of

The welcome of the saint by a banquet,
the times.
the

arrival

of

troop

importunity, the charity

of

jugglers

of the

offering to the prince of the

or

saint,

magi,
the

their

primitive

wether ready dressed, the

refusal of Patrick's disciples to give the food, consider-

ing themselves wiser than their master, and the prompt

rewards and punishments,

of the customs and

all

form a graphic picture

manners of past

ages.

Mantan, the deacon, was informed that

church

his

eparated by the river Samhair, now the Morning Star. It lay 1.1 the Boutli
O'Donovan writes, under the year 1500 "It was
Df the county Limerick.
bounded on the north by the Shannon, on the south by Slicvo Luchra.
ea.vt by the rivers Muguc and Morning Star, and on tho west by Kerry.
Cat is the mountain called Knock-cac, in the south of Ardpatrick parish, not
far from Sctlin."
6 Mantan.
Colgan says this was the presbyter who was venerated on tho
2nd March, and that his church was Cill-Mantain, near Wicklow.
Magi. Colgan says tin-re were magi and druids.
:

m|ij i#
i

Wf

i'p.|ii

ji|..iiii j|
i

|#f!'i'i

l
i

'j

fH

ff!

Life of St. Patrick.

332

would never be held

in honor.

Nessan was instructed

the saint, and baptized, and eventually established

by

His mother was informed

in the church of Mungarret.

that she should not be buried in her son's church,

says the writer, came to pass, for her grave

this,

and
is in

the west of Mungarret, and the bell of the great church

is

not heard in that place.

Nessan and his church were to be " honored among

the nations

;"

and

it is

not a

remarkable that the

little

Limerick people have ever manifested not only an un-

wavering

fidelity to the true faith,

but have also been

amongst the most gallant defenders of the sacred deThey still cherish
posit then bestowed upon them.
the

memory

of St. Patrick with tender devotion, and

point proudly to the various sites in their county where

memorials of the saint are found in the names,

still

preserved, of the places which he visited.

The north Munstermen now came

their curraghs across the
glas,

in

crowds in

Shannon, as far south as Tir-

the present Terryglass, in the barony of

Ormond, where they were

baptized.

Lower

After the cere-

mony, the saint ascended the hill of Finnime, and

blessed the north Munstermen who had come out in
such multitudes to welcome him.
Brian

An

ancestor

of

Boru, Cairthenn Finn, son of Blait, eighth in

descent from

Olioll

Oluim,

and progenitor of the

O'Briens of Thomond, "believed in Christ," and Patrick

baptized

him

in the well of Sangul.

in the Tripartite reveal to

few short

lines

us a most interesting circum-

stance

was a
verse

saint's own
inner life.
word Sangul, Sain-aingel ;

The writer

the

<>f

explains the

he says

for

it

from Victor who came to con-

different angel

with him here.

Perhaps, like the glorious St.

Franeesca of Rome, an angel of a higher grade was

now

We

sent tu him.

and

close,

its

read thai as her

as her duties

life

approached

the foundation of her

in

order and her exterior cares were multiplied, that the

angel

who had

so long

and

so constantly appeared to

informed her thai

her in visihle form,

bis

charge of

her had ceased, and that a yet more exalted spirit was

now

appointed to assist and comfort her.

archangel,
bright
earth

and

was

who appeared now

glorious, radiant

darkest,

constantly

This was an
at

her

side,

with heavenly light when

and making

earthly light seem

all

lmt as an evening twilight, faded even in the burning

summer

Such an angel, we may

noon.

believe,

was the

one who now came to Patrick by the well of Sangul.

If

any of

my readers

to that well in

?j

breathe an

Ave

a pilgrimage

his angel, will they

in his honor for her

records his blessed

Here

make

are induced to

honor of Patrick and

who unworthily

life.

also the saint

performed a notable miracle, by

caring Cairthenn's son, Ecchu Baldearg (Eochy of the

le

'1

Spot),

lessly

who had been

disfigured

and

born, to

diseased.

all

appearance, hope-

This was the

first

miracle worked at the well of Sangul. 7

mguL Mr. Lenihan,
"the holy

well, stony bed,

in his

and

admirable " History of Limerick," says that

day existing

altar of >t. Patrick, are to this

The

saint uttered several remarkable predictions at

this period

non

he blessed the lands and islands of the Shan-

and prophesied the

birth of St.

and of Brennan of Hy-Alta.

He

Senan of

Iniscalach,

then went into south

and commenced the church of Ard-Patrick,

Desi,

present barony of Coshlea, county Limerick.

in the

curious

evidence that even a miracle will not convince those

who

are determined not to be convinced, was given here.

man, named Dervall, declared that he would believe

if

the saint would remove part of a mountain, so that he

might

see

Cnoc Longa

to the south over

mountain

dissolving, he declared that "

ders he might do, he

would not believe

St.

it.

performed the miracle, but, although the

Patrick

man saw

the

whatever won-

it."

At Patrick's Well, near Limerick, which still retains

its name and holy traditions, the prince of the Desi
came

He

late to the

assembly for which Patrick was waiting.

excused himself on account of the rain, but the ex-

cuse did not satisfy the saint,

who

predicted that

all his

meetings for the future should be attended by showers.

Singland " is situated in the parish of St. Patrick,

about an English mile from the city of Limerick

in the

and,

Cromwellian and Williamite wars, was frequently

the headcpiarters of the invading forces.

It

was from

the heights of Singland that the canons of Ireton, in

iu Singland."

We

take this opportunity of recommending Mr. Lenihan's

valuable work to Limerick men, and, indeed, to

all

lovers of Irish literature

Orders from America and Australia may be

and nationality.
Maurice Lenihan, Esq., J.P., Limerick.

sent

to

1651, and of 'William

ami Ginkle,

forty years

after,

played upon the 'Black Battery,' and citadel of Limerick.

" But by far

tin-

most interesting

relics of the past con-

Dected with Singland are St. Patrick's Well, and the adjacent large layer of

unhewn

marked with the

limestone,

impress of the saint's knees and body, and believed, from

time immemorial, to have

prayer,
atant

been

handed

the tradition

is

down from

sire to

of

con-

son by the

both Catholic and Protestant, of Limerick. Both

unwrought monuments of

St. Patrick's presence in

Limerick are situated on the slope of the

St. Patrick's

Church once

stood,

cemetery that surrounded

"^"^

place

St. Patrick's

Such

nut his very bed.

and ampli

citizens,

these

if

it

on which

hill

and where the ancient

still

exists,

and

is

daily

used as a place of interment, though in close proximity

to the beautiful

Laurence.

Two

new

Catholic cemetery of

Mount St.
Young

of the Bishops of Limerick, Drs.

and Tuohy, arc buried

in the

same grave in

though the name of Dr. Youn<;' alone

is

St. Patrick's,

inscribed on the

Of the old church

was destroyed during the

tombstone that covers their remains.

>t

a vestige

now remains

all

Confederate wars, 1641-51.

"St. Patrick's Well

is still

held in the highest possible

veneration by the people of Limerick

pedestrians

and crowds of

men, women, and childrenmay be daily

way

seen wending their

along

'Council's

boherecn,'

which leads from world-famed Garryowen, to the

sed well,' either to

'

pay

'bles-

their rounds,' or laden with

o'.i

Life of St. Patrick.

vessels full of

Patrick's-well water,' for the use of

'

invalid relation confined to

well

known both

bed at home.

to the Catholic clergy

and dispensary

when

sick, will rarely

doctors of the city, that the poor,

drink anything but

simple faith in

'

Patrick's-well water,' such

holy patron.

its

The stone impressed with the

well polished
shippers, is

by the knees and

still

when

in 1853, that,

saint's knees,

'

and

it is

Great Munster

to the fair-green,

which adjoins

as the cemetery

is

called,

'

highlycredi-

Fan-,'

opened

new approaches

constructing the

still

though

footsteps of fervent wor-

carefully preserved;

table to the trustees of the

the

is

in that of the

efficacy, or rather

its

prayers and intercession of

"

some

It is a fact,

St. Patrick's

Church,'

they directed their en-

gineers to so construct one of the boundary walls as to

mark, by a lateral arch indented therein, the very spot

where tradition

states that our saint

was wont

prayer some thirteen hundred years ago

footprints are, with loving belief,
well,

which

is

to kneel in

and where

pointed out.

his

The

supplied with water from several crevices

in the solid rock, is

structure

still

covered over with a

of very simple

masonry

little

and

is

protecting
exteriorly

decorated with framed prints and images, and such like

offerings of the poor.

vessels are also left

use of other comers.

"Wooden cups and other drinking

by pious

An

votaries for the gratuitous

outer and special portion of

the stream which flows from the well

ablution of persons

And

the whole

is

afflicted

is

set apart for the

with opthalmic diseases.

shaded by a large and venerable

tree,

rM

He

Visits

Or maul.

.1:?;

which adds considerably to the general appearance of

8
the well audits surroundings."

St.

Patrick's next journey

was

where he met three brothers,

men

Muscraidhe Tire,8

into

of note, sons of Forat

whom, Munechus, believed

To him special temporal

MaeC'oula, one of

and was baptized.

at

once,

blessings

were promised.
It is

remarkable here that

mention

a special

for the first time in the Tripartite of the

the Irish Church on a diocesan basis.

the

The

made

is

modelling of

known

tribute

Brehon law as the Cain Patrick

said

to

have been now formally granted to the saint and

his

in

have been regularly paid

successors, and to

But

years.
to

this subject is

demand a

is

one of

separate chapter,

and

sufficient

will

for

many

importance

be fully treated

of in the concluding part of this work.

The time at last came when the mission of our

was accomplished in Minister, and he must

apostle

wmk

leave that faithful people, to do his master's

where amongst the devoted

them

farewell,

and

left

men

a blessing with them

could not bear to part thus from the saint,

had learned to revere so deeply.

bid

but they

whom

Patrick

else-

He

of Erinn.

they

went

to

* Surrountlinn*. T am indebted to my friend, the Rev. If.

Malono, of
Limerick, for the interesting description given above. This learned clergyof
Diocese
Limerick.
History
of
the
man is preparing an Ecclesiastical
u Muscraidhe Tire. This was the ancient name of the district now oompi iaed
in the baronies of Dpper and Lower Ormond, in the north of the comity
Tipperary, and contained tho churches of Cilleheire (Kilkeary, near the town
of Xcnagh) and Leatraicha (Latteragh, about eight miles south of the above
.

afterwards

it

was

called Miiskrykeary.

Brosna, but crowds

still

followed

him from

The very

hills

seemed in motion,

multitude

who

hastened along, heedless of

more glimpse of

ties,

to get one

and

their friend.

When

all quarters.

was the

so great

all difficul-

their venerable father

they saw him they made the

mountains re-echo with their shouts of joy, and then

another miracle was granted to their faith and fervor,

Munsterman who

for they beheld the resuscitation of a

had been dead

bishop,

son

named

Frion,

who

is

gave a banquet to the assembled

of devotion,

all

who were

present

by another

and then, once

more, and for the last time on earth, he blessed the

of Munster, saying
"

holy

graphically described as a

multitudes, which St. Patrick blessed, and

miracle satisfied

seven-and-twenty years.

for

men

A blessing on the men of Munster.

A blessing on the land which gives
A blessing on whatever is produced
A blessing on each chief.
A blessing on the men of Munster.
A blessing on their woods,
A blessing on their sloping plains,

them

food.

for its farmers.

1
The
Brosna. Colgan wis mistaken in placing Brosna in Munster.
whole text goes to show that the Munstermen followed the saint after he had
left their country.
There are two rivers and a small village named Brosna
in the King's County ; the larger river rises at Buubrosna, in the county
Westmeath, and flows into the Shannon at Shannon Harbor the smaller
river rises at the village of the same name, in the parish of Kilmnrray, east of
Shinrone, and runs a few miles north of Parsonstown, forming the boundary
between the King's County and Tipperary. The village is said to derive its
name from the Irish word Broxna, a faggot or bundle of sticks ; but the
author of the Tripartite, as will be seen above, derives it from the word
;

Brosnugael, an incentive or excitement.

>

>

-*

fcr.

~*

"E

2.-^^'

Blessing on the Munstermen.

blessing on their glens,

blessing on their

blessing of sand beneath their ships.

A blessing
A
A

339

hills.

of numerous homestead*.

blessing on their slopes

and

levels.

blessing on their slievesand peaks.

A
The blessing of sand
characteristic

and

beneath

poetical, since

Kerry there are so

find hidden rocks

many

blessing."

dangers for mariners,

where they

very

their ships is

upon the wild coast

least

of

who may

expect them, and

where "sand beneath their ships" would be the greatest

boon they could

The

into the territory of

occurred.

chieftain of this tribe,

his

named Berraidhe,

boasted publicly that he intended to kill Patrick

met him,

if

he

revenge for his destruction of the idols at

in

The

Magh-Sleacht.
this threat,

secret

Hy-

where one of the best known incidents of

Failge, 2
life

desire.

now journeyed

saint

.vhieh,

saint's charioteer,

Odran, heard of

according to the Tripartite, was kepi

from Patrick by

his people.

The

faithful servant

proposed to his master that he should take his place in

the chariot, and, with the instinct of true charity,

appear as

it

'

lly-FaUge.

if

it

Before

made

were to be done in compliment to

English invasion this territory comprised the

county Kildare, and parts of the King's and
name from Ross Failgo (Ross of tho
Cathair Mor, King of Leinster, and Ard Righ of Ireland,
the

present baronies of Offaly,

Counties.

Kings), eldest son

who was

slain

>S

<>f

obtained tho

The great families of O'Conor Faly, O'Dempseyof

O'Dunn of Regan, were descended from him
Book of Rights,

a.d. 122.

Clanmalierc, and
pp. 193 an

It

81ft

himself, so as to conceal Lis real motive

from his master.

Patrick willingly complied with his request, and

St.

Odran was

slain

Another member of

by Berraidhe.

the same family, however, would appear to have repudiated this treachery
partite, that the

for

we

are informed

by the

Tri-

wicked Failge died at once, and "went

to hell ;"

but that Patrick blessed Failge Ros, whose

descendants were rulers of that district " for ever."

careful consideration

little

some

serious mistakes

relation of this incident

would have prevented

which have been made in the

by several

The name

writers.

Berraidhe does not occur in the direct line of the O'Conor

Faly pedigree

battle of

but he

is

mentioned by the Four Masters,

having slain Fiachra, son of Nial, at the

a.d. 501, as

Freamhain,

now the

hill of

Frewin, in the town-

land of Wattstown, parish of Portlennon, county West-

meath.

Berraidhe was probably the Bruaidhe of the

O'Conor pedigree, the great grandson of Ros Failge.

>S:
3

Bos

Failyc.

I must

be (pardoned

for again

blaming Dr. Lanigarj

stantly undervaluing the authority of the Tripartite,

agree with his

truth,

own

and not

notions.

What we want

favorite theories, or prejudice.

when

it

says,

for con-

does not precisely

in historical

He

"

investigations

i3

It is plain that

was brought on the stage in compliment to some illustrious

It may have been plain to Dr. Lanigan, but it certainly is not
Colgan seems to have clearly seen the truth, which was that there
were two Failges one Failge Berraidhe, who tried to kill St. Patrick, the
Both the Tripartite and Colother Failge Kos, who received him willingly.
gan distinguish the two by name. Of course, if all historians aro to bo
accused of prejudice because they mention certain circumstances which do not
agree with our preconceived notions, we may give up history at once.
Thero
were many otberfamilies besides this one in which brothers took different sides,
and in which one brother obtained the blessing of the saint and the other his
malediction. Dr. Todd, in a note on this subject, has made a curious mistake also:
he says, "Tho chariot, it seems, was capable of holding but one person."
this second Failge

families," &c.

plaiu

tome.

wwyr wifflTT

^v

^M^^^mwi

The martyrdom of CM ran is mentioned in the Fourth

and by Joeelyn
but the other Lives have no

Life,

record of

account of
laws by

The subject has an additional

it.

its

St.

interest

on

connection with the revision of the Brehon

Patrick and others

but this will be fully

treated of elsewhere.

As

the saint was journeying on the great northern

road leading to Tara, he met some laborers,

cutting

down yew

trees for the

masts of

who were
Their

vessels.

hands were bleeding, and the saint inquired who they

The men

were.

replied

that they were the slaves of

and brother toTrichem, and that

Trian, son of Fee,

their

master would not allow them to sharpen their axes,

in order to
at uiicc

make

their

labor

more

severe.

The

saint

blessed the axes, so that they cut easily, and

But the chief would not listen

and so he " fasted upon him " a curious

then went to Trian's fort.

to the saint,

and beautiful

illustration of St. Patrick's charity,

and of

the universality of the functions of the Brehon law in

The

Ireland.

creditor used to fast at the door or gate

of the debtor, to

compel him, from motives of common

The

humanity, to pay his debt.

saint

have claimed from Trian the debt of

which he
tle,

'

to

failed to

pay

to

charily,

his slaves, and, like the apos-

to

have made their cause

Mi moirof

would appear

common

St. Patrick, " p. 465, u. 1.

literally his

Now

own.

But

the Tripartite plainly states that

it

two, for Oilian Bays to Patrick "Long havo I been your driver
From the reading of the Fourth
tako tho chief beat for thi3 day."
Life (Colgan, p. 44), however, it might be iufcrred that there was only one seat

helil at least

let

me

in the chariot.

342

Life of St. Patrick.

Irian was

still

obdurate in revenge

last,

by

he treated his un-

more cruelly than before

fortunate dependents

was drowned

a just judgment, he

and at

own

in his

dashed wildly, while he was

lake, whither his horses

His wife, however, submitted to

driving in his chariot.

the saint, and obtained a special blessing for herself and

her offspring, and her sons, Letna and

became bishops.

But the

saint's

opponents did not always perish so

we find

In some cases

miserably.

Jarled, both

that a true conversion

followed the most violent persecution, and there were

some, doubtless, who, like

and yet open

zeal,

false

St.

Paul, were actuated

to conviction

when

by a

truth

was

presented to them.

Such was

and

St.

and a

saint.

MacCuil, described at

The account of

cumstances attending
in the

Book

of

first

as a

wicked

man, who in the end became a bishop

irreligious

it

his conversion

and the

cir-

are given at considerable length

Armagh, and

are mentioned in nearly

all

the other Lives as being evidently considered a subject

of considerable importance.

As the saint passed through

the country of the Ultonians,

to his

people to

man who

kill

deceived everyone.

abandoned

for another,

testing the saint's

MacCuil at

first

proposed

him, asserting that he was a false

This plan, however, was

with the obvious intention of

power with God, and ascertaining

whether he could indeed work the marvels which were

We

everywhere recorded of him.

in the graphic

tive

Armagh
"Ami

continue the narra-

words of the writer of the Book of

they tempted the

man; they tempted him

hoi)-

way: they placed one of themselves under

agony of death, that they might

i" be lying in the

kind of deception;

this

they

disciples,

on the

were having

practising witchcraft

so,

Behold I one of us

now

is

him

try the saint by

arrival of St. Patrick with his

and

muttering prayers,

recourse,

and incantations

the heathen said to him,

sick; approach, therefore,

some of the incantations of your

this

in

feigning

a cloak,

and chant

may

he

sect over him, if perchance

be healed,'

" St. Patrick, knowing their stratagems and deceits, with firmness

and intrepidity
and

his

would be no wonder

said, it

sickness,

saw that he was now dead

among

man

evil in

from God

we have done

themselves,

tempt

me V The

done

whatever you command

cruel tyrant answered,

me

'

sins,

and be baptized

and of the Son, and of the Holy

St.

have

deliver

preach

and

;'

God, the Lord Jesus,

in the

Spirit.'

and now

whom you

my

the saint said: 'Believe, therefore, in

But

did you seek to

am sorry for what

myself into the power of your supreme God,

and confess your

Why

'

perform

will

'Truly this

tempting him.'

Patrick, having turned to Maccuil, says,

he had been sick

and the heathens, amazed and

astonished at such a miracle, said

is

if

companions, uncovering the face of him that was feigning

And

name

of the Father,

he was converted in

that hour, and believed in the Eternal Cod, and, moreover, was

baptized; and then Maccuil added this, saying

holy lord, Patrick, that

how much

to judge,

but God

unarmed,

owe

proposed to

for so great a

to the

sea,

!'

Do

'I

you

confess to thee,
;

Patrick said

:
'

am not

may

able

you, therefore, depart now,

this

you of your substance, except

garment, with which you

my

judge, therefore,

and pass over quickly from

Ireland, taking nothing with

common

crime

will judge.

kill

country,
a small

be able to cover your body,

344

Life of St. Patrick.

eating nothing and drinking nothing of the fruit of this island,

having a mark of your sins on your head; and when you reach the sea,
bind your feet together with an iron

and

into the sea,

oar,

set out in a boat of

and wherever the wind and sea

remain

and

to

and

fetter,

cast the

key of

it

one hide, without rudder or

shall lead you,

whatever land Divine Providence

be prepared to

shall carry yon,

be prepared to live there and obey the divine commands.'

" And Maccuil said,
I will do as you have said
but, respecting
'

the dead man, what shall

and

rise

And Patrick said, He

And Patrick restored him

we do

again without pain

!'

?'

'

shall live

to

life

in

that hour, and he revived quite sound.

"

And Maccuil

departed thence very speedily to the sea.

right side of the plain of Inis

unshaken

in the faith,

key into the

him

and

shore, casting the

commanded

to

him,

and north wind arose and bore

him on the island called Evonia

were converted by his doctrine.

cast

and the men of the island

more condensed,

Tripartite narrative, although

gives precisely the

The

having his confidence

and binding himself on the

in a little boat,

to the south,

The

reached

according to what was

sea,

he then embarked

is

same account of the occurrence, with

man who

the additional information that the

feigned

death was called Garban.

In the

Romulus
Cuil

Vita Quarto, the names of Coindrius and

arc also mentioned,

was chosen

and

it

is

stated that

the narrative at considerable length, and he

had

Mac

Jocelyn also records

their successor.

must have

special opportunities of being well acquainted with

every local tradition, as

well as

with

all

important

written records, for his monastery at Furniss had a

celebrated filiation in the Isle of

The

Man.

Irish annalists record the death of St.

MacCuil

M\

Vocations
in the

to the

345

Religious Life.

year 554, after an episcopate of sixty years

the British Martyrology mentions

\\\re erected

under

his invocation.

many

and

churches which

63

It is impossible to read the ancient records of the life

of our saint without remarking

to the sanctification of the

Another instance of

of the Cross.

Sabbath
('nil's

is

his

devotion

special

Seventh Day, and to the sign

his reverence for the

Mac
Some nun were building a rath at
and the saint heard them at work on a
lie warned them to desist, but they only
related immediately after the account of

conversion.

Drombo,
Sunday.

He

mocked him.

then predicted that their labor would

be useless, and his words wennight the building

Vocations to the religious

more or

verified.

On

the same

was destroyed by a temp

less opposition,

life

have always met with

not only from the irreligious,

From

hut unfortunately even from Christian parents.

incidental statements in
e\ Ldent,

that a very great

Invocation.

For

the Lives of the

number

saint

it

is

of Irish maidens con-

we

farther information on this interesting subject

refer

'I Record
for
the reader to an exhaustive article in the Tri
March, 1860, on the " Early Relations of Ireland with the Isle of Man,"

by Momignor Moras.
c
Drombo. Colgan,

beside the sea.

it

In a

hill,

on this

the church of Druim-bo, or Collum-bovia,

the frequent mention of this place in the Lives

was the hill between Saul ami Quoile or

quite plain that

field

fe'
p. 1G1, calls it

From

to the north of the castle, several fragments of

and human remains, as

of a

Armagh, and hereafter

notii

li

it is

masonry

church and cemetery, have frequently been found.

It also overhangs the Coyle river, which Dr. Tod L{
St. l'atrick '') truly conjectured to be the strait named Collum-bovis, in his description of St. Patrick's funeral.
This hill also lies adjacent to the " Salt
l.'ii^'h," the scene of ono of our saint's miracles, described in the Bo
I

sccrated themselves to the divine service immediately

Two

after their conversion.

women were

of these holy

by Eochach, son of Muredach, 7 and drowned,

seized

although the saint remonstrated earnestly with the

tyrant.

As a punishment,

with the

loss of his

Cairroill should

of the apostle,

unborn

Domangart
The
Boss,

of

have heirs who would rule instead of

and obtained
holy

his blessing for herself

who was

child,

now

saint

eventually

known

feet

and

as St.

life.

men

turned back towards the

and commenced a church in Drom-mor.

calls these

him

his brother

His wife, however, cast herself at the

Eochach.

for her

the saint threatened

kingdom, and said that

people the

men

of

Colgan

of Fer-ross, a territory

which

extended into the barony of Farney, in the south of the

county Monaghan.

The name of

holy interest,

preserved in the parochial

is still

this

so full of

site,

title

of

Maghcross and the well-known town of Carrickmacross.

But while thus engaged an angel appeared

told

him

it

was not " good "

saint inquired

for

where he should

him
go.

The angel

towards the north, to Mara (Armagh).

seem as

if

But

our apostle had even yet some

clinations, for
fairer.

to him,

to stay here.

and

The

replied,

it

would

human

in-

he replied, that the cluain below was

Thus has

it

happened again and again in the

' Eochach, son of Muredach.

Muireadhach Muinderg, ninth in descent
from Fiatach Finn, monarch of Ireland, reigned over Uladh twenty-eight
years, and died a.d. 479, when he was succeeded by his son, Eochaidh, who
died a.d. 503, after a reign of twenty-four years. Keevea' "Down and
Connor," p. 323.

An
know not,"
poor human
for their

Saul.

to

the saints, that they arc led "whither they

of

lives

Angel directs him

and, for reasons incomprehensible to our

thoughts, are

made

select places

and

sites

work, to which naturally they had no inclina-

tion whatsoever.

The

aite

which

St.

Patrick had selected was destined

who guided and

God now informed him.

heavenly messenger

for another, as the

directed this favorite servant of

For

"Deogratias ago

reply the sainl replied,

all

merely with submission, hut

and

;"

not
thankfulness not

thus do the saints ever answer the call of

with

God

merely with resignation, but with joy.

E

They, and they

only, seek the fulfilment of the will of God, as perfectly as it is given to

will accomplished, they

they have

true, that

own human

their

them only
alas

to

still

and

all

likings

to do

and, His

that they desire.

own

their

It is

natural inclinations,

and aversions

but they have

triumph over them, while we have them,

Ah

only to yield to them.

our blessed father, Patrick,

ness and in

man

mortal

have

and

health,

adversity,

in

in

us also say with

let

joy and sorrow, in sick-

what we

Deo g ratios ago

call

And why

prosperity

should we

not give thanks with him and like him, since the
filling of

and

if

the will of

is

the perfection of our

that will be fulfilled, in opposition to our

natural inclination,
rejoice

God

all

the more reason

to sacrifice then

we can add

our offerings the rarest incense.

occupations, or the friends that

own

why we should

sacrifice,

The

ful-

life

and

to

places, or the

we may

choose,

may

mm*m:Wih

riM

Life of St. Patrick.

348

seem to

when we

but we also will reply, Deo gratias ago,

are called " northward "

to forsake that

The

cluain of the saint, the fair places

us, like the

of the earth

which we

desire.

when we

are asked

saint journeyed through Ard-Phadraig, about a

mile to the south of the present town of Louth, where

The people

he built a church.

him

in crowds,

and he

left

of Dal-Runter followed

them a special

held frequent intercourse with

now

St.

blessing.

He

Mocbta,

who

had been appointed by Providence to carry out his

mission in the " fair place " which the saint had desired.

The
close,

life

of the saint

and angelic

was now drawing towards

visits

Soon he would go to

frecpicntly vouchsafed to him.

live

amongst the

that he
j

was

angels,

and we can scarcely marvel

so familiar with

them

here.

iow desired him to go to Rath Dare, to a rich

had given
site for

his

name

its

length by nearly

and

to ask

man who
him

for a

fulfilment, are related at considerable

the writers of the Lives of our saint.

all

Many instauces might be quoted from the Lives of the saints,

Desire.
which they received special directions from heaven to alter their plans, and
what to human reason would seem most imprudent I cannot help refer-

in

to the fort,

His angel

This event, and the details which

a church.

accompanied

its

appeared to have been more

to do

ring to a remarkable instance of this recorded in a work just published, " Pilgrimages in the Pyrenees and Landes, " by Deuys Shy no Lawlor, Esq. p. 597.
We are all too much inclined to think that the age of miracles and miraculous
and a work such as this, which gives details of
interventions has passed by
the miracles daily performed even at the present time, and of the holy and
of
the
men
present age, cannot fail to convinco all except
supernatural lives of
,

those

who

are wilfully sceptical.

//

and

Visits Derive

was a descendant

Daire

asks for a Site.

and was

of Colla-da-Crioch,

distinguished as Dairc Dearg, or the Red; and, from the

manner

which he received

in

bable that he was a Christian

St.

Patrick,

or,

perhaps,

pro-

is

it

many

like:

pagans of that period, half convinced, and yet unwilling

make an open

to

The

site for his

Book

of

wished

Baint

him

the angel, asked

>y

for a

church, and Daire, according to the Tripar-

desired

tite,

the

profession of his faith.

saint, as desired

or hill called

him

The

for.

Dorsum

first

St.

Patrick erected a church,

and remained

sent a horse'

The

church lands.

pressing strongly

some

for

what he probably knew were

Daire

this,

Here

plain.

While thus principally occu-

disciples.

pied in giving
instructions,

ground

But Dairc refused

aferta or rath on the

offered instead

to

inquired what place the

saint asked for the high

Salicis.

and

time with his

According

to choose for himself.

Armagh, he

saint

to

his

last

graze upon

the

was always desirous of im-

upon the people

whom

he had con-

verted the sacredness of church property, and that gifts

B

Some

time.

qua multi8

Tho Tripartite reading

is

"along time." Colgan has "in

The Book of Anna

ipse postea habitavit diebus," p. 1G2.

" ct bahitavit ibi Sanctna Patricias cum suis;" but in the next sentence has
" After some time the cques of Dairc came," to. Proboa agrees almost ver'

bally with the

Book

of

'

Armagh

[Quinia Vita, liber

ii.

cap.

iii.

Colgan,

iv.

p.

The weight of evidence is in favor of the saint's having remained for

some time on tho "low ground."
1
Hotte. " Kquum suum iniraculum." Dr. Todd doubts whether this
should l>e construed as the proper name of the horse or as an adjective. There
seems but little question that it is an adjective. Betham (" Ant. &
52),

part

ii.

in the

p.

331) puzzled over the

original at

p. xii.

Tripartite says there

word Christianonnn, and yet gives

appendix.

Probu3 only speaks

of

it

correctly

one horse.

The

were two horses.

'f^

S5S

""^
*

TT

350

Life of St. Patrick

" Daire,"

once offered to heaven could never be recalled.

"has acted

lie said,

foolishly in sending brute animals

which he gave to God."

to disturb the small holy place

The

horse, however,

was

left for

the night on the grassy

but on the following morning, when Daire's servant

field,

came

to look after

it,

he found

it

dead.

The

chief

was

enraged, none the less so because he had committed

an

injustice,

by

Him

and he commanded

But he had

Patrick.

in

to

his people to slay

do with one who was protected

whose hands are the

issues of life

and death,

and he had hardly issued the order when he himself

was

seized with mortal illness.

His wife at once sent to recal the

men who had been

ordered to martyr St. Patrick, and messengers were

dispatched to

him

for his blessing

in all haste, with earnest intreaties

men were

but the

what had happened.

They came

ordered to conceal
to the apostle, and

asked for something to heal their master, who, they

was

ill.

The

saint well

knew

said,

the cause, but he blessed

some water and desired them to sprinkle Dane and the

The horse was restored to life, and Daire
horse with it.
at once recovered.
little

Still, it

idea of Christian

life.

would appear, he had very

In gratitude for his recovery

he brought St. Patrick a present of a large

cauldron.

The remainder

of the narrative

give in the graphic words of the author of the

brazen

we

shall

Book

of

Armagh:
5

Cauldron.

Book

cauldron was a royal

gift.

We

read frequently, in the

of Eights, of cauldrons being often given as tribute to certain kings

princes.

and

. -~ -,--,

_j3f"

"

-Vr

&

*-

-~

Dairo came

-r

^^

grants the Site of Armagh Cathedral.

"Then

85]

after these things to honor St Patrick,

bringing with him a wonderful brazen cauldron, from beyond seas

wn),

Daire said unto the saint,

'

said,

'

The man

is

They went, and

cauldron.'

away
said,

the cauldron.'
'

his people, saying,

'

Daire answered, and

I

this

take away.

said,

time

is

so

'

We

also,

most take
St.

said Graizacham again.

I give,

'Thy cauldron

shall

which

which thou didst desire before

have

it,

Daire

and dwell thou

there.'

now named Ardd-machaa. 3

And

St.

remain with thee; for

thou art a steady and imperturbable man. Moreover,

fully as 1

G\

And

time and brought back the cauldron to

this

Patrick, saying to him,

tion of land

Gra':

good that with those

chams his cauldron shall be brought back to him.'

himself went

Patrick

Then Daire asked

when ye took away

'Graizacham when

His saying

Then

bring us back our

it.

said the Christian

Put they answered, 'He

the cauldron?'

when

Go and

So they took

it.'

What

'

said unto Patrick,

Nevertheless,

Graizacham, take

own

his

except Graizacham.'

firkins,

added, and said to his servants,

re

'

to

a fool, for he said nothing good for a

wonderful cauldron of three

1

And
And St.

firkins.

thine.'

is

Then Daire returned

Patrick said, 'Qratxa ham.'

home and

which held three

Lo, this cauldron

now

And

also, that por-

give thee as

this is the city

St. Patrick

and Daire

both went forth to view the wonderful and well-pleasing

gift of the

is

oblation

and they went up to that height of land, and they found

there a roe, with her

little

fawn, which -was lying in the place

Ardd-machse now is
and the companions of Patrick wished to catch the fawn and kill

where the

altar of the northern church in

Ardrtnachcs.

This

word

signifies the

high ground or elevation of Macha.

It is
is call il Altitudo Macho, and Altimachie, in the Book of Armagh.
not clear whether Macha was the name of the district, or whether it was called

It

after the celebrated

give at

first,

was

ham was

Queen Macha. The high ground which I 'aire refused to

Druim-SaUteh, the ridge or hill of the sallow tree.

called

a corruption of Gratiaswjo. The ferlaor place which Daire

at first gave to St. Patrick, is explained by himself to be a stony rath whero
da/erta (the two graves) are.

><><>

tjj^H^r

But the

it.

saint

would

not, nor did he permit

took up the fawn, carrying

it

nay, he himself

on his shoulders, and the

it

roe, like

very pet lamb, followed him until he had laid down the fawn in
another

situated at the north side of Ardd-machse, where to

field,

this day, as the learned say,

virtutis) still

The

some

signs of the miracle (signa qucedam

remain."

resided

saint

some

for

time

at

the ferta

which Daire had bestowed on him, and a curious and

very interesting account
this place

was

laid out,

The angel headed the

is

given of the

and

its

way

which

in

various measurements.

we

procession, but

are only left to

conjecture whether this was the angel Victor, or that

other blessed spirit

who had

saint held in his

hand the

new

Munstcr and

staff of Jesus.

He
will

abode, and uttered a warning to those

who

should transgress in

it.

all

Thus,

did

also,

Assisi speak of his beloved Porziimcola

where he

in

who should do God's

pronounced a blessing on
in this

him

Patrick and his people followed,

at the well of Sangul.

and the

visited

also

was

visited

by

St.

Francis of

that favored spot

angels,

and in which he

gave an especial charge that none should be permitted

to live

who were not

Seven score

feet

distinguished for holiness of

were to be in the

seven feet in the tigh

mor

feet in the cuille (kitchen),

(oratory 4 ).

According to

Oratory.

Dom va conghala,

this

literally

(fort),

(great house),

and seven

churches were built afterwards.

this ancient Celtic

less

aregal
all

Here we have a

house of the churches.

evidence of the authenticity of this tradition.

seventeen

feet in the

measurement

word, says Dr. Todtl ("Memoir,"

p. 477), is

life.

twenty-

The

the
clear
use of

a remarkable

It,,

Gfreat

how easy

proof

>f this

was

it

a;

Narrative

for the saint to

have erected

churches by scores, ami in populous districts by thirties

and

forties, since

oratories,

they were in most instances simply

where there was

more than space

little

priest to offer the holy sacrifice.

Mass knelt outside,

in Ireland.

as

for the

Those who assisted at

many do even

at the present

day

Dr. Todd, in alluding to this passage, has observed

that there can be no doubt of

its

great antiquity, since

the terms which are used in describing the building are

now

obsolete,

and would be

unintelligible to the best

them preserved

Celtic scholars but for the explanation of

-

He

in ancient glossaries.

"

continues

The arrangement described consisted of a

kss, that is to say,

an earthen circular fort or enclosure, for the protection of the whole

settlement

a great house, for the residence of the ecclesiastics

the cuile (culina), or kitchen, which was probably also the refec-

tory

and the

logists,

aregai,

but which

is

a word which has greatly puzzled our philo-

probably the mediaeval Latin oraailum, used in

the sense of an oratory or place of worship.

is

As one dimension only

given, these structures were probably circular.

"

No remains

be found.

of the buildings at the Fertsa

Martyrum

are

nery, and so continued to the period of the Reformation,

was suppressed, under the name of Temple

has recently determined
6

now

to

In the fifteenth century the place had become a nun-

Ireland.

its

fcrtagh.

exact site in the present

'

when

it

Dr. Reeves

Scotch-street,'

C >lgan probably thought seven feet entirely too small for a church
II
difficulty by making the Uss or fort the church.
ccclesia ;" probably he was ignorant of the meaning of the Irish

and bo he evaded the

calls it

words.
I

" mums

He calls the oratory " argyrotheca sen vasarinm ,"

now written lios, still remains in such names as

fort,

p. 1 G4.

The WOW

Lismoro, Listowel,

&c.
-

Thus was the church of Armagh founded

if it

and, truly,

had not been founded upon the Rock of Truth, no

human power

could have preserved the

One Faith

therein to the present day.

There are only two theories by which Protestant

antiquarians
doctrines
in

and

can account for the mention of

practices

those

which they consider innovations,

works of such high antiquity as the Tripartite Life

of our saint.

They

either boldly assert that these state-

ments are absolutely

false,

were interpolated at a

or they suppose that they

later

period.

remarkable

how this kind of reasoning leads the most

men to palpable self-contradiction is before us

instance of

learned

now.

We

have just given a long quotation from Dr.

Todd, in which he argues strongly the authenticity and

antiquity of the Tripartite.

He

and convincing reasons

support his opinion.

turn a page, and find

to

all this

brings forward weighty

We

argument overthrown, with

utter unconsciousness of the inconsistency of the pro-

ceeding

and what

foundation of

is

recorded " immediately after the

Armagh "

is

stigmatized as utterly un-

worthy of any attention, simply because

it

contains an

account of St. Patrick's having been taken to

Rome

miraculously, and of his having obtained some relics

there.
"

Obtained. Todd's " Memoir

of St. Patrick," p. 479.

//.

The

to,

infidelity.

is

Rome

on precisely the same ground, by modern

The

admit indeed, he
that the narrative of the New Testainfidel

can hardly deny

ment

to

Record of the Lives of the Saints bas been

oldest

objected

Carried by Angels

is

true, so far as

certain persons

is

it

willing to

is a

record of the existence of

but when he reads therein of miracles

or cures worked by

relics, lie

at once, with

the most

unconscious inconsistency, denies what he had admitted.

In

fact,

own

he

is

what agrees with

willing to believe

his

opinions of what the saints ought to have done

but when he finds something recorded which, in his

opinion, they ought not, or could

way

not have done, he

Now

refuses to accept the narrative.

this is

not the

to conduct historical investigations.

The

Tripartite

Life

immediately

relates,

after

the

account of the division of the ferta, that an angel came

to St. Patrick in

Armagh, and

told

him that the

of the apostles were being distributed in

day, and then he bore

him away through the

Todd has very justly estimated

relics

Rome on

that
Dr.

air.

the preceding passage

very highly on account of the greal antiquity of the

description.

We

can give a description

still

and

older,

of the authenticity of which there can be no question,

to

prove that veneration of

relies

and supernatural

motion were no superstitions of the

men

of

loco-

Erinnand

the

writers of the Lives of Patrick.

We

read in the Life of St. Paul, as recorded in the

AtCta of the

Apostles,

that handkerchiefs and aprons

were la-ought from his body to touch the

sick,

and that

wwrfl-ifliTWTW

(ffvi^

356

Life of St. Patrick.

these relics effected not only the cure of diseases, but

What

also drove out evil spirits.

Patrick desired

Rome, and

if

wonder, then,

to obtain relics of

if St.

the apostles from

an angel assisted him to do so

Is it

not in and by the power of the Lord of Angels alone

that all miracles are

worked

know

that there are

some persons who admit, and who would indeed be

shocked and pained

they were accused of denying

if

the miracles of the apostles,

and yet they

believe the miracles of St. Patrick.

can they give for this

will not

But what reason

Our Divine Lord expressly

declared that His disciples should do "greater things"

He Himself had

than

was
amply

done, and this declaration

Ecclesiastical history

not limited to the apostles.

proves that miracles continued to be practised in the

Church from the days of the apostles to the present

hour.

made

If the objection be

different

from other men,

inherent to themselves,

we

that the apostles were

and had

spiritual

powers

at once reply that this

was

what they themselves expressly denied. They were

simply saints, and God alone can know which of all
His saints
Thus,

had

may

that our great St.

Patrick

at least Scriptural authority for venerating relics

and desiring

how

be the holiest.

we must admit

The

them.

to possess

to revere the saints,

and how

delegated to them by the

King

saints

knew

to estimate the

of Saints.

best

powers

Let us not

condemn the Celtic writers of the Lives of Patrick,

Brigid, and Columkille, until we have read the Lives

of St.

Germanus of Auxcrrc, of St. Benedict of Suabiaco,

St. Antony of the Desert.

and of
St.

Germanus, one of the most celebrated prelates

of the age,

had

at least given St. Patrick the

of preserving and venerating relics;

example

we mnsl blame
and, in common

if

the one, let us also blame the other;

consistency, reject all ecclesiastical history as fabulous.

That portion of the Tripartite which

extraordinary event
to

worded

so

as to

understand whether the angel bore

Rome,

the air to

supernatural
i

is

as far as

him
Aonach Maca.

until his return.

away a

great quantity of

appear as

if

men

"When the saint arrived

upon the inhabitants, and

fell

in this

IIow-

been, the writer states that he

Seclmall in the episcopacy, with the

sleep

it difficult

Patrick through

or whether he only took

manner

may have

this

St.

refers to this

make

relics.

St.

Left

of Erinn,
in

Rome,

Patrick brought

From

this

it

would

the saint had been, indeed, borne through

the air at night to Pome, and that he had thus obtained

what he

so highly prized.

Relics.
"After the death of St. Germanus, bis relics were esteemed worth
other riches, ami each one endeavored, out of the little the saint had to
Placidia (the empress) got the little box which
leave, to obtain something.
7

all

enclosed the relics of the apostles and martyrs, which Germanus wore at bis
breast, and with which he had performed miracles.
St. Peter Chrysi
took for himself the monk's hood and his haircloth.
The other bishops
divided the garments which remained." "Idle of St. German," p. J.v.t, edited
by Dr. Newman. Truly, our saint could scarcely fail to bo a great lover of
relics when he had been the disciple oi St
rermanas.
Those who are not familiar witb the lives of the saints are
Prised.
naturally very much amazed at this miraculous transit, and really credit
this and the other extraordinary incidents in the lives of the saints to the
<

invention of biographers anxious to glorify their master at the expense o

E&3l*

<?*-&*&

Indeed,

if

we

some

explains

accept this as

apparent

puzzled modern writers.

the

Hymn

the

account,

which

it

have

The author of the Preface

to

of St. Sechnall in the Liber Breac, states

him

that St. Patrick sent

to Koine for relics,

" these are the relics which are

the shrine of Paul and Peter."

who appeared

the angel

true

contradictions

four chariots, as

if

now

in

and that

Ardmacha,

in

According to Jocehyn,

him with

to Patrick provided

sent from heaven ("quasi ccelitus

destinatos"), for his journey; this

but not clearly, in the Tripartite.

is

also

mentioned,

But Jocelyn makes

no mention of the appointment of Secnndinus, neither

does the author of the
states that the relics

the advice of the Abbot of

them

the

Rome was

future.

care

of

truth.

Unless, as I have said before,

for

The

Vita Tertia.

went back to Letha

we

In

Tripartite

(Italy),

to

and

take better

the gloss of the

are prepared to

deny

all miracles,

In
cannot refuse to believe that he may have been thus carried to Home.
Mary of Agreda a whole chapter is devoted to an account of her
being carried in a similar manner from Agreda, in Spain, to America, where
she instructed a number of people, and distributed rosaries amongst them.

we

the Life of

after, when the province of Mexico was visited by Franciscan

they found a colony of Indians, who earnestly requested to be
and said that they had been instructed, some time previously, by a
After some years, when
lady who appeared and disappeared mysteriously.
one of these missionaries returned to Spain, he found out that it was Mary of
Agreda who had converted them "Vie de la Venerable Mere Marie de Jesus,"
I might multiply examples of this kind from the
Paris, 1857, pp. 1 13-126.

Some years
fathers,

baptized,

the saints. Even in our own century

Anne Catherine Emmerich, who died in 1821.

lives of

a similar fact

is

recorded of

remember
Holy House of

Catholics will also

that the Church keeps a festival in honor of the removal of the

Loretto.

Future. It is quite clear that Colgau "doctored" the whole narrative.

Probably he could hardly credit the account of the Tripartite, aud, instead of
translating it verbally into Latin in this part, as he had done most carefully
up to this chapter, he really makes a version of his own, which does not agree
'>

^m?~

3^~

vriot

Felire

~~F~

Si

nt

Leabhar Breac, there

is

to St.

Acngus
that

the Culdee, in the

these

and

are,

it

is

Rome

and brought back the

inn he sent

While

St.

St.

relics,

is

It

Ard Macha

It is possible

miraculously the

first

that

time,

and that on the second

Sechnall to recover them.

Patrick was absent from

period which

at

was Seconal! that

it

brought them together into Ireland."

the saint was taken to

o^

a note in Latin and Irish.

runs thus: "Others say

relies

1|rr-'

miraculously

ltfartyrology of

or

:-

Armagh,

at

some

not defined, Sechnall saw two chariot

horses with his people, and he said that they ought to

The saint was informed of this on

and ordered the horses to be yoked to the
chariot, and to go to Fiacc, who was at Slctty.
According to the account in the Book of Armagh, they
were guided by an angel. The account of St. SechnaU'a

be given to Fiacc.
his return,

visit

to

Koine,

in

the Introduction to his

praise of St. Patrick, occurs

Hymn

somewhat abruptly.

in

It is

him that bis end was

and then he wrote the Hymn. The whole narrative
so full of interest, and gives such an admirable pic-

Baid that the saint intimated to

near,
is

ture of the practice

Church, that

and teaching of the early

give the extract in

differences in the statements

made

preceded the composition of the

lowing, which

is

full.

Irish

There are some

as to the events which

Hymn;

but the

fol-

from the Leabhar Breac, agrees in the

with any account.

lie speaks of Patrick's having got the relics by a "
and then adds that some Bay the Pope know of it. Sorely when
recorded miracles of raising from the dead, and others equally wondei

theft,"

ive

recorded

ti

mom

main with the statement of the

compared with it by the reader
" Vel hrcc est causa [this

hymn],

i.e.,

[when he
viz.,

is

the cause or reason of composing the

from the attack that Sechnall made upon Patrick, viz

said],

Patrick

'

is

a good man, except in one thing,

that he preaches almsgivings so

this,

and can be

Tripartite,
:

When

little.'

Patrick heard
It

Sechnall had finished the Mass, except taking the

Body

when

that he

was in great wrath against

fore, leaves the oblation

upon the

Sechnall, there-

Sechnall.

altar,

and prostrates himself to

Patrick.

Patrick, however, drove the chariot over him, but

raised the

ground around him, hinc

injured.

'

Why

almsgiving

am

come

'

it is

after

have need for

said Sechnall,

who

me V

said Sechnall.

that

its
it

was not from

:

'

'

all.'

life,

laxity thou didst

And

whose beginning

that,

Then

hymn

at the

and what they chanted was the hymn

is

'

So

so.'

They made

as they were going round

the cemetery, they heard a choir of angels chanting a

Offertory, in the church,

and they

I did not know,'

All these shall be thine.'

peace then, Patrick and Sechnall.

my

not, because

it

into this island children of

being exercised by

the angel said to Patrick

Who,

But God,

for charity that I preach

me

'

said that I did not preach,

the enemy of God's testament

knoweth that

there shall

'

God

he should not bo

et hide, that

hast thou done so to

then, is the man,' said Patrick,

judge,

of

heard that Patrick had arrived at the place, and

Christ, that he

shall

was

he went to Sechnall, and he was in great wrath.

Saucti vonite, Christi corpus,' etc.

from that time to the present, that

Erinn when the Body of Christ is received.

" And Patrick, after this, sent Sechnall to

hymn

Eome

is

chanted in

for portions of

the relics of Paul and Peter and other martyrs, in consequence of

the accusation he had

made

against him.

And

these are the relics

which arc now in Ardmacha, in the shrine of Paul and Peter.

Now, when Sochnall had finished tin- hymn, he went to show it

Patrick and when he had reached Patrick, he said to- him:

to

have composed a hymn

'I

the praise of a

man

that Patrick should

had finished

namqne

in

'

life

welcome

But the beginning that

But when Sechnall repeated,

it.

Maxinms

'

regno coalorum, Patrick moved from place to place, and

'How

Sechnall said
great

Patrick answered

hymn was, 'Bcata Christi custodit,' in order

not know in whose honor the hymn was made

until he

said:

it.'

of the people of God.'

Sechnall gave to the

,?

honor of a certain child of

in

that thouwooldst listen to

wi.sli

man

can a
:

'

numbers of

own

his

kingdom of heaven?

be greatest in the

Pro positivo

est hie
race.'

'

because he excelled

or, it is

The answer

said

good,'

is

Patrick.

When

"
a

Sechnall had finished reciting the hymn, there came then

man and

and

butter.

woman, having food with them,

woman.

of the

to Patrick, viz., cheese

Bera was the name of the man, and Bright the name

Then Patrick

said,

'

The

hymn is sung before dinner, there

it.'
And the new house in which it

house,' said he,

this

shall

in

is

'

in

which

be no scarcity of food

sung before occupation,

the watching of Patrick and of the saints of Ireland shall be there

about

it

same was revealed to Colinan

as the

with him; and as

it

monks, when he came out of

and sang

refectory,

this

foolish

one said:

Cocmhghin
disciples,

"
said
it,'

were

When
:

'I

said

this

'Why

do we sing

not good,' said he,

is

visible to us so long as

'

Patrick, with

three times.

That

must have the reward

the

number

this

'

it,'

'

little,

I will

thusl'

praise

And

singing this hymn.'

concluded, Sechnall

said he.

'Thou

shalt have

of days that are in a year, the

not accept that,' said Sechnall,

and the

fathers,

then a certain

for Patrick, with his

we were

hymn was

for

many

And
hymn

of souls of sinners shall go to heaven, for the

hymn.'

that too

it

the recitation of the

said Patrick;

number

'

to

And

hymn.

appeared to him, and he sang

and to others

Ela,

Cocmhghin (Kevin) and his

the church on Sunday into the

was revealed

is

good.'

'Thou

'

making of

for I

think

shalt have, then,'

:, :*.

said Patrick,

'

the

number

of the hairs that are on the easula of

thy cowl, the same number of sinners to go to heaven for the

hymn.'

'I

not accept

will

who would not

believer

Sechnall,

said

it,'

were not praised by myself, nor by anyone,

shalfc have,' said

'

who

for

Patrick,

'

'Thou

said Sechnall.

heaven who sings

to go to

not accept

said Patrick,
gratias,' said

"The
viz.,
it

'

shall

down and

lying

it

it

'

for the

hymn

to memory.'

be upon the

rising up.'

long,

is

three stanzas of

last

I will

not

it is

whole grace,

Its

'

'

and

it.'

then,'
'

Deo

angel promised the same thing to Patrick upon the C'ruach,

at lying

down and

shall sing the last three stanzas of

at rising up, as

" 'A hymn, which,

if

(said

is

sung when

life

close.

of this great saint

by the poet)

was at

it after

"'

all.

drawing to

last

Well, indeed, might he desire

did he merit

alive,

Will be a protecting Lorica unto

life

too

is

Sechnall.

heaven to every one who

The

'It

shalt have,' said Patrick, 'everyone

that,' said Sechnall,

everyone that can commit

'Thou

thou art?

as

seven every Thursday, and twelve every

Saturday, to go to heaven, of the sinners of Erinn.'

little,'

the

is

take that number to heaven, although he

rest,

its

and richly

the labors of a century,

and a

which, from his very childhood, had been one of

unceasing

Once

toil.

hundred years ago

him with

again,

his

angel

Victor,

the

who had summoned him more than

blessed spirit

to

come and help the

a special message from God,

dient saint hears but to

fulfil

wished to die at Armagh.

and

the divine

He was

Irish,

appears to

still

the obe-

command.

He

setting out for that

place
for even the saints have their holy partialities;
he knew that the " time of his going to heaven was at
1

AU. Liber llymnorum,

pp. 30-33.

"*r_
His Death
hand

;"

foretold by an Angel

is

but the angel told him to (urn back

to Saul,

should be the place of his resurrection.

for there

Then the heavenly messenger informed him that

power should continue
as

if

in

Armagh

to future ages,

how

he were there alive himself;" and

prophecy has been

verified,

truly this

the present hour

Even those who have taught a

bear ample testimony.

different creed

facts to

his

"even

from that of the saint have been unable to

continue their

efforts,

and

in

own

our

time have ceased

to be established, because their teaching,

by the power of

the intercession of Patrick, has failed to supersede

bis.

Directions were also given to the saint concerning his

funeral; and he was told to give orders that his

body

should be placed in a cart to which two young oxen

from the herds of Conall should be yoked, and these

being

left to

guide themselves, that he should be buried

wherever they stopped.

It is

probable that St. Patrick died immediately after

his arrival in Saul,

and

that, like

many

saints, his illness

was but a gentle and quick severing of the earthly bonds

which had held his
love.

spirit captive

from the land of

"We only know that he received the

his

last sacra-

ments of the Holy Catholic Church from the saintly

bishop,
'

Tassach f and then for twelve days

Tassach.

lie was commemorated on the 13th

all

the

of April, as

"The

kingly bishop Tassach,

Who administered, on his arrival,

The Body <>( Christ, the truly powerful

And the Communion, to Patrick."
With regard to the four favors announced ti
reserve a consideration of them fnr the present.

St,

king,

Patrick

l>y

the angel,

wo

who

Ireland

clergy of

could be assembled watched

around him, with "hymns, and psalms, and canticles."

The music
light

of the angels

was heard, and a supernatural

illuminated the place.

unusual

in.

Nor was this manifestation

the lives of the saints

for

God has

often

been pleased to manifest His approval of their devoted

ness

by such

exterior tokens.

Even

own day

in our

and time, we have personal knowledge of instances iu

which a

light,

not of earth or earthly, has been seen to

surround the dying, or has given warning to those

hundred miles

many

distant, of the departure of saintly souls.

And why, indeed,

Do not our angels

should

we marvel

at these things

ever attend us, and are

we

not only

prevented from seeing the brightness which ever sur-

rounds them by the darkness of earthly light

After the death of the saint a dispute arose as to

should possess his remains.

0
.

who

The Hy-Nial and the peo-

ple of Orion were the combatants in this holy dispute.

body to Armagh, the

Down. The prophecy or
the angel Victor was now fulfilled, for two

The former wished

latter

to carry the

wished to bury

direction of

it

at

3 Liijht.
Dr. Todd, to whose adverse comments I am obliged to refer once
more, has strongly condemned the accounts of this supernatural light ("Memoir,"
Dr. Lanigau has tried to explain it away ("Ecel. Hist." vol. i. p.
p. 4S9).
He has a very confused note at p. 366. When a person sets himself
364).
to explain away a clear statement, or series of statements, he generally

involves himself in a series of contradictions.

Germanus, that the house where the head of
of Auxerre,

read, in the Life of St.

Just,

the child martyr

was deposited, was filled with light, and it was so brilliant,

was saying matins, perceived it, and sent to inquire

that St. Amator, who

Surely, if
the cause.
iii^lit,

We
St.

may we

God thus honored the relics of a holy child for oue

not easily believe that for twelve nights, or for a year, He

would thus honor our great

apostle.

TO

oxen were yoked

to

a chariot

human

without

forth

by the

guidance,

and

clergy,

sec whither

to

.sent

they

would go. They rested at Dun-da-leth-glaissc (Down),

on the spot now occupied by the cathedral, and here
the saint was buried.
The Hy-Nial, however, were
not satisfied
(

they met the Ulidians at a place called

'olhtmrbovis in the

rose,

Book

of

Armagh.

Here the

tide

through the "power of God," and separated them.

now

miracle

each party saw

occurred which decided the dispute

a bier carried

what he saw, thinking that he had

at last secured the

Thus they separated without bloodhad seemed a reality disappeared

coveted treasure.

and what

shed,

by oxen, and each followed

before their astonished gaze at last, so that they were

convinced

it

was a miraculous intervention

From

further dispute.

these circumstances

followed that some doubt arose as to the

saint

was

But we

interred.

this subject

hereafter,

shall

to prevent

necessarily

it

site

have more

when recording

all

where the
to say

on

known

the

traditions of the various relics of our saint.

There are points of coincidence between the

saints

and the

lives of those

guishes as great
at

which there

men; but

is

work of

is

there are also

for time,

and

the saints, God's heroes,

lives of

the world distin-

the widest divergence.

the world's heroes

the

whom

it
is

many

points

The work

of

ends with time

for eternity,

and

continues through time, even after they have ceased to

belong to
future.

it,

The

and have entered upon the never-ending

saints are as brave as the bravest heroes;

Life of St. Patrick.

3G6
and, in truth,

many

holy

men have

faced dangers from

which the most valiant of earthly warriors might shrink

The

without charge of cowardice.

blessed

apostle,

goes forth to

saint,

who, like our

a heathen

evangelize

nation, encounters all the dangers of

war without any

human means of defence. It is true that he is defended

by the God of Battles but that God does not always
;

him from

interfere to protect his person or to defend

On

suffering.

the contrary,

He

a soul

who knows no

self.

Patrick invades Ireland

fear,

because he has no thought of

Eternal King, and he succeeds

countering the
of a soldier.

perils,

conquer

to
;

it

for the

but not without en-

the sufferings, and the privations

If a general is justly called brave

he leads a gallant band of

men

opposing and more powerful

not less brave
nation.

loves to sec the valor of

who comes

He knows

when

to fight against

an

force, surely the saint is

single-handed to conquer a

not, as he sets out

on

his glorious

mission, whether that mission will succeed or

fail.

He

knows that many of God's bravest generals win their

victories when they lie cold in death, since torture and
martyrdom are

often their portion.

But they have

greatest hero

is

a few centuries.

The fame of the

this advantage.

but for time

at best, he

God's heroes get

little

is

forgotten in

share of earthly

fame, but they are more than compensated in eternity.

To

love the temporal interest of our country,

for

it, is

interest,

indeed a noble work

and to give our

but to love

lives for

it,

is

and to

die

its

eternal

still

nobler.

i
5?

Work

Ilis

When we

*lEr

*-&-

*-

in Ireland.

teach our children the names of our country's

heroes, let us not forget to tell

them

first

of the saints,

as the greatest heroes.

We
If

and, above

estimate the
all, if

what

results,

describe
for

work most

estimate a man's

we thus

its

we

work

fairly

by the

results.

by

results,

of the saints

estimate the work of St. Patrick

by

Words almost fail to

magnitude and its importance. The country
we say of

shall

it 1

which he prayed, and which he evangelized, has

mained more

faithful to

nation upon earth

and

re-

the Church than any other

also has

been a nation of

heroes in the best and truest sense.

France had her

it

Goddess of Reason, Italy persecuted her Popes, Spain

overturned her

altars,

England chose a king

Germany

revolted as a nation,

for her spiritual

to the Vicegerent of the

King

head in preference

of kings

Ireland alone

remained faithful as a nation, and never, even for one

denied

hour,

This
is
<

is

no

the Faith

flight of fancy,

taught

to

simply an undeniable historical

lod, to

what can we attribute

The

of Patrick

until the

Day

of

her by Patrick'.

no boast of one's country

Irish race

this,

And,

ing, the

Irish nut inn

it

save to the prayers

were confided to his keeping

Doom, and well has he guarded

charge.

And, under

fact.

after centuries of persecution

and

his

Buffer-

are the teachers, throughout the

world, of the Catholic faith.

In America,

in Australia,

we find the old Celtic names in

overwhelming majority when we read the catalogue of
bishops and priests who minister to these peoples
nay, even in England,

,^3,

? #i<<p^ii M ,^
i

and we are
the pence

'

,'fflj j iiiiiiB j

told,

and

by unquestionable

shillings of the

authority, that

it is

poor exiled Celt which

have enabled these bishops and priests to erect some of

the most beautiful and costly temples, in which the

Faith

taught as

is

adorable Sacrifice

whom
;

offered

he taught to revere

may we

Well
Celt

was taught by Patrick, and the

it

is

by the descendants of those

its

awful mysteries.

claim Patrick as the hero of the Irish

and unite with the writer of the

self also

a saint,

who

Tripartite,

him-

thus sums up our apostle's glories,

enhanced during the centuries which have passed since

these lines were penned

I
" His

greater

body
still

is

here in the

will it

his preaching will

be in the

earth,

Day

and though great

of Judgment,

his honor,

when the

fruit of

be committed to him as to each other high

apostle, with the apostles

and

disciples of Jesus, in the

union of

the nine choirs of angels, in the union of the Divinity and the

Humanity of the Son

all

unity

Holy

is

nobler than

Trinity, Father, Son,

and Holy

beseech mercy through the intercession of Patrick.

Spirit.

ask that

we may

Amen."

of God, in the unity which

in the unity of the

ail

We

ourselves obtain this uuion in soccula sceculorum.

TRIPARTITE
OF Saint
OAINT P,
TATRICK,

IFE

APOSTLE OF IRELAND.

Translated from the Original

TT.

M.

HENNESSY,

ESQ., M.R.I.A.

Trish.

MwrpnTi

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

31

Patrick, then,

was

his father's

was of the Britons of Alcluaid by origin. Calpumn

name. He was a noble priest. Potid was his

whose title was a deacon. Conceis was his

She was of the Franks, and a sister to Martin.
and the
moreover, the man St. Patrick was born

grandfather's name,

mother's name.

In Nemtur, 2

Patrick was born would give forth water

when anyone swore a false oath upon it, as if it were lamenting the
If the oath was true, however, the stone would
false testimony.

flag (stone)

on which

continue in

its

When
flat-faced

the

St.

3
natural condition.

man

St. Patrick

was born, he was taken to the blind,

man, to be baptized.

Gornias 4 was the priest's

name

and he had no water out of which he could perform the baptism,

the
until he made the sign of the Cross over the ground with
infant's

washed

hand,

when a

his face,

and

fountain of water burst forth.

his eyes

were opened to him

and

he,

who had

God wrought

three miracles

this place, viz., the fountain of

water through

learned no letter, read the baptism.

through Patrick in

Gornias

the ground, his eyesight to the blind man, and his reading the ordo
And
of the baptism without knowing a letter up to that time
of each of the three parts of the Tripartpages of Latin, which form a sort of introduction to
few
Life.
the subject these are omitted, having no connection with the
title page, which
lines from this introduction will be seen on the illustrated
1

Patrick At the commencement

ite Life, there are several

represents St. Patrick blessing the Munstermen, and raising a dead

man

to

life.
Nemtur himdentur (in Emtur), MS. "Natus igitur in illo oppido NemColgan,
thur nomine Patricius natus est in Campo Tabume." Vita Secunda,
4.
"Natus est igitur Patricius in illo oppido Nemthur nomiue." Vita
p.
See pp. 84-89, ante. In the Annals of Ireland [Three FragTerlia, p. 0.
MacFirbis,
ments, edited by O'Donovan], copied from ancient sources by D.

Cluathe signifying Dumbarton

"Obsessio Ailec Cluathe a Nordmannis, i.e. Amlaiph et Imhar duo reges Nordmannorum obsederunt arceui
Also
ilium & distruxerunt in fine iiii. mensium arcem ilium et predaverunt."
Annates Cambrix, A.v. 870 " Arx Altclut a gentilibus fracta est." Brut y
Tywysogvm, a.d. 870: "Acy torret Kaer Alcluty gan y Paganyeit" " and

there

is

Entry

a note at
in

p.

Annals

192 as follows

of

: Ailech

Ulster, a.d. 870:

Caer Alclut was demolished by the Pagans."

3 Condition.
See ante, p. 107.
Gornias.
Sec ante, p. 101.

'':,:''

was

Patrick

well

and

at the altar,

is

subsequently baptized.

moreover, over this well

was founded,

church

which Patrick was baptized

in

and the

has the form of the Cross, as the learned

it

report.

Mutritus est igitor in

Nemthur

puer crescens in bonis operibus

ille

Deos per

et in virtutibus quas egit

ilium,

namqae

puerita gratia

Dei preditus erat antequam inter bonum et malum nosset discernere,

et

viam

veritatis posset indagare, sicut ipse in libro

inquiens

dic.it,

epistolarum

misertus est adolescentisa ignorantim mesa, et

et

mo antequam scirem cam (sic), et antequam distinguerem

bonum et malum, ct munivit me ct consolatus est mei (sic)

custodivit
inter

ut pater nlium.

Many

prodigies

his youth, but

and miracles were wrought through Patrick

we

shall only relate a

One time Patrick was

great flood and rain

in his nurse's house, in

filled his

children
is

when

do than to prepare food

When

Then

desiring food.
;

there

his nurse said to

something

is

even the

for thee;

the)'

in the water,

and

drops

five

were suddenly changed into

and the water rose

magnified thereby.

not.

fell

him

"

we would

fire is

That

rather

extinguished."

Another time,

of

nurse.

Then

his nurse said

us withered brambles, to

have brought."
because

God

is

and he dipped

and the

Cod and

as Patrick

collected his armful of pieces of ice,

from Patrick's

five sparks,

The names

his companions, in the time of winter

burn

else

with

Patrick heard these words, truly, he sought a certain spot in

the house to which the water had not reached

hand

was

fire

then, cried to his nurse, as usual

Patrick,

not what troubles us

when

winter time,

nurse's residence, so that the vessels

and furniture of the house were floating about, and the

extinguished.

in

few out of many of them

fingers,
fire

his

and

glowed,

of Patrick were

was playing amongst

and cold

in particular,

which he brought home to

ho
his

" It would be better for you to bring

warm

ourselves with, than

Thereupon he said to

his nurse

what you

" Believe thou,

powerful thereto, that even the sheets of ice will

like faggots

;"

and no sooner were the

pieces of ice placed

on

the

fire,

and he had breathed on them, than they burned

The names

faggots.

of

God and

like

Patrick were magnified through

this miracle.

One
sheep,

time,

when

Patrick and his sister

Lupait) 5 were herding

{i.e.

the lambs came suddenly to their dams, as

When

with them, to drink milk.

customary

is

Patrick and his sister saw

this,

The girl fell, and her head

struck against a stone, so that death was nigh unto her.
As soon as
Patrick perceived that his sister was lying down, and that death
was nigh unto her, he wept loudly; and he raised her up immediately, and made the sign of the cross over the wound, and it
they ran quickly to prevent them.

healed without any

had happened

(Nevertheless, the signs of the " white

illness.

wound" would appear

And

there.)

they came

home

as if no evil

Another time, Patrick was with the sheep,

to them.

when a wolf took away a sheep from him. His nurse reproved
him greatly therefor. The wolf brought the sheep whole to the
same place on the morrow and the restoration in this way was
:

wonderful,

When

viz.,

the wolf's dislike regarding the habitual food.

Patrick's nurse, therefore,

and

prodigies

saw him magnified by God

miracles, she used to love

not wish to go anywhere without him.

He went with

milk the cow.

cow [became mad]

nurse was

He

much

grieved,

One

time, his nurse

and

new

went to

milk.

The

killed five other cows.

The

her to get a drink of

in the hoolcy,

in

him very much, and would

and asked him

to resuscitate the cows.

resuscitated the cows, then, so that they were quite well, and

he cured the

mad cow

and the names of God and Patrick wen?

magnified through this miracle.

There was a great assembly held by the Pritons.

the assembly, with his nurse and his guardian.
his guardian died in the assembly.

thereat
said,

"

and

his relatives cried,

Why, thou

Lupait.

See ante,

Became

mail.

ijillu,

p.

He went

to

happened that

All were hushed into silence

and

his

friends wept,

didst thou let the

113, for curious

It

and they

man who was

and interesting

carry-

identifications.

Defect in MS. A gloss adds that " a demon entered into her.'

Trip

irtite Life

ing thee diet'

the

ird

375

St. Patrick.

of

moreover, he ran to

gitta,

hie

guardian, and placed his hands about his neck, and said to him,

"Arise, and

The boys of

Ho

us go home."

let

word, and they went

tlio

home

forthwith, at Patrick's

arose,

safe afterwards.

was nursed were wont

place in which Patrick

Then

bring honey to their mothers from the bees' uests.

"Although every other boy brings honey

said to Patrick,

you bring none

nurse,

bucket to the water, and

filled

changed into honey; and

which

it

his

and blessed the water,

it,

the

King

command

of Britain's steward went to

Then

Patrick and his nurse went.

angel came, and slid to Patrick, " Pray, and

you

it

Patrick

nurse to go and clean the hearth of the royal house in

Al-Cluaid.

for

so that

healed every disease and ailment to

it

was applied

One time
and

to his

Patrick afterwards carried off a

me."

to

to

his nurse

to perform

work."

that

it

Patrick

will

Tho angel
Though all the

prayed.

Then Patrick said,

afterwards cleaned the hearth.

was that the

it

not be necessary

"

firewood in Britain were burned in that fireplace, there would

no ashes of

it

And

on the morrow."

Another time the King of

this,

Britain's steward

indeed,

is

went

demand

to

lie

fulfilled yet.

tribute

of curds and butter from Patrick's nurse; and sho had nothing

Then

that sho would give for the rent.

was that Patrick made

it

curds and butter of the snow, and they were taken to the king;

and the moment they were exhibited to the king, afterwards, they

The king thereupon

changed into the nature of snow again.

forgave the rent to Patrick for ever.

cause 7 of Patrick's coming to Erinn was as follows

The

seven sons of Feohtmad,

via.,

the seven sons of tho

were on a naval expedition, ami they went

Letha
visit

The

plunder

Armaria

in

and a number of tho Britons of Sratb-Gluaidh were on a

with

their

n. .-on

,,f

kinsmen,

the

of

Britons

Potit, Patrick's father,

daughter of Ocbas of the Galls,

7

to

King of Britain

i.e.

ami

Armoric-Letha,

his mother,

and

Conches,

i.e.

of the Franks, were killed in the

Cause Sso titract from the Scholiast on

Bj DH,

p.

8fi.

slaughter in Armorica.

Patrick and

two

liis

sisters, viz.,

Lupait and

The seven
Fechtmad went afterwards on the sea, having with them
The way they went was
Patrick and his two sisters in captivity.
around Erinu, northwards, until they landed in the north ; and they
Tigris,

were taken prisoners, moreover,

in that slaughter.

sons of

sold Patrick to Miliuc, son of Buan,

They

to the king of Dal-Araidhe.

i.e.

sold his sisters in Conaille-Muirthemhne. s

know this. 9

Four persons,

was Miliuc.

It

was from

truly, that

And

they did not

One

purchased him.

He

Cothraige, 1 for the reason that he served four families.

indeed, four

them
is

had,

names

[Here a leaf

Museum MSS.
fill

of

he received the name that

this that

is

missing from both the Bodleian

of the Tripartite Life

and British

the contents of which would

eight pages of similar size to the foregoing.]

When

Patrick had completed his sixtieth year, and had learned

knowledge, his auxiliary angel, Victor

him when he

[Patrick]

was

in

(for

he was of assistance to

bondage with Miliuc, and regarding

everything besides which he might wish), went to him, and said

"

to him,

You

commanded from God to go to Erinn, to

that you may bring the people, by the net
the harbor of life for all the men of Erinn call

are

strengthen faith and

of the gospel, to

belief,

out your name, and they think

should come."

seasonable and

that

fit

you

Patrick afterwards bids farewell to Germanus, and

gave him a blessing

Germauus, to guard
Segetius,

it

and a trusted senior went with him from

him, and testify for him;

and he was by grade a

priest

and he

it

his

name was

was who usually

kept the Ordo of the church besides Germanus. 2

Patrick went subsequently on the sea, his company being nine.
Then he went upon an island, where he saw a withered old woman

on her hands at the door of a house.

1

'

"

Whence

is

the hag

1"

U uirlhemhnc. The level part of the present county of Louth.

Patrick and his sisters did not know their mutual
See, on the meaning of this name, Dr. Todd's paper in the

Conaillc-

This.

Colhralje.

fate.

Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy,"

:
Germanus. Ante, p. 156.

vol. vi. p. 292.

A young man

Patrick; " great is her infirmity."

and

"She

said,

a descendant of mine," said the

ia

yon could see the mother of

l-

still."

In what

way

difficult to tell," said

He came

Christ.

blessed ourselves

when

We

"

coming was foretold

He

"Not

come

to preach to the Gaeidhel

it

with us'

And it
young man

said Patrick,

' :

and

long

is
;

"

and

prophesied to usj that thou wouldst

[/ .(.

hall (crozier), to

blessed our house, and

to us," said the

'left

if

are here since the time of

but this blessing reached not our children

dud

"

was on earth amongst men

lie

him, and

for

more infirm

is

here without age or decay for ever.

shall be

since thy

young man.

to visit us

feast

she

cleric,

did this happen?' inquired Patrick,

the

and we made a

we

this girl,

answered,

young man

and He

left

be given to thee."

until lie himself gives

a token with u

"I

me His

will not take

lachall." 3

remained three days and three nights with them

and

it."

Patrick

went

lie

afterwards into Sliabh-IIermoin,-near the island, where the Lord

appeared unto him, and commanded him to go and preach to the

Ihelj

and

He

gave him the

him

would be of assistance

to

which he would

And

viz.

(1) to

be.

Judgment; and

and said that

and every

in the

kingdom

of heaven; (2)

might be the judge of the Gaeidhel on the Day

(3)

a.s

it

difficulty in

Patrick besought three requests of Him,

be at His right hand

that he (Patrick)

Bachall-Isa,*

in every danger,

much

a->

of

the nine companions could carry of

gold and silver, to give to the Gaeidhel for believing.

The Airchinnech that was

the forty-second

in Borne at that tin

man from

deacon, with twelve men, to

Peter.

He

instruct

sent

as

When

the Gaeidhel (for

comarb of Peter belongs the instruction of Europe),

way

binus,

Palladium,

to

in the

high
the

same

Barnabas went from Peter to instruct the Romans, &c.

Palladiua arrived in the territory of Leinster,

i.e.

at

lubber-

Dea, 5 Nathi, son of Garchu, opposed him, and expelled him.

3

And

Bacholl. See ante, p. 1S9. All the details which can be discover
about this interesting relic will be given later.
* Im.
See the account of this in O'Curry's Lectures.
6
Mhar-Dea. The mouth of the Yartry river, county Wicklow.

<1

Palladius baptized a few there,

Cill-fine (in

of Paul

which he

and founded three churches,

and Peter, and the

which he used to

tablet in

and Tech-na-Koman, and Domhnach-Airte,

On

Solonius are.

God

turning back, afterwards, sickness seized him in

it.

knew

Patrick heard this thing, and

that

it

was

for

him

designed the apostleship of Erinn, he went subsequently to

Rome, to

who

write),

which Silvester and

in

the country of the Cruithne, and he died of

When

viz.,

books, and the casket with the relics

left his

receive grade

and

it

was Celestinus, Abbot of Rome, 8

read grada (orders, degrees) over him

King

of the

Germanus, and Amatho,

Romans, being present with them.

"When Patrick came from Rome, where he arrived was at InbherDea, 7 in Leinster.

the
it

first

who

Sinell,

also against him.

came

Nathi, son of Garchu,

Patrick cursed him.

moreover, the son of Finnchadh, was

believed in Erinn through Patrick's teaching.

was that Patrick blessed him and

On

his seed.

Hence

the same day,

Auxilius and Eserninus, and others of Patrick's people, were or-

dained

and

was then,

it

also,

that the

name

power with the Romans, was given

of

liberating

man.

It

was

he, moreover,

to

who

i.e.

him

a hostage-

viz.,

the choir of the

i.e.

loosened the hostage

And when

ship and bondage of the Gaeidhel to the devil.

were reading the grada

a name

Patricius,

they

(orders, degrees), the three choirs responded,

men

of heaven,

and the choir of the Romans,

and the choir of the children from the woods of Fochlnd,

whom

cried out, " Hibernienses omnes," &c.

gesta sunt in predictis

king in Erinn,

i.e.

was

In the

in Tara.

fifth

he died.
6

Neill, 8

and

his seat

fierce

pagan

and royal hold

year of the reign of Laeghaire

The eighth year

The eighth year

Rome. See

Mac

all

diebus autem

illis

In that time there was a

ita.

Laeghaire

Patrick came to Erinn.

In

Mac

Neill

of the reign of Lughaidh

of the reign of Theodosius, the forty-

pp. 203-207, for full evidence

of

St.

Patrick's

Roman

mission.
7

Inhher-Dea. For identification, see p. 225.

8
Laeghaire Mac Neill. He was son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, and
monarch of Ireland from 428 to 463 a.d.

TK~-

379

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

fifth

man from

Augustus, Patrick came

eight years Celestino was

then prince, as Gelaeiua said.

This valiant king, then,

i.e.

and enchanters, who used

Laeghaire

Mac

Neill, possessed droida

Lochru

through their paganism, what was in the future for them.

and Luchat Mael 9 were their

chiefs

of that art of pseudo-prophecy.

and these two were authors

They prophesied,

then, that a

mighty, unprecedented prophet would come across the

unknown code

an

whom

multitudes

and

to foretell through their druidism,

instruction,

of

with

few

sea,

with

companions,

would obey, and who would obtain dignity

and reverence from the men of Erinn; and that he would expel
kings and princes from their governments, and would destroy all
the idolatrous images; and that the faith which would arrive would
live for ever in Erinn.

what they used

Patrick,

"

Tailcrml

{i.e.

Two
to

years, or three, before the arrival of

prophesy was

Patrick) shall

come

[as follows]

across the stormy sea,

His garment hcad-[>ierce<l, his 6taff l head-bent,

His mias {i.e. altar) in the east of his house ;
His people all shall answer, amen, amen."

Baile-Cuinn (the Ecstasy of Conn, a rhapsody so called) dixit

"

Tailcmd shall come, who will found cemeteries, make

and pointed music-houses, with conical caps

:
priuces bearing croziers. "

9
I

'

Mael. Luchat

"

When

[bencopar]

cells

new,

and have

these signs shall come," said

Calvus.

Glossed, "ie, the Bachall-Isa

connected with
Croziert. "Conn's name

(staff of

Staff.

is

delivered by himself,

and

entitled

tip'

lliilc

Jesus) in his hand."

tun

distinct prophecies; one

Chilian, or Conn's Kostasy

the.

and entitled the Baile an Scail, or the champion's

The word Baile, which means madness, distraction, or ecstasy, is

other delivered t> lam,

Ecstasy.

the ancient Gacdhelic name for a prophecy.

" Of these two ' prophecies,' nothing seems to have hecn

known to Gaedhclic

and historians, for some centuries back, more than the quotation from
the Baile" Chuion found in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, as published by
Father John Colgan, in his Trio* Tfinuinaturgas in the year 1647 (a quotation
which was reprinted by Dr. Petrie, in his 'History and Antiquities of Tara,'
published in 1S39, in the eighteenth volume of the 'Transactions of the
Royal Irish Academy'). Even at the time that Dr. Petrie wrote his important
scholars

m*M>i

they,

and

" our

faith

adoration and our gentility (paganism) will vanish,

and

belief will be magnified."

and represented, so

When

it

happened and was

As

it

was foretold then,

fulfilled.

Patrick completed his voyage, and his ship entered the

essay on Tara, the serious examination of our ancient Gaedhelic manuscripts was
but in its infancy ; and when this Baile Chuinn was discovered in the Tripartit was not known who Conn, the author of it, was, nor
nor whether it contained any more than what is
was only believed that he must have been some ancient
Neither could the most minute research among our extensive collection
druid.
However, on my
of manuscripts in Dublin throw any light on his history.
visit to London in the summer of 1S49, I had the good fortune to discover an
ancient copy of the entire prophecy, of which an extract only is quoted in the

Patrick,

ite Life of St.

at

what time he

there quoted

flourished,

it

Tripartite Life.

" The piece

'

entitled

It is
is a short one, filling but one column of a small folio page.
Baile Chuinn Ched-Ghatairjh / that is, 'the Ecstasy (or Prophecy)

Conn of the Hundred Battles.' The manuscript is written on vellum, and

was compiled or transcribed in Burren, in my native country of Clare, by
of

Donnell O'Davoren, about the year 1590. It will be found in the British
Museum, classed Egerton, SS.' The transcript appears to have been made
from some ancient, decayed manuscript, and with some carelessness, many
words being carelessly spelled or contracted. The style of the composition is
affectedly irregular and obscure, and cannot be taken as evidence of the
remote antiquity to which it is referred. It will appear, from what follows,
that the piece professes to have been originally written forty nights before
Conn's death.
The 'prophecy,' which is written in prose, has reference to
the succession of the kings of Tara and Conn commences with his own son,
Art will succeed
Art, of whom he disposes in the following few words
at the end of forty nights, a powerful champion, who shall die at MucCon,
the successor
ruimhe.' The prophecy then runs rapidly down to Mac
of Art ; Cormac, the son of Art, and successor of Mac Con ; C'airbre, the
son of Cormac, killed at the battle of Gabhra ; Fiacha-Sraibhtine, the son
of Cairbre; Muiredhach, the son of Fiacha; and, passing over Eochaidh
Muighmheadhoin, the son of Muiredhach, it comes down to his son again,
Niall of the Nine Hostages, and then to Laeghaire, the son of Niall, who was
monarch when St. Patrick arrived. Here the prophet foretells the coming of
our great apostle, in words which stand as follows, with their ancient explanations
'With Laeghaire the violent will the laud be humbled by the
coming of the Tailcenn, that is, Patrick houses across, that is, churches ; bent
A somewhat different
staffs, which will pluck the flowers from high places.'
and better version of this prediction is given in the Ancient Tripartite Life of
St. Patrick, where it is quoted, without gloss, from the Baile Chuinn.
" The word Tailcenn (or Tailgcnn), which occurs here and in various places
in our ancient writings, means the reverend person
to whom all men would
bow the head in reverence. For the precise meaning of every word in this
'

'

^AlTi.-
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
harbor at Inbher-Dea,'' in the territory of Leinster, he brought

Then

his ships to tlio shore.

instruct

He

Miliuc

his body, that

to shore, 4

was that

it

thought

fit,

lie

decided to go to

ho labored

as

he should labor for his

at

first

Be then put

soul.

and proceeded on a prosperous voyage, past the coast

of Erinn, eastwards, until he stopped in Inbher-Domnand. 6

found no

for

stick

and cursed

fish there,

He went

it.

He

to Inis-Patrick

and

'

Ho

he sent to Inbher-Nainge, 8 where nothing was found for him.

Then

cursed this also, and both are unfruitful.

came into
all

his

was that Beneo

Patrick slept awhile, and

after

the odoriferous flowers that the youth could find, he would

put them into the

Soon

company.

it

Stop doing that,

"

He

will

Patrick's people said to Benen,

thou shouldst awake Patrick."

be the heir of

where he found

bosom.

cleric's

lest

my kingdom."

He

fish.

blessed

Patrick blessed the ground, and

it

Patrick said,

to Inbher-Boindi,'

and the Inbh

who denied

found druids in that place,

went afterwards from

it,

He went

swallowed the druids.

Inis-Patrick, past

He

r is fruitful.

the virginity of Mary.

Conaille, 8

Patrick

and past the

I have succeeded in procuring from ancient manuscripts tho

most undoubted authority and this is rather remarkable, since the version of
it given by Father John Colgan, in his Latin translation of the Tripartite Life,
It runs as follows: 'Adveniet cum
is inaccurate and incongruous.

ancient strain,

tonsus in capite, cujus e;des ad ii^tar tedium Etomanarutn

future sint in pretio et lustimatiuiic. .Eles ejus eruut an

efficii

qu

dntoet

fans mueta pedum pastorale domnabetur.'" O'C'urry," Manuscript Mat

J
Inbher-Dea. The mouth of the Vartry river, near Wicklow, in the t. rritory of UiGarchon, which contained Glenealy and, Kathnew.
" Four

Masters "
4

a. p. 430,

43 L and 835

also Todd's

"St. Patrick,"

n. p. 3'1S.

Sho'e.i.e. pushed off his boat.

Inhber->omnar>d.Dr. Todd ("Life of St. Patrick," note r>, p. 405

thisisuow M-vlahide river, on the authority of Dr. Beeves' " Adamnau,"
in Sftddoumey.
p. 31, who says it is now
6 Inbher-Naingt, now the mouth of the Nanny river, which,
running past
Duleek, county Meath, empties itself into the Irish sea, at the parish of Julians6

writes,

-1

- _;

town, called otherwise the parish of

Nanny

in Usher's

"lieturuof

Afi

1622.

Mouth of the Boyne.

A territory

Boindi.

ConaiUc-Muirthcmlmc.

comprising that psrt of the county

" Book
to the Boyne.

Louth extending from the Cuailgne (Cooly) mountains

of Rights," pp. 21 and 160.

coast of Ulster, until he stopped

at

Inblier-Brena. 9

He went

afterwards to Inbher-Slani, where the clerics hid their ships

they went ashore to put

it

off their fatigue,

and

to rest

and

so that there

was the swine-herd of Dichu, son of Trichim, found them, where

When he saw the divines and the
is to-day.

Sabhall-Patrick
clerics,

he thought they were robbers or thieves

tell his

lord

Then

whereupon Dichu came, aud

was that Patrick uttered the prophetic

it

bestis,

&c,

became

gentle,

he was the
Patrick.

Patrick.

canis obmutuit."

efc

When

set his

and he went to
dog

at the clerics.

verse, "

Ne

Then

it

Ulster

who

tradas

Dichu saw Patrick, he

and he believed, and Patrick baptized him

first in

so that

received faith and baptism from

was that Dichu presented the Sabhall 1 to

Patrick said

" The

God on Dichu,
gave to me the Sabhall
May he be, hereafter,
Heavenly, joyous, glorious.
blessing of

Who

" The

blessing of

Dichu with

No

God on Dichu 1

full folds (flocks)

one of his sept or kindred

Shall die, except after a long life."

Patrick went to preach to Miliuc, as

we have

gold with him, to prevail on him to believe, for he

Inhker-Brena.

The mouth

of Strangford river.

six miles distant, inside Strangford

said,

and took

knew

that he

Inbhcr-Slani was about

of the Slaney

Lough, being the mouth

water, which rises iu Loughmoney, and passes through Kaholp, emptying

itself iuto Strangford Lough, between Ilingbane and Balliutogher.
1

Snbellum.

Dichu.

Saul, county Down.

He

was son of Trichim, of the race of Fiatach Finn, monarch

and brother of Eochaidh Gunait, who was also monarch of Ireland.
His festival was held at Saul, on the 29th November, The Irish Calendars
Ailill, of Magh-bile, now
record six brothers of Dichu Laeghaire, of Dun
Eoghan and Niall,
Movilla Duirtheet, of Aendruim, now Island Magee
both of Cillcleithe, now Kilclief aud Kos (who met St. Patrick at Brettau,
or Bright), of Dundaleithglass, now Downpatrick all churches, in the county
Down. St. Jarlath, third bishop of Armagh, to which he was appointed by
St.
Patrick himself, and who died, a.d. 481, was sou of Tneu, brother of
Trichim, and therefore cousin of St. Dwhu.
of Ireland,

^J

>

>

n>

Jjf^z

=f

Jfe-'

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

(Miliuc)

was covetous regarding

Bat when Miliuc hoard that

gold,

Patrick had arrived, he wished not to believe for him, and to

abandon the pagan

for his servant,

religion.

and

taught him was this:

and

silver;

and he

his treasures,

and

He thought

He went
went

on

fire,

and he saw the

fire

afar

it

That

the

is

lire

it

all

was that Patrick

He remained

off.

space of two or three hours, thinking what

"

demon

and was burned with

Then

to hell.

proceeded past the northern side of Sliabh-Mis (there

that place),

to believe

that a

3
into his royal house, with his gold

set the house

his soul

unbecoming

it

The counsel

to submit to him.

is

a cross in

silent for the

could be, and he

sai

I,

of Miliue's house," said Patrick, "after bis burning

himself in the middle of his house, that he might not believe in

God

in the

thereto,"

end of

his

life.

added he, "there

his family,

and

his seed

As

regards the

shall

and race

man who

persuaded him

not be a king or righdamhna4 of

be

shall

'

in service

'

for ever,

and

his soul shall not return from hell to the judgment, nor after judg-

ment."
wise)

After he had said these words, he turned

and went back again into the

deistH (right-hand-

territory of Uladb, 6 until ho

arrived at Magh-inis, to Dichu, son of Trichim, and he remained

there a long time disseminating faith, so that he brought

Ulidians with the net of the gospel to the harbor of

the

all

life.

Patrick went subsequently from Sabhall southwards, that he

might preach to Ros, son of Trichim.

He

it

was that resided

Derlus, 6 to the south of Dun-leth-glaise (Downpatrick).

There

in
is

* Royal house.
In the townland of Ivillyc.irn, parish of Sherry, barony of
lower Antrim and couuty Antrim (ordnance sheets, Nos. 28 and 29), is a large
rath, under which are some beehived erections constructed in cyclopeau
manner. This is said to have been one of the residences of Miliuc. But
there is no cross standing there at pr.
*

'
*

The elected successor to the king.

The eastern part of Down.
Derlus. Derlus and Mreachtain were ancient names of Bright,
Righdamhma.
Uladh.

Anglo-Normans

built a castle, part of

where the
which is still standing. It was formerly
were taken by Bishop Leslie to recover

bishop*! land, and in 1610-1 proceedings

from the Earl of Ivildare. An account of the proceedings will be found in

the Journal of the Irish House of Commons. The church of Brich is mentioned
it

in the taxation of

r~-

Down and Connor. See

Reeves' "

Down and

Connor,"

p. 35.

.';.::'_

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

a small city (cathair,
there this day,
est increpare

As

youth herding

pigs.

Mochae

his

And

Patrick preached to him,

name.

his hair,

and a reliquary.

and

and gave him a copy of the

he gave him

And

shorn pig every year.

another time, a

also,

head into

viz., its

end in Mochae's bosom

its

Detech-Mochae of Noeudruim

When

see)

qui ausus

pueri ludentis justa Ee-

which had been given them from God,

Patrick's bosom,

Loam

Patrick was then on his way, he saw a tender

and baptized him, and cut

baeludl

manum

Patricium tenentem

clesiam suam.

gospels,

but also meaning a bishop's

civitas,

i.e.

Brett ain, ubi est Episcopus

i.e.

and

this is the

and Mocha promised Patrick a

7
;

indeed,

this,

is still

given.

the solemnity of Easter approached, Patrick considered

that there was no place more suitable to celebrate the high solemnity of the year,

i.e.

the Easter, than in Magh-Bregh, s the place

where the head of the idolatry and druidism of Erinn was, viz,

They afterwards bade

Temhair.

and put

their vessels

on the sea

and went by land

tent

and they proceed ed

They

anchored in Inbher-Colptha.

left their vessels in

until they reached Ferta-fer-fec, 9

was fixed in

this

place,

in

farewell to Dichu, son of Trichim,

until they

the Inbher,

and Patrick's

and he cut the Easter

fire.

It

happened, however, that this was the time in which the great
festival of the Gentiles,

The

and

kings,

the

i.e.

princes,

and

Ifes

of Tara,

chieftains,

was usually celebrated.

were wont to come to

Laeghaire MacNeill to Tara, to celebrate this

and the magicians were

The

fire

night,

also

wont

to

come

festival.

The druids

to prophesy to them.

of every hearth in Erinn was usually extinguished on that

and

it

was commanded by the king that no

lighted in Erinn before the

fire

of Tara,

fire

should bo

and neither gold nor

silver

Mochae of Noendrinm. See ante, p. 239, for note on Mochae, and similar
incident in the life of St. Agnes of Monte Pulciauo.
8 Magh-Brer/h,
See ante, p. 243, n., and the same for Inbher Colptha.
9
The present Slane. See note, p. 243, ante, and a very
Ferta-fer-fec.
interesting chapter in "The Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," by the
7

Rev. A. Cogan, vol.

i.

p. 58.

It is to

be wished that the clergy in other dioceses

of this learned priest, and give us

would follow the excellent example

histories of their districts.

BBBBBB
jifritr

:V,iHi|li,|.|l|p'||i|-'

.P

$'

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick

would be accepted from any one who would
Buffer

death for

As

a distance, which Patrick

lire at

Then the king

Magh-Bregh.

prohibition and law

If it

"it will

is

had

lighted.

"That

said,

hat

never be

"and we know

yoked

not how it shall

man who lighted

for the king,

"

fer-ftc.

You must

lighted

that he

it

be

is

lighted

prevented."

Then

it

will

When

the

the king said,

His chariot and horses were

end of the night, to

in the

was made,

fire

may know you

to be a king,

"

shall

" It

Pel

Patrick was " whispered" out to

them that no one should

rise

you worship the man

lest

let

him be

called out to you,

and himself a subject

chariots

them

and we

it

afterwards, until

front

in

and

up before him,

Patrick rose and went out

good counsel," said the king

is

They proceeded

be done as you say."

they unyoked their horses and

him.

it

but we will go," said he, " until we

lire."

but stay outside, and

argue in your presence."

in

take care," said the druids, " that you go not

will
it

the

and they went,

the place wdiere the

to

who

which

the night in

The man who

extinguished.

is

slay the

consecrate

It illuminated

a violation of mv
" We see
it."

is

king heard this thing, he was much infuriated.

'1

knew

he

it'

not extinguished before morning," added they,

surpass the kings and princes, unless he

"

and

and do you ascertain who did

said the druids,

fire,"

made.

is

but he should

it,

the people of Tara were thus, they saw the

Easter

the

light

this thing

would not prevent him.

it, it

all

knew not

Patrick

it.

of the

Fata..

was commanded by

lest

he should believe

and when he saw the chariots

and horses unyoked, he sang the prophetic stanza

" Hi in curribus et hi in corns (cquis),

Xoh nntcm,

in

nomine Domini Dei nostri mS."'

They were then before him, and the rims of their shields against
chins
in

and none of them rose up before him, except one man

whom was

a figure from God,

Bishop Ere who

is

/.<.

[commemorated]
'

?-kg^r.a

Ms.

Ere, son of
in Slaine of

Oolgra has invoeahimut.

&^jL

Dega.

He

their

alone,
is

Magh-Bregh

the
to-

Patrick blessed him, and he believed in God, and confessed

day.

the Catholic faith, and was baptized

"

Your

Patrick's (comarh) successor

bound

is

and Patrick

on earth

seat (cathair, chair or city)

Each then questioned the other

fiercely,

against Patrick

his

2
.

viz.,

Patrick and Laeghaire.

and

enviously, with contention

questions,

and then he began to denounce the Trinity and the

Patrick looked severely at him, and cried out to

Catholic faith.

God with

and

bend the knee before

to

comarb in consideration of his submission

Lochru went

said to him,

shall be noble,"

a loud voice, and he said

"

Domine

qui omnia potes et

in tua potestate consistit quidquid est, quique nos misisti

hue ad

nomen tuuni gentibus prcedicanduin hie impius qui blasphemat

nomen tuum, elevator nunc foras, ct cito moriatur. Et his dictis
elevatus est magus in ae'ra et iterum desuper cito dejectus sparso ad
lapidem cerebro comminutus et mortus fuerat coram eis." 3 The
pagans became afraid at this. But the king was much infuriated

He

against Patrick, and he determined to kill him.

When

to slay the cleric.

told his 2>eople

Patrick observed this thing, the rising

up against him of the pagans, he cried out with a loud

said

"

odcrunt

Et exurget Deus

eum

a facie

sicut fluit caera

mini."

ejus, sicut defecit

facie

Immediately

ignis

sic

fumus

went over the

darkness

frightened,

off,

and
all

all

fell

upon the earth

and the wind blew the

attacking each other, so that

fifty

sun,

facie

They thought

men

of

The

and they were

them

fell

Submission. See

ante,

p.

See Colgan,

p. 120.

and

all

his

et timuerunt valde, venienscpie

243, for identification of

pp. 253-255, for further details of St. Patrick's visits.

3

in this

Gentiles fled in

directions, so that only three remained, viz., Laeghaire,

of his people

it

chariots across the plains,

commotion through Patrick's malediction.

man

Do-

and great

and the horses started

rose against each other in the assembly

queen, and a

and

deficit sic deficiant

pereint peccatorus

shaking and trembling of the earth occurred.

was heaven that

voice,

et dissipentur inimici ejus, et fugiant qui

Magh-Breg

TrypartiU
Patricium

ad

Liathan), dixit,
q to thee,

(i.&

Angass,

and

"false peace."*

beckoned

aside,

Patrick

me,

men

to

cleric,

and

will

Tara, that

of Erinn ;"

and he

may

then

after this the king

he meditated was to

God had

Laeghaire said to

Patrick.
to

kneel,

will

Not long

and what

but this happened not, because

intention

of

regem. The king

Laeghaire went then and knelt before Patrick,

and gave him a

>n

Bubmit to thee, and

will

:;^7

daughl

"Eihomo juste ebpotensneperdas

believe in God."

him

St. Patrick.

of

Lif\

Patrick,

believe

men

placed

'.'

thee

in

kill

manifested this

Come

ambush

in

alter

before

the

before

Patrick in every pass from Ferta-fer-fec to Tara, that they might

kill

But God did not permit

him.

Patrick

it.

went, accom-

panied by eight young clerics (maccleirech), and Bcncn as a

gilla

along with them; and Patrick blessed them before going, and a
tUchcItair5

of

(garment of

was

tlu-iii

invisibility)

went over them, so that not one

The Gentiles who were

seen.

in

ambu

the

however, Baw eight wild deer going past them along the mountain,

and a young fawn

and

Patrick,

hi.s

after them,

and a pouch on

eight [clerics],

and Benen

(Patrick's) pohire (satchel, or epistolary)

'

shoulder, viz.,

his

after them,

and

his

on his back.

Laeghaire went afterwards, about twilight, to Tara, in sorrow and

shame, with the few persons who escaped

the
to

in his company.
On
day succeeding, Easter Sunday, the nun of Erinn went to Tara
drink the feast, for the Fes of Tara was a principal day

with them.

When

they were banqueting, and thinking of

conflict

they waged the day before, they saw Patrick,

in the

middle of Tara, januis clausis ut Christu

because Patrick meditated:

readiness

may be

"

will

men

not make a candle under a bushel of myself.

who

will believe in

the

arrived

alum:

go," said he,

manifested before the

who

"so

of Erinn.
I

that

will see,"

me, and who will not believe."

my

I shall

No

said

one

'e peace.
Brietilh (acted with hypocrisy).
Tirechan, iu his Annotations, says that Laeghaiiv never became a Christian.
in

in </l;> illy's Iriah Dictionary.

ualuicnt or enclosure, a deer park,'

""""H

388

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

up before him

rose

king's

royal

name was

his

Mac Ua

inside but Dubhtach

and a tender youth of

poet,

Fiaec

he who

it is

that day in Tara.

was then

and to prove him

did not refuse

the

to

called

man who

believed

his seed.

Patrick

in Venturis rebus).

{i.e.

to drink with him, for

food,

Patrick

knew what would come

because he

this,

The druid Luchat Mael went

(viz.,

in Slebhte

bed that he might eat

king's

in prophecy

first

him and

Patrick blessed

people

[commemorated]

is

This Dubhtach, truly, was the

to-day).

Lugair alone, the

his

of

it.

he wished to

revenge on Patrick what he had done to his (the druid's) com-

The druid Luchat Mael put a drop

panion the day before.

of

poison into the goblet which was beside Patrick, that he might see

what Patrick would do

and he blessed the

in regard to

goblet,

and the

Patrick observed this

it.

ale

adhered to

the goblet upside-down afterwards, and

*':

druid put into

and the

it

fell

out of

changed into

ale

its

the poison which the

The names of God and

The hosts then went and took
Let us work miracles," said Luchat

natural state.

"

their station outside Tara.

Mael, " before the multitude in this great plain."

"

What

are they

The druid

plain, so that the plain

Patrick asked,

"Let us bring snow upon the

said,

may be white

before us."

Patrick said to

him, " I do not wish to go against the will of God."

said, " I will bring the

He

not."

the snow

and

see this

snow upon the

plain,

'.

The druid

though you

like it

then began the druidic poetry, and the demoniacal

arts, until

man

act,

and he turned

Patrick blessed the goblet again,

it.

Patrick were magnified thereby.

up

it,

so that

fell,

saw and wondered

all

send

it

away,

if

it

would reach the

greatly.

We

The druid answered, "

you can."

cannot do that thing until this

girdles of

Patrick said, "

time

to-morrow."

"

By my
:

debhro," 6 said Patrick, " in

evil is

thy power, and not in good."

O'Donovan,

Supplement to O'Reilly's Dictionary, translates

or "God of Judgment," adding that it was
variously explained by the writers of the Lives, but that he gave the above
interpretation from Cormac's Glossary, which was supported by the reading
of Jocelyn. Sir William Betham absurdly translated it as "Proud Slave," or
" Slave of Pride."
6

Debhro.

this phrase,

"my

God Judge,"

\^n

wwrpfijp

:.'

"=

^T"i^C^^

Patrick blessed the plain ln-fore him towards the four points,
and the snow immediately disappeared, without rain, without sun,

without wind, at Patrick's word.

Darkness afterwards went over

the face of the earth, through the incantations of the druid.

multitudes cried out thereat.

The druid answered, "

Lord, and blessed the

am

all

et ait rex ad

ilium cujus libri

Patrick prayed the

and the darkness was expelled, and

gave thanks.

time contending thus before the king,

and Peter,

The

" Ezpelli tenebras."

said,

not able today."

plain,

the sun shone out, and

Patrick

illos,

i.e.

They were
as

long

for a

Nero said

to

Simon

" Libros vestros in aqua mittite, et

evaserint adorabimus."

Bespondit Patricius,
magus, " Nolo ego ad judicium ire aqua? cum
ipso; aquam etdam Deum hahet ;" because he heard that it was
" Faeiam ego

illesi

" et dixit

through water Patrick used to baptize.

igitur in igne ;" et ait Patricius, "

"Hie homo versa

ignem deum veneratur."
dixit,

Pati ick, " for since

Et respondit

Promptus sum

vice in alternos annos

"It

is

you say that

rex, " Mittite

" at

magus nolens

nunc aquam nunc

not this that shall be done," Baid

the

adore, go you,

if

you

wish, into a house apart, and well closed, and a student of

my

people along with you, and let

druidic tunic about

my

it is

my

firo I

casula be about you,

student 7 (mae

clcircch)

and

and your

fire

will

be

God may decide between you there."

to by the men of Erinn, including Lae-

applied to the house, that

This counsel was agreed

ghaire.

The house was then made, one half of dry faggots, and the
The druid was put into the fresh

other half of fresh materials.

part,

and Patrick's

casula about him.

Benen, however, was put

into the dry 8 part, with the druid's tunic about him.

The house

was afterwards

before the

multitude, and

closed,
fire

and fastened on the

was applied

there through Patrick's prayers.

to

it.

The

outside,

great prodigy occurred

fresh part of the house

was

burned, as well as the druid under the casula, and not a bit of the
T
it

Student. The student was St Bcnignus. As he wore the druid's tunic,

would appear an argument in favor of his being more than a mere child at

the time.
*

Dnj.Crin,

i.e.

withered, or easily ignited, brambles.

Pr^ J>

7'

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

31)0

casula

The dry

was destroyed.

portion,

in

which was Benen,

preserved Benen under the

God

however, was not burned, and

d raid's tunic, and the tunic was burned, so that

ashes.

The king was

He

killing of his druid.

God

but

did not permit

The anger of God

fell

arose,
it,

it

and would

like to slay Patrick

through the intercession of Patrick.

afterwards on the impious multitude, so that

thousand in one day. Patrick

greatnumbersof them

died, viz., twelve

said to Laeghaire, " If

you do not believe now, you

for the anger of

God

was reduced to

enraged against Patrick for the

greatly

will

heard these words he was seized with great

shall die quickty,

When

come upon your head."

fear.

the king

The king went

into a house afterwards, to take counsel with his people.

" It

better for me," said he, " to believe in God, than [to suffer]

threatened to me,

is

knelt to

Patrick,

my

death."

It

was

is

what

after this that Laeghaire

and believed in God, and

many thousands

believed in that day.

Then

it

was that Patrick said to Laeghaire, " Since you have

believed in^God, and have submitted to me, length of

sovereignty will be given to thee.

As

ago, however, there will

some time

life

in thy

a reward for thy disobedience

be no king nor roydamhna

from thee for ever except Lughaidh," 9 the son of Laeghaire

9

for

Lughaidh ascended the throne, according to the Four Masters,

according to the Chronicon Scotorum, in 4S0.
The Annals of

Lughaidh.

in 479, or,

Ulster give 484, and O'Flaherty, in the "Ogygia," 483

which date Dr. Todd,

" Life of St.Patrick," tables 252 and 256, adopted. His death is generally
placed at 50S, but it will be observed that the Irish Life passes over all the
The following notice
incidents of his reign, from his accession to his death.
in his

of his reign

and death

" Tara," p. 86

is

taken from the Book of Lecan, as quoted in Petrie's

"Lughaidh, the son

of Laeghaire,

assumed the government

of Ireland for

" and he sent messengers to demand the Born,

and he did not receive it without a battle. And he assembled the nobles of
force
Chuinn
to
the
Boru
and the Lagenians came to Magh Ailblii."
Lcath
[Moy-alvy, in the south of county Kildare.] "The battle of Magh Ailbhi was
fought between them, in which a victory was gained over Lughaidh, and
Muircheartach Mac Earca, and Cairbri Mor, the son of Niall and in revenge
of this battle Muircheartach and Cairbri did not desist from [attacking] the
Lagenians as long as they lived. The learned state that Lughaidh never
forced the Boru but once, aud [that] imperfectly.
live years" [recte fifteen years],

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

391

mother implored Patrick that he would not curse the infant that

his

was

her

in

womb, when Patrick

said, " I will

not, until he

comes

Lughaidh then assumed the sovereignty; and he

" Is not that the
went to Achadh-farcha.
There he said
against me."

church of the

cleric

who

said that there

roydamhna from Laeghairef

would be neither king nor

After this darts of bghtning de-

scended from the heavens on his head, which killed him, and hence
[the

is

name] Achadh-farcha. 1

These miracles

live to this day.

These are the miracles the divines of Erinn knew, and through which
tiny put a thread of narration.
I

ltan,

Columcille, son of Fedhlidhmidh.

the grandson of Conchobhar,

Adamnan, the grandson

of

Tinne, Eleran the Wise, C'iaran of Belach-duin, Cruimther Collait

" It is in the time of Lughaidh that Patrick came to Ireland, and he went to
Temur, where Lughaidh was, and offered him wheat without tillage, constant milk without kiue during hu time, and heaven at the end of his life,
and success of hounds and horses, and of a queen upon him, and Lughaidh did
not assent to that and because he did not Patrick cursed him, and also
his queen, ie. Aillinn, the daughter of Aengus Mac Kadfraich, King
of Munster, so that thenceforward there is an ill luck of queens on Temnr,
neither has it success of hounds.
\ud Lughaidh, the son of Latghaire, died
at Achadh Farcha, in consequence of the curse of the Tailginn [aunt], I.e. a
flash of lightning struck him dead from heaven for having rejected the
;

Tailgirm."
It is quite plain that there are

such as 5 for

15,

and the name

some mistakes in the preceding paragraph*,

Lughaidh is probably a mistake for Lae-

of

ghaire.
'

Ai-hadh-farclta

i.e.

"the field

of lightning."

O'Donovan (" Four Masters,"

at 503) states, on the authority of a Life of St. Patrick in the Leabhar Brcac,
that this place was in the territory of Ui-Cremhthainne, DOW in the baronies
of Slane, county M. ah. but was unable to identify the locality.
Colg
fixed Ui-Cremthainne, in Slane,

and the confines of the diocese and county

Heath ; but OTlaherty (" Ogygia," iii. ch. 70) tells us that in his time
was an inconsiderable district on the conlines of South Oriel, belonging

of East
it

to the

barony of Slane

in

M.ath, though he leads us to infer that anciently

it was much more extensive.

In the barony of Lower Slane and the adjoining barony of Kells, is the parish of Enniskeen, being the most northern
part of Meath diocese, in which is absorbed the old district or parish of

and which contained, according to the Down 8

carnane, the entire district having been the property of Christopher

I'.allialticknaffe,

('mice,

an Irish Papist,

innocent Papist.

~^

and granted by decn

t*

Lawrenoe Croioe,

an

from Druim-Railgecli, knew Patrick's miracles in the

first

place,

and composed them. 2

man

of truth, indeed,

was

heart like Moses

wisdom

like

Abraham;

Ghost

like

gentle and forgiving of

a praise-singing psalmist like David

Solomon

Paul the Apostle

man, with purity of mind

this

the Patriarchs; a true pilgrim like

a shrine of

a chosen vessel for proclaiming truth like

man

of grace and knowledge of the Holy

full

John

the root of a holy herb-garden towards the

children of faith

a vine branch with fruitfulness

fire,

like

warm

with power to heat and

dispensing charity.

regard to good
ungentle,
for Christ

in strength

lion

gentleness and humility.

serpent in

life,

a sparkling

in founding

and might

and

a dove in

wisdom and cunning

gentle, humble, mild, towards sons of life

towards sons of death.

;

slave

in

in

dark,

work and

labor

a king in dignity and power, for binding and releasing,

for enslaving

and

freeing,

for

quante autem hora obitus

sumpsit quod viaticum
et deinceps post

Deum

the sons of

killing

vita? aiternre

mortuos

and reviving.

sacrificium

sui,

Appropin-

ab Episcopo Tassach

ex consilio Victoris acceperat,

suscitatos,

post

multum populum ad

conversum, et post Episcopos et presbyteros in

ecclesiis

ordinatos, et toto ordine Ecclesiastico conversa tota Scotia ad fidem

Christi,
5

anno

setatis sua? cxii.

obdormivit in vitam feternam.

Composed them. We have evidence here at what an early period the

The names given above are the

miracles of the saint were placed on record.

best evidence

how

generally they were

known and

believed.

ii

When

Patrick came with his

Gaeidhel, and went to Tara, he

fleet to
left

Erinn, to preach to the

Lomman

3
in Inbher-Boinne,

to take care of his ships, during the forty nights of

Patrick

commanded him

to

row

the Lent.

his vessel against the [current of the]

Boyne, until he would arrive at the place where to-day Ath-Truini

[Trim]

is

at that time the dun of Fedhlimidh, where he (Lomman)

found the son of Laeghaire MacNeill,

i.e.

And in the

at Ath-Truim.

morning, For tchern, Fedhlimidh' s sou, went and found Lomman, and

He wondered at the precepts he heard.

and was baptized by Lomman. And Fortchern was
listening to the instruction, until his mother went to seek him.
She welcomed the clerics, for she was of the Britons, viz. Scoth,
Lis gospels before him.

He

believed,

daughter of

the king of

Britain.

Fedhlimidh himself came

Lomman; and he believed, and presented AthGod and Patrick, and to Lomman, and to Fortchern.

to converse with

Truim

to

Patrick himself went and founded Ath-Truim [Trim], twenty-five

years before

the

foundation

moreover, was the origin of

Of the

Ard-Macha.

of

Lomman, and

his

Britons,

mother was the

sister of Patrick.

Lomman's
in Cuircne, 4

(Inny)
3
4

brethren, were, moreover, Bishop

i.e.

Munis

in

Forgnidhe

in the north of Meath, to the south of the

Ethne

Broccaidh in Imlech-Achaidh, in Ciarraighe 5 of Connacht

Month of the Boyne.

O'Donovau ("Book of Bights," p. 181) writes

Inbher-Boinne.

"This territory is
still so called iu Irish, and comprises the entire of the harony of Kilkenny
West, in Westmeath, and that part of the parish of Forguaidhe (Forgney)
lying on the south of the river Eithne (Inny), county Longford."
5
Ciarraighe. There were three territories of this Dame in Connaught, viz.,
Ciarraidhe-Aei, in the west of the county Boscomruon; C-Loeha na n-Airneadh,
in the barony of Costello, county Mayo
and Ciarraidhe-Airtich, also in Boscommon ("Book of Bights," p. 101). Archdall (p. 610) places St. Broccaidh's
church in county Boscommon, calling it Imleach-each, or Imleacb-orocaiM,
but does not point out its situation. But we are able to discover it, by means
of a grant from the Crown to Richard, Earl of Clanrickard, dated Sth April,
1CG2, granting him several parcels of land and tithes, formerly belonging to
the absorbed parish of Termonkelline, alias Termonbqg one of those was
Imlaghbrocowa, now in the present parish of Kilkeevan, which contains tho
town of Castlerea, county Boscommon.
It is now called Emlagh on the
Cuircne.

Brocoan in Brechmagh, in Ui-Dortliain

and instruction

possessed, land

when Lomman's

went

and Fortchern opposed

to

it,

who gave

said, "

shall not receive

my

the death of

moreover,

and baptism,

faith,

his

church."

But, after some

Lomman and

converse

with

his

his

my

brother,

God and

Patrick.

to Fortchern, viz.,

and Imghae, 8

But Lomman

Fortchern took upon him the abbacy after

for three days,

when he went

to

Trim

These are the

ings of Fedhlimidh, son of Laeghaire, to St. Patrick, and to

Bregia,

i.e.

benediction unless you assume the

afterwards gave his church to Cathlai, a pilgrim.

and

time,
foster-

church to Patrick and Fortchern

the placo to

Lomman,

ever.

nigh,

that he might not inherit his father's

possessions,

abbacy of

for

drew

death

and he committed

You

in Uill-Duma-

relatives,

and they prejented to Patrick whatever they

and churches,

Fortchern,

i.e.

Broccaid,

Mughenoc

dear to Patrick by consanguinity and

who were

son,

6
;

They were the

gloin,T in the south of Bregia.

and

offer-

Lomman,

Ath-Truim, in the territory of Laeghaire of

in the territory of Laeghaire of

Meath.

The

Ordnance sheets Xos. 26 and 27, county Roscommon. See O'Donovan's

Supplement to O'Reilly's "Irish Diet. ," voce Imleach ; and Pat. Roll, 35th
Ehzab. part 2, grant to Turlough 0' Byrne, where Einlagh-brochadha is
incorrectly written Elmagh-brocho. Dr. Todd was wrong ("Life of St.
Patrick," p. 2G0) in placing it in county Mayo, having beeu led astray by the
Martyrology of Donegal, at 9th July.
Ui-Dorthain. This territory was in the present county of Meath, and
Ardbraccan was situate in it ("Book of Rights," p. 151).
7 Cill-Duma-gloinn.
This church is now KUglinn, in the parish of Balfeaghan, barony of Upper Deoea, county Meath ; as identified by Dr. Todd
,

('

Life of

.St.

Patrick,"

p.

260).

Dr. Todd was unable to identify this, nor is there any placo of
name on the Ordnance or Down Surveys of the county Meath. In Dr.
Butler's " Notices of Trim" (p. 71), there is an entry from the Patent Rolls,
under date of 20th of June, 1425, where the king, Henry VI., "ordered payment
to be made to John Swayn, Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of Ireland, ,,[
4 Ss. rSJtl. being one half-year's rent due to him for the site of the castle,
town, and Orid'jc of Trim " (the bridge being the same as the ford of Trim,
8

fmgliae.

the

granted to St. Patrick), "belonging to the Archbishop, in right of his church

of Armagh."
This order shows that so late as 1125 the Primate's right was
maintained. When the rent ceased to be paid, Dr. Reeves, in a paper annexed
to the Report of the lato Ecclesiastical Commissioners (p. 101). was unable
In the Down Survey, 1G53, the Archbishop of Armagh is returned
to say.

way

which

in

all

these offerings were presented to Patrick,

Loniman, and to Fortchernd, per

minoribus usque in diem

Prima

judicii.

and to

omnibus regibus niajoribus

(sic)

feria venit Patricius

et

ad

Taltenam, 9 where the regal assembly was, to Cairpre, the son of

was he who desired the murder of Patrick, and who drove

him

It

Niall.

1
Patrick's people into the river Sele, wherefore Patrick called

the

enemy

of God, and said to him, "

brother's seed,"

and there

shall not

Patrick

Patrick's malediction.

Thy

seed shall serve thy

be salmon in that

went afterwards

to

river,

through

Conall, 2

3
son of Niall, whose residence was where Donagh-Patrick

who

day,

received

and confirmed

him

"

him with great joy

royal seat for

his

Thy brother's

Then

it

my

may be

and Patrick baptized him,

ever.

And

Patrick said to

successors after me,

perpetual subjects to

was that Conall measured a church

sixty feet in extent

the
this

seed shall serve thy seed for ever ; and strive to

exercise charity towards

thy sons, that they

is

and Patrick

said

for

and the sons of

my

sons of faith."

God and

Patrick,

" Whichsoever of your race

diminishes this church shall not have a long reign, and he shall not

be prosperous."

Airthir, 4

They went

early

on Sunday morning

to Eath-

Ciuaed and Dubhdaleithe, the two sons of Cerbhall, son of

as holding Causestown, in the parish of Athboy, county Meath, 211 acres

(now

and this may be the Imghae granted to St. Patrick.

It appears by the late Report of the Irish Ecclesiastical Commissioners that
Primate Beresford holds, as Archbishop of Armagh, in the county Meath, the
Castle lands of Cawestown, 404a. 3r. 32p., at annual rent and fines of
S7 ISs. 4d. ; Julianstown, Carricklickle, and Drumgill, 1525a. 2r. 2Sp., at
annual rent and fines of 2S4 ISs. Cd. ; messuage in Duleek, 10a., at animal
rent and fines of 10 16s. ; Argill, parish of Nobber, 110a., at annual rent
Tenements in Trim, 3a. lr., at annual rent and
and fines of 31 7s. 2d.
fines of 2 ISs. 5d., held in perpetuity by the tenants.
Taltenam, Tailte, now Telltown, county Meath.
1 Sele.
Now the river Blackwater, in Meath.
2
This was Conall Crinithan.
Conall.
3 Donagh-Patrick still retains the name, in the barony of Upper Kells,

GC9), liable to uo rent

county Meath.
4 Rath-Airthir. Colgan
(p. Ill, note 62) writes, Bath-Airthir was beside
the Church of Donough-Pairick, and this is evident from the Latin Tripartite.

mi
mil

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick

Maalodhra, sou of Aedh-Slaine, when they saw a young

down,

i.e.

man

lying

One of tlieui plunged a sword into him,

The murderer then went past Tailten, up,

tho sou of BreaaL

and then throttled him.

on his straight road, and the other went to Domnach-Patrick.

was then that Patrick blessed that part of the plain of

that dead bodies are never borne off from

[A few

lines of the

The Pasch being

to

MS.

therefore finished, on the next day Patrick

and founded a church there, and

sister,

Catnea, the

Druim

to

viz.,

sister,

it.

at this place are damaged.]

vadwn duarvm forcarum (Ath-da

their

laarg, near Kells,

left

came

county Meath),

the threo brothers there, with

Cathaceus, and

Cathurus, and

who used to milk

the deer.

Corcortri,

It

Tailte, so

and founded a church

there,

and

Catneanj

Ho went

afterwards

and he

left in

it

Diarmaid, son of Restitutus.

When

Patrick was going eastwards to Tara, to Laeghairo (for

they had formed a friendship), from Doruhnach- Patrick, he blessed

Couall, son of NialL

stone

(/it)

When

he was going away, he threw his

behind him eastwards into the

[A

folio of

tho original

MS.

is

hill, i.e.

flag-

where

missing here.]

And Maine kuelt to Patrick and performed penance, and Patrick

and thy injunctions shall
said, "Bex non erit qui te uon habebit
;

be the longest that will live in Erinn.

blessed also shall be a king,

[Tuathal]

assumed

the

i.e.

The person whom

Tuathal [Maelgarbh]."

sovereignty

afterwards,

Diarmaid MacCerbhaill, so that he was on

Dcrc, 6

Lvch-lii, b

and

have

And

he

banished

and on Dcrj-

and on Luimnech."

Lough Itee, an expansion of the Upper Shannon.

Loch-Ri.
Denj-Derc. Now Lough Derg, another expansion of the Up[>cr Shannon.
Luimnech. The ancient name of the Lower Shannon (" Book of Rights,"
See also Mr. Lenihan's " History of Limerick," pp. -' and '!, for tho
p. 260).
Antiquarians would lind much that is very valuable in
origin of those names.
this interesting volume. The learned author gives an extract from some
written in x.l>. 6(31, which show the early use of tho names, and tho familiar
and frequent intercourse kept up between Ireland and Hume at tin
*

(p. 5).

One day

as

Diarmaid went

in his boat past the shore of Cluain-

mic-Nois, Ciaran heard the noise and motion of the craft, and called

him

ashore,

and Ciaran

Come

said, "

to me, for thou art a king's

and mark out the Eecles [a church] and the Eclais-bec [a little
He said, "I am not a king."
church], and grant the place to me."

son,

To whom Ciaran

said, "

You

will

be a king to-morrow." In that

the king, Tuathal, came with great bands to banish Diarmaid,

day,

when

Maelmor (of the Conaille), Diarmaid' s foster-brother, killed him

and Maelmor was immediately slain. Hence the old saying, " the
;

feat of

Diarmaid afterwards assumed the sovereignty

Maelmor."

when Diarmaid was marking

of Erinn, through Ciaran's blessing

the site of Eclais-bec, and

and gave Ciaran an

raithe. 8

He went

thrice.

offering for every lairlim, along with

nobis

Ocurrit

bowed down
hie

virtus

etsi

to Tara,

Druim-

per ancificatione [rede

anticipationem].

Another time Patrick heard, through the malice

that Bishop

Mel had sinned with

of the vulgar,

his sister, for they

be in the same house, praying to the Lord.

were wont to

When

Bishop Mel

saw Patrick coming towards him to Ard-achadh [Ardagh] to

reprove him, Bishop Mel went out to a hill to fish in the pools and
furrows.

When

it

was told

to Patrick that he

had caught a salmon

in this way, Patrick uttered the famous saying

seorsim fceminse, ne occasionem dare infirmis

" Seorsim viri et

inveniantur et ne

nomen Domini per nos blasphemetur, quid absit a nobis ;" for God
does not assist any unjust, false man i.e. non temptabis Dominum
;

Deum

tuum.

Patrick then

Bishop Mel's

knew

sister

then went with

fire

in her casula.

there was no sin between them, dicens, "Seorsum

feminis ne occasione dare infirmis inveniamur et ne

nos blasfemaretur quod absit a nobis, et

non Domini pel

sic reliquit eos ;"

i.e.

Bri-

Druimraithe. This does not appear among the possessions of Cluaiumic-Nois, in the registry of that house published by O'Donovau in the "ProIt may have been the
ceedings of the Kilkenny Archaeological Society."

Druim-raithe in We3tmeath now Drumrany, where St. Enan was venerated

on the 19th of August (Martyrology of Donegal at that date). It lay about
pix miles north-east of AthJone.

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

Leith between

Leith

them: she

in

Druim-Cheu 9 to the west of

he (Bishop Mel) to the east of it,

Patrick

in

went afterwards into northern Tethbha,

territory of Cairbre,

where Granard was presented

sons of Cairbre, and he

his foster-brother,

left

is

are joined to each other;

> > >

to

i.e.

to tlio

him by the

there Bishop Gnassacht, son of Milchn,

and the two

Cluain-Bronaigh; 2 and this

Bri-

Ard-Achadh.

sisters

the reason

and

it

is

Emir, who first put up at

why the sides of the churches

the airchinnech (superior) of

Granard that always ordains the head nun in Cluain-Bronaigh.

The moment

that Patrick blessed the veil on the aforesaid virgins,

their four feet sank

into

the

rock,

where the arch-idol of Eriun was,

and

silver,

When

and the

traces exist in

it

Patrick went afterwards across the water to Magh-Slechta, 3

always.

i.e.

Cenn Crunch, made of gold

surrounded by twelve other idols formed of bronze.

Patrick saw the idols from the waters called Guthard

DruimClttuBri-Leith.'DT. O'Donovan (" Book of Rights,"

that Bri-leith was the ancieut

name of

p. 9)

(i.e.

states

Slieve Golry, to the west of Ardagh, in

Longford, founding his opinion on Colgan's statement in the Life of Bishop

Mil (' Acta ffonct," p, 261), which is precisely the same as in the text but
there is no place called Druni-cheu to the west of Ardagh, though there is a Drumnacooha somewhat north, in the pariah of Killoe, barony and county of Long.
til. Archdall {"Hon. /lib.," p. 4.'{9) gives the nunnery of Drumichco, founded
;

by

Lupita, quoting Colgan's works, but being unable to identify it.

Tutlia was divided into two parts by the river Inny, called north
and south Teffia the former comprising nearly all the present county of Long1

St.

Tetlil./fi.

tlie western half of Westmeath.

" Book of Bights," p. 180.
in-Bronaigh.A famous nunnery, now called Clonbroney, in tho
barony of Granard, county Longford, lying between the towns of Longford
and Granard.
- M<")h-SUchta.T>r. Laniganfvol. i.
pp. 229 and 239) places this near Fenagh,
iu the county Leitrim, grounding his opinion on O'Conor's Map of Scotia

he latter

He

Antigua.

considers the idols referred to as circles of great standing stones.

Todd ("Life of St. Patrick," pp. 127 and "404) concurs in this view, but
places the plain in the county C'avan.
O'Donovan agrees with Dr. Todd, or

Dr.

Todd agrees with him, in placing this plain near Ballymagauran,

Monty Cavan, and extending into county Leitrim.
4 Cutlmrd.
There was Bath-Gutliaird, also signifying high voice, where

rather Dr.

the Sencha3

Mor

is

alleged to have been partially coni]K>sed.

LL] reface,

p.

xxx.

See

" Sencluit

h":

he raised his voice

it,

he

lifted his

guth, voice

hand

and when he approached

ard, high),

on

to lay the Bachall-Isa

it

but he could not,

as the idol inclined over to its right side (for towards the south its

was turned), and the mark of the

face
side,

bachall lives yet in its left

although the bachall did not leave Patrick's hand.

ground swallowed the other twelve

idols as far as their

And

heads

And he

they are in that condition in commemoration of the prodigy.

cursed the demon

(idol),

and banished him

who worshipped

people, with king Laegha-ire,

him

k.

His graif

taining the conflict

idol.

graif,

that place, nor in the plain besides.

And

i.e.

ford, viz.

under Patrick in the

Patrick landed

ford,
(i.e.

immediately, and then

and was buried

church),

When
brothers,
Fair,

and

and

all

the

saw

all

away

cut

all

the

and no heath grows in

it is

it

there Mabraii

and Patrick's well

is

will yet find that esker.

on the Connacht side of the Shannon)

was that Buadmael, Patrick's

there.

Cill-Buaidhmael

is

the

charioteer,

name

(of the

appropriate to Patrick.

Laeghaire

who had

Mac Neill's

druids

fostered Laeghaire's

and Feidelm the Eed) heard

brought thick darkness over

all

(i.e.

Mael and

Caplait,

two

two daughters, Ethne the

that Patrick had done, they

T

all

Magh-2\ ai, c through the power of the

6 Snamh-da-en.
" The swimming or passage of the two birds." O'Donovan
("Hy-Many," note to page 5) writes " This was the ancient name of that part
:

Shannon lying between Cloumaenoise and Clonburren, in the parish of

Moore, barony of Moycarnen, and county of Roscommon."
6
Mayh-Nai, also called Machaire C'honnact, a plain in the county of
Roscommon, in which was Cruachan, the ancient palace of the kings of Connaught.
It lay between the towns of Roscommon and Elphin, and Castlerea
and Strokestown. O'Donovan's notes to "Irish Topographical Poems," p.
xxxiii. and "Book of Rights," p. 104, where it is called Magh-Aei
of the

1
\

left

the land (bed of the river) rose up

and the learned

j2i
"111

he founded a church in

Connacht, over Snamh-da-en, 6 across the Shannon,

where he found a

died,

Patrick went afterwards into the

there, ubi baptizavit multos.

And

He

Domhnach-Maighe-Slecht, and

Barbaras, Patrick's relative and prophet

territory of

the idols

from Patrick's garment whilst main-

(fibula) fell

and valor against the

heath in the place until he found his

that place,

and hecalled

and feared death unless Patrick would banish him

(the demon),

to hell.

to hell

the

and

mon,

di

for the space of three

upon prayed to God, and bent

was darkness

And

his knees,

for the drnids,

he gave thanks to God, and

Magh-AL

days and three nights.

and

in

light for all others.

And

the darkness was banished from

all

they went past the Shannon to Dtuna-graidh,

where he ordained Ailbhe, a noble

rated

Patrick there-

andblessed theplain, so that

Senchua

in

Ui-Ailella;'

who

priest,

is

[commemo-

and Patrick instructed him

regarding a stone altar [which was] in the mountain of Ui-Ailella,

underground, and four glass chalices at

c

avendum ne frangerantur orae

fuit,

et baptizavit

Bronus

four corners

Mainemn sanctum quern

Iccni qui est

filius

its

ct dixit

fossurae. Inter nepotes ctiam Ailello

ordinavit Kpiscopus

Dei socius

Caisel-Irra, servus

Patricii.

Patrick went to Magh-glas 8 where he founded Cill-mor of Magh-glaa

and he

left

two of

his people there, viz.,

in fines

Corcu-Achland, 9 to the south of Ui-Ailella, and

Deinde venit

to the north of

LI and Hono,

Badhghna. 1

who were

Conleng and Ercleng.

There were two brothers

Hono asked

there, viz.,

Patrick, "

What will
me for this land?" Patrick answered, " Eternity." Hono
said, " You possess gold
give it to me for it."
Patrick replied,
" I have given much, but God will give more."
He afterwards
druids.

you give

found a mass of gold in the place where the pigs had been rooting,
and Patrick gave the mass of gold to him (i.e. to Hono) for his

in Ui-Ailella.
Now the pariah church of .Shancoe, in the barony
county Sligo. The Four Masters record the death of St
church at a.i>. 646. A St. Ailbhe (n.it the patron of Knily), son of
Bonan, of the race of Conall Gulban, son of >"iall, waa venerated on tin
of January.
8
ITagh-gtas.There isaMoyglaaa in the barony of Ballintobber North,
county Roscommon, in which there is also a church called Kilmore, giving
name to a parish. The church was otherwise called iill-morODithrnibh.
Corcu-Achlaml.
Called in the Irish annals CorcaAchlann (.>r Seaohlann),a
T

Senchua

of Tirerrill,

Roscommon, comprising the

territory in the cast of

parishes of Bnmlinn, Kil-

and the western portion of the parish of Lissonnffy.

or M.ic Branans, of this territory are descended from tho

trustan, Cloonfenlough,

The Cbmn-Branain,

noble druid Una, who granted Imleach-Ona, now Elphin, to St.

(/Donovan's " Irish Topographical Poems," p. xl.
1

BaiUightm.

Now

Slieve Baune,

Ballintobber North, county

Roscommon.

mountainous range

" Ify-Mauy,"

in the

Patrick.

barony of

p. 90.

land. Tir-in-brotha 2 is its

name now.

Dixit Patrieius, " Nee rex

nee de semine tuo regnabit in aeternum."

Illius

T
inisertus est Patrieius, dicens, " ]S on erit rex quern tua progenies

jurabit,"

&c, quod impletur.

most powerful [sept]

Cenel Maic Eree

in Connacht, but they

is

ersi

vero lacrimis

non

the strongest and

do not govern

like

Ona, son of Aengus, son of Ere Derg (Ere the Red),

high-kings.

son of Brian, de quo Ui-Honach, presented his house to Patrick

and Imlech-Onon was

name]

[is its

day

this

its
;

name

which was made by Patrick

brink

of the well,

Patrieius

and

"

Thy

clerics shall

place

shall

filiuni fratris

at that time

from the

Ailfinn, moreover,

(rock) taken out of the well

in the fair green,

and which

Et

the place has been named.

on the

be of thee for ever, and the inheritance of

Et posuit

belong to them."
Assicus

(Ajssici

1)

Cipiam matrem

et

rereus

Assicum

ibi

Bitei.

Patricii

on the

in Ailfinn,

of

altar

and another

in

the holy bishop

Briuin-Seola, far westwards from Ailfinn.

this

Bite

Episcopus

dishes, in

and a four-cornered dish of them was

Macha, and another

et

illi

laics

and he made

and four-cornered book-cases, and four-cornered

honor of Patrick

Magh-Seola,

is

dixit

seed shall be blessed, and the palm of

Assicus sanctus episcopus, faber

altars,

ail

in

Ard-

Domnach-mor 3 of
Felartus in Ui-

Assicus, however, fled

northwards to Sliabh-Liag, in Tir-Boghaine, 4 where he was on an

island 5 for seven years.

And

his

monks sought him, and found

Bruth, gen. brolha, a mass [or ingot]. Colgan.

Domnach-mor. Hardiinan, in liis edition of

O'Flaherty's " Iar-Connaught," p. 148, gives tbis narrative from Colgan'a Tripartite, and says :
" Tliis church is now called Dumnaeh-Patruig, on the banks of Loeh-Sealga
[rede, Loch-Cime, and now Lough-Hackett].
It is in the barony of Clare,
county Galway."
4
Tir-Boghaine is now the barony of Banagh,
Sliabli-Liag in Tir-Bor/haine.
3

and Slieve League is a precipitous mountain

the parish of Glencolumbkill, which commands, in clear
weather, a view of Ci'Oagh Patrick on the south-west.
in the

west of the county Donegal

in that district, in

An Island. The Book of Armagh, in narrating this, calls the island

It is now called Rathlin O'Birne, contains about fifty acres, and,
although lying adjacent to the parish of Glencolumbkill, has been ecclesiastically ulaced in the parish of Kilbarron, upwards of twenty miles distant,
6

Eochuil.

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

much

him, after

trouble, in the

him away with them

and they buried him

mountain glens

and they brought

and .Wieus died with them

in

in Seirthe. e

Rath-Cunga,

that country gave to him,

and to

Ids

monks

in

And

the

the king of

after his death, the

pasture of one hundred cows with their calves, and twenty oxen, as
perpetual offering

for lie said that

lie

would not again go

to

Magh-Ai, cm account of the falsehood which had been said there of

His remains are

him.

in

Rath-Cunga, and to Patrick belongs the

church, upon which the people of Colum-Cilleand of Ard-Sratha 7 have

encroached

Patrick went from Elphin to

of Ui-Ailella, and built a church there,

and he

Maehet

left

in

Mathona, Benen's

it,

and

sister,

(the

mounds)

>Senchell-Dumaighe, s

and Rodan, a noble

C'etehcii,

who

Dumacha
i.e.

priest,

and

received the veil from Patrick and

from Rodan, and who was a servitor to them.

When

Patrick was at Dumha-graidh,'-' ordaining the great multi-

tude, ho smiled.

monk

"

What

is

that

Olcau," said Patrick, "

!"

asked Pencil.

'

Bran, and the

who came towards me

along Traig-

owing to some old connection of the rcligiou3 houses in Kilbarron, whi

Columba founded this church near BaUyahannon.
Rath-Cunga in Seirthe. O'Donovan ("Irish Topographical Poenis,"' p. x.\x)
writes: " Magh-Seiridh was a plain in the north of the barony of Tirhugh,
" Here in the
, unity DonepaL"
l>r. Beeves, in " Adamnan," p. .'is, writes
-.

Druuihome, and townland of Ballymagroarty [rish, is a conical

hill, locally known by the name of Kacoon, the apex of which is entrenched
like a rath, and contains an ancient cemetery, now used only for the interment of unbaptized children. This is the Rath-Cunga iu Campo-Sereth of
p.irish of

'

'

Tirechan."
"

Aril-Sratha.y<>\v the parish church, formerly cathedral, of Ardstraw,

near Strabane, iu the county Tyrone,

i''. This is tho church of Shan kill, barony and county

amnion, immediately south of Elphin. Colgan was wrong in his Index

church in Kierrag-Amensi, which was in the barony of CosMayo, instead of Ciamidhe-Aei, which wa3 iu the west of
county
tello,
mmon, having in it the parish of Kilkeevan, near Castlerca. "Book of
What probably led him astray is that Maehet, whom St.
Rights," p. lnl.
of Ailell (Ui-Ailella), he took it for 'I'u
Patrick pie .1 b< re.
Ailell, confounding the descendants with their country.
Dumha-uraidli. There aro six places named Doogary in county May.,
in placing the

and two

in

Roscommon.

> > >

Tripartite Life of St. Pat)

and

Eotbaili, 1

sea

made

my

foster-sou,

Mac-Erca, with them; a wave of the

a great dash, and tried to carry off the youth."

He

prophecy.

(Patrick)

went through the

founded the church eastwards in Tamhnagh, 2 and

and men

et ipsa fecit amicitiam

was

it

built

and

by God

ad reliquias Assici Kodani

eorum epulabantur invicem.

successores

This was a

territory of Ui-Oilella,

et

Post hoc autem possue-

runt epiiscopuin Cairellum juxta sanctam Ecclesiam in Tamhnagh,

quern ordinaveruntEpiscopumPatricii, viz., BronusetBiteus. Patrick

went afterwards to the fountain,

Cruachau, 3 at sunrise.

&

Mac

Laeghaire

Neill's

The

i.e.

clerics

Clibech, on the

down

sat

two daughters,

at

slopes of

the fountain.

Eithne the Pair, and

viz.,

Feidelm the Bed, went early to the fountain to wash their hands,
as they

were wont to

when they found

do,

the synod of clerics at

the well, with white garments, and their books before them.

wondered

at the appearance of the clerics,

They questioned

or phantoms.

fir-sidhc,

you, and whither have you

in

daughter

God than

said,

"

Who

heaven or in earth 1
seas, or in

"

Patrick.

from the

Whence

are

Are you

sidhc ?

to ask regarding our race."

is

is it

streams, or in

in his

how is he

kingdom

to be loved,

The

your God, and in what place

is

elder
he, in

under the earth, or on the earth, or in

hills,

or in valleys

daughters? has he gold and silver

good

Is it

Patrick said to them, " It would be better for you to

gods 1"
believe

come

They

and imagined they were

Tell us plainly

and how is he

to

Has he sons and

Is there a profusion of every

how we

be found.

shall see him,

Is

and

he young or old

many fostered his son,

St.
or is his daughter handsome, and dear to men of the world 1"
Patrick, full of the Holy Spirit, responded, " Our God is the God
of all, the God of heaven and earth, the God of the seas and
or

is

he ever-living

Is

he beautiful, or have

1
Now Trawhohelly, a famous strand near Tonrego, on
Traig-Eothaili.
" Hy-Fiachrach,"
the east boundary of the barony of Tireragh, county Sligo.

p. 499.
3

T'amhnagh. Now the church

of

Taunagh, or Tawnagh, in the barony of

county Sligo.
Cruachan. See ante, pp. 290, 291, for identification and different ver-

Tirerrill,

sions of this narrative.

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

God

rivers, the

the

God

oi"

and moon, and

of tha sun

heaven, and under heaven

and the earth, and the

spireth

things.

all

He

qnickeneth

i.e.

in

heaven,
lie in

He enMndleth all

things.

all

ba

over heaven,

things that are in them,

all

and to the moon.

lie giveth light to the sun,

things,

God

and Ho has a mansion,

and

sea,

the other plant

all

the high hills and low valleys;

He

<

fountains in the dry land, and placed dry islands in the sea, and

He

stars to minister to the greater lights.

and co-equal with Himself; and the Son

Father, nor

is

And

Ghost are not divided.

And

I desire,

And

the daughters said, as

shall

we come

Patrici

teach
"

They answered,

repentance after sin?"

'

Inly

daughters of an earthly king."

us,

and we

Do you

We

do as you will

will

believe that through bap-

"Do

believe."

And

"Yes."

How

Teach us duly, that we

tism the sin of your mother and of your father shall be put

from you?"

with one mouth and one heart, "

if

the Lord face to face

dixit,

moreover, to unite you to the Son

to believe in that king

Et

the Holy

the Father, and the Son, and the

of the heavenly King, for ye are

say to us."

not younger than the

the Father older than the Son.

breatheth in them.

may see

hath a Son, co-eternal

is

away

you believe

they were baptized.

in

And

Patrick blessed a white veil upon their heads; and they desired

And

to see Christ face to face.

cannot see Christ except that yon

receive the

Patrick said to them:

first

body of Christ and His blood." And the daughters

"Give us the Communion, that we may bo

able to see the Prophesied One."

Communion, and

in

believed,

and having gone

to heaven,

fostered the second daughter.

and he cut

off

and
;

Patrick

and

plao

their friends

The druids then entered

on account of the daughters having

came crying against Patrick,

believed,

they after this received

one bed [grave]

great lamentation over them.

into conflict with Patrick,

lait

And

asleep in death,

full

them under covering, and

made a

- 5Tou

and unless you

saying:

replied,

the

taste death,

i.e.

for

Mae] and Caplait.

it

Cii>-

was he [Capiat] who

Patrick preached to him, and he

his hair.

After this the other druid

came,

i.e.

Mael, and said to Patrick, "

thee," said he

" it shall

him

will again lead

Patrick

God and

brother has believed for

into paganism."

And he was

"I

thus insulting

but Patrick preached to him, and the druid believed in

And Patrick shaved him ; and hence " Mael is

Patrick.

like Caplait " is a

And

My

not serve nor strengthen him," said he

proverb

for it

was together that they

believed.

the day of weeping was finished, and the maidens were

interred there

and Seu-Domhnagh of Magh-Ai 4 was presented to

Patrick for ever.

And

others say the relics of the maidens were

brought to Ard-Macha, where they await the resurrection.

Patrick went afterwards to Tir-Caireda, and he founded a church
at Ard-lice, i

And

Sen-Domhnach, 5 and he

e.

Patrick

left

Deacon Caeman

erected Ard-Senlis, 6 ubi posuit

tenuit locum in

Campo Nento
Of the

ech to his country.

in

it.

Lalloc sanctam et

and they went with Bishop Ceth-

race of Ailill

was

his

mother

of Cenel-

Sai [nigh] of Cianacht, from Domhnach-Sairigi at Damhliac-Cianain

and

it

was Bishop Cethach's custom

in Domhnach-Sairigi
i

and

to celebrate the great pasch

in Ath-da-lorg, in Kells, 7

Sen-Domhnagh of Magh-Ai.

The

plain of Magh-Aei,

he celebrated

now Machaire-

Connaught, extended from near the town of Boscommon to the verge of the
barony of Boyle, and from the bridge of Cloonfree, near Strokestown,
"Book of Bights," p. 104. There is no church of
westward to Castlerea.
this name in the neighborhood of Batheroghan.
5 Ard-lice, i.e. Sen-Domhnach.
There is Ardleckna, in the parish of Aughrim, barony and county of Boscommon, and we have the parish of Kilkeevan,
containing the town of Castlerea, county Boscommon (" Book of Bights,"
question, the name being changed
p. 101), which, perhaps, is the church in
to that of the church of Caeman the deacon, whom St. Patrick placed here

Kilkeevan.
This plain is called Magh-Nenda in the
Ard-Senlis in Campo Nento.
It contained the hill anciently called Sidh-Nenta
Tripartite,
p. 13G.
Latin
(now Fairymount, in the barony of Ballintobber South, county Boscommon^
in Irish,

celebrated in Irish fairy legends.

i Ath-da-lorg in Kills.
Colgan, in his Index, considering there was oulj
one Ath-da-lorg, " The ford of the two forks," in Ireland, namely, the present
Boyle ("Four Masters," at A.r>. 937), lays down this place as formerly a
O'Donovan, at 937, in his note on a battle fought in
bishopric in Coimaught.
that year, states the second Ath-da-lorg was in Mcath, but that its situation,

or

modern form, was unknown

tions Ath-da-laarg as being

to him.

The Mart,

of Donegal, at 1st

Dec, men-

taobh Ccnannsa, "at the side of Ceuannus " (Kells).

.in;

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

the

little

paaoh, with Comgilla; for Cethech'a people used to say

Patrick wont afterwards

Comgilla was Oetheeh'a Bervitor.

that

to the territory of Ui-Maine,

and he

left

there an arch-priest (or

."

and he erected Fidharta

books of orders and baptism with him and ho
Deacon

deacon) of his people, L

and Patrick

left his

baptised the Di-Mainc

Ciaran

mac

Juis,

and Deacon

Juis, in his old age, baptised

Ciaran baptizavit, ut aiunt peritissimi.

and Hernials,

Ililurniiiiis,

many

between Hy-Maine and Magh-Nai.

them the

fnit

sister, viz..

of

these

is

And

Imgoe

of

Patrick described to

Pabririum ut obiaret

illis

de locis quos invenerent,

Patrick also founded Cill-Garad, where Cethech [was

Ferta-gethich together.
is

Berxdciua

1
likeness of the place with his finger, from Cill-i farad, quia

venetuut ad

which

quando

Nitria, the sister.

One

to them.

places were given

Baislic,*

and

etc.,

anni

Patrick's Franks, morc-

and one

otp, left him, viz., fifteen brothers

and

ed

from Patrick's book, quia

int-sair,

it

left],

and

was that Patrick made the well

L'arangarad, and he loved this water very much,

called

at ipse dixit

Then

" Uaraii-jjar [I'aran-gar]

which I have loved, which loved mc
well
!

Alas

That

my cry,
my drink

dear God
not from the pure well."
!

is

Patrick went afterwards to Magh-Selcae, it. to Dumha-Selca,3

"

Now

Forty, in the parish of the same name, barony of Atlinoseommon. For some notices oi thia place, bob a paper
Kelly, Esq., in the " Proceedings of the Royal Irian Ax idemy,"

ftdharta,

]"iir,

and county

of

by Denis II.
VOL viii. p. 495.
Imgoe of Baitlie. The word [mgoe is very obscure it occurs on p. 38 in
connection with Trim. The church of Baslick is in the
It continned a mono tic house for many centuries St.
"uuty lloscommon.
" Bom Masters."
t'ormac, its abbot, having died a. ft 80ft
1
OUl-Oarad.
NowOran, county Roscommon (Lanigan, vol ii. pp. 244-C).
It lies between Roscoinm u and Castlcrea.
"Dumha-Selca. Dumha-Selca, or the "mound of the chase," was tl
name of a mound which still exists in the towuland of Cams, a little to the
south of the village of Tulsk, in the county of Roscommon. The mound (or
moat* lies due cast from the celebrated mound of C&imfree.
''

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

40S

where there were young men, the

six sons of Brian, viz., Bolcderc,

Derthaeht, Echen, Cremthann, Caelcharna, Echuid

wrote three names there in three stones,

and Patrick

viz., Jesus, Soter,

Salvator.

Patrick blessed the Ui-Briuin from Dumha-Selca, and Patrick's seat

is

there between the stones in quibus scripsit literas, et nona

episcoporum cum

illo

fuerunt,

illic

of Baislic-mor in

Sachelus

(brother to

Lomman

Bronus of

viz.,

Brocaid of

Ciarraighe,

(sic

Caisel-Irra,

Imlech-ech,

of Ath-truim), Bronaclms, presbyter, Eodan,

Cassan, Benen, comarb of Patrick, and Benen, brother of Cethech,

and

Felartus, bishop,

his sister, a

nun

insola in mari Conmaicne,

and another

there,

sit

And

he founded a church on Loch-Selca,

i.e.

sister,

Croch-Cuile-Conmaicne. 3

qure

i.e.

Domhnach-mor

Magh-Selca, 4 in quo baptizavit Ui-Briuin et benedixit.

of

Patrick

went to Gregraidhe of Loch-Techet, 5 and founded a church there

in Drunima, and dug a well thereat, and no stream went into or
13

^1

came out of

it,

ever

full).

He

and

[left] Talan's

And

hand.

but

he

it

was always

full,

and

its

name

is

Bithlan

(i.e.

afterwards founded Cill-Atrachta in Gregraidhe, 7

daughter in

left

teisc

it,

who

received a veil from Patrick's

chalice with Atracht, the daughter of

and

Talan, son of Cathbadh, of the Gregraidhe of Loch-Teched, sister

Caemhan

of

of Airdne-Caemhain. 8

Patrick blessed a veil on her

3 Croch-Cuile-Conmaicne.
This island of Connemara is now called Cruaghnakily or Ouauakeely. At present it has no remains of a church, though it
had in O'FIaherty's time. Hai'dimau's " Iar-Connaught," p. 102.
4 Domhnach-mor of Magh-Selca.
Now called Donagh-Patrick, on the banks

of Loch-Sealga,

now Lough-Hackett. " Iar-Conuaught,"

p.

148.

Gregraidhe of Loch-Techet. A district in the south of county Sligo,

supposed to be co-extensive with the barony of Coolavin, but originally more
"Book of Eights," p. 99. Loch-Techet is now Lough-Gara, on
extensive.
" By-Fi.ichthe frontiers of the counties of Mayo, Sligo, and Roscommon
rach,"

p.

493.

Drumma. In

Cill-Atrachla in Gregraidhe.

barony

that part of the county of Sligo to the east of Lough-Gara

The church and parish of Killaraght, in the

of Coolavin,

county Sligo.

Caemhan of Airdne-Caemhan. Colgan by mistake placed this church or

monastery in Connaught. The Martyrology of Donegal, at 13th June, shows
" Caomhan of Ard-Caomhain, by the side of Lough Garman in
its position.
Loch Garman is now Wexford Harbor, alongside of which is
Lcinster," &c.
8

w^3^^^^

^^-^^'^:^

-%T J ^----

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick

Drnmmana waa

head.

Maehaire

its

is

the

name

name

heaven on Patrick's breast.

"

of the place in which they were

to-day. 9

You

" No," said she, " not to

said Patrick.

waa sent down from

casula

have this

shall

me was

it

nun,"

casula,

given, but to thy-

self."

He

then went to the sons of Ere

and Patrick cursed them, saying

horses,

the seed of your brother for ever."

and blessed a

Airtich,

And

cloch. 1

place,

i.e.

they carried off Patrick's

" Your seed shall serve
:

Patrick went into

Ailech-Airtigh,

he went afterwards into

in

Drnmmut

Magh

Telach-na-

of Ciarraighe-

Airtigh,1
lather's

two

where he found two brothers fighting regarding the

laud atur his death, viz., Bibar and Lochru, Tamanchend's

sons.

Patrick stretched out his arms, and their hands became

fixed to the swords, so that they

" Sit ye," said Patrick

were not able to

be-

they gave the land to Patrick for their father's

And Patrick

founded a church there, where Conu the artiiVx

the brother of Bishop SechnalL

is,

or lower them.

lift

and he blessed them and made peace

And

tween them.
60ul.

Ciarraighe-Airne, 3 where he

Patrick went subsequently to

met Eruaisc and

his son

Loam

under a

still called Ardeavau.

The true position was long since pointed
out by O'Flaherty (" Iar-Couuaught," p. 90), and O'Donovan, in the "Four
Masters," at A.D. 1055, where the death of Ua Buarcain, airehinneach of
Airdne-Caetnhain, is recorded.

this church,

Drammana

MacJtairi

it itt

name to-day.These names arc now

obsolete.

a townlaud called Magbera in the parish of Emlaghfad, baron; of

Corrao, county Sligo, a little north of Ooolavin, but whether the place in
on is undecided. There is the parish of Drum or Dniuimouaghan in
the barony of Cam, county Mayo.

There

is

Miiijk-AirtichTtlach-na-duch. O'Donovan ("Book of Rights,"

confines Ciarriadhe-Airteeh to the pandits of Tibohiue

the north-west of county

Roscommon

p.

103)

and Kilnamanagh

in

but it is evident from this entry that

Airtech extended into the adjoining barony of Costello, county Mayo, for in
the parish of Kilcolman in that barony, in which lie the town of Ballagh.ula;

reen, and Coolaviu, the residence of the MacDerniot family, is the townlaud of
Tullaghnarock, a partially anglicized form of "Telach-na-cloch."
'

Drummut

of Ciarraiyhe- J irtiyh. This

'

is

very possibly

parish of Tibohiue, barony of Frcnchpark, county

1

Ciarraighe-AirM

Drummad,

in tho

Roscommon.

According to O'Donovan (" Be

102),

^W
'

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

tree,

and Patrick wrote an alphabet

with them, with his twelve men.

there, 4 et tenuit ilium

abbatem

for him,

And

(sic),

and stayed a week

Patrick founded a church

et fuit

quidem

spiritu sancto

plenus.

And
chill,

est

Patrick went to Tobar-Mucno, 5 and advanced to

siguum

Sen-

Secundinus solus sub ulmo frondosa separatim, et

et fuit

And

usque in hunc diem.

crucis in eo loco

he

after-

wards went into the country of Conmaicne, into Cuil-Tolaigh, 7 and

he founded four-cornered churches in that place.

He went

Ard-Uscon, s &c.
Corra, 1

and

founded

to

One

of these

is

Magh-Cera, 9 and stopped at Cuil-

church in that

place,

et

baptizavit

lis

multos.
this district comprised the whole of the barony of Clanmorris, county Mayo,
except the Tearmon of Balla (consequently the parishes of Crossboyne, Kil-

and Taugheen, with parts of Knock and Mayo), as also the

Aghamore, Bekan, aud Armagh, barony of Costello, in the diocese
Tuam.
* Founded a church there.
The name is not given, but there can be no
doubt it was Aghamore, as the Martyrology of Douegal has, at 30th August,
" Loam, priest, of Achadh-mor." The church is at present in ruins, but the
coleunan, Kilvine,

parishes of
of

cemetery is still used.

6 Tobar-Mucno.
Bishop Mucna's church was in Donaghmore, in the parish
" Hy-Fiachrach, " note a, p.
of Killala, barony of Tirawley, county Mayo.
There is Tober-makee, parish of Drumaternple, barony of Ballymoe,
466.
and counties of Galway and Roscommon, but whether it is the right place is
Here it was, accordiug to the Martyrology of Donegal at 27th
uncertain.
November, that St. Seachnall or Secuudinus, the nephew of St. Patrick, used
to pray under a leafy tree.
6 Senchill.
Near Elphin, in the barony and county of Roscommon.
? Cuil-Tolaigh of Conmaicne.
There were three territories of the Conmaicne in Connaught, that of Cuile-Toladh being the now barony of Kilmaine,
It contains the parishes of Kilcommon, Kilin the south of county Mayo.
mainbeg, Kilmainmore, Kilmolara, Moorgaga, Robeen, and Shrule, and parts
of Ballinrobe, Cong, Mayo, and Ballincolla.
8 AralUscon. In the Index, Colgan writes that this church was in
Kierragae-Arnensis in Connaught, which is contrary to the reading of the
which
places it in Cuil-Tolaigh.
text,
' Magh-Cera.
Now the barony of Carra, county Mayo, containing the

parishes of Aglish, Ballyhean, Baliyovey, Breafy, Burriscarra,

Rosslee, Tenlough,

and Towaghty, and parts

{'>/il-Corra

was probably

Drum, Minola,
aud

of Balliutober, Islaudeady,

Kiltacomoge.
in the parish of Burriscarra.

to

Afterwards Patrick proceeded

met two brothers,

Patrick, hut

Bervant to kill

Magh-Foimsen, 8 where he

Luchtre and Derclam.

viz.,

Derclam sent

Luchtie prevented

liim,

his

whom

to

Patrick said: ''There shall he priests and bishops of thy seed,

and the race of thy brother

And

he

shall

be cursed, and shall be few."

that place Cruimther Conan, and

left in

went afterwards

and he was two Sundays

3
to Tobar-Stringle in the desert,

[living]

on that well.

Men

Patrick went to tho

5
of Umhall, 4 to Achadh-Fobhair,

Bishop Senach was ordained.

And

was " Aguus Dei."

of Patrick,

viz.,

he

whero

The name Patrick conferred on him

it

was who asked the three requests

that he should not oppose

him

as regards order.-,

that the place should not he called alter him, and that what was

wanting to complete his age should be added

Aenghusa.

was

It

for

alphabet the day that

to the age of

Mac

him (Mao Aenghusa) that Patrick wrote an

Bishop Senach was ordained. Patrick de-

sired truly to erect usee at

Achadh-Fobhair, when he

said, " I

would

remain here, on a small plot of land, after circumambulating churches

and fastnesses
to Patrick

for I

am

infirm, I

would not

go."

The angel

said

" Everything you select shall be yours

Every land, whether plain or rough,
Both

hills

and churches,

Magh-Foimsen. In the Iudex Colgan writes that Magh-Foimsen was in

There is a place called Funshinaugh in the present
the region of Cera.
parish of CoDg,barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo, in the ancient district of
*

Partry.
3

Tobar-Stringle.

called

Now

Ballintober, barony of Carra, county Mayo, also

On the site of the church erected by 8t.

Baile-Tobair-Phadruig.

Patrick, Cathel Crovdearg, king of Connaught, founded a magniticent

abbey

1216. "Hy-Fiachrach," p. 191.

<
Mat of Umhall This territory of Umhall comprises the baronies of
Burrishoole and Murrisk, county Mayo, called "The Owles " by English
writers. "Book of Rights," p. 5G, and "Hy-Fiachrach."
in

Achadh-Fobhair

spring,

now

called

St

i.e.

"field of the spring," so

Patrick's Well.

named from a

It is a village

the ruins of an ancient church and round tower, in

" Hy-Fiachrach, " p. 150.
county Mayo.

V~^i

17?* fm m

ir <

^*T

'H

celebrated

and parish, containing

the barony of Murrisk,

giTTiiHrrrnrtfrffi^iW-

"The two inseparable trout,

Which would advance against

perpetual streams,

Without obligation, without transgression

Angels will be along with them in it."

Patrick went to Cruachan-Aighle, 6

oil

the Saturday of Whitsun-

tide.

The angel went

to converse with him,

and

"

will not give thee

what thou demandest

for

God

demands weighty, and immense, and

"It

cision?' said Patrick.

my

is,"

said to

He

the

demands

afterwards with illness of

from

food,

Shrove

shall

mind

Saturday

"This

Moses, son of Amra, for they were alike in

accosted

each

them both out of the

Patrick was

be given."

Easter

fire

Saturday,

many

six score years

the place of sepulture of both

is

is

Cruachan

in Cruachan, without drink

to

" Is that His de-

great."

answered the angel.

decision, then," said Patrick, " I shall not leave this

until I die, or all

him

thinks the

just

things.

or
like

God

was the age of

uncertain.

At the end of
him was

those forty nights and forty days, the mountain around

filled

with black birds, so that he could see neither heaven nor

He

earth.

sang cursing psalms at them, but they went not

away from him.

bell at

flung

He

then became angry with them

them, so that the

it

men

at them, so that a

of Erinn heard

its

he rang his

sound.

gap was broken out of

it,

And

he

and that

[bell] is Benian-Brighte. 7

Cruachan-Aighle. See note at p. 57.

Benian-Brighte. The following is given in the notes of Dr. Reeves.'
of Columba, by Adauinan," p. 206:
" Cruachan- Aichle, now Oroagh
Patrick, a mountain in Mayo, is famous in legendary record as the scene

"Life

of

St.

Patrick's

final

conflict

with

the demons of Ireland.

From

its

Tripartite Life of St. Putrid-.

Patrick afterwards cried until hie face and the front of his easu&i

No demon came

(cowl) were wet.

after this to Erinn for the Bpace

and seven months, and Beven days,

of seven years,

: ti

Beven

nights.

The angel subsequently went

your eye could reach on the

me," vud Patrick

shall

" not far can

lie
;

cleaned

and they

" I will bring so

used to chant sweet melodies for him.

souls from pain," said the angel, "
far as

and

to protect Patrick,

and brought white birds about the Cruachan

his eaiuia,

many

and as many as would cover

sea."

my eye

"

That

is

no great boon

reach over the sea."

"

You

have between sea and land, then," added the angel.

there anything

'There

is,"

more granted

to

hell

" Is

besides that? asked Patrick.

1

"you ran bring seven every Satur-

the angel;

said

day from the pains of

me

as
for

for

ever."

" If anything be granted

me have] my twelve men." " You

"and depart from Cruachan." " I

to me," observed Patrick, [" let

shall

have

.'hall

not depart," said Patrick, " because

it."

am

until I

granted to

said the angel,

recompensed.

me ?" asked

Is

there

Patrick.

have been tormented,

anything

else,

" Yes," said the angel

then,
;

to

be

" you shall

have seven every Thursday, and twelve every Saturday, from pains,

and depart from Cruachan."

"I

will

not depart,"

answered

drove them into the ocean, and completed their discomfiture by

bell the Beanian-Brighde among their retreating ranks.
7V. 77;.,' p, 13S, a.
Passing northwards, they emerged
Pit Trip.,' ii 04
from the deep, and took np their abode in the savage wilds of Seanon the south-west of Donegal. Here they remained unmolested,

summit

lie

flinging his

'

'

"was directed by an angel to rid the

f'il inhabitants.
After a violent struggle with the demons, he
completely routed them, and with the help of the Dubh-Dnaibseach. his
His name was henceforward
hell, drove them once for all into the sea.
till

our Titconnellian saint" (Colnmba)

place of it*

; and the wild parish of Olencolnmbkill preserves in

topography and traditions a living commentary on the legend of Columba's
Vit. 8. Columbce,' i. 89
to it, as told by Mantis O'Donnell in 1520.
/V. 77i.,'p. 40:!,
Sliabh Liag, commonly called Slievo League, aprecipitous
clear
weather
a
view
of Croagh Patrick
mountain in this region, commands in
on the south-west." Dr. Reeves, p. 330, same work, writes that the DubhDnaibseach was probably preserved in the parish of Glencolumbkill, formerly
S-anglcann. See also Sir W. Wilde's " Lough Comb," p. 96.

associated with the tract

its

lirst visit

'

!,.

^1

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

Patrick,

" because

pensed.

Is there

"There

is,"

have been tormented, until

anything

else

am

recom-

granted to me!" asked Patrick.

answered the angel; "the great sea to come over

Erinn seven years before the Judgment

and depart from the

Cruachan."
" I will

not depart," said Patrick,

mented, until

demand

]"

am

shall

"

"

asked the angel.

Saxons may not

" since I have been tor-

"Is there anything more you

gratified."

There

is,"

answered Patrick, " that

by consent or

occupy Erin,

whilst

force,

" It shall be granted thee," said the angel

be in heaven."

and depart from Cruachan."

"I

will not depart," said Patrick,

Is there
I am gratified.
me T asked Patrick. " There is," said
" every one who repeats thy hymn from one day to the
not suffer pains." " The hymn is long and difficult,"

" since I have

been tormented, until

anything more granted to

the angel

other shall

"

said Patrick.
lim, " Christ

Every one who repeats from

name, and every one

shall

Crist ilium" (recte Crist

with me,") "to the end, and every one

not go to hell

who
;

who

repeats tho

observes penitence in Eriu, their soula

from Cruachan

and depart

[said

"

the

angel],

" I will not depart," said Patrick, " for I have been tormented,
until

am

your

casula,

Is there anything more'!" asked Patrick.

gratified.

" Yes," said the angel,

"you

shall

have one

man

for every hair in

"

from pains on the Day of Judgment."

who

the other saints

Which

of

labor for God," said Patrick, " that would

not bring that number to heaven

I shall not accept that," said

Patrick.

"What
is,"

mm

" that I should bring from hell on the

Judgment seven persons

"

tormented, until

demand

1"

will
I

the angel

"

and depart from

not depart," said Patrick, " for

am

gratified."

asked the angel.

" There

that the twelve royal seats shall be

" Is there
is,"

this

have been

anything

said Patrick

it

of

" It shall

for every hair in this casula."

be granted to you," said

Cruachan."

"Here
Day

you accept, then]" asked the angel.

will

said Patrick

else

you

" the day

on the Mount, and when

rtite

the four rivers of

fire

three peoples shall

l>e

men

about the Mount, and when the

shall be

there, viz., the people of heaven, the people

ever

me

will not consent to leave

and even

after

my

may

myself

be judge over

"This thing cannot be obtained

of Erin on that day."

" Unless this

from the Lord," said the angel.

Him,

417

Patrick.

Sfe.

and the people of hell, that

of earth,

the

.'

/.;/.'

this

obtained from

is

Crnachan from

death there shall

day

this

for

from

a caretaker

be

answered Patrick.

there.''

The angel went

angel came in the

Patrick went to his offering.

to heaven.

evening.

answered the angel

"How

" all

the

now?" asked

creatures,

The

Patrick.

" Thus,"

and

invisible,

visible

including the twelve apostles, entreated, and they have obtained.

The Lord

said that there

man more

apostles, a

request which

the

angel
that

" thou art

it

may

Patrick

not,

and would not come,

were

granted thee.

Strike thy bell," said the

commanded from heaven

blessing

alter the

not for the hardness of

it

be a blessing to the people of

"

dead."

is

came

illustrious,

to

fall

all Eriu,

on thy knees,

both living and

on the bountiful king that' gave,"

"the Cruachan

said

shall be left."

Patrick proceeded afterwards until he was in Achadh-fobhair,

where he celebrated the ordo of Easter.

keepers " of Patrick's people

from him

in Cruachan-Aigle.

[the bell]

it

ban-Guirt

s
;

is

not found.

Iraird, 9 together

Mac

same

is

age.

And

with his wife.

There

Neill,

still.

The sound of
there

is

and the third man from him

reign of Laeghaire

There

in Eriu living

is

are,

moreover,

There

his bell

is

is

man from him

in Gul-

to the east of C'luain-

Both entertained Patrick

and they

man from him

are,

in

man

heard, but

and

will

in tho

be for ever, the

Dromanna-Bregh

1
j

there

GnUxinGuirl. Beann-Gulban, or Binn-Gnlban, now Binbnlbm, a re.

markablc hill in the pariah of Drumcliff, barony of Carbi.ry, county of Sligo.
-/).'.,./.
lonard, county Mcath.
':.
Dr
There 13 a townland of Drummnn in the parish
of Doleek, county Meath, within the ancient Breipa; but the place her*
III in the n"rth of hi" county of Meath, adjoining the county
tl U rred t"
<

gy>.

^p^
tZ&s&*Sk

is

man from him

another

Eocliaidh.

the Judgment.

His

Slainge; and there

a pitcher of

Domangart, son of

i.e.

relics a little before

Rath-Murbhuilg, 3 at the side of Sliabh-

cell is

always a shin (of beef) with

him every

Monday

people on Easter
over,

is

before

ale,

in Sliabh-Slainge, 2

he that will raise Patrick's

It is

Easter,

its accessories,

which

and

given to Mass

is

Patrick's charioteer died, more-

always.

and was buried between Cruachan and the

Patrick went

sea.

afterwards into the country of the Corco-Themne, 4 and baptized

many thousand
viz., in

persons there, and he founded four churches there,

the three Tuagha. 5

Patrick went then to Tobar-Finnmaighe,

The well was

over

its

four-cornered,

mouth, and the

dead prophet made

dealbaret

de Deo

ossa

it,

vivo, dicens

Sliabh-Slainge

now

is

well

It

as

was

a god.

and there was a four-cornered stone

bibliothecam

sibi

in

dictis

quia

Slieve Douard, the highest

bay

aqua sub petra ut

quia timuit ignem,

non vere

of the

a well.

foolish people believed that a certain

sua semper,

Down, on the margin

i.e.

the pagans honored this

told to Patrick that

Duudrum.

of

et

zelavit

Pat.

rex aquarum fona

mountain

in

the county

See Reeves' "Down,"

pp. 154

and 207.

Rath-Murbhuilg. Now Maghera, county Down, so called from the

St.
adjoining townlands of Murlough, on the margin of the bay of Dimdrum.
Donard's church of Maghera, as it is now called, is a ruin, with the remains
of a round tower.
It is about nine miles from Downpatrick, and near the foot
There was, however, a church of St. Donard's half way
of the mountain.
up the mountain, where patrons were held so late as 1744. See Reeves
3

"Down," &c,

pp.

27 and

154.

Colgan writes,

This was a region in Connaught, " but

It was probably the present parish of Robeen,
gives no clue to its position.
barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo, which formed part of the ancient Ceara. See
The Fourth Life, by St. Eleran, says: "St.
note on Kill-tog further on.
Patrick founded three churches in this region, and the churches of Taghkeea
and Kilcommon, as well as Robeen, all lie near the Robe."
4

Corco- Themne.

Three Tuagha.

This was

an

'

'

alias

name

for the three districts called

Partraighe (Partree) in Mayo.

Tobar-Finnmaighe.

Mayo," but
Mayo.

Lanigan

assigns no authority.

ancient pagan

name

(vol.

i.

p.

227) writes, "

Fiumagh was

in

Tobar-Finnmaighe seems to have been tho

barony of Ceara (or Carragh), county

of Ballintober, in the

^^w

;x

::

* -9&

Ttojparft'fo Life

cum

hoc necnon

erat

petram

alivari

419

St. Patrick.

haboit rex aquarum,

eia

et dixit

One

l'atiicius, et dixit erit

semen tnumbene-

Corco-Themne 7

time, as Patrick

was travelling

in length.

The brothers

it

the sepulchre, and questioned

quo nomine

asset.

viz.,

/...

120

man might be
man who was in

desiring that the dead

resuscitated, Patrick thereupon "

et

in the plains of Mac-Ercae,

Dichuil and Erchuil, 8 ho saw a largo sepulchre there,

Patridaa

church that Bishop Oainnech, Patrick's monk, founded.

this

fi

of

Cill-Tog, in the territory of

in Becula.

was

*-

*-

non potuerunto elevavit autem earn petramj

et

Cainnech, quern baptizavit

dictum

^s?^gjj&r
-^
|p

awoke

"

the dead

him quando,et quomodo, et quo genere,

sibi, dicens, "Ego sum Cass, filius

Respondit

of Glassi, qui fui subulcus Lugair Iruatae, and Mac Conn's fiann
8
killed me in the reign ofCaiipre Niafer, in the hundredth year. lam

Patrick baptized him, and he went again into his

here until to-day."

sepulchre.

Quia comprehendere valet modi

jmnes,

namque psalmos,

et

ymnos

(sic)

diligentiae orationis

et Apocalipsi, ac

ejus

omnia cautica

Corco-Themne. In the Book of Armagh, fol. 1">, as quoted

" Essay on Tara" ("Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," p.
corresponding
entry reads: "And he" (Patrick) "went to Moy47), the
"
Donagh, in Inishowcn, county Donegal
(a plain in
Cohan's "Visitation, '0t-'(i7"), "and he built a church there; and in that
in Petrie'a

place a certain hishop came to him of the race of Coron Thnimnft, of the littlo
church of Toch, in the regions of Temenrigi i Cera, towards the setting of
It thence follows that Cill-Tog was in Ceara, now Cam, in
the sun," 4c.

Mayo.

This plain is called MagPlains of Mac Ercae, i.e. in Dichuil and Erchuil.
in the Latin Tripartite, being so called from the tribe Kinel-mao-Erca,
whomColgan("2V. Th." p. 176, n> -t- 7 *. states) were represented by O'Hai
8

mae-Erea

and MacBrannan.

The latter were chiefs of Oorca-Aoblan ; O'Hanly, of Kin

Einel-Dofa was on the w< rtof the Shannon,

county Koscommon, to the north of Lough l!ir and O'Donnvau ("Four
Masters," at 1210) gives the descent of the tribe from Ere the Red, grandi o
by Muidhmhcdhoin, monarch of Ireland. This exactly answers the
Slieve-Baone.

topography of
chap, xxvii.

as given in the Latin Tripartita,

p. 13-4,

of the old Irish writers

Cairpre Niafer. C'airbre Niafer is stated by some

have been monarch of Ireland about the beginning of the Christian era ; but
name is not in any of the genuine lists of kings, nor in the " Annals of the

to

St. Patrick's travels,

his

Foot

Ms

'k

>>>

r-Jhy^i-^*^

1*7

decantabat seu in uno

spiritualia scripturarum cotidie (quotidie)

until tierce

be.

One Sunday Patrick was

on the earth, but

it

damp

a cold,

in

when

place,

great rain

rained not in the spot where Patrick was,

concha et vellere Gideoni accederat.

sicut in

on Sunday night

vespers

on Monday, Patrick would not come from the place

where he might

fell

From

seu in itinere gradiens.

loco

It

was a custom with

Patrick to place the cross of Christ over himself one hundred times

each day and night

and he would go aside from

his path, even

though the cross were one thousand paces away, provided that he

saw

knew

or

it,

to be in his vicinity;

it

whether he was in a chariot

One day

or on a horse, he would proceed to each cross.

omitted to
not that
"

You

it

left

Patrick

visit

was

a cross which was on your

left his

sepulchre,"

guest-house,

and

Patrick was

said

Patrick;

was buried here; whilst living

died;

"a

buried

woman

voice

" and

my soul, until
"What was the
i.e.

the

"This," answered the voice;

this cross over

was over the grave of her son

it

my

The

grave of a pagan."

.said

was placed

cross

Patrick, "

and she came from

grave.

through grief to recognize her son's grave."

cross,"

She thought

for she

" This
i.e.

its

it

was not able

the reason

is

being over the

was afterwards raised by Patrick

over the Christian's grave.

One time Patrick's charioteer wanted his horses he could

Patrick
find them owing to the darkness of the night.
his rive lingers illuminated all the place
lilted up his hand
;

not

that was in foreign lands, and her son was

and placed

that I missed the

it said,

is

was injuring

buried here in this country in her absence

foreign lauds

here?"

poor pagan,"

to the

" This

" that the sign of Christianity,

was placed over thy grave V

certain

cross,

was buried here afterwards."

reason," asked Patrick,

cross,

and went back

his dinner,

to-day, without visiting.''

praying at the

way

"who was
" I am a

answered out of the sepulchre

and

knew

His charioteer said to him in the evening

there.

When

cross.

Patrick

a cross which was on his way, but he

Tripartite Cafe of St. Patrick.

they were five torches, and the horses wero immediately

if

:i

21

found.
:>
the
Patrick went across the MuaiJh to Hy-Amhalgh aidh
twelve sons of Anihalgaidh, son of Fiachra, son of Eoehaidh,- came
Fedhlimidh, Enna Crom, Enna
to meet him, viz., Aengus, Fergus,

Cullom, Cormac, Cairbre, Echui Dianimh, Oena, EogbanCoir, DubThe sons of Amhalghaidh were
chonall, Ailill of the rough face.
disputing about the sovereignty

tweuty-four tribes

(i.e.

old tribes)

and they objected that they would Dot

admit any man as king over them with an additional [nick] name.
This
Aengus then imposed additional names upon his brothers.
that were in the country;

Aengus was the proudest of Amhalghaidh's sons. Laeghaire, son

his brother Eoghan,
of Niall, son of Eoehaidh, king of Tara, and
The sons of Amhalghaidh went
son of Niall, decided the dispute.
inventus,
to Tara in twelve chariots, sicut in libria Patricii

exirent in judicium

tameu

vii fratres

de

eis.

quod

They were welcomed

by the king at Tara. Aengus was foster-son to Laeghaire. He got

door-keepers that
a special welcome there. Aengus prayed tho
brother, i.e. the son
they would not admit Conall, the son of his
Enna Crom, into the fort for Aengus feared his wisdom in

of

arguing his right.

keepers.

As

Aengus obtained

this request

Conall was outside the

lis,

from the door-

ho heard tho sound

barony of Leyny
iluaidh to Hy-A mhalghaidh. -The river Moy rises in the
in Mayo, and, passing
county Bligo, Hows through the barony of GaUen
Killala, formof
bay
the
into
itself
dischargee
through Foxford and Ballina,
between the counties of Mayo and Shgo
ing for some miles the boundary
on the
r~Uy-Fiarhrach,"p. 2). It baa Tireragh on the east, and Tyrawley
near its embouchure, was
vest From the river, the district ou the west,
i

in the

called

"the Moy."

Ftaehra, ton <! Bochatdh.

' The twelve aims
tf Amlialgaidh, von o/
Mayo, derive! its name, was
tahalgaidh, from whom Tyrawley, county
his uncle, Nial of tho
succeeded
Ireland,
who
brother of Dathi, monarch of
sons are given m the " HyNine Hostages, \i>. 405. The names of fifteen
whom *" descended many noble families in Connaught, of
Piacfaraoh," from
which province he wa himself king

that

hu

conversion took

place

in

i D.

-m.

the F..ur Masters record his death at

*^&6

The lives indicate

which he reigned fifteen

for thirty-two years.

after

A.I'. 44'J.

from Tobar-Patrick, 3 at the

of Patrick's bell
to

and

liim,

know

which

this expression

"

him.

saluted

cleric

womb

refers to," said Patrick

which
" I

in our country."
"

and

Conall went

fort.

said

of the Tyrrhene Sea, et nescivi

heard

it

utrum

when

in

tuam

sunt verba, et ibo tecum in regionem

two

am

do you
'

i e.

Hiber-

uttered

girls

he

was

meam

"

he,

have in commemoration,

nenses omnes clamant ad te pueri,' &c.

in their mother's

!"

whom

that

in the islands

vel extra locuta

baptizare, docere, evan-

Interrogat autem Patricius qua causa venit Conall, and

gelizare."

Conall related the reason to Patrick, and he said that he was not

allowed to enter Tara

doors are open

who

will assist you, if

his little finger,

jvas

which

it is

to

whom Patrick said " Go in now, as the

my faithful friend, Eoghan Mac Neill,
:

to

you lay hold,

next

secretly, of the finger

And

always a sign between us."

is

so

it

done.

" Welcome," said

said,

and go

"That you

Eoghan

assist

" what

is

Conall

me."

Patrick's wish

afterwards

1"

Conall

observed,

according to youth precedence in a king's house or land

be given,

Cromni

is

am

the youngest

the oldest."

if

"If
is

to

Euna
Honor to

according to mother's age,

To which Laeghaire

replied, "

the senior, truly," said he, " and converse with the learned

but

if

jewels and treasures are given to anyone, however, I will not

deprivehim of them."

and Patrick gave

thirteenth

chariot.

was not good

Patrick.

He

to kill Patrick

will

his

They came away, and Patrick with them,

chariot to Conall, so that it was the

They went

their

way

afterwards,

and there

with Aengus for his brother's son and for

told his

two brothers,

and Conall,

as

viz.,

Fergus and Fedhlimidh,

he had agreed on parting Laeghaire,

3 Tobar-Palrlch
This well was at Tara, and there are several mentioned in
the prose and poetic descriptions of that place, as given in Dr. Petrie's essay ;
was the well also called Laegh and Loigleas, in the
likely,
but this, most

Armagh, which lay to the west of Rathna-Riogh, the great royal

and in which Tirechan records that St. Patrick baptized St.
Ere after his conversion, and many thousand men the same day. Petrie's
"Essay on Tara," p. 16',

Book

of

residence,

423

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

The place which

wards towards their country.

upon

They went

Laeghaire had instigated him thereto.

after

was

for the fratricide

in

Corann. 4

Fergus simalated sleep.

His

We

kill

"

brothers refused what they had promised.

the innocent," said they,

"and

not commit murder upon

will

It is

Patrick saw the

the place whence

viz.,

loon

"It

This was related to Patrick.

When

Patrick.

said

him up

will

He

half alive.

up and

and

lire

There

is

let

until he

believed,

down,

is

shall

Bechred was

a church there.

Corann.

The

first,"

The

Cross Patrick6

Telach-na-Druadh

Aengus

fell

down

also lifted

head was broken against the rock,

is

druid's rock

is its

the

name,

name

"I

said:

will

now

there.

Glas I'onaigh

believe

greater part of this territory

is

to the east ol

of the place where

the pagans were, to the west of Cross-Patrick.

see him.

him

was above the winds, and he

and was baptized.

until his

between them.

see

saw him, the ground swallowed

The
said he, " if I am rescued."

from heaven burned him.

Coill Fochlaidh.

who

Patrick

believe,"

ground Hung him up

said that the

on the place where he would

1'atriek

him,

kill

from the cross to

enemies,

the west of Cross-Patrick, to Cill-Forc!ann.

ground would swallow

to

and Rechred,
R
not more than a mile from

accompanied by two bands and two druids,

of the race of Faelan the warrior.

not

will

Aengus went towards him (Patrick)

our brother.''

north-

A.engus had fixed

if

my

sister

is
is

forms the barony of

Corran, nearly in the centre of the county Sligo.

6 Crots-Putrirl;, /,

//.
I

Dr. O'Donovan has printed at

length (" I [y-Fiaclir.vIi,"4iil, to.), EromColgan, st. Patrick's travels and acts in
Tvr.iwlty.
he writes "The situation of these two places can
be determined with sufficient accuracy at the present day tor Crux Patricdi or
'hadruio still retains its original name, and is that of ;i towuland OOntaining
:

an ancient churchyard and some

ri^lit of the road as you go bom Ballina to

traces of the ruins of a church, situated

Killala,

the church are

and about one mile south

The name Kill-forclaini is now obsolete, and

removed but the natives of the district state that

of the latter jilace.

all traces of

parts of the

walls of a church, originally so called, but then Killybmnc, were extant in

1831,

when they were

totally levelled.

The site i* pointed Out OD S

and about sixty perches to the

ground, about half a mile from Killala,

the road leading from Killala to Palmerstown."

424

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

resuscitated,"

Feidelm, daughter of Amhalgaidh,

i.e.

who

died long

before.

One time

man went

a blind

to

meet Patrick; he went in

haste with the desire of being healed.

"My

laughed at him.

you were the blind person." The blind

was made

blind,

Donnmall was the

Cucnamha, Amhalgaidh's
Kuain

is

the

name

is

the

charioteer, that

They complained

Caerthin.
it

was healed

difficult to

to

He met two
him

fit

that

the hale

name

of

Patrick's

the well

Euan, son of

other.

of the place where the blind

belonged to Patrick afterwards.

found

Mignae

est.

Cross-Patrick, and

at

would be

man was healed, and

quod utrimque factum

people

of Patrick's

who was blinded and he is the second man of

who remained in Disert-Patrick, which is near

the person

people

One

debroth," said Patrick, "it

was

Roi-

there.

healed,

and

it

bacachs in Ochtar-

of their infirmity, for they

What

proceed through mountain or plain.

They were healed. He went to Domhnach-Mor,

where Bishop Mucna is. 6 He went afterwards to Cross-Patrick,
where Aedh Fota, son of Eochaidh, son of Oengus, came to him
more

shall I say

>l

and he healed him from lameness at the fountain to the west

of Cross-Patrick
there,

and he (Aedh) presented

where he founded a residence, and he

there, viz., Teloc

wishing to

kill

and Nemnall.

them, and ethereal

He

fire

him."

i.e.

Bishop Muiredhach.

Domhnach-Mor, where Bishop Mucna is. That

the townlaud o Donaghmore, in the parish

now

Tyrawley, county

Mayo."

is,

"

Go and

Patrick perceived

burned them, to the number of

left

his family

druids (magi)

his son Conall,

kill

then founded Cill-Alaidh, 7 and he

of his family there,

6

magi may not

plot of land

two of

Enna saw the

and he said to

Patrick,

protect Patrick, that the

him a

to
left

nine.

an illustrious

man

Patrick baptized
where he was buried
and barony of

of Killala,

Hy-Fiachracli, " p. 466.

Now Killala, barony of Tyrawley, county Mayo, where an

was founded by St. Patrick, over which he placed St. Muredach,
The see was also called Kilmore-Moy, sometimes TirAmalgaid or Hy-Fiachra-mui. The Calendar of the O'Clerys has, at 12th
August, "Muiredhach, Bishop of Cill-Aladh, of the race of Laeghaire, son of
Is'iall," who was king of Ireland.
7

Cill-Alaidh.

episcopal see

one of his

disciples.

_*.

2M

Trvpa/rtiti

women,

viz.,

It

mother's woml>,

They

425

Life of St. Patrick.

Crebriu and Lesrn, the two daughters ofGlorann, son

Cummen.

of

.^\^^

waa they that called upon Patrick from

when be was

in the islands of the

are patronesses of Cill-Forglainn,

in

thcit

Tyrrhene Sea.

Hy-Amhalghaidh or

Tirawley, to the west of Muaidh.

He went

to

Forrach-mac-Amalghaidh f seven sons of AiualEnna and the king. It was then he

gaidh believed, including

baptized the pregnant
Patrick

another.

dead pregnant

woman and

her offspring, and resuscitated

and Conall went to the grave where

woman

was, by the

Aengus, however, went by the upper road.

grave,

They reached

and Patrick resuscitated the woman, and her son

womb; and both were

the

little

the

lower road to Cill-Alaidh.

the

in her

baptized in the well Aen-adharcae'' (from

hillock of land that

is

near

it

the well was named).

Being resuscitated, she preached to the multitudes of the pains of

and the rewards of heaven, and with tears prayed her brother
God and Patrick, which was done, and he
was baptized. And in that day twelve thousand were baptized in
the well of Aen-adharcae, at dicitur: " On one day were baptized six
hell

that he would believe for

great thousands, with the seven sons

the number."

Twelve thousand,

Amliaighadha, and of those of Caille-Fochladh.

I'i

And

Patrick

Manchen1 with them. He went southwards to

Loch-Daela. 2 The place was the property of Aengus.

Magister
of

left

the ford
Patrick

This waa the ancient name of Mullaghfarry,

Forracli-mac-Amnl<jhaidlt.
" Hy-Rachrach," p. 467.
Aen-adharcae i.e. the one-homed hill. The cause assigned for the namo
It is called Tobur-cn-cdare in the Book of
not given in Colgan's copy.

near Killala.

is

ti

This was

of Amhalgaidh.

truly, that believed for Patrick in

Todd's "St. Patrick," 19).

There arc eleven saints Mainchen mentioned in the
Dr. Todd, therefore, had no ground for mmimatin g
that this was the St. Mainchen who lived to 652, and who oonld not have heen
a contemporary of St. Patrick.
h (see

Magitter Manchen.
i

ir

of the O'Clcrys.

Loch-Da* to.Now Bally-Loughdalla,

south-we.t of the barony of Tyrawley.
-

name.

" Ey-Fiachrach," pp. 2S1,

4C7.

in the parish of

The lough

Ballyaokeery, in tho
still retains the

itself

Aengus came

intended to found a residence for himself there.

when he saw him (Patrick), for it was not from his

he believed when ho was baptized and confessed the

quickly

heart

that

faith.

"My deiroth,"

said Patrick, "'twere right that thy houses should

Thy

not be exalted, nor thy descendants after thee.

shall

successors

be seldom just, and there shall be fratricide through

He went

to the east, to Lec-finn

:1

in the stone over Cill-mor-uachtair-Muaidh,

Lia na-manach 5
(Mean's church

name

is its

it."

where Patrick made the cross

at this 'day,

to the

but there was no church there at that time.

But

west.

Cruimther Monach's, or

i.e.

And

he baptized Eochaidh, son of Nathi, 6 son of Fiachra, and resuscitated his wife Echtra, at Ath-Echtra, the

And

door of Cill-mor.
ford.

this grave.

where the

church

his back,

He

north, to Lec-Balbeni,

Thus he came

to-day.

is

in their history to

with

an axe

and Patrick told him that he should put up

fall

where Cill-mor-uachtair-Muaidh

stream at the very

on the margin of the

(Patrick) sent Bishop (Mean to build

the place where the axe would

Amhalgaidh

little
is

knowledge with them

It is a sign of

remember
on

Echtra's grave 7

off his

is.

back

He went

quod factum

at
est

afterwards to the

where he found and blessed the sons

and ho went out of the country from

of

[the western]

Lcc-fnn, called in Colgan's Latin Leac-fionnbailo.

Cill-mor-uacldair-Muaidh.
"The great church of the Opper Moy," now
Kilmorc-Mny, a parish extending into the baronies of Tireragh, county Sligo,
ami Tyrawley, county Mayo, containing the towns of Ballina and Arduaree,
4

i.

c.

'
'

the hill of executions."

Lia-na-manach. This name is now shortened to Liag, and the place is situated on a hill, a short distance to the south of the old clinch of Kihnorc-Moy.
The name is applied to a rock on which a cross is sculptured within a circle,
and to an ancient churchyard, but all traces of the church have disappeared.
" Hy-Fiachrach," p. 46S.
6
Naihi another form of the name of Dathi. Eochaid, his son, was called
Eochaidh Brcae, and was ancestor of the O'Shaghnessys, O'Scanlans, O'Clcrys,

and O'lleynes.
7

Echtra's grave.

Colgan's Latin

the same signification

edition calls

and the grave

is still

it

Fcart Echtra, which has

to be seen in a field lying a short

distance to the east of the old church of Kilmore-Moy, and nearly opposite a

holy well called Toberpatrick.

" Hy-Fiaehrach,"

p. 4GS.

^"

i~^pi-

v-

>;

Bertlacha8 to the eastern Bertlacha, and passed

it

eai

estuary of the -Muaidh. towards the

mouth of tho

woman was drowned

there before

him

jip"

Pa

Tripartite Lift of St.

said that

'-'

tward

and he blessed tho

no person should be drowned there

to the

A young

sea.

place,

for evermore.

and

Patrick

prophesied that the eastern Bertlacha should be with him, as

it is

day of war the king of that region

v, ill

*T

and

in their history;

bo victorious,

if

in the

true to Patrick.

was

It

there, at the stream, the

"My

Gregraighe9 flung stones at Patrick and his people.

said Patrick, "

you

may be and you

;

shall

do

so."

"

"Arise,

be."

bacludl."

That

shall

Conall

!"

not be," said Patrick

thou shalt be the Conall Sciath-bachall. 1

clerics shall

be from thee

Patrick,

.said

Conall said, " If

The palm

it

phase

" but I

race,

and

of laics and

and every ono of thy descendants

whose shield tho sign of

in

debroth,"

every conflict in which you

support thy valor, and will give comarbs to thy

will

may

you may assume the

thee, I shall

in

bo subject to insult and contumely in every

assembly in which you

" that

be beaten

shall

my

bacludl

shall

be,

not bo

will

6ubdued."
All this Patrick did

to

territory of Hy-Fiachrach, 2

passage,

On

it.

little

i.e.

by the

He went

eastwards into the

water opposed his

sea.

there was an unusually large rock in

the water there

mound, with a

1 Bertlacha.

him.

This

ia

is

a place, Puaile-Patrick

cross there,

it,

and he cursed

is its

name,

i.e.

where Patrick rested a short time.

tho Bcrtrigia of tho

Book of Armagh, and now

Bertrach,

Hady

island in the nirth-west of the parish of Castleconor, county Sligo, on

the cast side of the riser Moy. " Ify-Fiaehrach," p. 250.
" ('rvjraiijlie.
This district was in tho county Sligo, and supposed to bo

co-extensive with the barony of Coolavin.

1 Sciath-bacliall.
" Shicld-Crozicr."
-

" Book of Bights,"

p. 90.

Hy-Fiachrach. There wire two tribes of this name inConnaught, descended

tlie Fiachra, so often mentioned in the Lives of St Patrick, brother of tho

famous king "f Ireland, Niali of the Nine Hostages. The Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne
were locator! in Qalway, their territory being exactly co-extensive with the
diocese of Kilmacduagh. Tho northern and more powerful tnl
districts, now baronies, of Carra, Erris, and Tyrawley, in Mayo, and the district
"Book of
of TirFiachrach, now the barony f Tircragh, county Sligo.

bom

Bights,"

H~

p. 108.

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

Then the holy

bishop,

of Cill-Corcaraidhe
I

;*

Bron of

Caisel-Irra, 3

and the holy Mac Fame

and there he wrote an alphabet for him; and

have heard from another that in the said place he gave a tooth

from

jaw to Bishop Bron,

his

he was

for

dear

to

Patrick.

Immediately on coming from the west, across the Muaidh, into

Gregraighe, he

who were

met

would be wanting of

Mac

him

this people a

Erca. the son of Draighen,

territory of

druids at Bath-Kighbhaird, 5

three virulent

able to do nothing to

Hy-Amhalgadha.

and he

man
who

Bishop Bron to be fostered, for

far

Cill-roe-mor, 6 in the

in

is

Patrick baptized the seven sons of

Mac

Draighen, 7 and he selected of them

Uc

said that there never

of such magical knowledge.

it

Erca, and gave

him

to

would not be easy to take him

away, in consequence of the love of his father for him. 8

3 CaUel-Irra.
The Calendar of the O'Clerys lias, at Sth of June, "Bron,
Bishop of Caiseal-Irrae, in Ui-Fiachrach Muaklhe, a.b. 511." Caisel-Irra

was the ancient name

of a stone fort in the district of Cuil-irra, in

the church of Killaspugbroue, near the

" Hy-Fiachrach,"
Cill-Corcaraidhe. Now the

with sand.
4

town

of Sligo,

now

which stood

nearly overwhelmed

p. 470.

courath, county Westmeath, a

church of Conrigh, iu the barony of Rathsouth of the present barony of Corkaree,

little

and lying west of Lough Annen, now Lough Ennel. It is near the celebrated
Usncach. The old church measures fifty-nine feet by eighteen feet two
; two
of its old bells were discovered some years ago, and sold in
Dublin. Archdall's " Monaslicon," p. 720 : Cogan's " Meath," ii. 424.
6 Sdth-Bighihaird.
According to the Four Masters, at A.M. 3501, this rath
was in Muirisc. There were two districts so called, otic now represented by
the barony of Murrisk, county Mayo, and the other in the barony of Tireragh,
county Sligo, which latter is the one iu which Rath-Righbhaird stood, to the
west of Killaspugbrone. See O'Donovan's "Hy-Fiachrach," p. 470, note, and
bill of

inches

the

maps

prefixed to that work.

Now Kilroe, a very ancient church in ruins, in a townland of

the same name, parish of Killala, barony of Tyrawley, county Mayo. It
stands on a rocky hillock, about one mile to the east of the town of Killala.
It is built of very large stones, in the primitive Irish style, being twenty-four
6

Cill-roe-mor.

by eighteen feet in breadth. " Hy-Fiachrach," p. 470.

Draighen. The locality in which he resided is now called Drynaghans,
namely, Drynaghanbeg and Dryuaghanmure, two townlands in the parish of
Kilglass, barony of Tireragh, county Sligo, to the north-east of Ballina.
8 Him.
Immediately after the baptism of Mac Erca, the Book of Armagh
feet in length

irv>

records the following incidents

veil at his

" And two

girls

came

to Patrick

and took the

wood

of Fochloth.

hand, and he blessed for them the place of the

TOlJ

'

42 'J

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

marked out the

Patrick

tooth

Patrick's

banded

fell

is

Bite

of Cajsel-Irra, and the flag on which

the middle of the

in

deserted by Gentiles, quod factum

the river,

i.e.

in Sligech. 9

They

ever," said the fishermen,

and caught

salmon

large

we

will

caught in

it

do

but as you desire

They placed

so."

is

him

A salmon

is

in

nut

how-

it,

their nets,

and they gave them to Patrick

blessed the river, so that Sligech

for fish is

set their nets for

said to him, "

taken in this period of the winter

and ho

the most fruitful river of Erinn,

every quarter (of the year).

Bishop Bodan, the herd,

Bron

Bishop

est.

Then Patrick desired the fishermen to

'.v

lis.

the place, and Patrick prophesied that the place would be

Patrick

left

him

in Muirisk, 1 in Cill-

His calves would only do what he counselled

cspuig-llodain.'-'

<4

And

went up to the land which is called Foirrgca.of the sons of

among the sons of Amolngid, and he built there a church
wood was not at hand and they brought to him
a sick woman, having an infant in her womb, with the water of baptism, ipta
il aqua cotnmunio liniUcrvs ; and they buried her in at the head of the church
end upon the grave is the seat of the saint, in the church, even to the present
day ; and he built a certain church at Boss, among the family of Caitru, on
an island of a bay of the sea." O'Donovan (" Hy -Fiachrach, " p. 409, note) calls
the place, here mentioned Forrach mac n-Ambalgaidh, which (p. 31">), he says,
is Mullaghfarry,
Killala, and where the church was built, Boa Bliorum
I'aitni, not Citlriit, as in Betham.
In Lewis's " Topographical Dictionary of
behold, Tat rick

Amolngid, to divide

it

of moist earth squared, because

Irelaud," it is stated that the parish of Ross, on the west of Lough

county IJalway, was formerly known by the name Faghery, and that Dear the
house of UosshiU, in that parish, are the ruins of an ancient church and a
burial ground, called by the people of the neighborhood Buss the Faghery, to
distinguish it from the abbey of Koss, near Headford, which is called Kuss
I

llela,

town

('

oonectly Etoas-errely.
This was the ancient name of the river Citly, which flows through
of Sligo, to which it has given name." Hy-Fiachrach," p. IT".

SUy A.

the.

Mtdriik.

[q Colgan's Latin oopy it is called

Crnaohan

Aigle,

p.

471) writes,

it

O'Donovai

is

it is not the Muirisc in Tireragh, county Sligo, referred to in p. '-'.">7

Hy-Kiachrach," But O'Donovan was misled by L'olgan, who wrongly

that
'

'

now Mnrresk, an abbey at the foot of

now Croaghpatrick, about four miles from West port, and

Hy-Fiachrach,"

M ui rscsk- Aigle.

5
C'MtApui'j-Rodain.
It woidd appear from the above that the name Muirisk
superseded C'Ul-cspuig-Bodain.
The Calendar of the O'Clcrys has Bishop
August,
without
naming any place.
Itodan at 24th

'
i'

i,

"n'fr

r,

,iQb

The

wherefore the harpers and musicians had a proverb.

Call-

3
raighe of Cul-Cernadhan were in a secret place before Patrick, and

they brought their spears close to their shields to assault Patrick and
his people.

"

My dcbiolh,"

Every battle and every

Patrick said,

against you, though

all

what you did

is

not good.

which you wage, and your children

They forthwith knelt

be gained over you."

after yon, will

Patrick, except five.

won

said Patrick, "

conflict

" In any battle that

Connacht be

after you,

may

to

be

no greater

number than five shall fall of you." Aud so is it observed.

One time he was after going by Bernas-TJi-Oilella4 to go to MaghLuirg, 6 when he fell into water, i.e. a river that goes into (reck from)
Ath-carpait 7 is the name of the ford, near to Ess-micLoch-Techet.
Eirc. 8

" Aud the

why do you spare it?" asked his
come who will set up there hereafter,"

Patrick cursed the eastern half of the water.

half from the ford westwards,

people.

"

A son of life

said Patrick, "

Cille,

who

will

will like fruitful

the lake, the best fishing in Erinn

the ford down, not
3

much

is

garvan.

is

From

i.e.

Colum

the ford up to

found there by

all.

From

taken there.

Now Coolcarney, a district in the barony

county Mayo, comprising the parishes of Attymas and Kil-

Callrahjhc of Cul-Cernadhan.

of Galleu, anil

still retained as the name of a parish

Coolcarney was situate, there was another in West,

Besides the territory of Calry,

in Sligo, in

which

district

nicath. " Hy-Fiachrach,"

4

water at his place,"

son of Fedhlimidh, at Ess-mic-Eirc.

Bernas-Ui-Oildla.

p. 471.

A remarkable pass

in the

barony

of Tirerrill,

county

of Sligo.

Matjh-Luirg. This plain ami territory, of which the M'Derinotts were

chiefs, is comprised in the barony of Boyle, county lloscommon.
Loch- Techet. Now Lough Gara, county Sligo.
7 Ath-Garpait.
This was a ford on the Boyle river, to the east of Assylin.
8 Ess-mic-Eirc
i.e. the cataract of the son of Eire, i.e. Dachonua, son of Eire,
whom St. Columba placed over a church in this place. The Four Masters, at
A. ij. 74S, state that it was on the Buill (Boyle river, county lloscommon),
and when they wrote it was called Eas-TJi-Fhloinn, now Assylin, about a mile
west of the town of Boyle. The chaugo of name to Assylin appears to have
6

been taken from Flaherty O'Flyuu, who was comarb of Dachonua, lirst abbot
The parish is called
of the religious house in this place, aud who died 1209.
St. Dachonua or Mochonna was venerated ou the
Assylin, otherwise Boyle.
8th of March.

Life of St. Patrick

Tripartitt

Patrick went afterwards into the territory of

hones were

liis

carried off by Cenel

the people of that country

who prayed
1

'at

and cleaned

low,

said, "

There

and

And

tears,

their hoofs in

Bishop Maino washed

and drove the horses into a

and there

;
'

sacula sacui

And

honor of Patrick.

Patrick

and wailing, and mournini; with

shall be weeping,

inhabitants of that country

then'

but Bishop Maine of the Hy-Ailella, 1

modified the malediction.

rick

Magh Luirg, when

And Patrick enrsed

Patrick regarding forgiveness for his kinsmen, and

Patrick's feet with his hair

una

Mic Erca.

fur.

tin'

will not be neighborship

And

Patrick also said that

a great part of that country should afterwards belong to him

which was

Maine

is

fulfilled in

the case of Nodain of Loch-Uama. 2

also of Patrick's people,

and Geintcne

in

Bishop

Echainech

in

Hy-Ailella.

Patrick went after that into the territory of

Druira-dara, where Druim-lias 4

Mac Caerthinn
1

'atrii:k

is

to-day.

It

Callraidln,

to

was then he baptized

and that place was presented to Patrick

for ever.

afterwards established himself on the offering in Druim-dara,

Druim-lias to-day,

named.

Patrick

i.e.

from Patrick's

seats,

and from the sheds,

Bencn there

left his dalta?

it

was

in abbotship during tho

Ccncl-Mic-Erca,
A tribe and territory in tho north of the county of
Knscommon.
1
Bishop Maine of the Hy-AUeUcu
Bishop Maine, of the race of OHUM,
R.in of Eochsidh Mnighmedhoin, of tho seed of Heremon, was vent-rated on
the 2nd of September, according to the Calendar of the O'Clcrys.
Nodakt of Loch-l'ama A lake near Cavestown, parish of Estcrsnow,
barony of Boyle, county lloscommon. Tho name of the pariah is a corruption

of Ath-discrt-Xnadhain.
3

There were several

territories named Calry In Wrstmoath,

That of Sligo occupied the parish of Calry, barony of
and extended into Leitrim.
* Druim-lias.
The parish of Drumlease is in the barony of Dromahaire,
county Leitrim. A St. Colman was venerated here on 19th June. The see lands
were formerly attached to the archbishopric of Armagh, but were passed to
the see of Kilmore, and are now leased in perpetuity.
The charter of tho
church lands to Armagh is in the Cook of Armagh.

CaUraidhc.

Breftny,

and

SligO.

Carlniry, county Sligo,

of

Dalla.

A pupil or foster-child

St Patrick,"

Dr. Todd explains

it

as foster-Bon, "l.ii'o

note, p. 177.

He journeyed into the glens eastward, where

space of twenty years.

C'enel-Muinremur 7

to-day.

is

His two nostrils bled on the way. Pa-

s
trick's flag (Lec-P.atrick) is there,

little

and Patrick's hazel

distance to the west of the church.

He

Domhnach-Patrick was

Patrick 9

it

name.

Patrick remained there one Sunday

is

named

day

et

hwc

est

Srath-

its

former

una

ccdesia

Patrick went afterwards past Druim-cliabh, from

illius rcgionis.

by the Rosses 1 eastwards, along Magh-Eni, and founded

Caisel-Irra,

of Magh-Eni. 2

Domhnach-mor

Dubh 3

this

(Coil-Patrick),

put up there.

river, for the refusal

Then

it

was that he cursed the

He

which the fishermen gave him.

blessed Drobhais, 4 however, on account of the kindness which the

little

boys

who were

fishing there did to him.

Thrice Patrick went across the Shannon into the land of Connacht.
6

Fifty bells,

Eastward.

and

Glenkeel,

fifty altar

Gleuaniff,

chalices,

and

fifty altar

Glenade, and Glennauns,

lie

cloths,
east

and

north-east of Drumlease, county Leitrim.

Cenel-Muinremur. This was probably in that part of county Cavan in

which is situate Lough Ranior, anciently called Loch Aluin-reamhair. See
Four Masters, at a.m. 2859.
8 Lec-Palrick.
There is a townland called Leckaun, north of Drumlease, in
the same parish.
9 Srath- Patrick.
There is Sraud, in the parish of Bossinver, barony of Bossclogher, county Leitrim, still further north.
1
Boss Cette was the ancient name of a point of land lying between
Rosses.
the river of Sligo and that of Drumcliff in the barony of Carbury, county
7

name to the parish of Bossinver, lying in both counties.

now called the Rosses, differing from that in the north-west of Donegal.
Sligo, giving

It is
'
'

Four

Masters," at a.m. 3790.

=
Domhnacli-mor of Magh-Eni. It was sometimes called Magh'Cedne, and
Moygene, and is now called Moy, a plain lying between the rivers Erne and
Drowes, in the south of the county Donegal. It is in the parish of Inishmaesaiut, where, in the vicinity of Carricklake, are the ruins of an ancient church.
It is often mentioned in the " Four Masters."
3 Dubh.
Now the Duff or Bunduff, i.e. the foot of the Dubh river, giving
name to a village in the barony of Carbury, county Sligo, where the river
empties itself into the bay of Donegal. It is about four miles west-south-west
of Bundoran.
4
Drobhais is still called the Drowes or Eundroes river, i.e. the foot of
the Droes. It rises in Lough Melvin, and empties itself into the bay of DoneA village at its foot, taking name from it,
gal, about a mile from Bundoran.
is in the parish of Eossinver, barony of Eossclogher, county Leitrim.

^^^^iL ^NakiJ^

^,/N

ho Kit

the land of Connacht, oach of them in his church. Boven

in

was he preaching to the men of Connacht

a blessing,

and bade them

Patrick wont to Es-Rnaidh. 6

where Disert-Patrick'

and sont two of

hi.s

people,

with
r

its

to

and he

Tiher running through

it

Cairbre opposed him,

is

what yon

it,

would he

my

Kome

if

establishment with

Thereupon

Cuangns struck the dog

Patrick said that Cairbre's race should not exceed a

with a rod.
;

and that the palmoflaics or

him, quod impletw.

Patrick's

of Leth.i,

and your descendants would he comarhs

Cairbre incited a dog to attack Patrick.

small band

"

do," Baid Patrick

Cairbre declined then, as Patrick had foretold.

in it."

them

desired to establish himself there,

found a place here, the second to

IN Ruaidh tfarongh

left

whose names were Carbacc and Goal

to seize his hands. " Nut good

wore permitted

He

and Leo-Patrick. 7

is,

farewell,

hands

But

clerics

would not be from

as to Cuangas, since, he

agreed to seize

for Cairbre, 8 Patrick said that his race

should not

6 Ea-Rua'ulh.
A cataract on the river Erne, nigh Rallyshannon, county
Donegal; now called Assaroe.
& celebrated abbey wag afterwards founded
hero.
St. Conan of Eas-Kuaidh was venerated on the 8th of March
for
salmon in the Erne river.
abbot had the liberty of fishing
' DiscrC- Patrick.
This was at Assaroe, as the following extract from the
ic shows: "Patrick, accompanied by Brigid, proceeded
in the
Ruaidh, and commcnccil the erection of a charoh and eoi
IJnt Cairpre, the son of Nial, set bis
place at this day called Disert-Patriok.
him, and sent two of hi, pe iple, Carbaoo and Cuangua, to take
him prisoner. " What yon have done is not good," said Patrick "if yon would
permit to erect a cony'i/mn! here, it would become a second Kome of Italy."

The name Disert-Patrick is now oh

7
There is no place called !>y this name in the neighborhood
I.' c- Patrick.
of Assaroe, but by an inquisition taken in the thirty-first year of Queen II
inquire into the lands of this abbey, it was found to have been
amongst others of theballyboe of Cashill, atku Lack, nowthe townlandof lashel,
(Uolton's "Visitation," p. 70.)

'

<

There is the parish of Lcckthe cornty of Tyrone, between Strabane and Londonderry, but it

adjoining Ballyshannnn, containing t>S7 acres.

Patrick in

he place referred to.

He was son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, who died in 405 and
was brother of E ighan, ancestor of the Cine] Eoghain; Buna Finn, anoestorof
nel Enna Conall Gnlban, ancestor of the Snel Oonaill; Laoghaire, King
"Cairbre.

<

from 428 to 403; of Conall (Jrimlhann, of 1'iae, and Maine. From

descended the Cinal-Oairbre of Carbory, county Sligo, and of Gaara,

of Ireland
I

bo more numerous than a company, and that

be of them,

impletum

qimcl

est.

seizing Patrick's hands, as

When

Sliabh-Cise. 9

much

illustrious

men would

Cairbre promised to Ouangus, for

as he could see to the north of

he turned to take a view about him, a dark

cloud closed around Cuangus, so that he only saw to the sea west-

wards, and to the ash eastwards.

you, Cairbre," said Patrick
fish "

as regards

" This river, which

" your share of

it

shall not

God gave
be

fruitful

(i.e.

the northern half of the river in length was

i.e.

the half next to Cenel-Conaill, 1 for Crich-

Cairbre's share;

Conaill belonged to Cairbre at that time as far as Rath-Cunga)

" but Conall's share (the southern half ) will be fruitful

tum

est,

until

;" sic

Murghins, son of Maelduiu, 2 son of Scannal, an

trious king of Cairbre's race, presented the unfruitful part to

Cille

He

and

now

it is

(Patrick)

fruitful

impleillus-

Colum-

with Colum-Cille.

went afterwards between Es-Ruaidh and the

where Eath-Chunga

into Crich-Conaill,

stake there, and said that

for seven bishops

it

is

at this day.

He

sea

fixed a

would be an abode and establishment

and there Bite 3

is

now, the brother's son of

Aisicus from Elphin.

was then

It

of Ainmire,

also that

viz.,

he foretold of Domhnall, son of Aedh, son

he fixed a pole in Ard-fothaidh, 4 and on the mor-

or North Taffia, county Longford.

Tuathal Maolgarbh, his grandson, was

from 533 to 544.
Th." note 155, p. ISO) writes, that Kisse was
the name of a mountain, as also of a river, in Tirhugh, county Donegal, near
the river Erne. From this description it would appear to be the mouutaiu

King
u

of Ireland

Sliabh-Cise.

now

Colgan (" TV.

called Breesy-Hill, in the parish of Kilbarron.

Crich-Conaill. The present county of Donegal.

Murghins, son of Maelduin. This Muirghins was lord of the Cinel-Cairbre
(who were seated in the barony of C'arbury, county Sligo), and died, according
to the Four Masters, in G9G. See note on Cairbre. See " Hy-Fiachrach," p. 278.
3 Bite.
This was St. Beoadh, Bishop of Ardcarue, in the county of Roscommon, of the race of Lughaidh, son of Ith. He was nephew of St. Asicus,
Bishop of Elphin, who was also buried in Itathcunga. St. Beoaidh died on
the Sth of March, 524, on which day he was venerated.
The Chronicum
ftcotonim has his death at 518.
1
This is Ardpattan, a small town near Ballyshannon, in the
Ard-fothaidh
parish of Kilbarron and barony of Tirhugh, county of Donegal, contiguous to
1

Cenel-Conaill.

row

it

was bent

and Patrick

would be tho seat

said, that the place

of a king, which was fulfilled in Domhnall.

On

Sith-Aedha8 Patrick

dGouall Mac Neill, when Patrick's hands would

Gonall wondered at this thing,

of Fergus.

"

when

A youth (i.e. Colum Cille) shall be born of

Who will be a sage, a prophet, and poet,
A glorious, bright, clear light,
Who will

his tribe,

and had

After Patrick had blessed the Ceuel-Conaill,

and

where he

left

and

to

"

Take

Niall,

across Bernas of Tir-

Domhnaeh-mor of Magh-Itha,

Dudubae,'-' son of Corcan, of his people.

:

left

and churches, he went into

rivers,

Eoghan, the sun of

Aedha' into Magh-Itha,'

said to his people

on the head

not utter falsehood."

blessing on their forts,

the country of

fall

Patrick said:

care that

And

Patrick

you meet not with tho

lion,

Muiredhach, the son of Eoghan, who was in

Eoghan, sou of NialL" 1

BaUymagroarty, in which was Hathcunga. Tho Latin Tripartite, " Tr. Th."
It was the royal
Ill, states they were in tho vicinity of each other.
residence in the time of St. Columba.
5 Sith-Aedha.
the
north
of
Ballyshannon,
a
little
to
Now Mullaghshee,

p.

county Donegal.

Thi^

Fergus was son of C'onall Gulban, ancestor of tho Cinel Coand son of Niall of tile Nine EostagBS, and married to Erca, the daughter
Mor,
King
of Scotland, by whom he was father of Felim, tho father
of Loaru
Ere had l>een previously married to Murcdach, his cousin,
of St. Columba.
on of Eoghan, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages.
* Bernas of Tir-Ai dha.- Now Barnesmore mountains, in the northern part
of the barony of Tirhugh, county of Donegal.
I
Magh-Itha. An extensive plain in the barony of Haphoc, in which is tho
iltlia,
church of Donaghmore, near the town of Castlcliim. It v.
from Ith, the uncle of Mil' -;o-, who, according to bardic tradition, was buried
This church subsequently adopted the rule of St. Columba, and is now
here.
annexed to Deny, in place of Kaphoe. " Book of Bights," p. 1-4, and
,.;.,.

naill,

p.

60.

Duduljae. Called Dubdubanus in the Latin Tripartite.

him as tho Dubanus venerated at 11th November.
''

Colgan

identities

ho had, according to
Boghan, son qf Niall. Ancestor of the
tho "Ogygia," at least live sons (I) Muireadhaeh, father of Muirchcartach
Mac Erca, King of Ireland, the ancestor of the O'Neills, and who gave sixteen
monarchs to Ireland ; (-) Fergus, ancestor of tho O'Conors of Moyitli
1

ki^L^^^^>i

IM\\

43 C

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

the front of the youths, met on the

the rear of the host of

"

You would have

father

a reward from me,

believe."

to

"What

way

Sechnall,

Sechnall

clerics.

if

who was

in

Muiredhach

said to

you would persuade your

"The

reward?" asked he.

sove-

reignty of thy tribe shall for ever belong to thy heirs," said Sechnall.
" I will," answered Muiredhach.

In Fidh-mor 2

met with

Patrick,

in your

country," said Patrick,

would come

where the

flag (lee)

it

was that Eoghan

" If you would believe

is.

" the hostages of the

Gaedhil

to you."

" I am not good-looking," said Eoghan

" my brother precedes
me on account of my ugliness." " What form do you desire ?"
" The form of the young man who is under (i.e.
asked Patrick.
;

who

SN

is

your satchel

bearing)

i.e.

Rioc of Inis-bo-finde," 3 said

Patrick covered them over with the same garment, the

Eoghan.

hands of each being clasped round the other.

They

slept thus,

and

afterwards awoke in the same form, with the difference of the

" I don't like

tonsure.

you desire to be

1"

my

"I should

his sword.

height," said Eoghan.

like

this

mediately grew to that height.

"Which

with his sons.

Patrick.

"

said Patrick.

answered

"

he.

him?" asked

And

height,"

size

do

hand with

he; and he im-

said

he.

is

dearest to you?"

asked

"Sovereignty from him 4 forever,"

next to him

?"

" Fergus,"

asked Patrick.

Dignity from him," said Patrick.

Patrick. "

What

his

Patrick afterwards blessed Eoghan,

of your sons

"Muiredhach," said

"

Eoghan reached up

asked Patrick.

"

And

after

Eocha Bindech," said Eoghan. "Warriors

from him," said Patrick.

"

And

after

him

?"

asked Patrick.

(4) Fedhlim, ancestor of the O'Duibh(3) Oilill, from whom Muiutir Kelly
dhiorma of the Bredacb, in Inishowcn ; (5) Eouhy Binne, from whom the
Ciuel Bhniy near the Foyle.
1
Fidh-more. Now Veagh, in the parish of Raymochy, anciently called
Rath-maighe-h-Aenaigh, of which Brugach, the bishop, was veuerated on 1st
November. Veagh lies between the church of Donaghiuore of Magh-Ith, and
the royal palace of AUech.
5 Eioc
of Inis-bo-finde. Colgan saya St. Rioc was nephew of St. Patrick,
and son of his sister Darerca.
;

From him i.e.

the right of sovereignty was to be attached to his race.

437

rick.

"They

are

alike

all

to me,"

"They

answered Eoghan,

shall

have united love," said Patrick.

Patrick went to Ailech of the kings, 5

and

left his

when ho

eminence should be over Erinn from Ailech.

your foot out of your bed to approach
yon," said Patrick-, " the

He

blessed the fort

Hag there; and he prophesiod that kingship and pre-

men

it,

"

When you

and your successor

life

after

of Erinn shall tremble before you."

blessed the whole island (Inis-Eoghain) 7 from Eelach-ratha

and he gave a blessing of valor to Eoghan.

Then

it

8
;

was that

Patrick said:

'

My
I

blessing on the tuatlia (territories.)

give from Belach-ratha,

On

you, yon

mdants

'1

of

Eoghan,

Until the day pf judgment.

;

Whilst plains are ntul.i

The palm of battle shall he on their men.
The armies of Fail (Ireland) shall not bo over your plnins;

Yon
'

shall attack every telac/t (tribe).

The race
Kless,

of

Eoghan, son of Niall,

fair

Brigid

Provided they

Government

<1"

goo

shall be

1,

from them for ever.

Lag of ns both

Mae NVill,
who may be born from him.

U[>on Eoghan

On

all

Provided they are obedient.'

Bochaidh, son of Fiachra, son of Eoghan, was baptized with

and Patrick's covenant was made between them

and

of llw. Lillys. Now Grenan-EIy, in the barony of Inishowen,

Donegal Bee the Ordnance Sarvey Memoir of the parish of Tei
more, county Londonderry, p. 217.
6 Hi.r. the
Bag.
7
InU-E-i'jhnm.
Now the island or barony of Inishowen, comity Donegal,
* Belack-rxUJia.
NowBallogh, in the parish of Clouca, near Maliu Head, the
'

.li?.;c/i

rthern part of Inishowen.

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick

438

whosoever transgresses

it shall

not have children born to him, and

will not rot in the clay.

body

his

Where Patrick went after this was into Daigurt in Magh-Dula. 9

1
built seven Domhnachs (churches) about Fochaine (i.e. flumen),

He

Domhnach-Dola, 2

namely,

Domhnach-Seinlis,

Domlmach-Minchluane, 3

Domhnach-Senchua,

Domhnach-Dara,
Domhnach-Catte,
-5

Both-Domhnaigh. 4
Patrick proceeded into Tir-Eoghain of the Islands, namely into

the territory governed by Fergus, and he took to build a

a certain place

disert at

Achadh-Driman 5 was the proper name of the land

which he built it. But Coelbhadh, son of Eogkau, drove him

from thence, and Patrick said that in consequence thereof his race
should never have a goodly house there. Quod probatum est

in

Comman, son

super by

who

of Algasach, of the race of Coelbhadh,

was at Eas-nac-Eire, who made a house there, but before he had

the roof on it it was broken down by a young cleric of the family
of Domhnach-mor-Maighe-Tochair.
"

Thou

it

xl,

shalt receive

welcome from me," said Aedh, son of Fergus.

bank nor wall between him and the

aforesaid,

and

was there that he erected Domlmaeh-nior-Maighe-Tochair,

ribi

There

is

neither

dubas mansit et

Patrick

Mac

Cairthin reliquit.

proceeded from

Domhnach-mor-Maighe-Tochair, into

and there he met the three Deaehans, the sons of

Patrick's sister, in the country of Ailell, son of Eoghan, and he
Bredach,

Magh-Dula.

This

name

is

partly preserved in that of Moyola, a river

that passes by Castiedawson, and flows into Lough Neagh.

1
The Faughau river, which flows into Lough Foyle.
Forhaine.

Domhnach-Dola. The site

it was near the Moyola.

bably

of this church has not been ascertained

pro.

Domhnach-Minchluane. This is the old church of Clooney, in the parish

mentioned in Colton's " Visitation," pp. 31 and 32.
Both-Domhnaigh. This is now Bodoney, in the north of the county of
Tyrone aud diocese of Derry. In 932, Muireacan of this place was abbot or corbe
of Armagh, and in that year crowned Aodh, son of Donnell, King of Ireland.
5 Achach-Driman.
Dr. Reeves (Colton, p. 120) writes there is a townlaud
called Magheradrvunman, in the parish of Douagh in Inishowen, probably the
;:

of Clondermot, near Derry,

4

place here mentioned.

439

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

ordained Oengus, the son of

Aileli, in that place,

Sunday; Domhnach-Bile

there on

When

Tat rick was at Ailech-Airtich in Sonnacht, inCSnel Ends,

Hnda came to him. "Da mini hunc locum,"

"Quasi non

said Patrick,

On the morrow venil

babussemus dericos," saidEnda.

tilius

and he remained

name.

is its

Endaet buus

Patrick had turned off to pray, and his

secum, Kchu Caech.

and

p.-oplo to baptize, to confer orders,

to

propagate the

llochar et qui est at

Domhnach-mor-Maighe-Tochair.

my

upon

the degree of bishop

est at

qui
"

" Lei

son," said Knda.

The

faith.

Maecairthinns were there at the time, namely,

Confer ye
P
" It

consulted," said Patrick's champion, Maccairthinn of Clochar.

isour duty," said the other; "I will confer the order."
"

id,

I3E

Wolf
.-hall

my

in

one for ever

committing murder,

shall profane

>

there

Quod impletur:

Clochar; Domhnach-mor-Maighe-Tochair, poverty

The sun upon whom the degree was

Patrick,

absence on the son

Inn. b of the

he poverty in the church of the other."

strife at

Ye have conferred orders

there shall be strife in the

When

conferred,

is

there.

two persons,

after

One hundred and

his relics.

twenty years until a son shall be born in the southern parts [who

and

shall reconsecrate his church],

Quod totum impletum

The

est.

was a high and beautiful

shall

it

first

spot, but they

short time to a lower place

and the

be restored to

me

again."

place where his relics were

were caried thence

first

place

ail

where they were

is

and robbers and murderers are accustomed to dwell there,

through Patrick's curse. And his church was ceded to Ciaran

deserted,

Mac-an-tsair,
of Enda,

As

is

but was restored

at this

day

calle

to Patrick
I'i

again.

Patrick was in Tir-Knda-Airtich

at Tulach-liag, in

stuck [wattles for] a church there, which

bush.
ul

ii

This

Kchu, son

hop Echan.
Leitir,

he

afterwards became a

After this he went to the Lei. on the east of the Bann,

non capiebant homines piscesnisi

Deinde imperavit

ens

in

node usque adillud tempus.

Patricius ut in die caperent, et sic erit in

linem seculi.
Patrick

'

went afterwards

into

Dal-Araidhe

and

Dal-Biada.

of St. Pati

rvpcuf Lite Life

he proceeded to Kori, 5 to Carn-Setna, southwards, where

heard the screams of an infant from out of the ground. The
n was demolished, the sepulchre was laid bare, and a smell of
arose around

them out of the

They saw the

sepulchre.

A woman that

with the dead mother.

died of ague

was born

irought across the sea to Eriu, and the child

and seven days,

it is said, it

the king.

(olc)," said

" That shall be his

Patrick baptized him

druid.

community of Airther-Maighe,'

Mac

and he

name

after death

" That

lived in the tumulus.

living

she was

bad

is

(Olcari)," said

the

Bishop Olcan, of the

is

And

in the district of Dal-Eiada.

Nisse, of Condere, read his psalms with Patrick.

Patrick received welcome in the district from Erc's twelve sons.

And

Fergus

before

said to Patrick, " If I

Mor Mac Erca

to you."

And

Maighe.

Patrick sail to Fergus,

brothers

am

preferred

brothers in the division of our land, I will offer some

my

is

Patrick gave to Bishop Olcan this part,

not great to-day,

i.e.

Airther-

"Though thy esteem with thy

it is

thou that shalt be king.

This

kings of this land, and of Fortren, shall be from thee for ever

and

this is

sessed Alba

what was

by

force.

fulfilled in

Patrick

Aedan Mac Gabhrain, who

left

many

;"

pos-

and establishments

cells

8
in the territory of Dal-Riada.

He founded

Fothraidh, and

Presbyter Cathbadh, and the

Mudhain, 9 and

To

Ror'i

Do

left

rori

left

two of

Kath-

Bishop

Nem 1

the reading of the

Olc, evil ; olcan, diminutive of olc.

Airthcr-Malghei.e. the eastern plain,

it

MS.

and includes some wrong form of the name

appears to have been present on the occasion
lleeves' "Down and Connor," p. 24,'!.
G

viz.,

it,

Presbyter Erclach in

is

his people in

monk Dimman and he founded

he

but

of the

left

it is

King

probably corrupt,

of Dal-Riada,

who

of the finding of the child.

See

now Annoy, county Antrim.

See

Reeves' " Down," pp. 80, 2S7.

Now the Route, in the north of county Antrim. See Reeves'

Dal-Riada
" Down," pp. 52, 72, cl seq.
" Rath-mudhain.
Now Uamoan, in the north of Antrim. St. Ereclacius
was venerated on the 3rd of March. Reeves' " Down," p. 79.
1
Nem. Col<ran calls him Nuhemias.
8

Telach-Ceniul-Aenghusa;9 Dachennindan in Domhiiach-Cainri,

in
(

Enan

krthraighe;'

And

trainn. 1
there,

is

Druim-Iiidich; 4 and Bishop Fiachra

in

Patrick blessed Dun-Sobhairce

and he

a blessing

left

upon

He

'nil

in

-Ech-

and Patrick's well

He found Caelbadh's twelve

proposed to found a place where Cill-glas

h.

He was

repelled from

left

two of

bis people

it

and

belongs to him yet; and he

it

and Presbyter Labor.

he determined that he would found a place where Lathrach-

And

'

it.

Be went afterwards to Dal-Araidhe.7

sons 8 before him.

s
;

in

there, viz., Glaisiuc

Tclach-Cemul-Acnghwia.Vr. Reeves ("Down," p. 125) considers this to

Ramoan, county Antrim, having an

le the Orange of Drumtullagh, adjoining

ancient burying-ground called Kilnioyle.
J

Domhnach-Cainh in CatAriffica. Cathrigica is the modern baron]

the north of Antrim. Uolgan conjectured this church to be Kill-Domnach,
but both names are obsolete. The festival of St. Nehcmias was celebrated on
the 3rd of May, when the Martyrology of Donegal styles him Nem, Bishop o
in

Drum

Dallain. In the townlaud of Big House, parish of Cailfeightran, barony of Carey, are the remains of an ancient church called DrumnakiU, which
may be the church of the text. Beeves' " Down," p. 282.
i

Eiian in Druim-Jiulich.'Sov.- Kilcena, in the townland of Drumeeny,

Ramoan, county Antrim. Reeves' "Down," p. 284.

parish of

inn.Now Cnlfeightran, barony

"Down,"

Reeves'
e

of Carey,

county Antrim.

7'.'.

p.

ZHm-obAa*rc&Now Danseveriok, three miles

east of the Giant's

way, on the northern coast of county Antrim. For an interesting account of

place, and its identification by Dr. O' Donovan, sec " Dublin Fenny Jour-

Una

'

i.

::r>l

p.

alao Reeves'

This

"Down,"

largo region

p,

286.

the cast of Ulster extended from

Ni wry, in the Bontb of the county Down, to Slemish mountain in the barony
nty ..f Antrim. The portion of Antrim north of this was (allliada.
in

Rook

of Righto," p. 23.

*. Caelbadh had been King of

I'ladh, or circumscribed

fifteen yean, and of Ireland one year, and was slain in ''">'.
Of the
twelve
ned in the LifeSaran, Connla, and Nad-Si
3aran succeeded lu3 father as King of Oladh, whioh be held for twelve or
twenty-six yean, and was
Marartans of Kinalarty, county
.

Down.

Connla was ancestor of Magi

his desi

who

also kings of

died in 583,

was

the celebrated

'

Aengv

J
i

h,

same

county.

Several of

st. Fergus, Bishop of Down,

Nad-Sluagh was grandfather
Coleraine, hereafter mentioned, and from him alao

Cairbra, Bishop of
I

ol

Oladb, and

his great-great-grandson.

442

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

Patraic 9

It

is.

there Daniel, Patrick's angel and dwarf,

is

there Patrick's well

is

is

its

name

which

It

is.

Patrick disco-

Saran, the son of Caelbad, 1 seized his hand to expel

vered there.

him

Slan

is

and Patrick took heaven and land from him.

Coimla, the

son of Caelbadh, however, received Patrick with humility, and gave

him Domhnach-Combair

2
;

and Patrick blessed him, and declared

And

that kings and chieftains should be of his race for ever.

founded

many

churches in Dal-Araidhe,

viz.

Magh-Damhairnc, and Kath-Sithe 4 (and he

there),

Laisre

'>

and Telach-Conadain, 5 and Gluaire

is

in

it).

He founded

Lathrach- Patraic.

That

is,

Domhnach-mor

left

in

two of

ho
of

his people

Latharna

(and

Mac

Glenn-indechta, 7 and Imlech-[cjluana, in

" Patrick's

but the Latin Tripartite

note(" Tr.

site ;"

calls it Lettir-Phadruic, signifying "Patrick's slope." Colgan, in his

Th."

p.

IS.*!),

was called from his short stature " Abhac,''

and that from this the church was denominated Lann-

writes that this Daniel

signifying a dwarf,

Abhaic, "the church of the dwarf," being then a parish in the diocese ol
Connor.
It is now called Glenavy, the letter ;y having been prefixed by the
English settlers, though in Pope "Nicholas's Taxation (1300) it is simply called

See Reeves' "Down," &c, pp. 47, 236.

Saran, the son of Caelbadh.
Saran succeeded his father as King of Ulidia,
and reigned twenty-six years. "Battle of Magh-Rath," p. 330.

Lennewy.

Domhnach-Combair. Now Comber, in county Down, at the north end of

Strangford Lough.
See Reeves' "Down," pp. 197, 338.
3
Domhnach-mor. The Latin Tripartite reads, "Domnach-mor in agro de
Mag-damorna." Colgan, in another place, calls the latter Machairc-Morna,
now Magheramorne, a territory to the south of the town of Larne, in the couuty
Antrim. It was in this district the celebrated St. Comgall of Bangor was
born.
The name Domhnach-mor is obsolete. See Reeves' " Down," pp.51,
-

2G9, 338, 346.

1

Kath-Sithe. Now

Rashce,

barony

annals record the death of several of

its

of

The
county Antrim.
Reeves' " Down," pp. OS,

Belfast,

bishops.

258, 263.

6 Telach-Conadain.
Dr. Reeves conjectures this to be the chapelry of St.
Cunning, now merged in the parish of Carncastle, near Larne. (Reeves'
" Mown," pp. 53, 338.) The Calendar of the O'Clerys has a St. Conaing, sou of
Lacunan, at 23rd Sept.
"Gluaire in Lathama. This is the church of Glenarm, or Tickmacrevan,
ounty Antrim, on the old territory of Larne, and is still called Glore. Reeves'

" Down," pp.

7

87, 264, 33S.

Glenn-indechta.

county Antrim.

Now the church of Glynn, in the barony of Lower Belfast,

Reeves'

"Down,"

pp. 56, 329, 339.

Tripartitt

Semhne8 [where Caemhan was

t< rritorj
of Ui En a chein.

443

St. Patrick.

of

Lift

and Rath Escuip Indich, 9

left),

After some time the aforesaid Saran bore off some

tivity

the

from the
r

district of Dal-Eiada.

was of no

it

"I cannot Jo

Saran.
thee of

"I

it."

said he, ''and

avail, unle

lie

Mm

would

Olcan

inter-

heaven to

as are

"for Patrick has deprived

thy people about thee, but thee alone,"

will kill

will slay all

ind< ed," said he,

.so,

in cap-

Bishop Olcan met him, and

people were grievously complaining to

ceded, but

mea

in the

these captives;

and wherever

him under the edge

find a priest (tailcend), 1 shall bring

shall

of the

sword."

Whereupon

Olcan promised him heaven.

Bishop

afterwards from the north to

heaven to the person to

whom

had promi ed baptism and

Patrick that Bishop Olcan

tj"

He came

ion to Patrick.

he had denied them.

They met

to

the north of Cluain-Fiachna, 1 on the way,going indifferent directions.

The

chariot over him," said Patrick.

the charioteer, "that

would be

it

He told him (Bishop

Caemhan,

whom

St.

Patrick

;../. dieh.

I'i

Audi rken and Blathenderki

j J,

Lough

e.

Si

Patrick, but vary

whom

little is

this

known

of

Brca-chein, called varionsly, in E

lay in the

pi

arc

in

about

ime name, which

a town]
is

Dal-rieda.

-tranglias

alwaj

now Clonfcclc, barony of Dungannou, county

Armagh ; thi old obnreh orerhangin

five miles north of

river Blackwater, opposite Blackwatertown, county

>5K

bland M

corruptly
" Down,"
Eti evi

lying in a large rath on thejwi

This
,

f or

of

name

adjoini
iiich

ford

char

its

Endich, [nnoc, or Winnoo, from

l.

The district

of

Down,

may have

left in

church derivi
his history.

fulfilled, for it

county Antrim,

Carrickfergus,

of

Bishop

/.'''/:'-

was afterwards

as

Shevny was the ancient name

ur

north-east

'

on earth would not be high, and

one of which (Kilkenane)

six churches,
St.

not allowable," said

thrice destroyed

Semhne. Seinhnc

lying to the

from

It is

should go over a bishop."

his establishment

Olcan) that
that

it

Armagh.

It is a

mistake

> > >

yir

ii ,

i|c-,i.

i^^S^feayr^q

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

was ruined by Scandal, 2 King of Dal-Araidhe, and by Cucuaran, 3
" Laoclidich, son of Bresal, and his land, shall
fire also.

and by

belong to the young boy bearing the satchel," said Patrick, " one

own

of thy
yet,

people,

Senan 5 of

i.e.

i.e.

Mac

IS'isse

Inis-Altich.

of Condere, 4 and to one not born

Thy

merit in heaven will be

illus-

trious."

Saran's guilt

it

was that was here

brother, Nadsluagh,

on Patrick's

tivity
site of

"

On

your

"

upon Bishop Olcan.

to Patrick

and he was

Sarau't,

in cap-

"

You shall have from me," said he, "the

Where will you give it me V asked Patrick.

arrival.

regies."

laid

was submissive

the brink of the Bann, in the west," said Nadsluagh, " where

the boys are burning the ratha (ferns)."

"a descendant

said Patrick;

of mine

" It shall be mine, truly,"

and thine

shall

be there,"

he that

i.e.

Bishop Coirpre, 6 son of Deggell, son of Nadsluagh;

it is

Cul-rathain, 7

Bishop Brugach,

who

is

on the eastern brink of the Bann.

in Ratha-Maighe-Aenaigh, 8 in Crich-Conaill,

ferred orders on Bishop Coirpre.

orders on Bishop Brugach

Patrick, also,

Saran.

It

Scandal.

it

in

was that con-

was that conferred

so that he (Bishop Coirpre) is a de-

scendant of Patrick in this wise.

any of the twelve sons

it

is

Patrick gave no malediction to

of Caelbad, except to the king alone,

was he that had acted disobediently

to him.

This was Scaunlau of the Broad Shield, father of

It

i.e.

was on

Cougal Claen,

who was

slain at the battle of MaghKatb, near Newry, county Down, A.D. 634, according to the chronology of the
Four Masters; a.d. C3G, Annals of Ulster and Chronicon Scotorum; and A.D.

King

of

Ulidia, or Dalaradia, ten years,

G37, according to Tigernach.

3 Cucuaran.
He was also King of Ulidia and the Cruithtii, and was slain by
Fiunchu O'Ronan, a.d. 70G, according to the Four Masters.
Mac Kisse. See Reeves' "Down and Connor," p. 237, et seq., for a full
account of Bishop Mac Nisse and his church.
6 Senan.
Colgan, in the index to his " TV. Th." writes this was in Ulster,
but gives no clue to its locality.
6
Bishop Coirpre. Bishop Cairbre. His festival was held ou the 11th of
November. Sec note at Caelbadh's twelve sons.
"
Cul-ralliain.
Now Coleraine, on the river Baun. It was for some time the
See Reeves' ''Down," p. 247.
seat of a bishop, and also a monastery.
8 Ratha-Maighe-Aenaigh.
Now Raymochy, in the barouy of Ranhoa
"
county Donegal. See Reeves'
Adamnan," p. 192.

''

^ Q^^.^
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick
this occasion that Patrick

brought with him Bishop Guasacht, 8 son

Milchu, from tho territory of Dal-Araidhe

of

Patrick

loft

daughters

in

Granard, and the two Emirs

was he

it

they that are in Cluain-Bronaigh, 1 ut diximus.

it is

The way Patrick went was

across Fertais-Tuama, 2

into the territory of Dal-Araidhe,

to

Ho was

l i-Tuirtre.

forty nights

Loch-Xechach being on one side of

ordered him

He

off.

Cairthend Peg,

and Sliahh-Calland on

(Patrick) deprived

afterwards

Patrick

the sovereignty.

it,

king of the country, went to

Cairthen Mor,

who was

in exile

him and

gave

the

in

its suitability 4

Finnobair,1 and determined to build a city there for

other.

whom

Milchu' s two

also,

tin'

him and

his children of

sovereignty

from his brother

to

and Patrick

baptized him, and blessed his wife, and the being that was in her
"

womb.

My

ck

tin- bung that is in thy womb

God and it is I that will bless a veil
The woman was slogan,1 daughter of Fergus

broth" said Patrick, "

shall be full of the grace of

upon her head."

Mor Mac

King

Nissi,

Dal-Riada

of

and Trea,' daughter of

nilhop Guasaclit. His festival was held on Hie 24th of January.

Chtain-Bronaigh. Now Cloubrouey, to the west of Granard, county Longford.
It became a famous nunnery, and was largely endowed with lands.
' Fertais- Tua m<i.
NowToome Bridge, over the lower Uann, county Antrim.
'>

but tho tribe was afterI'iTuirtre was then on the west side of the Bann
wards expelled to the cast or Antrim side by the O'Neills. Colgan, not knowSlieve
and
position
of
inverts
the
Gallien
change,
Longb N
the
ing
;

'

Finnobair.

which,

There

now caned
r,

of this name
Magh-Lemna, or

were several places

Findermore,

county Tyrone

(" Tr.

in

ZVk."

p.

1S4)

in

Inland, one of

the Cloasaoh, near

but from the text this

appears to have been Tuirtre, between Lough Neagb and slieve Qallen,
occupying nn -ci-ely the position of the church of Ardtrea, barony of LoughinThe ancient church of Ardtn a is in Ballyeglish, "tho
holin, county Kerry.

town

of the church."
i

eves'

"

Mogan. Kerens Mor was

Moinreamhar, Monarch

and Connor,"

'.vn

p.

203.

and grandson of ESochaidb

In 503 he and his brothers conquered the

Kin;; of Dal-Biada,

of Ireland.

greater part of Alba, and founded thero the kingdom of Scotland.

Trea.
Cairthen Mor was descended from Colla I'ais, Monarch of Ireland,
It was from his grandfather, Piacbra Tort, that Di-Tuirtre was named.
St.

Trea's festival was held on the 3rd of August.

who

died

ad.

024,

was

w^^

of

her family.

? ,^ *L^

St Macdhog, Bish

>p of

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

446

Cairthend, was the daughter

Patrick

who

who was

angels, moreover, that brought the veil

on her head, down over her eyes

"Why
" It

is

in her

womb

and

it

from heaven, and placed

and Patrick began

was

The

blessed a veil on her head, as he prophesied.

to raise

it

it

up.

it

was placed?" asked Trea.

good, indeed," answered Patrick.

She never saw anything

not good to leave

is

during her

life

as

except what she saw through that

Patrick had seven

Fainre, s

it

Domhnachs7

Domhuach-Riascad, 9

Righduinn, Domhnach-Brain, 1

veil.

in Ui-Tuirtre, viz.,

Domhnach-Fothhbe,
Domhuach-Maelain, 2

DomhnachDomhnach-

Domlmach-

Libuir.

Where

Patrick went afterwards was to Feara-Gabrae, 3 and they

were not obedient to him.

wards with tribute

tribes

would get

Patrick said that they would go after-

to his church in winter time,

their country; quod imspletum

and that extern

est.

Patrick went

afterwards to Fera-Imchlair, 4 and ho baptized and blessed them

7
8

Domhnachs. Churches, the names of which began with " Domhnach."

Domhnach-Fainre. Now Donaghenry, at Stewartstown, county Tyrone.

Reeves' "Down,"
'>

far

p. 294.

Domhnach- Siascad.

Now

Reeves'

"Down,"

p.

Donaghrisk, in the parish of Desertcreat, not

Catholic burial ground.

It is still used as the

from Stewartstown.
294.

1
Domhnach- Brain. Br. Reeves' ("Down and Connor," p. 294) suggests this
was Donnabarau, erenagh laud, in the deanery of Tullaghoge, county Tyrouc,
to the west of Lough Neagh.
- Domhnach- Madam.
This is probably the old church of Desertlynu, county
Derry, adjoining Artrca, so called from the O'Lynn family, who also gave name
The ruins of the old
to the barony of Loughinsholin, in which it is situate.

church are in the townland of Ballymully.

3 Feara-Gabrae.
Dr. Reeves conjectured this territory to lie between TJiTuirtre, on the west of Lough Neagh, and Donaghmore, county Tyrone.
4 Feara-Imchlair.
Dr. Reeves, on the authority of Colgan, places MaghThe festival of
Imchlair around Donaghmore, to the west of Dunganuon.
was
celebrated here on the 4tli June, as also at 6th SeptemCruimther Colum
"Colum of Ros-Glandai,
ber, at which day the Calendar of the O'Clerys has
i.e. Glan is the name of a well which was there before Patrick, and Domhnachmor-Maigh-Imchlair is its name at this day, siuce Patrick blessed it. Iu Tir.
Eoghaiu it is situate. And this Colum is of the race of Laeghaire, son of

Niall."

There

is

a fine old sculptured cross at the Catholic church, orna-

mented with Scriptural subjects.

Tripartitt

and he

Patrick.

17

with them Cruimther Colum, and Patrick's book of

left

and

as,

hia bell therewith

unto

they are miracu

this day.

When
life1 ,

Patrick concluded his triumphant career in the

as the Apostle Paul said, "

my

hare finished

then

is

up

laid

course;

for

me

regarded

Though
will

with

great his

they be

ing will

In-

and

honor

which the Lord the just

justice,

that day,"

in

he

veneration

communion

received

His remains and

from Bishop Tassach.

sacrifice

here

relics are

by the earthly Church.

honor and veneration on the earth, greater

in the

Day

committed

when

of Judgment)

him

to

have kept the faith; as i" the

crown of

me

judge will render to

and

pri

hare fought the good fight;

still

the fruit of his preach-

as to eacli other high apostle, with

the apostles and disciples of Jesus, in the nnion of the nine choirs

->''

of angels, in the union of the Divinity and the

Son of God,
unity of

which

in the unity

the

nobler than

is

Humanity
all

Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy

all

the

Spirit.

We

ask that

ourselves obtain this union in scecula sccculorum.

Amen. 6

beseech mercy through the intercession of Patrick.

we may

of the

unityin

should be observed that, at the commencement of each of

[It

the three parts of the Tripartite- Life, there are several pagi
Latin,

tion

which were intended

or preface to

the author as a sort of introduc-

b]

what follows

in

each part.

They

made

are

up principally of Scriptural ([notations strung loosely together.

Tension the second part

Hit

mis

virtiitiinnjiio

ile

virtutibua

ac prodi

mi

consummavit cursnm ut

ito

Paolo potnerit recto dixissc;

de c

liiiem Bervavi

onclndes thus

'

Ronum certamen
t

'

certavi, cursuin

mini corona

justitia-,

cum Apostolo
consamma\

qnam

die jnstoa judi x.'

"Appropinqnante antem bora mortis curavit advocari Foasachnm

I'tiin,

susceptoquc ex ejus

Kjus sacra; exnvis, ac

mane
ejoa

laviterobdormivit in Domino.
vencratione asservantnr in Be

Balotariviati

reliquffi in

ran
gaudiis

i.

reddi

Bomma

anima trinmpnai

'

<\ux nobis conccl.it Pater, et Filing, et Spiritoa Sanctus.

nltana

Amen.

These quotations have general reference to the establishment of

Christ's

kingdom upon

earth, anil are obviously intended to bear

upon the happy introduction of Christianity into Ireland, through

the labors of our glorious apostle.
parts, in like

At the end

devoted chiefly to the praises of the great

the greater part of an unusually long

by the regeneration of our pagan

prefaces

of each of the

manner, are some paragraphs, by way of peroration,

life

ancestors.

saint,

who

dedicated

to the service of

The language

God,

of both

and perorations, whether corrupted by the copyists

transcription, or originally so written, is a

For the reasons indicated,

it

in

most barbarous Latin.

has been deemed better to omit the

pages alluded to, merely giving a few words of the commencement

of each.

In the Irish original,

was usual in early Irish

number of Latin quotations

also, as

manuscripts, there are a considerable

or sentences, which in some cases have been translated, and in

others given as they stood, without any attempt to correct the
style.]

v.nn\~-

."

'

.V

f.

^^^m4

Patrick

left

Presbyter Conaedh in Domnach-Airther-Maighe, in

He

the territory of Hy-Briuin of the north.

rested there on Sun-

day, and then went after Patrick from that place as far eastwards
as the

"What

wood.

brought

youf

asked Patrick.

bear your absence, holy man," said he.

Patrick

" the place around thee

but a place for pig-eaters

reddened

"

is

"

(which we have

men moved

off

He was beheaded

from a

"I cannot

wonder," observed

not the place of a son of

life,

the soil of the place shall never be

proved when Connacan, 6 son of Col-

man, son of Niall Frossach, went into the

nine

No

tree,

district

with an army,

which Artifex, a pilgrim,

selected.

eight were liberated, however, in his land).

Patrick went afterwards to Telach-Maine, 7 and received a welcome

from Maine, son of Conlaedh, who humbled himself to him

Patrick blessed him, and blessed his wife, so that she was

and brought forth two daughters.

and

fruitful,

Patrick baptized them, and

blessed veils on their heads, and left a senior with

them

to instruct

them.
Patrick did not visit Ard-Macha on that occasion, but went into
the territory of Hy-Cremthand, 8 where he founded churches and

One

residences.

time, as Patrick

was coming from Clochar, from

8 Connacan.
This and some other passages were evidently added at a later
period by the coypist to show the fulfilment of the prophecy. Niall Frossach,

who was King

on

of Ireland seven years, resigned in 7C5,

and died

at I-Coluim-

The Four Masters record

son Colnm, by the Cinel-Conaill, at a.d. 810, and of
Connegau, son of Colum, in a hosting made into Ulidia, in S53.
7 Telach-Maine.
There are some parishes and townlands called TnUamain
in the counties of Kilkenny and Tipperary, but it is obvious from the context
the place here referred to was in northern Ulster, where we only find one, in
the parish of Faughanvale, county Londonderry.
It probably was the place
Cille,

his pilgrimage, eight years afterwards.

the death

of

his

indicated.
8

IIij-Cremthand. This territory, according to Colgan, was in the barony

Meath. It was so called from Creamhthann, a descendant of
Iiochadh, son of C'olla da Chrioch.
It and its chiefs are frequently mentioned
in the " Four Masters." See " Book of Eights," p. 152.
Colgan ("Ada SS."

of Mane, county

p. 235) traces

Crimthan's descent thus

Kochad, son of C'olla da Crioch.

son of Fieg, son of Dcodatus, son of

man,

north, his strong

tin'

i.e.

Bishop

Mac Carthend, 9

carried

him

up Patrick, he

said, "

Uch,

across a difficult place; and, after lifting

/\
f

"My

uch."

dtbroth," said Fatriek,

say that word."

" and you have

am

still

" I

"you were not accustomed to

said Bishop Mac Carthend,

am old and infirm,"

left all

on the road."

my

early companions in churches, whilst

"I will leave thee in a church," said Patrick,

that shall not be too near us for familiarity, that shall not be too

And

distant for intercourse between us."

Bishop
liim,

Mac Carthend

left

to Erinn.

3
Patrick went after that to Lemhuin.

the

Patrick afterwards

and the Domhnach-Airgid 1 with

which was sent to Patrick from heaven, when ho was on the

coming

sea

in Clochar,

hill

was he

on which Fatriek preached.

at the preaching,

Then

than one hour.

it

Finnabhair

is

the

name

of

Three days and three nights

and each day did not seem

was that Brigid

to

them longer

slept at the preacbin

Patrick asked her after-

Fatriek did not allow her to be awakened.

B Bishop Mac Carthend. His proper name was Aodh or Aidus, the other
He was fust Bishop of Clogher,
being derived from his father, Chaerthann.
Clocharthe ancient name of which, as recorded in the "Four Masters," was
mae-n-Uiiinhue. According to Sir James Ware, he died on the 24th of
March, 506, on which day Ids festival is still held. The Calendar of the

race of Eochaidh, son of

i'i Ii-rys states, under Oct. Oth, that he was of the
Muircadh, of the seed of Heremon, and that he was called "Patrick's
champion." His life is given in Colgan's " Acta SS."
I Domhnach-Airi/ul. This highly ornamented reliquary, enclosing Latin
is now in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy.
copies of thefo
Royal Irish Academy,"
It has been described in the "Transactions of tho
(

Lectures, p. 822,
xviii, from which extracts have been made in O'Curry's
nith a translation from this Life of the passage relating to St. Mac Carthend.

vl.

note, p. 64.)

{<..-

mltuin. Lemhuin or Liamhain was, according to Colgan, in the county

Tyrone and diocese of Clogher, and was otherwise called Clossach. Thi
lilackwater ran through it, and the tort of Augher and the village of Ball]
of Errigalv were in it, having Cloghet on its western, and tho church
m, boundary. As Clossach it is frequently mentioned
;"
"
"
i
Bights,"
Wars
of
1641
Book
p. 162
Journal of the
Mellan's Irish
in
Coltou's "Visitation, " p. L26.
Irish To K)graphical Poems," p. xxi. note L19
linnabhair is now corruptly called Pindermorc, a townland in the parish and
barony of Clogher, county Tyrone. Ord lance sheets, 58 and 64, county
:

/..

'

Tyrone.

i^^N;
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
wards what she had seen.

She said

oxen, and white corn-fields

oxen after

these.

" I saw fair synods, and white

behind them spotted oxen, and black

I afterwards

saw sheep and

wolves, fighting amongst themselves. I

one

little

and the other

The

little

stone increased at the

from

it.

The

big.

pigs,

drop was shed on each of them.

'

and

drop,'

large stone withered, moreover."

silvery sparks burst

"

They were the two

sons of Eochaidh, son of Crimthann," 3 said Patrick.

airgit 4 believed,

and dogs and

saw subsequently two stones,

Cairpre

and Patrick blessed him, and blessed

Bresal, moreover, refused,

and Patrick cursed him.

Damh-

his seed.

Patrick also

explained the whole vision of Brigid in an admirable manner.

3 Eochhaidh
Mac Crimthainn. He was son of the G'rinithainn mentioned
under the note " Hy-Cremthand." O'Flaherty (book iii. chapter lxxvi.

Hely's translation, vol.

ii.

p. 10), in

tracing the history of the Orgiellians, the

posterity of the three Collas, writes as follows

"

Achy, Prince

of Orgiellia,

died in the time of St. Patrick, and was by his mediation restored to
baptized.

He had two

sons after this

Bressal, the elder,

who

life

and

obstinately

opposed the Gospel, on which he with his whole race were extirpated and
extinguished, in consequence of the dreadful imprecations denounced on them
by St. Patrick his other son was Carbry, surnamed Damhairgid, who most
willingly embraced the principles of truth, and enjoyed the blessings imparted
;

to

him and his posterity, from which a numerous succession of Orgielliau

and many saints are descended."
Cairpre DamhairgU.
Froni this Cairpre or Carbry, who had seven sons,

princes
4

according to O'Flaherty, were descended the noble families of Maguire, Mac

Mahon, and O'Hegny ( " Ogygia," iii. ch. G7). Colgan only mentions two sons,

Natsluagb, from whom

Udhir sprung Maguire.

MacMahon, and Cormac, from whose descendant

Colgan ("Ada SS." pages 235 and 713) enumerates

him St. Enda, Abbot of Arran, off
Galway, whose mother, accordiug to the O'Clerys' Calendar, was
Aibhfinn, daughter of llonan, King of the Ards in county Down (venerated
21st March) ; St. Libeus of Arran, his brother (18th Feb. or 16th Dec.) ; their
two sisters, St. Carecha Dergain of Cluain-Boirinu (7th Feb.), St. Lochima
(12th June); SS. Fergus (29th March), Muredach (12th August), Mochoemoc
(13th April), all of Inis-Caoin, now Iuishkeen, in Lough Erne, county Fermanagh, and their sister St. Nessa (4th Sept.) St. Tegan or Tecce (9th Sept.)
St. Dimina, or Damnada, or Damhuat (13th June) ; St. Fanchea, St. Mugau or
"
Moghain Og, of Cluam-Boirinn, mentioned in Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba
(Dec. 15), and St. Darfroechea, alias Darerca, mother of St. Tighernach of
Clones, and sister of St. China of Druim-Dubhain, softer mentioned (11th Nov.
ur 23rd March).
the following saints as descended from

the coast of

-.LJ.^

ijpartiti

Be

marry

to a

CairpreMac

son of

man

a daughter,

/.<\

of noble family,

Patrick.

St.

Eochaidh,

resuscitated

Eochaidh possessed
to

i.e.

from

Crimthann,

Cinnu, 5

whom

death.

her father wi

to the son of

hi

Cormac, son of

walking along, met Patrick with hiscompa

Neillj she,

Patrick preached to her, that she unite herself

nions on the way.

to the spiritual prophet

and she believed, and Patrick instructed

and baptized her afterwards.

When

her,

her father was subsequently seek-

ing for her, to give her to her man, she and Patrick went to con

with him.

Patrick requested that he would permit her to

the Eternal Spouse

him

iven to

thought

i.e.

Eochaidh agreed to

it

hard.

these

wed

heaven would be

this, if

and he himself not be compelled

therefor,

Patrick then promised

tized.

to

I"

two conditions, though ho

The king afterwards consented

that his dan

Cinnu, should be united to Christ, and Patrick made her a

female disciple to him, and

her,

i.e.

commanded a

Cechtumbar of Druim-Dubhain, 7

certain virgin to instruct

in

which place both

vir-

gins rest.

Cinnu.

The Calendar of the O'Clerys

lias,

at 1st Feb., " Cinne, Vil

and Col
W." lias her life at that day. After receiving the VI il,
she was placed under St, Cechtumbria in a nunnery at Druim-Dubhain (aee
where she was living about -IS-, and was there inb
raoich, was mother of St Tighernach, Bishop of Clones, in county
Muuaghau, according to O'Clerys' Calendar at 1th April.
8 Cormac.
He was called Cormac Cacch, and was father of Tnathal Maelgarbh, who was King of Ireland eleven years, and was slain in 638, by Mai IDiannaid
Mac Cearbhaill, whosuccecdcd. The Annals of
of
mor, tutor
i

Tuathal's death at 54.3

authority of Tigernach, says 544

.

547 but O'Douovan, on the

the true year; with which agre<

of Clouniacnois at

Scotorum.

OecJUumbar of Druim-Dubhain. Colgan ('.1

Cechtumbar is varion
this was a church beside Clogher.
beris and Cectamana or Ethembria, and is stated bj Colgan
f

to

L Cethuhave hcen the

the Irish virgins who r

believed to have been the person to whom St Patrick refers, in his Confession,
when he says, alluding to the conversions he had effected " The sons of Scoti
and daughters of chieftains appear now as monks and virgins of Christ
first of all

Especially one blessed Scottish lady, of noble birth and of great beauty, who
was adult, and whom I baptized." According to Colgan, she was interred in

her

own

church, with

many

other holy virgins, and .seven bishops.

many

After

end of

his

years, moreover, the aforesaid

;

and when

his friends

Eochaidh reached the

would remain by him, he

not be buried," said he, " until Patrick comes."

me

" Let

life

said,

And when

Eochaidh finished these words his spirit departed. Patrick, moreover,

was at

time in Ulster, at Sabhall-Patrick

this

and the death of

Eochaidh was manifested to him, and he decided on going to

Clochar-mac-Daimhin, where he found Eochaidh,

When

inanimate twenty-four hours.

who had been

Patrick went into the house

where the body was, he sent out the persons who were about the

He

bent his knees to the Lord, and shed tears

"Eise,

and he
King Echaidh, in the

name of Almighty God ;" and immediately,

at the voice of the servant

body.

prayed, and said in a clear voice

When he had

of God, he arose.

composed himself, he spoke, and the

and lamentations of the people were changed to

grief

joy.

And

forthwith Patrick instructed the king in the rule of faith, and bap-

He

tized him.

commanded him,

also

describe the pains of the impious,

before the people, that he would

and the joy of the

saints,

that he would speak to the people, that they might believe

is

said of the pains of hell

And

offered

him a

country,
if

and the joys of the

blest to

he spoke of these things, as he was commanded.

if

choice,

i.e.

fifteen years in the chief

And

all

and
that

be true.
Patrick

kingship of his

he would live piously and truthfully, or to go to heaven,

he preferred

But the king said

it/

"

Though the sovereignty

of

the entire globe were given to me, and though I might live for

many

years, I

would count

good shown to me.

may be

Hence

it all

as nothing in comparison with the

it is

that I pray more and more that I

freed from the miseries of the present

life,

and sent to the

To whom Patrick said, " Go

peace, and journey to the Lord." Echu (or Eochaidh) gave thanks
God in the presence of his people, and he commended his soul
eternal joys exhibited to me."

in
1

>

to

the Lord and Patrick, and his spirit departed to heaven.

Where

Patrick went afterwards was to the territory of Ui-Meith-

Tire, s to Tech-Thalain
8

Ui-Meith-Tire.

and he

left

Bishop Cilline there, and other

There were two tcnitoricB

iu Ulster

named Ui-Meith,

men

holy

ofhia people, and the relics of saints which

with him across the sea from the

robbers of

wont

to

Then

oast. 9

Oi-Meith-Tire carried off

it

brought

lie

was that three

that was

the second goat

be bringing water, and they came to swear Falsely to

Patrick

Patrick,

him,

respecting

of the three

who had

goat cried from

but the

acted

treacherously.

"the goat himself announces you as

day

forth, goats shall stick to

lias

been

"

the

bodies

My debroth,"

said

From

this

thieves.

your children and kindred:" which

fulfilled.

Eoghan, 1 son of Brian, son of Muiredach, son of Imchadh, son of

Colla fo-Crich,

was King of Ui-Meith when

his grandfather,

Muiredach.

<..-.

this people believed,

Eoghan besought Patrick to

he (Patrick) blessed them.

Patrick afterwards resuscitated

him, and buried him again in the Erende, 9 on the borders of

orna and Ui-Meith

and

resuscitate

TT"

MughThen

but the place belongs to Mughorna.

from Muircdhach Meth, mentioned afterwards, viz. :TJi-Meith-Mara,

Lough, and now known as O'Meathin Louth, opposite Warrenpoint ; and the other southern portion as Cuailnge (Cooly), adjoining the town of Carlingford. The Ui-Meith-Tire of the text was sometimes
i-Meith-Maoha, from its contiguity to Armagh, and was situate in tin:
nt barony and county of Monaghan. It comprised the parishes of Tchal]
called

tag on Carlingford

_^.

lao (thcTech-Tnahvtaofthetext), Monaghim, Kihnoie, Tullyeorbet, Clontibret,

"Book of Rights," p. MS, Jto. Tho
and Mnckno, Dear Caatleblayney
Calendar of the O'Clerys commemorates, at 2nd November, Aedhan,
Cill-Mor-Aedhain ; at 20th January, Crnimther Calbh, of
of
iua,
Telach-Carpait, botli in Ui-Meith-Maeha and at 27th May, Cillin, liishop of
These churches are all in county Monaghan.
Jain, in OirghiaLla.
,r of the O'Clerys commemorates, at 27th May, "Cillin,

Bishop of Tech-Talain, in Oirghialla."

Now

the pariah of Teballan, in the

north-east of county Monaghan.

1

JBoghan. The Muiredach, grandson of Colla da Crich, here mentioned, was

whom the I'i Meiths were designated.

generally called Muiredach Meth, from

See preceding note but one.

'Brende. Colgan, in the Latin Tripartite (" Tr. 77*. "p. 151), calls this place
It is probably the present Omra, or Oram, in the pariah of
Borne.
Mnckno, barony of Cri morne, county Monaghan, where there is a large mound.
It
with a circlo of stones, on the top of a mountain called Mullyash.

the county of

Armagh, and

is

called, iu the (Hater Inquisitions,

Owramlia-

donny.

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

45G

Patrick went into the district of Mughorna, 3 to Domhnach-Maighen,

especially.

When Victor, 4 who was in

had come to

it,

that place, heard that Patrick

Victor went, to avoid Patrick, from the residence

to a thorny brake at the side of the town.

digy for Patrick.

that

He

lighted

up the brake

everything therein was visible.

Patrick,

and gave him

his submission

God performed

Victor went afterwards to

;

and Patrick gave him the

church, and imposed the degree of bishop on Victor, and

Domhnach-Maighen.

in

And

left

him

Patrick blessed Mudhorna, and said

that the most illustrious of laics and clerics should be

And

a pro-

dark night, so

in the

he bade farewell to them, and

left

of them.

a blessing with them.

Afterwards Patrick went to Fera-Kos, 5 to Enach-Conglais, where

3 Murjhorna.
The Irish form of this territory was Crioch-Mnghdhornas
which Colgan latinized into "regio Mngdornorum." It is now called the
barony of Cremorne, the parish of Douaghraoyne (the Domhnach-Maighen of
Adamnan, in his
the Life) having been transferred to the barony of Farney.
" Life of Columba," calls it " proviucia Maugdornorum," on which Dr. Reeves
writes, the name was derived from Mughdorn Dubh, son of Colla Mean [are.
340), and that in Columba's time the Maugdorni might be considered co-extensive with the modern baronies of Cremorne and Farney, the latter of which was
formerly called Donamaiue from this parish. Shirley ("Farney," p. IG'2) writes
that St. Lasserius, or Lasser, was one of the patron saints of Donaghmoyne,
whose festival was held on the ISth of April, and that his well, called TubberLasair, in the townlaud of Aghavilla, adjoined the church but, in O'Clerys'
Calendar, the entry at ISth April is, " Lassar, Virgin, daughter of Eoghan,
;

Maighin."

of

Shirley also writes that St. Ciera was patroness, of

whom

the

O'Clerys, in their additional notes ("Martyrology of Donegal," p. xlv), write,

"Ciar and Lasair, Virgines, tutelares in the parish church of Domnach-

Moin, in an impropriate parish, diocese of Clogher," Sc. There was preserved

here a shrine of St. Adamnan, which (the "Four Masters," at S30) was carried away by the Danes ; as also Tuathal, son of Feradach, who was Abbot of
Rechra (now Lambay, near Dublin) and Durrow.
* Victor.
Colgan ( u Acta Sanctorum," p. 424) gives a short life of Bishop
Victor, at 2Sth February. The Calendar of the O'Clerys has no St. Victor at
but Colgan, in his notes to Jocelyn, suspects he was
that or any other date

one of the Buadhbeos mentioned in the Martyrologies at 17th November,

both of -whom were of the Clauna Ruadhraighe of Ulster the name Buadhbeo
" Villancnva," p. 376.
signifying victorious.
The territory of Feara-Ros lay in the south of the county
F, ra- Ilus.
Monaghan, and, according to O'Donovan ("Book of Rights," p. 154), contained
the church of Eanach-Couglais, which, on Colgans authority (" Trias. Th." p.
;

''

There

he remained a Sunday.

/'

/.;/>'

ZWparft'ft

N'.

was that the Ui-Lilaigh gave the

it

poison to Patrick in the lumps of curds.

and made stones of

When

Monday

Patrick went on

across the ford southward

went with

slay him.

Patrick turned towards

fifty

horsemen upon the ford

ford; ami he raised

tlic

Patrick blessed the pieces,

tin. -in.

Ui-Lilaigh

south of

Patrick.

after him, to

them upon tho bank to the

his left hand and said: "You

way but
The water immediately wen!
over them.
Ath-O'Idlaigh6 is the name of tin- ford for ever, and
"no lumps are at Bnach Conglaise, in commemoration of the
shall neither

you

come out of the

shall be in that

ford here, nor go the other

water for ever."

miracle to this present day.

Be

afterwards went to Etath-Cuile, 7 where he blessed the Fera-

Cuile, 8

i.e.

of

<

it

to Bile-Tortan after that,

and

now Killaney and lie writes that it is almost absolutely rcomprised the parish of M.ichaire-Los (Magheroes), with the town

1S4, note 21), is

tain that

He went

the Ui-Seghain.

arriekmacross.

The Poor Masters

Maenach, son of
and, at S45, Ceallach, son of Mae] l'ahave,

at

a.i>.

825,

Cruumacl, Trior of the Fer-Koss, died

I'rior of Fer-Ross, dud.
The parish of Killaney extends into the
oonnties of Monaghan and Louth, and the ruins of the old church are in the
.Mr. Shirley (" Farney," p. 179)
latter county, on the borders of the former.
writes that in the townland of Aunahean, in the Monaghan portion of the
parish, is an old place of sepulture, a small Btone cross marking the consecrated spot, and (p. 205) he states that, according
L665, there
was in this townland a Wood Hill called Ariuagh-Solish, which is absurdly
lentlya
translated as if Atk-na-g-coih. the Ford
Marsh
corrupt form of the old church of J
rivulet, the river Lagan separating this part of the parish from Louth.See
;

"

Adamnan,"

p.

81.

Alk-O'Lllaigk. This name is now obsolete, nor is the tribe name mentioned
It was evidently a
in their topographical poems.
r I. igan, in some [art of the parish of Killaney, on the borders
of Monaghan and Louth.
1 Bath-Cuile.
There are
named Rathooole in Ireland, of
which one is in the parish and barony ol Ratoath, county Meath, but quite re.
mote from the barony of Sells, in v.
ile, according to O'Donovan,
(See next note.)
It was, most probably, the place HOW called
was situate,
*

by O'Dugan or O'Heerin
f

id on the ir.

Coole, in the parish of

t

Kilmainham Wood, adjoining Moybolgue

he barony of Lower
an,

hence

it

was occasionally

call

to the south-

under

GO."!,

was in Bregia
and appear- to have been

writes this territory

Breagh,

$>

n
constructed a church for Presbyter Justin, near Bile-Tortan, which

is

near the community of Ard-Breccan.

When

Patrick was journey-

ing to the territory of Leinster from Domhnach-Tortan, he reat Drum-Urchaille. 1

mained a night

The

Naas. a

of the road,

site of his tent is in

and

his well is to the

Patrick went afterwards to

the green of the fort, to the east

north of the fort (dun), where he

3
baptized Dunlaing's two sons, Ailill and Illann, and where he

conterminous with the present barony of Kells, county Meath, comprising,

inter alia, according to O'Clerys' Calendar, the parish of Moybolgue, where
St. Siric was bishop, and venerated on 26th November ; also Emlagh-Fiaich,
where St. Becan was venerated on the 5th of April. The chiefs of this
O'Dugan, iu
territory are mentioned in the " Four Masters " thirteen times.
his topographical poem, writes,

"

h-Ainbhith, of no stubborn meeting,

Is lord over noble Ui-Seaain,"

which O'Donovan, in

his notes, states should correctly be,

" UiSeghain

a people situated to the north of Ardbraccan, in the county of Meath," thus

taking in Upper and Lower Kells baronies. After the introduction of surnames, we frequently liud the
h-Ainbhiths, afiglice O'Hanvey, lords of

and Ui-Meith, as also of Farbill in Westmeath.

O'Donovau (" Book of Rights," p. 151) was unable to state
further concerning the Ui-Dortaiu or Ui-Tortain than that they were seated in
that part of Meath in which was the celebrated old tree called Bile-Tortan
which stood near Ardbraccan, as stated iu the Life.
1
Drum- Urchaille. Colgan ("Trias. Th." pp. 151 and 272) writes this was a
church iu Meath. At S37 the Four Masters record the death of Domhnall, its
abbot and, in a note, O'Donovan explains the name as the " Bidge of the
Greenwood," conjecturing that it might be Cnoc-Urchoille or Spaniel Hill, in
the county Clare a surmise indisputably wrong.
2
Naas. The present town of Naas, in county Kildare.
The great rath or
dun still stands in the centre of the town.
3 Dunlaing's
two o?.?, Ailill and Illan.
Dunlaing was King of Leinster, iu
which he was succeeded by these sons, Illan dying in 500. From Ailill, alias
Oilioll, descended many kings of Leinster, as also the great St. Lorcan or
Laureuce O'Toole. At A.D. 489, the Four Masters record that Ailill and Illan
assisted Muircheartach Mac Earca at the battle of Cill-Osnadha, now Kelliston, in the barony of Forth, county Carlow, where Aengus (son of Nadfraech), first Christian King of Minister, was slain.
The desceut of the
O'TooIes, subsequently lords of Feara-Cualann, now Powerscourt, is traced by
O'Donovan at A.D. 1590.
Oirghihllia
9

Bile-Tortan.

tt

Tripartite Life of St.

baptized

~^~~

Pat rid.

^ -w

459

AMl's two daughters, Moghain and Feidclm. And their

them to God and Patrick, from their consecrated
1

Esther dedicated
virginity,

and

lie

(Patrick) blessed the veil on their heads.

-Messengers went from Patrick to call the steward of the fort of

Fallen.
He avoided Patrick and he pretended to he
through enmity and ridicule of Patrick
And Patrick was
told that the steward was asleep.
" My debroih," said Patrick, "
I

Naas,

/.<.

asleep,

should not be Bnrprised

if it were his last sleep."

His people went
awake him, and they found him dead, through the disobedience
he showed to Patrick. And hence is the proverb amongst the

to

Irish

" Fallen's sleep in the fort of Naas."

was the King of Ui-Garchon at Patrick's coming, and

Dricriu"'

Moghan and h\idelm. They were venerated at 9th December, according

t> <M'l,. T ys' Calendar, which has: " Feidhliui, Virgin, and
Hughs
daughters of Ailill, son of Dunlang; and Cill-na-n-ingean, in the west of
Magh-Life, by the side of Liamhain, is the name of his place. They are of the
race of Cathaoir Mor."
The same Calendar, at 26th October, when mention'

ing Darinnill and three other virgins also venerated in this church, describes it
by the side of Tamhlacht (now the village of Tallaght, barony of Upper

as

Cross, county Dublin), to the south.

Two

to the daughters of Leinin, of the race of

other entries at Cth March, referring

Aenghus, son

of

Mogh Xuadhat,

call

and Cill-na-ningeu, and as lying in the territory

Of t"i-Briuin-Cnalaun, which O'Douovan (" Four Masters," 837) places in
the
barony of Rathdown, county Dublin, and the northern part of county Wick"
[ow, and identifies Cillinghenl.. inin as Ivilliney. From the foregoing
we consider it lay nearer Tallaght. This territory was so called from Brian,
brother of Xiall of the Nine Hostages, whose descendants settled in the
round Sliabh Caalann, now Sogarloaf Mountain (" Wars of the
it

variously

'dl-inghen-Leinin

with the Gaill").

Colgan {"Acta. S3." p. 104] states that St.
daughter of the Leinin before mentioned, who was honored here on
the Cth of March, was sister of the great St. Colman of Cloync.
6 Dricriu.
This king's name does not appear in the Annals, but he was
doubtless a near connection of Nathi, who opposed St. l'alla.lius and Patrick
GaedbJII

Brighit, a

in the same country, and a jierson of considerable importance, being memh r

same family as the Kin^s of I.' insb r, and married to the daughter of
the Irish monarch, as appears by the text
This territory took its name from
Garchn, a descendant of Qgaine More, King of Ireland; and we lean

of the

the Boholi art on the Hartyrology of

Aengus the Cede Dc, that it was in one

Fotharta of Leinster (Todd's "St. Patrick," pp. Wt, 286, 200, 338).
of the O'Clerys shows that it comprised Qlenn-faidhle, now
Glenealy parish, near the town of Wicklow, where St Morahernog n
of the

The Cal end ar

tied,

30th January; Cill-aird, where St. Tartinna was venerated, 3rd

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

the daughter of Laeghaire

Mac

Neill

was

And

his wife.

he refused

Patrick regarding his feast, at Eath-Inbhir, 6 on Laeghaire's account.

But

gave him welcome, and killed his

Cilline 7

and gave to Patrick the quantity of

flour that

own cow

for him,

he brought for his

support from the king's house, whereupon he (Patrick) prophesied

that Cilline's son should be king of Ui-Garchon.

He went
there

afterwards to Magh-Lii'6, s and founded

and he

left

cells

and houses

Mac

Usail in Cill-Usaille, 9 and Iserninus 1 and

July ; Eath-uoi, now Rathnew, the parish in which Wicklow town is situate,
where St. Eruin, or Mernog, was venerated, 18th August, and who was also
patron of the two Kilmarnocks, and Inch Marnoc in Scotland (Reeves'
" Adamnan," p. 25). It was iu this country that Palladius erected his three

wooden churches,

The

Cell-Fhine, Teach-na-Romhan, and Domlmach-Arta.

admitted to be Tig-Roney, in the parish of Castlemacadam, county

the third to be Donard, near Duulaviu, in the west of the same
county and Cell-Fhine has been conjectured to be au adjoining church,
about three miles west of Duulaviu, called Killeen Cormac, situate in the
townland of Colbiustown, parish of Davidstown, in the county Kildare.
See paper by the Rev. J. F. Shearman, " Irish Ecclesiastical Record,"
second

is

Wicklow

June, 1S68.
6

Rath-Inbher. O'Donovan ("Four Masters," a.d. 776 and 953) believes

be the rath at the mouth of the river Dea, near Bray, county

this to

Wicklow.
7 Cilline According to the
pedigree of the Ui-Garchon given by Dr.
Todd ("St. Patrick," p. 253), his name was Marcan. A Leinstcr chief of
It should, howthe same name is mentioned by the Four Masters at G47.

ever, be observed that the pedigree appears to be incorrect

8

Narjh-Life.

and

defective.

The plain of the Liffey in the counties of Wicklow,

Dublin, but principally in Kildare, from

and
and not the plain from the

river.

" Book of

which the

Kildare,

river took its

Rights ;" Todd's "

St.

name,

Patrick."

9 Usail in C'ill- Usaille.

AcUsail was the Irish name for St. Auxilius.
cording to the Four Masters he died 27th August, 454, on which day the
Calendar of the O'Clerys has, " Usaille, son of Ua-Baird, Bishop of Cill-Usaille,
It is, therefore, a mistake of the writer in the "Irish Ecclein Leinster."
siastical Record " for March, 1868, p. 275, note 5, that St. Auxilius was the
"Cobhair,"or "Cobuir, son of Goll," commemorated iu the Irish Martyr-

ologies

giving

on 30th July.

name

His church

is

now

called Killossy,

or Killashee,

to a parish in the barony of Naas, couuty Kildare.

The deaths

two of its abbots, Maeldobharchon, and Loiugseach, son of Faellen, are

O'Donovan writes, at 454, that " no part of the old
recorded at 827 and 870.
church now remains, but there is a part of an ancient round tower, with a

of

square base."
1

Iserninus.

Bishop Iserninus, who was one of the coadjutors of

St. Patrick,

Tail in Cella-Cuilinn,

'J

Life,

and other

the sous of Laiylii

boys, "drive on your horses."

is

to-day

and Patrick

where

Laighis, son of Find),

there

said that

from them, and that

a bishop

going into Western

But no injury was done

your horses," said Patrick.

(/.<..

hi-

way

"For God's Bake," said the

"Drive on, then, for God's

him, and a covering over thorn.

he cursed Laigbis

On

.-aim.-.

prepared water-pita in the

them

to

Mom

little

and

Gholuim9

would be neither a king nor

should

a foreign lord

them

ver

for ever.

Brig, 3 the daughter of Fergnad, son of Gohtach, of the

went to report to Patrick the eumity that was

in

Ercain,

store for him.

Patrick blessed her, and her father, and her brothel-, and the

l'i-

Ercain altogether, and he said that they would never be without

distinguished laic- and clerics of them.

Then Patrick

alighted on the hillock which was then called Bile-

Mac-Cruaichj to-day, however,

it

is

called l'orrach Patrick

;*

and

he said that there would never be a foreign king or steward over

and was ordained with him, founded

Cualann

(see

tin,

church in the district of Oi-Briuinlie died -107 (" 'J'rias

note under AiliU'e daughters, supra).

whose prop c name wa3 Aengus, of the race of

Lnghaidh, King of Minister, ami brother of St. Colmau of Cill-Cleitighe, sucHe was nation of ECilculli ",
ceeded, ami died 11th .lime, ."its., of the plague.
county Kildare. Several of it- abbots and bishops, and other incident- in its
history, are recorded by the Four U
holuim. This is now the old church of Moone, giving name to a
Tho
|>arish and barony near Timolin, in the south of the county Kildare.
at 1014 call it Maein-Choluim-Chille, when recordii
Masters,
Four.
death of its abbot Colnm rJa-Flannagain, Tiny also mention it
and eventually
It has a fragm
plundered in loll).
"Four Masters," and Been " Adamnan,"
it became a Franciscan house.
Tli." p. 19).

St.

Mao

Tail,

..

'

;..

i'

280.
3 Br'vj.

The

mother of
l.arne,

name Brig was different

Comghall of Bangor, who was horn

St.

county

Ann

mentions four person

'

if

whom

we
in

find

that the

Magheramorne, near
ndar of the O'Clerya

u.

ted at

Coirpre (Carberry), 7th January, and another at Cill-muine (now Kib

county Meath).
*

t'orraclt- Patrick.

This means

"Patrick's scat."

It

was the nam

old church in tho south of tho county Kildare, the site of which

is still

knon

n.

;;

them

and when the King of Leinster would be distributing the

he would have one shin

house,

royal

his

in

feast

and the king of Ui-Ercan6 the other

Patrick's forrach (seat), the dignity of laics

respect,

wealth, and immortality.

(of

beef),

they should have Patrick's

and

clerics,

Eight princes they had up to the reign

of Conchobhar, son of Donnchadh, 6 in Tara.

Laighis, moreover,

was the tribe-name of the youths who committed the misdeed

and neither king nor bishop shall be from them but strange lords
;

shall

govern them, and they shall never have rest from persecution

and complaints.
Patrick went

from

he

Tara until

met Dubhtach Mac Ui-

Lugair at Domhnach-mor 7 of Magh-Criathar, in Ui-Cinnselaigh,

who

believed for Patrick.

Patrick requested from

him a handsome

not be of low family a man of one wife, for

but one son was born. " Hem," said Dubhtach, " that is

who would

youth,

whom

Fiacc, 8 son of Ere, I

am

afraid

the

man

of those qualities,

who

went from me to the territory of Conuacht, with poems for the

At these words he (Fiacc) came. " What are you
kings."
considering
"

Patrick.
"

why

asked Fiacc.

That

" Dubhtach for the crozier,"

will be a blemish to

should not

be taken in place of him

He was

received, indeed," said Patrick.

said

many, indeed," said Fiacc

1"

"

You

will

be

tonsured, baptized, an

alphabet was written for him, and he read his psalms in one
day, as has been related to me.

He was

ordained in the grade

and the bishopric of Leinster was given to him by

and his only son, Fiachra, 9 was also ordained. This Fiacc

of bishop,

Patrick
5

Ui-Ercan.

named couuty

This tribe seems to have been seated

(Kildare).

in the south of the last

Donnchadh. Dounchadh was son of Domhnall, Monarch of Ireland, and

Conchobhar his son ascended the throne in 818, and died in 831.
1 Domhnach-mor. O'Donovim (" Book of Rights," p. 208) places Domhnachmor near Sleaty, in Ui-Cinnselaigh. Sleaty is in the barony of Slievemargy,
6

in the Queen's
8
o

Couuty.

See ante, p. 40.

Fiachra. He was venerated on

Fiacc.

the 12th of October, the same day as his

was of the same church

and, from the entry in O'Clerys' Calendar,

He received orders from St. Patrick.
(sleibhte).

father

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

4G3

was, therefore, the Bret bishop ordained in Leinster.

Patrick gave

Fiacc a case, viz., a bell,

and he

left

:i

reliquary, a crorier,

seven of his people with him,

viz..

and a booh

Batchel

Mochatoc1 of

Inis-

August in of Inia-Bec, Tecan, and Diarmait, and Nainnid, Paul,

Fail,

and Fedilmidh. 3

He

(Fiacc) afterwards resided in Domnach-Feic,

until threescore of his people died with him.

to him,

and said to him

thy (place

"It

of) resurrection

is,

is

and

lie

was there

Then the angel went

on the west of the river (Harrow)

in Cul-maighe

;" 3

and he

said

where they would meet a hoar, there they should build their
tory

hut where they would meet a hind, there they should place the

church.

Fiacc said to the angel that he would not go until Patrick

would come to mark out the boundary of

ceate

that
refec-

it,

his place,

and that he might get the place from him.

and

to conse-

Patrick went

then to Fiacc, and marked out his place with him, and fixed his
site.

And Crimthan

was

there, afterwards, Fiacc

They

(the Ui-Ercan)

were

and

them

>f

hs in Ulster,

it is in

Sleibhte he

is

was
It

was ordained.
at that time persecuted

Leinster, Crimthann, 4 son of

into exile.

it

buried.

presented that place to Patrick, for

Patrick that baptized him

Enna

by the King of

Ceinnselach, so that they went

are the manachs in Hy-Crimthann, 4

and Cenel-Enna c

Munster.

in

Of them

and the
is

Fiacc,

Mtycliatoe.
See ante, p. 47.
See ante, p. 4O-.r>0, for all these names.
Oui-maighe.
This signifies "the back of the plain," and would now lw
On the same Ordnance sheet with Sle&ty, the
called Culmoy, or Coolmoy.
present name of Sleibhte, are several townlands having the prefix ' '<', namely,
Coolanagh, Coolhenry, and Coolrain.
-

Crimihann.-

It

was from the

King

of

Laighin, or

latter,

who was

fourth in descent from

i-Ceinnselach was named.

He was
Leinster, about the year 35S (" Book of Bights," p.

Cathaoir Mor, Monarch

oi Ireland, that

but his death, the date of which

is

not recorded, must have been

much

later.
-

lhiCrhntltann.

This territory,

from that of the same na

in
included in the present barony of East

distinct

Meath, was a part of Laeighis, and is

Maryborough, in the Queen's County. " Book of ltights," p. 216.
* Cenel-Knna. There was Cruel-Buna in the barony of Raphoe, county

whom we

of

have spoken before.

Fiacc,

Conall, and Etirscel were five brothers.

Aengus, 7

Ailill

Mar,

Their father was the son

of Ere. 8

Through the action of Patrick, the king granted him

the

fifth

(Fiacc) land,

it

was that he

in question afterwards killed the king,

Crimthann,

part of his father's possessions, and thereon

built Sleibhte.

The Aengus

son of Enna Ceinnselach, to avenge his

forties

are the churches which he

of Leinster,

and

Inis-Fail, 9

and Erdit and Augustin

In thirties and

gave to Patrick in

in Ui-Cennselaigh, including

Magh-Criathar and

the

cast

Domnach-mor

where Mochonoc and Mochatoc

of

are,

in the smaller island (but their shrines are

in Sleibhte, since the place

mor 2

exile.

was occupied by Gentiles) 1 Domnach(i.e. in Domnach-mor

j

of Magh-Eeta. Patrick was a Sunday here

ill
Donegal, and another sept of the same name near the Hill of Uisuech in
Westmeath, but none is mentioned as in Munster except in this Life.
7 Aengus.
This Aengns was brother to St. Fiacc, and is called in the
"Four Masters," at 4G5, Eochaidh Guineach, when they record that Crimthann, son of Enda Censelach, King of Leinster, was killed by the son of his

own

daughter, i.e. Eochaidh Guineach, one of the Ui-Bairrche. The true year,
however, was 470, when the entry shows that Eochaidh was assisted by the

Eochaidh was alive

in 489, as in that year he assisted Muircheartach Mac Earca at the battle of
Cill-Osnadha, where Aengus, King of Munster, was slain.
8 Ere.
From an entry in the "Four Masters," at 4G5, it appears Mac
Ere was married to a daughter of King Crimthann, and consequently grand-

people of Ara-Cliach, a place in Idrone, county Carlow.

father to St. Fiacc.

u

Inis-Fail.

Now

Begery, otherwise Beg-Erin,

a small island,

close

to

Wexford haven. Neither Colgan nor O'Donovan appears to have known

it was anciently called Inis-Fail, which was discovered by O'Curry ("Lectures," vol. i. p. 4S0, note 22). St. Jobhar, its bishop, was venerated on the
23rd of April, at which day the Calendar of the O'Clerys states that he died,
The Abbot Diarmaid died in SS4, and CrunnA.D. 500, when 104 years old.
mhael in 9G4. It was plundered in 819. " Four Masters."
1
Oentiles. The paragraph in parentheses was evidently added by the lecturer or transcriber, after S19, when Inis-Fail, or Beg-Erin, was plundered,

as stated in the preceding note.

=
Domnach-mor. Magh-Rechet, alias Magh-Riada, is stated by O'Donovan
A.M. 3,529, to be, according to Keating, in Laoighis, or Leix ; but, according to the Preface to the Feilire-Aenguis, its position is in Offaly ; and

:/;<

":;

Tripartite Idf*
of Magh-Beta),
;

cain,

if St.

Patrick

and they were on tbat Sunday building Rat]

the royal fort of the district.

troublesome, unless

'

Patrick Bent to prei enl

his,

but

Patrick said, " Its building shall be

no notice was taken thereof.

offering'

is

done

tin-re

every day."

te

also said

that the fort would not be inhabited, until the wind (gaeth) would

come from the lower part of

who
in

This was Gaithini, son of Cinaed,

hell.

rebuilt the fort in the time of

Fedhlimidh/ and of Conchobhar

Tara,

After that Patrick bad founded churches and establishments

Leinster, moreover, he left a blessing

in

upon Di-Cennselaigh, and

upon the Leinstermen all j and he afterwards ordained Fiacc Find

bishop of the province.

in Sleibhte, as

He

then went along Bealach Qabhran,* into the

district of

and founded churches and establishments there; and he

said that distinguished laics and clerics should be of them, and that
ory,

no province should have command over them, whilst they remained

obedient to Patrick.
Patrick took leave of them afterwards, and he
left

the relics of holy

place

men

where Martar-tech6

Conchind,

in

this

day

in

Magh-Boighne,

A.1

Druim-

Mairge, the cross-beam of Patrick's chariot broke,

when he was going

the Jniini.'

with the n, and some of his people, in the

is

It

to

broke

He made another of the wood of

He made one again, and

Munster.

immediately.

English Morctt, a manor in the barony of l'ortnahinch, in

the church of Cnil-Beannchoir, afta* White
Church. The ol.l Map of Leis, in the "Kilkenny Journal," shows that
Murct was near the border of Leis, in that part of Offaly, called L'lamnaiicr. ..:
which the O'Dempseys were chiefs. See " Book of Rights,* notes, pp. 192,
3 -lo.
There is no place in (Jlanmalier now incorporated in the hi
tnahinch, Queen's comity, named Domnach-mor, though, no d

DOW

called

in

the Queen's county, containing

it

lay in that territory.

There is no place called Bath-Baccain or Beggan in the

which was gran!
to the earli ol KiM-.ii-; but therein
townland named Hathmore in tin- adjoining pariah ami barony of Stradbally.

little

manor

of Morett,

to the south.

Fedhlimidh, son of Crimthann, Rang

<bhmm.Ante,
tar-tech i.e. " house
Druimie. dorsum, or

"

p.

of

Munster, oh. 847.

Citron. Scot

326.

of relies"

~>

9tH^sdP&^L,>
.

it

broke

Patrick said that there should never be any imple-

also.

ment made of the timber

for even a pin is not
is

made

of that wood, which has been fulfilled,

of

Patrick's Disert

it.

there, but it

is

waste.

Patrick went afterwards to the territory of Munster, to Cashel of

When

the Kings.

morning,

came to the

Aengus, son of Nadfraech, got up in the

their idols

all

were prostrate

and took them into the

And

day.

men

the

of

and Patrick and

fort, to

the place where Lee-Patrick

Munster

besides,

and

he blessed the

left

fort,

The learned

in Munster.

calculate

Cashel,

and said that only

And he was
that

on every seventh ridge that he traversed

through Aengus's

in Munster.

cessors 8

King

"

from

Patrick asked,

' :

Why

of the crozier

was

"Because," said he, " I thought

me?"

the faith."

foot.

You shall have

this

day forth

its

seven years

he made an offering

When Patrick was baptizing Aengus, the point

tell

is to-

a blessing and prosperity upon

i.e.

one race should be there for ever.

not

his people

Patrick after that baptized the sons of Nadfraech, and

And

them.

and he (Aengus) bade them welcome,

side of the fort,

it

it

was the rule of

reward," said Patrick

shall not die of

went

that you did

wounds."

"

your suc-

No one

is

of Cashel until Patrick's comarb ordains him, and imposes the

grade on him.

Patrick said

" The sons of Nadfraech, of sounding fame

Of them shall be kings and chieftains
Aengus, from the lands of Feimhen,

And

And

Ailill, his

brother."

twenty-eight kings, of the race of

Ailill

and Aengus, reigned

in Cashel, ordained with the crozier, until the time of Cenngegan. 9

Patrick went after this to Muscraidhe-Breogain, 1 and founded

churches and establishments there.

8

i.e. the descendants of Aengus and Ailill, sons of Nadfraech.

Cenngegani.e. Finghuiue. King of Cashel, slain, a.d. 897.
Muscraidhe-Breogain. This territory, otherwise called MuseraidheChuirc, from the family of O'Cuire, now Quirk, with that of the west of

9
1

Successors

Our day he was washing his hands iu a ford there, when a tooth
Patrick went upon the hillock
oat of his mouth into the ford.
to the north of the ford j and persona went from him to look for

fell

the tooth

and

the name of the ford, and

is

the church where Patrick

the tooth,

left

son

isthenai

and four of his

people!

Cuirethe

luillenn in

Cill fiacla5

aud Loscau, Cailech and Bedan. lie hade them

the Muscraidhe) farewell, and left them a blessing.
Be went afterwards to Aradha-Cfliach,8 until he was in [ochtar-

viz.,
.

in the lord like a

and forthwith the tooth glistened

Atli fiaclais

Cuanach; 4 and

sou of Cathbadh, son of

Ailill,

His wife
Eoghanacht of Airther-Oliach, met him.
went on the hillock where they (the clerics) were, and said " The
piga have eaten our Bon Ailill, through savageness," said she.

aidh. of the

And
r

Ailill said,

Patrick

"

will

commanded
D(

the

to

of his people,

i.e.

Malach

will not offend the Lord," said he.

Patrick said,

"That

-hall not be high

Feimhin, arc

pitiful,

is

son for me."

Britt, to resuscitate him.

(He was

seized

now included

in the

barony

"

with doubt.)

Malach; thy house on earth

thy house shall bo the house of one man."

nty of Tipperary." Book

of Clanwilliam, in the

of Rights," p. 4G.

fiachii OUlrfiada.Now Kilfeacle,

.

my

be collected, and he din

in the

His

south-west of

" Topographical rooms,"

barony of Clanwilliam,

Tipperary.

O'Donovan, comprised the

Ui-Cuanach (Coonagh), in tho

rding to
pariah of Kilteely, and the
east o Limerick, mentioned in next

of

*Iochtar-Cu

Cullen,

'

county Limerick, formerly extending into Qi-Cuanaoh, now

O'D novas "Topograonty,
lie barony of Coonagh, in the east of same
phical Poems") writes that Ui-Cuanach was part of AiaCliach.

of Clanwilliam,

De.- Dr. Reevi

Cnldeea" ("Transactions

in

of

his essay

"On

Royal

[riah

tlie

the Celi-de, commonly called

Academy," vol xxiv. p. 121),

name Cele'-De was equivalent to tl

Dti, conferred on those, in the early Church, who adopted the
This i- the earliest known application of
of tho monastic life.
observes, inconw
lent C'elcdc, which C
explains that the

in

Latin by

"'

p]

the

[riah

-T-Tffl

i,

^j f^iv.

farfi vYrfHi

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

!68
house
is

w^

in the north-eastern angle of the southern Deise

is

Cill-Malaich. 6

its

name

Five persons can never be supported there.

commanded Bishops Ibar and Ailbhe to resusThe boy was

The boy subseresuscitated through Patrick's prayers.

Patrick afterwards

boy

citate the

afterwards

and he prayed the Lord with them.

quently preached to the hosts and multitudes in Patrick's presence.

and

Ailill

and were baptized

believed,
four,

wife thereupon believed

his

in that place.

of Patrick, Ailbhe, Bishop Ibar,

i.e.

by the hand of the physician."

cures

Patrick forgave

whose name was Caencomhrac

fc;

was a bondman

And

the seat of the

Four persons
it.

One

of

is

said, "

His father

in

God

stole Patrick's

them was a

another was a carpenter

leech,

another

but the fourth was a groom, whose name was

Patrick called the latter, and blessed his hands, and told

Aedh.

him that
him

the Ui-Cuanach

and the young boy,

the place where the boy was resuscitated.

horses southwards.

all

and

name should be Lamaedh from

his

that day

and from

are the Lamhraighe.

It

was then that disease seized

that death was nigh unto her.

The woman answered, " An herb

the like of

it

shall die, or

on the earth

we

shall

both

AiliU's wife,

woman.

saw

in the air,

and

and

it

after
is

and

saw not

my womb

die, unless I taste that herb."

Patrick

" Like rushes," said the

Patrick thereupon blessed rushes,

with whole
Patrick

encknte, so

I shall die, or the being in

and

asked her of what kind was the herb.

apparently the same.

who was

Patrick asked what was the matter.

so that they were

The woman then ate them, and was forthsome time she gave birth to a son, and blessed

reported that Patrick said that

all

women who

should eat of this herb would be healed.

He
s

desired to remain

Cill-Malaich.

by the

side of Clar, 7 at the fort of Coirpre

There are several Kilmallocks in Limerick, and three

Kil-

south of Tipperary, but this appears to be Kihualoo, in the

parish of Kinsalebeg, in the south of the barony of Decies-within-Drum,
county Waterford, marked oil old maps as South Decies. It is in the diocese

maloges

in the

of Lismore.
'

Clar.

" Sliabh-Claire,

a considerable

hill,

ou which stands a remarkable

and Brocan, but he was nut permitted and Patrick said that there
never would be a king or bishop of the race of Colman, who
;

opposed him.

He

afterwards, and

[eft

would belong

also said that the place

man

to himself

of his people there, alter a long period,

i.6.

iVmhanof Cill-liath. 8
9
[bar then selected a place of residence in Grian, in Aiadha-

Cliach.

Dola opposed him.

if

there should be,

only for (the lives of) two or three.

(Dola's descendants)

removed

Patrick said that there would

a house of his (Dola's) there, or

to

This was

it

would bo

They

fulfilled.

1
Airther-Cliach, and Dal -Modola

name until this da)'.

Nena went to him (Patrick), who

is

their

said that he

refused to receive him, and

would not be prosperous. No successors of

his occupied

5
the place there since, but they are enslaved byMuscraighe Mittane.

"

Menraighe" they are

called.

As Patrick was leaving

this place, the

the

that

children they

women

of Grian

came

to

Patrick blessed them, and said

bewail his departure from them.

would bear to extern

tribes

would be

illustrious.

h, the tomb of Oilioll Olum, King of Minister in the third century,

situated a short distance to the east of the church of Dnntayleagne, in the
lianiny of Coshlca, and county of Limerick, and about three miles to tlio

north-wart of the village of Galbally."

O'Donovan,

"Four Masters,"

at A.D.

1600.
s Caemhan of Cill-Hath. This is probably Raheen, in the pariah of BallyIt is
scaddan, adjoining Knocklong, barony of Coshlca, county Limerick.
convenient to Sliabh-Claire, mar winch O'Flaherty, in his MS. notes to
Archdall, " lion. H3>." p. 1JI.
Colgan. wrote that Kilrath was situated.

Qriatt.

Now

Pallas Green,

of

the
in

church and pariah of Grcan, containing the town

the

baronies

of

Coonagh

and Clanwilliam,

Limerick.
i

There are two towulands named

Dal-Modola
of Coshma, county Limerick.

Delias, lurisb. of

Croone,

barony

Mittine. There

Muscraidhe, all in Mi
that of Mitainc, otherwise Muscraidlic-t'i Tliloinn, comprised fifteen pal
"
'
In the
B
of Right ." p. 42
in the north-west of the county Cork.
it it was in the barony of
"

were six

territories called

ry.

the county Cork.

Colgan

calls this place

alenrighe,

and says that

it

waa

in

/<

Patrick was in Aradha-Cliach, at TediP (the

When

"

was told to Patrick.

left

is

by

there]

Here

provided a banquet for him.

artists

no excuse.

"

is

where Lonan, son of Mac

and a man of Patrick's people was

pre-

Deacon Mantan.

came up

Go

to

blessed."

i.e.

to Patrick, to solicit food,

and would have

Lonan, and to Deacon Mantan, that they

relieve me," said Patrick.

banquet

he

are] in Cill-Tidil [were

Mullach-Cae, over against Carn-

paring the banquet along with the king,

band of

This

Patrick.

after this to Hy-Fidhgente, 4

Feradhaigh 5 on the south

may

hill).

their resurrection will be," said

Muin and Lomchu [who

true.

He went
Eire,

of a

sent for, and found asleep under a bush there.

They were
which

name

he was bidding farewell, two of his people remained behind.

Who

Then Patrick

said

answered, "No, until our

:

" The youth who comes from the north,

To him is vouchsafed the triumph

To Cothraige he comes,
With his little wether on his back."

3
Now the church and parish of Kilteely, in the baronies of Coonagh
Tedil.
and Smallcounty, in the east of county Limerick, forming part of the ancient
Ara-Cliach.
Colgan says SS. Mumis and Lomchuo were buried there, as also
seven bishops. Archdall ("Mon. Bib." 425) writes that the Knights Templars
had a church on an eminence in this place.
4
Hy-Fidhgente. This territory adjoined Ara-Cliach, from which it was
separated by the river Samhair, now the Morning Star. It lay in the south
O'Donovau, at 1560, writes that it was bounded on
of the county Limerick.
the north by the Shannon, on the south by Slieve Luachra, on the east by the
rivers Maigue and Morning Star, and on the west by Kerry.
5 Carn-Fcmdhaiyh.
Sliabh Cua, now Slieve Gua.-a. range of mountains in
the parish of Sheskinan, barony of Decies-without-Drum, county Waterford,
which county they separate from Tippcrary. The range is sometimes called
Knockmeilidown ("Four Masters," at 3790). O'Donovan, at a.m. 3656,
writes that Carn-Feredaigh is referred to in the Book of Lecan as on the
southern boundary of the territory of Cliu-Mail, and conjectures it to be the
ancient name of Seefin, barony of Coshlea, in the south of Limerick.
If this
is correct, Slieve Gua is too far distant, and Cae should be in or near Coshlea.
It is, possibly, the mountain called Knock-Cae, in the south of Ardpatrick
parish, not far from Seefin.

**
>

'

te

>

--

Tr^.urdt,

T=

y7

life of St. Patrick.

4 :

At that vary time came another youth,

attended by his mother,
her back a oooksd wether to the king's
Bupper!

carrying on

Patrick begged of him to giro him the

wether, to

The son

at

once gave

it

cheerihlly,

saw

bis honor.

though the mother was unwill-

ing to do so, through Fear of the king.

Patrick gave the food to
the pavers; and immediately the earth
swallowed them. Derc, son
of Scirire, of the southern Desi, was their
chief; and Patrick
there would not be a king, or heir apparent, or
bishop of his famih

Lonan for ever j and he assured Mantan,the deacon,

that

of

his

church would not be exalted on earth, but should

be the abode of
Iregs of the people, and that swine and
siheep would
ti

on his ,,wn remains

but to Neesan,

who had Baved bis hon

he should be honored among the nations. And

promised that
he
baptised him, ordained him deacon, and founded for him
a church,
i
Mnngarit." His mother excused herself, and
he said she Bhould
not be buried in her son's church. This came
to pass, for
.

her

grave

is

to the west of Mungarit,

and the

bell of the great

church

not heard in that place; they arc almost together,

only separated

is

by

a wall.

The men of north

fleets

mor

.Minister, to the north of Luimnech, went

in
of boats to meet Patrick, southwards as far
as Domhnach-

of ofagh-Aine,

..

and he baptized them

to Dun-Nocfene, then and

in

Tir-glass, 8 to

now

bo called;

the south-east of

it.

II

Family.Ltmat

is added in a gloss, .19 the tribe

name of the family.
Mungarit. Now Mungrett, about three miles south-west of
Limerick.
an, who died a. 1.. 651, was venerated hero on the 2oth of July;
St
Toman, on the 26th of same month and 8t. Mblua, on the 21st
of December

and

ol

its

Masters record the death of several of its

abbots and
devastations by the Danes. A portion

remains.
Tbr gbu$.~ XowTerrj-.pl.-i-.
on the east side of

still

Lough Dcrg, in the barony

Lower Ormond, county Tipperary. The abbey here
was founded by st
Colum, son of Xinmdh, of the race of king
Oathaoir Iffor, who died 13th
lb -r, 548, on which day his festival was
kept as also the abb
Nathcheimhe, brother of St. Kevin of Olendaloch,
who died
and st. Aidhbe, who was aUo bisho,., on 24th May. The
of

deaths of

their successors,

and tho burnings

of the abbey, arc given in the Annalists

afterwards went to Finnine, to the north-west of Domhnach-mor, a

from which he could see the country to the north of Luimnech,

hill

when he gave

men

a blessing to the

gone with a profusion of

gifts to

of north Minister,

who had

meet Patrick.

Cairthend, 9 son of Blat, the senior of the Glann-Toirdhelbhaigh,

him

believed in the Lord, and Patrick baptized

No

Victor).

It

(i.e.

which was on

and he formed a

clot of

his (Eochu's) body, as a sign of that miracle.

Patrick himself did not go into the country, but he saw from

about Luimnech to the west, and to the north

and

listrict

was then that Eochu Ballderg2 was born

Patrick that procured this

to Cairthenn.
gore,

Sangul

children were born to Cairthenn, except deformi-

up to that time.

ties,

at

went to converse with him that day, and not

different angel that

its islands,

and prophesied of the

him

and he blessed the

saints

who would

appear in them, of their names, and the time in which they would
"

come.

mouth

who

it,

The green

of the sea
will

island in the west," said Patrick,

the lamp of the people of

be the head of counsel to this

Inis-Cathaigh, 3 six score years from this."

He

son of Dubhthach.)

He

west Munster.

was

to be born

God

shall

district,

i.e.

" in the

come into
Senan of

(Senan, son of Gerrgenn,

did not go across Luachair, 4 indeed, into

prophesied of Brenainn, son of Ua-Altae,

120 years

after,

which was

who

fulfilled.

Patrick then went into the southern Desi and set about building

Cairthend.

Cairtlien

Finn, son of Bloid, eighth in descent from Oliol]

Olum, was ancestor of Brian Boroimhe and the O'Briens of Thornond.

1
Sangul.
A play upon the words Sain-aingel, "particular angel."

See

ante, p. 333.

Eochu BaUdcrr/.~Eocha.h\h Balldearg (Eochy of the Bed Spot) was

Eochy was father of St. Brecan of Ara, who,
eldest son of Cairthenn Finn.
Colgan says, was venerated on 12th October; but the Calendar of the O'Clerys
Dimma Dubh, Bishop of Connor, whose
assigns 1st May as his festival.
festival was held on the 6th of January, was son of Aenghus, brother of this
5

Eochy, the son of Cairtlien Finn.

3
hm-Catliaigh, Now Scattery island, in the river Shannon.
4 Luachair.
Now Slieve-Logher, a range of mountains, which divides the
county of Limerick from Kerry, and extends into Cork. For a full descrip-

tion, see O'Curry's

5

Dcsi.

This

is

"Battle of Magh-Lena,"

p. 24.

Deis-Beag, mentioned in the "Four Masters" at 1500 and

^M-r/a

s^b
*

cam

..^~

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

a

church

and the

in

Ard-Patrick

Dsrball said to

l'era

and Lee-Patrick (Patrick's

that

Patrick,

.Maighe Peine, 7

the mountain, and

the pass which

"If you would

would

to the south, in

'

was melted

When

there.

is

is

the

the

name
name

of
of

the mountain began to

whatever he (Patrick) did would be of

Patrick said to Derball, "There shall be no king nor

use.

bishop of your family, and

ster to

it

Cenn-Ablirat s

lielie\ e."

Belach-Legtha (melted pass)

dissolve, Derball said that

no

remove that mountain

could sec l.nch-Lunga across

flag) is there,

Derball, son of Aedh, opposed him,

limits of his church.

there, |0

47:1

plunder you

all

it

be allowable to the

will

men

of Mini-

every seventh year for ever, as bare as a

leek."

As Patrick was
the country,
his arrival,

in

the district of the Desi, awaiting the king of

Fergair, son of Rossa, Patrick said to him, after

i.e.

"How slowly you come!"

you

for ever.

What

delayed you to-day

rain delayed us," said the king.

for ever," said Patrick.

of

"The country is rough"

Mac

"

[said

" There shall be no king from

"True, indeed," said Patrick.

he].

'('

asked Patrick.

Your meetings

Patrick's well

is

Clairidh, one of Patrick's people.

there,

shall

and

And

"

The

be showery

also the church

assemblies are not

and which O'Donovan showa to be a territory lying nrouml the hill of

Knockany, and containing Brugh-na-DeUe, now the town of Bruff, barony of
Coshma, county Limerick. He quotes an extract from a historical tale in the
Book of Leinster, where the hero Cuchullin is introduced as standing on the
top of Knockany, near Bruff, and thus points out the mountains and other
features of the country to his tutor, Laigh " Say, my tutor Lnigh, dost thou
know what territory we are in 1" " I know not indeed." " I know then, " said
Cuchullin: " Ceann-Abhrat Sleibhe-C'aiu, this [mountain] to the south
mountains of Eibhlinni, these to the north the river of Luimncach is that
bright river which thou seest Druim-Collchoilli is this on which wo are,
which is called AiniCliach, in the territory of Deis-Beg; to the south of us is
1580,

the

army

in

Cliu-Mail-mic-Ugaine,

in

the land of Curoi,

son

of

Dari."

Slieve Eibhlinni extended from near Roscrea to the north-eastern boundary of

Limerick:

Aril-Palri-k.'Sow a church and parish in the barony of Coshlca, south

It has round tower.
Frra-Mn-jht-Feine.
Now the barony of Fermoy, county Cork.
Q nn-Abhrat. One of the Ballybowra mountains, county Cork.

of county Limerick.
'

held by the Dcsi except at night, because Patrick

upon them, for

it

left

was towards night they went

that sentence

Patrick

to him.

then cursed the streams of that place, because his books were
drowned in them, and the fishermen gave his people a refusal.
Patrick said that they would not be fruitful, and that there would
never be any mills upon them, except the mills of strangers, not-

He

withstanding their great profusion up to that time.

the Suir, moreover, and the country around
fish,

except the places where those streams

and

(glaise)

it

is

blessed

fruitful in

flow into

it.

9
Patrick went into Muscraighe-thire, to baptize, and to preach

and plant the

men

faith there.

of power, Furic,

Forat, son of Conla.

He met

three brothers of that nation,

and Muinnech, and Mechar, the sons of

Muinnech believed at once, and Patrick

baptized and blessed him, and said that illustrious heroes and
clerics

should descend from him for ever

and that the chief king-

ship of his country should be [filled up] from

him

for ever, as the

poet said

"Muiunech

the Great believes

In Patrick, before all
That there might be over his country
Chieftains of his race for ever.

" Mechair believed,

For he was a true, just man.
Patrick gave him a lasting blessiug
The companionship of a king.
'
'

Fuirec, the furious

man,

Opposed, though he was hoary and old

His ultimate fate, after this world,
Is not to be deplored.

" When Cothraige imposed

A tribute

(cain)

upon noble

Eri,

On the host of this island

He conferred a lasting blessing.
8 Muscraighe-thtre.

This was the

ancient

name

Upper and Lower Ormond

of the district

now

coin-

north of the county

of Tipperary, and contained the churches of Cill-Cheire (Ivilkeary, near the
town of Nenagh), and Leatracha (Lattcragh, about eight miles south of the
prised in the baronies of

same town).

in the

^i^ra|
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick

475

'Choice was this bleating

Which he oonferred seven-fold
( In each one who
would olwervo
His plain rale, liis law.

Whoever would disobey

The noble, just rale,
Should not see him, he
In the region of the

said,

.saints.

Patrick's coin in great Minister

Was

imposed on each family,

Until Dnngalach violated

[Who
'

was]

thi

ol

it,

e of r'.ull.h

1.1.

Elans.

Dungalaoh, son of Faelghus,

Grandson of just Nadfraech,

Was

the

who

first

transgressed

Patrick's cain from the beginning.

liR
71',',
'

It is related in histories,

know

All ages

That

it,

his Buccessorship is not found

Iu Cashel of the Kings.

'

'

'

'

There is not of his progeny

(Though he won battles)

noble bishop, or herenagh,

prince, or a sage.

Saergns the Young, also

Violated the

COM he had adopted,

For the vehement Dnngalach,

"

It is

seen that illustrious mi a

Arc not
If

of his

Be found

Now,
ster,

after that Patrick

Judgment oon

till

had founded

and had ordained persons

persons,

wondrous family;

there are now, they will not

and resuscitated the dead,

his blessing with them.

He
telcha)

and churches

lie

and healed

in

if

Mini-

all

bade them farewell, and

then went to Brosnacha, and the

of .Minister followed after him, as

households (hillocks?

cells

for every grade,

sick
left

men

with one accord: and their

followed them, to go alter Patrick.

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

476

Patrick thereupon blessed the households (hillocks

?),

and they

remained in their places.

Where

the

women, was
seeing

him

resuscitated

men

of Munster overtook Patrick, men, youths,

at Brosnacha,

hence

it

when they

called Brosnacha. 1

is

was here Patrick

It

Fot, son of Derad, a Munsterman,

twenty-seven years dead.

It

was

and

raised great shouts of joy at

here, too,

who had been

he blessed the banquet

2
of the youth at Craibhecha, with Bishop Trian, a pilgrim of the

Komans, by which the men of Munster were

He

saints of Eri besides.

ster,

and gave them

'
'

satisfied,

again bade farewell to the

his blessing, saying

men

and the
of

Mun-

A blessing on the men of Human,

Men,

sons,

women.

blessing on the land

That gives them food.

A blessing on all treasures
Produced upon the plains.
A blessing upon Munster.
A blessing on their woods,

And

on their sloping

plains.

A blessing on their glens.

A blessing on their hills.
As

the sands of the sea under ships

So numerous be their homesteads,

In slopes, in plains,
In mountains, in peaks.

A blessing."

Brosnacha. This shows that Colgan was wrong in placing Brosna in Mun
There are two rivers and a small village named Brosna, in King's county,
the larger one rising at Bunbrosna, in Westmeath, and traversing the latter fitteen or sixteen miles in a westerly direction to the Shannon, which it joins at
Shannon Harbor. The little Brosna rises near the village of that name, in the
parish of Kilmurray, to the east of Shinrone, runs a few miles northwards to
Parsonstown, forming the boundary between King's county and Tipperary to
1

ster.

entrance to the Shannon. The village is said to derive its name from the Irish
word brosna, a faggot, or bundle of sticks, but this Life gives a different and
more ancient derivation from the word brosnugad, an incentive or excitement.
its

Bishop Trian. He

is

said to

have lived at a place called Craibhech.

There

a place called C'reevagh in the parish of Clonmacnois, King's county, and a

Creeve in the parish of Ardnurcher, or Horseleap, in the south of Westmeath,
both of which lie near the northern Brosna river.

is

,ii(

iiiii,ii(i|i|i|i,i|.ip,iP|.iii

ii'i^r

i*i-*rm

4>i

Patrick afterwards went to the territory of ll\ Failge, and Foilgo

1

Berrad 4 boasted that,

'V

he met Patrick, he

if

revenge of the idol Genn Ctuaoh; for

it

was

would

this that

him, in

kill

was a god to

Foilge.

This boast of Foilgo was kept back from Patrick by his

people.

One day Odran, 5

charioteer, said to Patrick, " Since

liis

have been B long time driving for you,

chief seat

Patrick

for

did

this

through Odran,
Patrick.

"

in

Upon

replied Patrick.

*Hy-fuUge.

the

you the

15c

this

of

charioteer,

()

came,

Foilge

guiso

mo

Patrick.

who
"

dealt

My

the tree of Bridatn,"' said Odran.

died at

Foilge

Foilge Ross, indeed,

rs

day.

After

so.

Patrick, let

This

it is

his children

territory,

present baronies ol Ophaley

King's and Queen's counties.

once,

before

and went to

who

It

father!"

a thrust

curse,"

"Be

said

it

hell.

so,"

As

to

arc in the district at this

English

the

(Ui-Failge), county

take the

invasion, comprised th-

and parts of the

obtained the name from Ros Faiigo (Ross of
ECildare,

King of Lainster and Monarch of Ireand from him ware descended the great families
O'Conor Faly, O'Dempsey of Claumalier, and O'Dnnne of Regan. "Book
Rights" pp. 198, 21i>.

the Kings, eldest son of Cathaoir Mor,

land,
of
of

who was

Fotigt

II-

slain A.n. 122),

md. Colgan,

in his Latin edition, writes, otherwise Fail

being his intention to show that ho was of the race of Ros Failge, as li
tions his noble descendants the O'C'onors in his note.
The name Failge Berrad
it

does not occur in the right line of the O'Conor Faly pedigree, but he is mentioned by the same name by the Funi- Blasters, at a.i>. 501, as bavin
Kiacha, son of Xiall, at tho battle of Freamhain, now tho hill of Frewin, in
the townland of Wattstown, parish of Portlenou, county Westmeath.
was probably the Bruidhe of the O'Conor pedigreo, the great grandson of
Failge

II

Boa

a.d. 648, Cillene, son of Forannan, the fourth in descent from Bruide,

and lord of Ui-Failge, was

Eviu,

slain.

the saint, calls him St. Odran, of D

There are nine Saints Odran in O'Cler
in, in his note on the parallel
lendar, but none of them refer to II
B of a
passage in the Fourth Life, quotes a passage from Fen
iran, martyr and disciple Of St. Patrick, as venerated on the 9th of the
6

Odran.

Odhrain, ot

1!

in his Life of
i.

kalends of November. Archdall conjecture<l >i-i rti Idhrain to lie Tir-Oanaiohs

in the Queen's county, where his festival was held on the 10th February.
' Britlam. Called by Colgan, Bridamh, signifying "the hill of the oxeD,"
the name of a hill over a stream called the Bnainin, in tho parish and baron}
of Oeshill, Queen's county.
It was the site of several battles, recorded by tho
I-Miir Masters, at a.m. ,'i"jn|
and v.p B98; and Reeves' "Adamnau," note r,
1

p.

42.

mu.

day

and Patrick blessed him, 7 and from him

the district

On

the sovereignty of

is

filled for ever.

ne occasion, as Patrick was going the way of Midluachair, 8 in

order to come to Uladh, he met carpenters cutting

down trunks

of

yew.

Patrick saw their blood ooze from their palms in the opera-

tion.

"

Whence

are ye

?"

said Patrick.

to Trian, 9 son of Fiac, son of

and

are in subjection

sharpen our axes

and more

Amalgad,

affliction, so

(irons), in

difficult, so

much

order that

"

We

are slaves belonging

who
we are not allowed to
our work may be the heavier
i.e.

brother to Trichem,

so that

that blood flows from our hands."

Patrick

blessed the irons, so that they could easily cut with them; and he

went

He

morrow from the

returns on the

the rock which was there on his way, so that

See ante, 340.

The Four Masters, at

'

Blessed him.

Midluachair.

He

Patrick fasts on him. 1

to the king, to Trian's fort.

obeyed.

fort.
it

He

dis-

spat on

broke into three

p.

A. D. 123,

record that in that year were

discovered five principal roads leading to Tara, of which Slighe-Midhluachra

was one.
O'Douovan, in his note, writes that it is often mentioned as a road
leading into the north of Ireland, but that its exact position has not been

determined.

It is also

mentioned at a.d. 1101; and from several writers it

Down. In the " Ulster Journal of

plainly extended into the present county

Archaeology, " there

where Kiluasagart
is

really the
*

Trian.

This

Amalgad appeals

is

is

Moyra

an

article

pedigree agrees with

to be a

Fasts on him.

others given

mistranscript for Imchadh.

brother of Dichu, St. Patrick's

tion to the

on the Kiluasagart stone aud inscription,

said to be close to the Slighe-Midluachra.

The

Slighc

Pass, between Dundalk and Newry.

first

This curious statement

Brehon Laws

of

Ireland"

by Colgan, only that

Trian was therefore

convert.

(vol.

i.

is

fully explained in the

p. xlvi).

" The

"Introduc-

plaintiff or creditor,

having first given the proper notice, proceeds, in the case of a defendant or
debtor not of chieftain grade, to distrain. If, however, the defendant or debtor
were a person of chieftain grade, it was necessary not only to give notice, but
also to 'fast upon him.' This fasting upon him consisted in goiug to his resiIf the plaintiff did
dence, and waiting there for a certain time without food.
not within a certain time receive satisfaction for his claim, or a pledge therefor, he forthwith, accompanied by a law-agent, witnesses, and others, seized
The distress when seized was in certain cases liable to a 'stay'
his distress.
(anadh), which was a period varying according to fixed rules, during which
the debtor received back the distress, and retained it in his own keeping, the
The further proceedings up to and iu case of
creditor having a lieu upon it."
forfeiture are also fully explained.

z^^$m>
?
t~

g-.g?

Tripartite Life of s7. Patrick,

-

pieces

one third part was

cast to a distance of

one thousand paces.

Patrick Baid, "Two-thirds of the fast on the rock, another third ou

the fort and king, and on the district.

There

roydamhna of the children of Trian.

He

go down to a bitter

hell."

himself,

and

shall

womb, and the beings

blessed her

and

afterwards.

who

the slaves
chariot,

Trena

is its

that lake

death,

name.

till

On

i.e.
i.e.

and Patrick

it,

said that he

Patrick

would be

His horses bore him

This was his last

the vespers of judgment

went

his suc-

fall.
;

and

Cuill, 3

that time

at

who was

off

in

He
it

will not arise

will

the

Loch-

into the lake.

There was a certain wicked man

Magh-lnis,

Mac

knelt.

Setna, 2 son of Trian,

i.e.

Trian himself proceeded to bind and maltreat

reported him.

ness even then.

Uladh,

in

his driver, so that they

and

wife of the king

Sechnall that baptized Setna, Patrick

Iarlaid, son of Trian.

that baptized Iarlaid.

The

She performed penance and

following r.itiick.

King nor

will not be a

shall die prematurely

out of

not he to happi-

in the

country of

an impious man, and a son

of

plundering and killing the people.

one occasion Patrick and his companions passed by him a

certain day,

(Mac

and he desired

to

Cuill) said to his followers:

kill

Patrick.

"Behold the

This

is

taiicenn

what he
and

false

became a biihop, and, according to the Calendar

He an.l his twin-brother,
was venerated on the Kith June.
whose life Colgan given, at February 11, .St. Jarlath, were born at Rath/Frena,
Dal-Fiatach.
Colgan writes St. Jarlath
r.f the noble and ancient family of the
was born in the eastern parts of Ulster, and quoting Jocelyn. who writes it
i
Mi'l-rnia, he corrects it to Mudorna, which Karris, in his edition
Ware's "Bishops,' writes Was tie- present barony of Motirne, in the South of
not
obtain
that
says
barony
did
name
till
that
O'Donovan
the county Down.
the twelfth century, and that St. Jarlath was bora in Oemorne (Crichmudhorna), county Monaghan but there is no record of the Dal -I-'iatach beiug
their country being tho present county Down.
chiefs or lords in Monaghan
Dimdrine is at present in [veagh, but that name was not imparted to that territory till long after St. Patrick's time ; but the name of the district iu which
it lay was TJacthar, as appears by the grant of James I. to Phelnmy IS*
of the Castlewellan estate, and which shows that Oachthar-Thire extend
.as S1k veiialioley, and was not confined to the districts from Magheracat (now Clough) to Maghera, as supposed by U'Douovan in his note at A.D.
104&

in

Setna, son of Tren,

of the O'Clerys,

<

~~

Mae

I'avl.

Bei

ante,
\

*Wti

jm*l

who

prophet,

everyone

deceiving

is

an attack on him, to see

what they planned afterwards

This

is

on a

bier, as if dead, to

P&tri&k

God

" Cure," said they to Patrick, " our

and make

arise

will assist him."

to bring one of their people

his

body and over

companion

for us,

My debroth," said Patrick,

would not wonder

Garban was the name

man and
;

lie

it is

of

from

him Patrick

will

be under

his face, so that

and then

mute,

believed at once.
in

he were dead."
said

the covering of a dead body

Garban who

said,

a cot of one hide,

covering of Garban shall

tell

you more,

is

man

believed also

by the command of

however, went that very day on

Magh-Inis, until he reached

of

God

in

Manann

Manann, and

and

sea,

persons before him on the island.

word

of God."

it is

It

they took him

off

When

the sea;

They

all

and he went on sea

his right

Mac Cuill,

hand towards

and he found two venerable

was they who preached the

through their teaching that the

those

men saw Mac

their

names are

Cuill in his cot,

they received him kindly; and he

learned the divine knowledge with them, and spent his whole time

with them, until he got the episcopacy of the place after them.
This

is

Mac

Cuill, of

holy favor assist

Mann, famous bishop and abbot.

May

his

us.

One time Patrick slept on a Sunday, on a hill over the sea, at

Drombo, when he heard the noise of gentiles digging a rath on the
Sabbath.
He called them, and told them to cease. They heeded
him not, but began to mock him. And Patrick said, " My debroth,
your labor

shall not profit you."

M
I

Garban was

Patrick.

people of that island wore baptized, and believed

Coninnri and Eomael.

it is

They afterwards became

it so.

" Truly this

Quill

"The

" I

of the

His friends removed the covering

it."

they found

Mac

but I shall

awakened from death through the prayers of Patrick.

'*.

his face.

and beseech

your God to awake him from death." "

if

be resuscitated by Patrick, and to deceive

and they threw a cover over

us

let

perhaps his

if

This was

fulfilled

for

following night a great tempest arose and destroyed their

on the

wor

according to the word of Patrick.

Patrick said to Eochaidh, son of Muiredach, that there should

m
ill

'Ms

king from him, nor enough of his race to constitute an

or

army

and dispersed
meet a

tragic

but that his tribe would be

in Ulster,

own

that his

fate.

life

would be

short,

and that he would

This was the cause

Patrick

had against

Two

who had

offered their

Bochaidh, as the learned say

virgins,

virginity to the Lord, he bound and sent on the waves to be

drowned, as they refused to adore idols and to marry. When

Patrick
vain.

me

heard this, he besought the Icing regarding them, but in

'-Your brother Cairell' has got thy luck since he granted

a good request," said Patrick,

your disobedience,

"and you have

lost it tin

and there

lie (C'airell) shall be a king,

shall

be kings and chiefs of his race over your children, and over

him sprung the

lister;" so that of

Deman, 6 son of

of Patrick.

race of kings,

son of Muiredhach, according to the words

Cairell,

illustrious son,

whom

Patrick

Cairell.

womb,

i.e.

He

the excellent

He

Domangart, the son of Eochaidh.

left in his

Cairell,

all

his son

ichaidh's wife cast herself at the feet of Patrick.

baptized her, and blessed the child in her

and

and of

it

body, and he will be there for ever.

brother of Eochaidh, reigned over Uladh, and died

was

He

A. n.

when he was succeeded by another Eochaidh, of the Clanna Bury, from

whom descended St Fergus, Bishop of Down, who died 30th March, 683
626,

"Ada

88."

p.

7'M), the

Deman. He reigned

founder of Cill-m-Bian.

and was slain a.d. 665, by the

either the Burren near Dromon, or adjoining
death
was
he
succeeded
wullan.
by his brother Baodan, who n
twenty years, and died 4.1). 5S5. Reeves' " Down." p. 353.
6 Domangart, the son
of Eochaidh. This was St Domangart, or tonard, from
whom Slieve Donard, county Down, is named, where he had a church, as also
6

rds of Boirinn

On

fourteen years,

his

comity Down,

of

gives his
cairn

marks the

Castlen

which he was bishop, the entire parish being still sec lands.
life at 24th March, he having died on that day, a.d. 606.
a

site ol

of the other, "with the

also

now Maghera, between Newcastle and

at Bath-Mnrbhuilg,

li,

stump

of a

The remains
Maghera.
8t,
the Culdce, she was

about half-way up.

are

still

in

therwaa Derinilla, and, accord

mother of St. Mura, of Pahan, in rniahowen; St Mochumma,
'

and, besides others,

in,

St

BaHykinler strand, and

of Druiinlc ;

Cillen, of Achadhcail, in Lecale, besido the estuary of

the site of whose church in Ballykinlcr

is

now

called nollyglinny.

]-=bi^: *Z~-~ZrviS ^L?0

is still

to be seen, adjoining

482

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

turned back to the Fera-Boss, 7 and commenced a church in Druim-

Mor, 8

in the territory of Eoss, over Cluain-Cain.

angel went to him, aud said,

"It

is

It

was here the

not here you have been

" Pass on
" Where shall I go 1" said Patrick.
" The cluain below is
Macha northwards," said the angel.
" Be its name Cluain-Cain " (fair cluain),
fairer," replied Patrick.

destined to stay."
to

"

answered the angel.

and

occupy there,

pilgrim of the Britons shall come and

shall

it

be yours afterwards."

" Deo graUas

Where Patrick went then was to Ard-Phadraig, 9

on the east of Lughmadh, and he proposed to build an establishment there. The Dal-Eunter 1 went after him, to keep him, as one
presented him to another. He blessed them afterwards, and proago," said Patrick.

phesied that distinguished chiefs and clerics should be of them, and

that they should have possessions outside their territory, because

they went forth out of their

own country

after him.

Patrick used

7 Fera-Iioss.
Colgan calls them the people of Fer-ross, a territory which
extended into the barony of Farney, in the south of county Monaghan, and
part of the present county Louth (Shirley's " Farney," p. 2).
An abbey was
founded here, called Kill-Rois, by Adamnan, the obits of two of -whose priors
are recorded at a.d. S25 and S45 ; and a church called, in Pope Nicholas's Taxation of 1306, Ecclesia de Eos, the name of which is preserved in the parochial
title, Magheross, and the town of Carrickmacross lying in it.
s

Druim-Mor.

Colgan,

Druim-Mor was
The Four
Masters, at A.D. SOS, call this Druim-Caradh of Ard-Oianachta, which O'Donovan, in his notes, writes, is now Drumcar, a townland in a parish of the same
Lruitn-Ckaradh,

in his notes, p.

in the diocese

of

185, writes that

Armagh aud county Louth.

name, in the barony of Ferrard, county Louth.

tifies

O'Donovan, at A.D. S36, iden-

meadow," as does Dr. Beeves

47), as Clonkeen, in the barony of Ardee, county

Cluain-Caein, "the beautiful lawn or

("Adamnan," note

c,

p.

Louth.

Ard-Phadraig. Ardpatrick lies about a mile to the east of Louth,

where St. Mochta afterwards founded his monastery. It was afterwards
annexed to St. Golumba (Reeves' "Adamnan," pp. 7 and 4C1), and was a ruin
in Usher's time.

s
Dal-Runter. This family is called Mocuruntir, rccte Mac-TJi-Runtir in
" Adamnan," ch. xviii., where it is stated St. Golumba ordered one of his
monks, named Trenan, of this tribe, to proceed on a mission to Ireland. The
Book of Armagh states that the three magi who opposed St. Patrick were
members of it, and it appears the locale of the family was at Clonkeen, in Fer.

Ross.

Reeves'

"Adamnan,"

p. 47.

to

come every day from the

east,

from Axd-Phadraig, and Mochta5

used to oome from the west, from Lughmadh, that they might contogether every day at Leac-Moctae.
placed an epistle between them.

what was

in it

was

One day

"Mochta, the devoted, the

be in the place he has taken."

the angel

read the epistle, and

Patrick

believing, let

him

Patrick goes by the order of his

king to smooth Maeha, and he assigned the twelve lepers

left in

Axd-Phadraig to Mochta, and their food used to bo given to them

Patrick went afterwards to the

each night by Mochta.

by order of the angel, to a place where Kath-Daire

this day.

is

There was a certain prosperous and venerable person there.

was

his

name,

/.<

>aire,

Patrick asked for a site for his regies from him.

What

place do

Patrick,

you

sou of Finchad, son of Eogan, son of

desire

where Ardmacha

N iallan,

Daire answered,

" In this great hillock below.

?"

" I will not give

to-day.

is

it,"

said

Daire, " but I will give you a site for your regies in the strong

rath below,"

where the ferta are to-day.

aire's

were brought to him, to his

Patrick became very angry.

told this to Daire, saying

expel

this,

and ordered

him from

his place,

regies, for

The horses died

"That

was

the

at once.

>teeds of

was

rclig

grassy.

His servant

in his regies."

his servants to

the ferta.

ije.

founded a

Christian," said he, "killed your

use they ate the grass that

angry at

Patrick

One day two

church there, and remained a long time.

immediately, so that death was near him.

J >aii

plunder the
colic seized

cleric,

and

on Daire

His wile recalled the

plunder of Patrick, and told Daire that the cause of his death was
the attack on Patrick.
for Daire,

She sent messengers

from Patrick.

Patrick

said:

to

beg prayer-water

"Only

for

what the

lie was a

native of Britain, ami landed at Oimath, on the

lie founded tin ibfcey of
of Louth, witli twelve followers,
0*1
bishop
in
called a
:

Mochta.

The Annals of
the episcopal order.
doubt as to w
record his death at a.d. 534, and Colgan has his acts incorrectly at 24th March.
Before his death he received the Holy Viaticum from St. Daigh of lni.-k.ecii,
in note under Druim-Mor.
Reeves " Alamnan." p. 7, and Lanigan.
3
Daire. Sec ante, [>. 349, for identifications and other details.
I

?53

woman

has done, there would never be any resurrection from

death for Daire."

Patrick blessed the water, and gave

servants, with orders to have

Daire. 4

They did

death.

servants
little

all

" Deo gratias," said Patrick.

what Patrick

said.

to the

returned from

offering,

offer-

Daire asked his

They answered, " Graizicum."

reward for a good

He

Daire.

and immediately they

so,

it

sprinkled over the horses and over

brazen cauldron was brought to Patrick, as an

ing from Daire.

is

it

" This

and a good cauldron," said

" Deo

ordered his cauldron to be brought to him.

Daire asked what Patrick said when they

gralias," said Patrick.

The servants answered " It

when we were bringing it away from
him Graizicum." " This is a good word with them, this Gratzicum,"
said Daire ; " Graizicum, when giving it to him, and Graizicum when
taking it away from him." Daire and his wife then went with
were bringing the cauldron from him.

was the same thing he

his submission to Patrick,

back again, and the

cepted,

hill

in the place
kill

and consecrate

to-day,

ibi

and Patrick

ac-

in that place called

hill

magna

mark out

They found

it.

where the Sabhall

out of the

it
is

it,

Prohibuit

it.

is

to-day,

and

its

boundaries,

a doe, with

its

his people

Patricius, et dixit, " Serviat sibi poslea,"

fawn,

went

to

and sent

northward, to the place where Telac-na-licce 5

mirabilia fecit.

4 Daire.
The upper part
This is the subject of the illustration at p. 393.
in
represents the donation of the land for the church of Armagh by Daire.
the next compartment is shown the site marked out where the fawn was

found

and below Daire

is

seen lying on his death-bed, and about to be

sprinkled with the holy water sent by the saint.

ground outside.

The dead horses

are

oil

the

In an Inquisition taken at Armagh, 9th September, 1G33,

now absorbed in the corporation, and being placed
group
with
the Desert, as parcel of Knockadreeiue, the ancient
in the same
name of the hill on which uow stands the new Catholic cathedral it was
most liVely the hill a little further north, over which the old road passed to
5

this

Telac-na-licce.
is

If,

Patrick and his divines, and Daire, with the nobles

of Airther besides, came to the hill to

to bless

if

and gave Patrick the cauldron willingly

which he before asked

and blessed them, and founded a church

Ard-Macha.

and

said

called Tullyleckeny,

:?

X**.

l-'-

...

4S5

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

Daire's daughter4 loved the person

Bound of
died of

his voice in chaunting.

Benen

sweet to her was the

Disease Beized her, so that she

Benen carried mini to her from Patrick, and she

She is
alive, and loved him spiritually.

it.

suddenly afterwards arose

Ercnait, the daughter of Daire,

One time

there

who

is

in

Tamlaght-ho.

7
came nine daughters of the King of tho Longhards,

and the daughter of the King of Britain, on a pilgrimage

iIk (alien or Geary's bridge,

to Patrick

between Tullyelmer and Drumcairn, leading

to

a townland named Longstono adjoining the right of

tho lunatic asylum, a little to the north of Armagh, which may be the place
here called Tclae-na dicce, "the hill of the stones."
Daire s daughter. Met name was Ercnait.
Alter a long li
(

There

harlemont

devotion,

is

she died, and

was buried

now Tamlaght,

at Tamlaght-bo,

in

the

church which Bhe had

founded, and where her memory was observed on her festival, the 8th of
January (Beeves' "Churches of Armagh," p. 12). So Dr. R< evi writes but
the Calendar of the O'Clerys gives Eargnat, Virgin, of Dun-da-en, in DalAraidhe, signifying, according to Joyce (" Origin and History of Irish Names,''
p. 266), "the fortress of the two birds," now the parish of Duneane, county
A trim. Her story is thus told in the Calendar of the 0'( lerys, when ti
of St. Benignasor Benen, at 9th November: "The holy Benen was Irenign,
WM devout ; he was a virgin, without ever defiling his virginity for *
was psalm-singer at Ard-Macha, along with his master, St Patrick, Ercnait,
daughter of Daire, loved him. And she was seized with a disease, so that she
died suddenly; and Benen brought consecrated water to her from Patrick,
:,,

to the north wi

oi

Armagh,

in the

ii

alive and well, and she loved him

;
and she subsequently went to Patrick, and
and she olfcred her virginity afterwards to God, so that
heaven and the name of God, of Patrick, and of Benen was mag-

and he shook

it

upon her, and she arose

spiritually afterwards
all

her sins to him

she went to

through it"
Longbards. Montssin was the name of the King of Britain's daughter.
Tho question of the Longobards having settled in western Europe as early as
lol
in and O'Flaberty
the time of Patrick, has been much di
they were in Leatha or Italy at this time, in which latter country, BOC0
till
Oolgan grounds
did
settle
668.
they
not
Sabellicna
and
Baronios,
to
his view on the opinion of Kranztius that they migrated from their primitive
Scandinavian settlements as early as 3S2. But Leatha, with ancient Irish
authors, signified Letaria, or Armorica, on the eastern coast of Plana
writing on this very passage (p. 40), Colgan says that the connection of the
Longobard virgins with the daughter of the King of Britain givee
nance to the conjecture that Britanny or Armorica may have been known,
nified

in ancient times, as

sea

>-

;{.-..

:.L

;:s-i

1.

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

486

they stopped at the east side of Ard-Macha, where Coll-na-ningean 3

There came messengers from them to Patrick, to know

is

to-day.

if

they should proceed to him.

Patrick said to the messengers

that three of the maidens would go to heaven, and in that place

(i.e.

Coll-na-ningean)

their

sepulchre

maidens go to Druim-fenneda, 9 and

as that hill in the east."

And

let

"

is.

And

let

other

the

one of them proceed as

far

was done.

so it

Cruimthir went afterwards, and occupied Cengoba

1
-,

and Benen

used to carry fragments of food to her every night from Patrick.

And

Patrick planted an apple-tree in Achadh-na-elti, which he

took from the

fort, in

hence the place

is

the north of the place,

i.e.

Cengoba

called Abhall-Patrick, in Cengoba.

It

and

was the

milk of this doe, moreover, that used to be given to the lap-dog

that was near the maiden,

i.e.

Cruimthir.

Another time, when Patrick was

at rest in the

Tiprad-Cernai, in Tir-Tipraid, the angel went to

him.

Patrick said to

offended God, or

is

him

" Is there

end of

night, at

him and awoke

anything in which I have

" No," said the angel

His anger upon me?"

and you are informed from God," added the angel, " if it is it you
desire, that there shall be no share for any else in Eriu, but for you
And the extent of the termon of your see from God is to
alone.
"

Droma-Bregh, 2 and to Sliabh-Mis, and to Bri-Airghi."

Patrick

8 Coll-na-ningean. " The hazel tree o the virgins," called by Joeelyn, Ferta
Minor, but the name is now obsolete. There was the denomination Fertamore,
portion of the priinatial lauds of Armagh, in the territory of Dounagh-MuuterCullen, alias Cloufeaele, which adjoiued Blackwatertown, in the comity of

Armagh.
"Druim-fenneda. The ridge of the declivity. The name is now obsolete.
1
Cengoba. Dr. Reeves explains this as "the hill of grief." In Colgan it ia
called a mount, in the eastern vicinity of Armagh. Dr. Petrie (" Round Towers,"
and that some of its ruins remained in
p. 345) writes it was a stone oratory,
his time, which, however, Dr. Reeves was unable to discover, but writes that

the tradition of the country connected the

memory

of the nine pilgrim virgins

with Armagh-Breague, in Upper Fews. The latter, however, is eight or nine

nor can it be the great fort of Kiuuigo, which lies
miles south of Armagh
four miles north. A religious cell was founded hero by Crumtheris, one of the
;

pilgrim virgins.

'Droma-Bregh. Droma Bregh was part

of

the territory of Breagh, or

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick

replied

"My

after

me, and

after

me."
ill

debnth, truly." said Patrick, " sons of

The

angel

Erin to you,"

be in Eriu shall belong to you."

" Deo gratias," said Patrick.

Patrick was enraged against his

the

sin

'When

came

went to meet him,

her," said

-.

Lupait, 9 for committing

in

consequence.
Bide,

Lupait

until she prostrated herself before the chariot,

The

Patrick.

in the north of

and " Book

was pregnant

into the church from the eastern

where the cross

in the place

at 513,

Bister,

of adultery, so that she

Patrick-

come

life will

may have honor from God in the country

And God
responded: "That is manifest.
said the angel, "and every noble that will

wish they

is

in Poth-Archall.

"

The

chariot over

chariot passed over her thrice,

tor she

the county Month, adjoining Cavan (" Pour Masters,"

Sliabh-Mifl was the well-known mono-

of Ilight.s," p. 11).

county Antrim. But Sliabh-Breagh, now Slieve Brey, in the

south of the county Louth, was mentioned by the Synod of Rath-Bra
the southern boundary of the diocese of Armagh; CuailL Ciannacia, now
the mountain top of Coolkenagh, in the parish of Errigal-Keerogue, county
/.'
Tyrone, being then, as now, the northern boundary.
lied by
b, in

Colgan, Brigraidhc, lay to the west.

Bri, signifying

a hill or

rising ground,

pronounced Bree, which is the name of a townland in the parish of M

county Monaghan, on the west of the county and diocese of Armagh. Tresuming the identifications to he correct., it would appear that at this period
the church of Armagh had a territorial jurisdiction over what now COU
tth and Connor, and the entire of Down and
'roniore.
This is an additional evidence of dioc
opacy to that
afforded by the synod of Uisnech, held in 1107, at which the "
:ordj the division of the old diocese of Nfeath between the
Bishops of Clnain-mac-Nois and Clonard.
According to the theory of Bong,
is

episcopacy, in its ]iresent acceptation, was not

introduced into Ireland until Ills.
* Lupait.
There is much obscurity and contradiction about this story ol

St. Patrick's alleged

BisterColgan, in his notes, arguing that the woi

must lw taken to mean relative

In another part of the Tripartite, Lnpait is
stated to have been placed over the nunnery of Druimoheo, Ardagh, county
Longford, of which her nephew. 3b Mel, was bishop; and from a note ol
it appears she was bnried in the Ferta, beside Armagh.
Ser festival,
not given by the O'C'lerys, was held on the 27th of September.
[nnis-Lothair
now Iuish-lirroo, in Lough Erne, county Fermanagh, or rnish-Lougher, in
the pariah of Devenish, in same county.
The Calendar of the
st. Caasanof lomdual, at 28th Mi, I,, but
The
ituation.
<

only place of that name in [reland

Drumballyroney, county Down.

now known

is

[mdei, in the parish of

mm

t&i

Ik
488
used

Tripartita Life of St. Patrick.

still

come

to

was at the Ferta

in front of it

so that

where she went to heaven

and she was buried by Patrick, and her

Colman, 4 grandson of

(requiem) was sung.

that fixed his attention

Ailill,

ecnaire

of the Ui-Bresail,

on Lupait at Imduail.

Aedan, son of

Colman, saint of Inis-Lothair, was the son of Lupait and Colman.

Lupait implored of Patrick that

would not take away heaven

lie

from Colmau with his progeny.

Patrick did not take

but he said they would be sickly.

Of the

it

away

children of this Colman,

moreover, are the Ui-Faelain and Ui-Dubhdara. 5

One time Patrick's people were cutting corn in Trian-ConchoThey were seized with great thirst, whereupon a vessel of
whey was taken to them from Patrick, who persuaded them to obbhair.

serve abstinence from tierce to vesper time.

of

them died

i.e.

Colman

What

and he was the

Itadach,

Patrick said

man

first

that was buried by Patrick,

Patrick's house.

was told to him was, "

it

[?.

happened that one

by the door of

at the cross

when

It

My

debroth,

there will be abuudance of food and ale and prosperity in this city
after us."

Once the angels went, and took from

which was before the

was from that

place,

chariot,

i.e-

people,

i c.

its

off

name

is

the road the stone

Lec-na-naingel.

It

from Druim-Chaile, that Patrick with his

The way

two hands blessed the madia.

the rath,

and

in

which Patrick measured

the angel before him, and Patrick behind, with his

and with the holy men of Eriu, and the Bachall Isa

Patrick's hand.

And

iu

he said that great would be the crime of any

4 Colman.
Colgan, in his text and notes, writes Colman, son of Aid, of the
family of Hi-Bressail.
This territory, afterwards called Clanbrassil, lay to
the south of Lough Neagh, iu the counties of Armagh and Down, being in the

latter called Clanbrassil

Mae Coolechan

Bressal, great grandson of Colla

the former obtained

da Crioch

its

name from

the latter from Breasal, son of

Aedh Eoin.

5 Ui-Faelain and Ui-Dubhdara.

Ui-Faelain was the name of a tribe, and of
a territory containing about one-half of the northern part of the present county
of Ivildare ("Book of Rights," note, p. 2I).">). The Ua-Dubhdaras were ancient

Fermanagh, and sometime of Faruey.

and 1118.
Colman Itadach. That is. Colman the thirsty.

chiefs of

L076, 1007,
6

See

"Four Masters,"

at

wfci

one who would transgress in

Buck as

fulfilled

The way

in

hundred and

would be great of

as the reward

it,

God

in

it.

which Patrick measured theferla was thus,

forty feet in the

and seventeen
and

the will of

{is,

and twenty feet

and seven

feet in the kitchen,

feet in the

" the relics of the apostles are distributed in

the four parts of the globe

At

and

was that Clod manifested

Day

^El

of Judgment.

And

to

e,

he,

Rome, throughout,

would be becoming

in

you

the angel bore Patrick in the

the southern cross, in Aenach-Macha,

chariots were brought to Patrick

it

it

And

that you should go there."

ono

chamber;

was thus he always constructed the establishment.

angel went to Patrick in Ard Macha.
"This day," said

it

The

air.

viz.,

in the great lion

it

was that four

at the northern cross,

him the form he

moreover,

have in the

will

he went in one day to Comur-tri-nuisce. 7

lie left Sechnall8 in the episcopacy with the

men

of Erin, until the

would come which would bear him from the shore of Letha.
Patrick went subsequently, and arrived at Pome
and sleep
came over the inhabitants of Rome, so that Patrick brought away
ship

These relics were afterwards taken to

Ard-Macha with the consent of God, and with the consent of the
a sufficiency of the relics.

men of Eriu.
What was brought was

the relics of three hundred and sixty-five

martyrs, and the relics of Peter and Paul, and Laurence, and

Stephen, and of
Christ)

many more; and

Armagh, according

in

men

a cloth in which was the blood of

and the hair of the Virgin Mary.

to the will of

Patrick

left this collection

God, of the angel, and of the

of Eriu.

His

the

of

Letha

were

stolen

from Patrick.

Messengers went from him to the Abbot of Rome.

They brought

relics

tic

from him, directing that they should watch the

wr-tri-futltee.

(Leinster),

relics

Colgan,

where the three

relii

was a place in Lageni

Foot (the Noro), aud liarbha (thy

in hia notes, writes this

rivers,

Suir,

Barrow), met near Watcrford.

8

Sic/mall. Otherwise

St.

Secundums.

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

492

with lamps and torches by night for ever, and with Mass and
psalmody by day, and prayers by night, and that they should
elevate

them every year

Two

Patrick's

Dubhan and Dubhaedh, stole

to the east of the Nemhed
They carried them off into the

two garrons from the land

(Tir-suidhe-Patrick

moor

(for multitudes desired to see them).

brothers of the Ulstermen,

is its

name).

Dubhan

to the south.

Dubhan went and

did penance.

He

good one," said Patrick.

said

"

Your comrade's journey

got a

fall,

so that

not a

is

head was

" Here thy resurrection

his

Dubhan became a disciple, and w as ordained

broken, and he died.

time, in carrying a bag of

Patrick, the

" I will not take what belongs

" I will take what comes to me," said Dubhaedh.

to the tailcenn."

and Patrick

said

(tir)

shall

be."

Another

wheat from Setna, son of Dalian, 9

manna which dropped from

over Druim-mic-Ublae, 1 Patrick's horse

to

heaven, in a desert place,

[fell]

under

it.

A grain

of

the wheat dropped out of the bag, and the horse could not rise
'
This is the reason," said Patrick
until there came from Patrick.
through prophecy, " a grain of wheat that fell out of the sack, in

the spot where the cross

"

is

on the way southwards

to the

Nemhed."

then will be the name of the place where the horse

Nemhed 2

stopped," said Patrick

and so

it is.

Another time Sechnall went to Armagh, and Patrick was not

He saw

there.

he said
Fiacc."

chariot

" It

before

were

When

him two

fitter to

of Patrick's horses unyoked,

send those horses to the bishop,

Patrick returned, this thing was told to him.

was attached

to the horses

to

The

and he sent them on without

Dalian. The Calendar of the O'Clerys mentions that

mac-Ublai, was venerated there on the 9th of March.

St.

Sedna, o Druim-

Tmi

and

i.e.

Druim-mic-Ublae. Colgan, in his notes, describes it as in Crimthain, in

Oirgiell, which was comprised in the baronies of Upper and Lower Slane ; but
O'Donovan, in his notes, at A. D. 830, where its plundering by the foreigners is
described, writes that there is no church of the name to be now found iu these
baronies.

'Nemhed. Dr. Petrie ("Round Towers," p. 61) translates Nemed, or

Neimheadh, as a sanctuary, or glebe land, a holy wood, or wood of the
sanctuary or glebe.

acSflfe
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

man with them,

until

tiny were

493

the disert with

in

.\!

went right-hand wise on the morrow to Domhnaoh-SeohnailL

liny then ireni eastwardly to Cill-Auxili.
to Cill-monach

then, after that, to

for giving the chariot

Whit-Saturday as
cave.

come

Druim-Coblai, where he had a

gnawed

hafer had
Eh ihiia.ll

for thee

and used

to Sleibhte,

-aid to thee,

You
'

Shall

knew

[arrived], for he

chariot to Fiacc

When

shall I

make

it

be done t" said Sechnall, " for

that

was the

is

time

it

would not be long

it

tir.-t

was that a

hymn
"

are not required." observed Patrick.

truly." " .My debroth," said Patrick, "it

for Patrick

Easter Saturday

with him a bit of

death was nigh unto him.

his leg, so that

said to Patrick, "

"

On

to faring

The cause of giving the

his five cakes.

far as the hill of

to Sleibhte.

Five cakes with him, as report says.

led to

They went afterwarda

The reason
was because ho used to go every

Fiacc

to

Race

bishop

it

of praise

have nut

will

be done,

were finished now

;"

until Seehnall's time

who went under

the clayofEriu.

When

he was composing the hymn, they were holding an assemIt was commanded to them from him that they
bly near him.
should go away from the place.
told

them

that the

They began

twelve chariots of them at once.

at Ferta-Marta, "

to

A good

man

He

mock him.

ground would swallc v them; and

it

swallowed

Sechnall said to Patrick's people,

is

Patrick, but for one thing."

When

he heard these words with his people, he asked Sechnall for the
previous message, and Sechnall said, "
said

it is

because

Baid Patrick, "it

did preach

is

O my

do you preach of

md

lord, the reason

'

charity."

have

for charity that I preach not charity; for

for all

to

if

any

them."

Sechnall went with his

hymn

to Patrick,

and Patrick went along

Belach-Midhluachra into the territory of Conaille. 3

3

Young man,"

would not leave a stud of two chariot horses

the saints, present or future, in this island

if

it,

little

Conaille.

Crich-Conaille,

Masters," was another

name
Boyne

He returned

according to O'Donovan's Index to the

for Conaille Muirtheimhno, the plain win

'

tended from the river

to the mountains of Cooly or larlingford, and ii
an additional proof that thegreat road .f M idluachar traversed the county Louth.
(

^7
^ w.

""

"

**

-OTl

.11.

Ill,

li-.

fea

He met Sechnall. They saluted

along the mountain westwards.
one another. " I should like that you would hear a [hymn of]
have made for a certain man of God," said Sechnall.
God is welcome," answered Patrick.

praise

which

"

praise of the people of

The

Sechnall thereupon began "Beata Christi custodit," fearing that

Patrick would prohibit

him

at once if

he heard his name.

When

he sang " Maximus namque," Patrick arose. The place where he

sang so far is called Elda. " Wait," said Sechnall, " until we reach a
secret place

which

is

near us

there the remainder will be re-

it is

cited."

Patrick inquired on the

way how "Maximus

coolorum

"

Sechnall replied

is

could be said of a man.

in regno

" It [maximus]

put for the positive [magnus,]" or because he excelled the men of

They came then to a place called

his race of the Britons or Scoti.

Dal-Muine, 4 where he, Patrick, prayed and sat

wards sang the remainder of the

name, and thereupon thanked him.

hymn

and Sechnall

after-

and Patrick heard

his

Three pieces of cheese, and

were brought up to him from a religious couple, viz., Berach

and Brig. " Here is for the young men," said the woman. " Good,"
A druid came there, whose name was Gall-drui
said Patrick.

butter,

(" foreign druid "),

who

said, " I will believe in

the pieces of cheese into stones," which

"

Patrick.
vert

them

you

if

you convert

God performed through

Again convert them into cheese ;" and he did. " Con" Convert them again."
;" and he did.

into stones again

Patrick said, " No, but they will be as they are, in commemoration,
until the servant of

here."

God, who

The druid (magus)

is

Dicuill of the Ernaidhe, 6 shall

come

believed.

The territory called in Irish Dal-in-Bninne, Latinized DalAnglicized Dalboyu and Dalvanie, embraced a tract of country on
either sides of the river Lagan, from Spencer's Bridge, near Moira, to Drum
Bridge, near Belfast, in which lay the churches of Tullyrusk, Glenavy, and
4

DallNuine.

intinia, anil

Muckamore, aud those adjoining. For a full description see Beeves' "Down
and Connor," pp. 41 and 164-233. It derived its name from Buinn, son of Fergus
Mae Roigh, King of Ulster, who was dethroned in the year before Christ 12.
6 Dicuill of Ike Ernaidhe.
Colgan writes that Dichuill, from being Abbot of
Ernatiensis was the Latinized
Ernatiensis, became Abbot of Louth, a.d. 700.
form of Bruaidhc or Urnaidhe, which in the original Irish primarily signifies a

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

Patrick flung his

grew through
;,

Patrick's hell

And two

of Dicuill.

This
little

was that

it

iron hell

of the atonea

made

which

is in

the Ernaidhe

of the cheese are there;

Lughmagh, when

Gort-Conaidh. 8

It is to-day in

SechnalF asked something

found, the

Dicuill

the third one was, moreover, carried by Dicuill to

he was abbot there.

A birch

under a dense bush there.

little bell

handle.

its

for the

hymn.

"As many

as there

are hairs in your casula," said Patrick, "if they are pupils of yours,

and violate not

rules, shall

be saved.

The

has also been sanctified by God," said Patrick.

"

ceived," said Sechnall.

clay of your abode

"That

will

be

Whosoever of the men of Eriu,"

re-

said

Patrick, "shall recite the three last chapters, or the three last lines,

or the three last words, just before death, with pure mind, his soul

be saved."

will

prayer, but in

rium.

It is

.1

now

t'olman

secondary sense a prayer-house, the same as the Latin OratoAnglicized L'rncy, Xnrncy, and Furney (Joyce's "Irish Names

Places," p. 294,

of

" Deo gralias ago," said Sechnall.

CT

Ela 8

and Colton's "Visitation," by Reeves,

Colgan

17).

p.

Tli." p. 11.5) conjectures it to have been the same as Cluain-braoin,

beside the church of Louth, probably from the fact that a St. Dichuill was

("7V.

venerated in that church on the 1st of May. Archdall ["Man. Bib." p. 452),
adopting Colgan'a view, placed Cluain-braoin in county Loath, but writes it
was unknown. But the "Inquisitions," printed by Archdall himself, in his
account of the abbey of Louth, afford* the proper clue to where Ernaidhe
it is probable Dichuill on his translation to that abbey
an Inquisition, 4th James I., it was found that the king
Louth and its possessions, inter alia the rectory of
Paghart, including with others the tithes of Orney, alias Nurney. Another Inquisition of 2nd August, thirteenth year of the same king, there was found
belonging to the same priory, inter alia, fifteen acres of glebe in the Urney and
accordingly we find, in Lewis's "Topographical Dictionary," that there are
still some remains of the ancient church of l'rncy in the [present small parish
of Faughart, a little north of Dundalk, county Louth.
Qorl-f'onni'lh, " Field of the fire-wood," was the name of amonastcry in the
barony of Cremorne, and county Monaghan. O'Donovan's note under a.d.
n eord tin' death "f Flann Feahhla, abbot of (!ort7.15, where the Four hfaatei
Conaigh, in Mughdhorn-Maighcn. There is a tmvnland called Qorteens, in
the pariah of Donaghmoyne, in Farney barony, likely to have been the site of

was, the church of which

annexed thereto.

I5y

ized of the priory of

this monaster)-.
7

The

1
'

original of the three following sentences is very corrupt.

hnan

Ela.

The Calendar of

tala, abbot of Lann-Klo

the

in FirCcall, in

>''

l(

rya thus notices

Westmeath,

him

He was

" Colman

of the race of

nsrs^ssrisi

..Hi

;
;

49G

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

recited

Patrick stood in the middle of

in his refectory thrice.

it

prayer that

when a certain plebeian asked, " Have we no other

we could recite except this V And Patrick went out

afterwards.

Cainnech, on the sea, in the south, saw the black

the house,

"

cloud of devils passing over him.

meet the soul of a certain

Patrick

chapters of the
it

more a

here on your way," said

satire

hymn

of Patrick

The hound

We

ate,

went to

and he sang two or three

and, by your dignity,

than praise of Patrick as they sang

The miracles

have been vanquished."

"

stating,

rich rustic observing the festival of

but his sons and people

Come

The demons subsequently came,

Cainnech.

in the territory of Gailenga,

it

we thought
it we

but by

of Patrick are these, viz.

at Telach-Maine

the buck

speaking out of the bodies of the thieves in the territory of Ui-

Meith

the travelling of the garron without any guide to Druirn-

mic-Ublae,
riot,

when he

lay

down

beside the grain of wheat

without a charioteer, [going] from

Armagh

the cha-

to Sleibhte

the

appearance of the King of Britain in the form of a fox, in his country,

an ever-living miracle
thing dead
ing,

is

taken

a part of Aenach-Tailten, from which no-

the King of Cashel not to be killed by wound-

provided that he be of the race of Aenghus, son of Nadfraech

these bare residences not to be demolished,

viz.,

Sen-domhnach of Magh-Ai ("Eccor Sendomhnaigh"

Dun-Sobhairce charmed to the herenaghs,
Forbraige

Macha

viz.,

Eath-Airthir, and
is

an old saying)

an altar-sop with the

and the dominica of Naas, and Magh-itir-da-glas1

in

the navigation from Bertlach to Bertlach of Calry-Cuile-

Eochaidh, son of Muireadh, of the race of Heremon, by the father's side, and
Cille's sister was his mother, i.e. Mor, daughter of Feidhlimidh, son of
Ferghus Ceunfada, son of Conall Gulban, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, as
Colman's own Life states. Fifty-two was his age when he resigned his spirit
to heaven, a.d. CIO."
Lann-Elo is now called Lynally.
9 Gailenga.
From the allusion to the Hill of Maine, this was evidently the

Colum

territory of Gailenga, or Luighne, in the counties of

description of which see

"Book

Mayo and

Sligo, for

of Rights," notes, pp. 103, 104.

two streamlets. This place

is mentioned in the " Four Masters" at 879, and the death of its erenach
Flann, son of Maelfiachrach, at a.d. 950. O'Donovan conjectured it to be Moy
county Tyrone, near Charlemont, tut its ancient name was quite different.
1

Magh-itir-da-glas

i.e.

the plain between the

'-,

k2fi&
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
(

Vrnadha

the streams which the giUa blessed at Drobhais

take [offish] at Eastern* Bann

the year]
sea

part,

its

a
;

the

the take at Sligo every quarter [of

the Samer, 8 which goes from the loughs of Erne to the

towards Cenel-Cairbre, 8

aachni

eastern half, against Cenel-Conaill, 4

Finn-glas,
(

49;

the

at

;~

is

is

fruitful

its

we
word.

unfruitful, through Patrick's

martyr-house

Druiin Cain, 8

of

and Druim-

the taking of his kingship 8 from Laeghaire, from Cairbre,

from Fiacha, from .Maine

the grant of his kingship to Eoghan, to

ConaH, to Crimthann, to Conall Erballj the smiths making the

bells,

i.e.

Mac

Cecht, and Cuana, and

Mac

and Essa, and

llitiu

making the

the nuns

mak-

Tail;" the artificers

ing the dishes and reliquaries, and the altar chalices,

viz.,

Tassach, 1

altar cloths, viz.,

Coch-

mass, and Tigris, and Lupait, and Darerca.

After these great miracles, however, the day of Patrick's death,

and of

his going to heaven, approached.

was to go to Armagh, that

The angel Victor came

be.

" It

is

What he

to him.

Cenel-Conaill.

Cenel-Cairbre.

is

now

called the Erne river,

would

said to Patrick
;

The river Drowes, in the north of Lcitrim.

Samer. The Samer

Erne to Ballyshannon.
3

he began to do

his resurrection

not there thy resurrection has been decreed

Drobhais.

What

might be there

it

v.

Now county Donegal.

The descendants of Cairbre, third

See before.

bicfa

11

was

go back to tha

Bows from Lough

of N'iall of the

Nino

Hostages, who settled in the barony of Carbury, iu the north of county Sligo.
' Book of Bights," note u, p. 130.
* Druim-Cain.
Dromeain was one of the ancient names of Tarn.

Druim-Cruachni.
Connanght.

'

of

Kingship.

The Ridge of

Several

instances of

Patrick.

Cruaghan or Croghan, the royal palace

this

are

stated

in the

Lives of St.

Mac Cecht is given in the list

Ctchtatld ('nana and Mar Tail.
Patrick's household in the " Four Masters," at 1 IS, as one of hi) smiths, but
Coana and Mi: Tail arc not mention.. 1. They are, however, in Tirechan's list
'>

Mac

in the

Book

of

Armagh, and republished from Usher

in Lanigan, vol.

i.

p.

337.
1

who

Tassach.

This

was not Bishop Tassagh

administered the Viatieum to

ID.

i.

I>.

340,

and Book

St. Patrick,

of

of Raholp, near Downpatrick,

but Assaeh, Bishop of Elphin.

Armagh, Betham'a

translation.

Tripartite Life of St.

place from

whence you came

(i.e.

has decreed that you shall die

to the Sabhall), 2 for

not

in

thee," said the angel, " that thy dignity

teaching,

be in Ard-Macha, as

shall

it is

God

there

Macha.

God

and

thy devotion and

rule,

has granted

thou thyself wert alive

if

there."

The angel
saying

how he would be buried,

oxen be brought," said he, " of the

advice with Patrick as to

left

" Let

two young,

active

herds of Conall, from Finnabhair,

body be placed

wagon

in a

after

from Clochar

i.e.

them

and

young oxen go by themselves, and the place where they

be there your interment shall be

let it

let

and

let

will stop,

there be a man's

cubit in your grave, that your remains be not taken out of

was

so

done

your

and what way soever these

it,"

It

The oxen carried him to the place

Dun-da-leth-glas and he was buried there with all

after his death.

where to-day

is

And

honor and respect.

for a space of

twelve nights,

i.e.

whilst

the divines were waking him with hymns, and psalms, and canticles,
there was no night in Magh-inis, but angelic light there

and some

say there was light in Magh-inis for the space of a year after
Patrick's death, quia nulli adanti viri

dubium

est, et ita

non

visa

nox

meritum declarandum

in tota ilia regione in

luctus Patricii, qualiter Ezechia? langenti in horologio

strato sanitatis indicio, sol per

xv

first

night, the angels of the

watching Patrick's body with

of the divine grace

stetit.

Lord of the elements were

spiritual chants.

The

fragrant odors

which issued from the holy bodjr and the

,

music of the angels, gave tranquillity and joy to the chief

the

men

ing

him,

of Erin

who were watching

so that the blessing of Jacob

i.e.

" Ecce odor

tempore

Achaz demon-

lineas reversus est, et sic sol

contra Gabon, et luna contra valient Achilon

In the

accidisse

filii

mei

sicut

clerics of

the body on the nights followto his son

was kept regarding

odor agri pleni,

quem

benedixit

dicens," etc.

There was, moreover, a great attempt at

-

Sabhall

That

is,

conflict

and battle

to Saul, where he died, after having lived there, accord-

ing to his bardic testament, thirty years.

*fr^+

---

499

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

between the provinces of Erin,

ami Airghialla, contending

Ui-Ncill were trying to take

For

keeping

it

via.,

The Aiighialla and

Ard-Macha the Ulidians were
Then the Ui-Neill went to a certain

to

it

with themselves.

when

water [river] there,

When

power of God.

left

God

the river, the hosts proceeded

and the Ulidiana.

It

appeared then

were bringing the body to their

to each party of them, that they

country, so that

the river rose against them, through the

the flood

to quarrel, viz., the Ui-Neill

own

the Dlidiana and the I'i-Neill

fox Patrick's body.

separated them iu this wise through the

grace of Patrick.

The miracles

They

so far shall be unto to-day.

are the miracles

which the divines of Eriu heard, and which they put into order of

Colum

narration.

the son of Fedhlimidh,

Cille,

and compiled the miracles of Patrick

Conchobhar

Adamnan,

A just

man, indeed, was

of heart

A thine

Ermedach

like

man with
Abraham

this

a true pilgrim like

Eleran the wise

of Cloghcr;

Colman

truth like the Apostle Paul.

ledge of the

purity of nature like

gentle and forgiving

Moses; a praiseworthy psalmist

emulator of wisdom like Solomon

Holy Ghost

full

of grace

and

illustrating charity.

life,

fair flower

fruitful vine-branch.

with force of warmth and heat to the sons of

sparkling

for instituting

A lion in strength and power a dove in

A serpent in wisdom and conning to do
;

Gentle, humble, merciful towards sons of

towards sons of death.

David j an

and of the know-

beloved John.

fire,

gentleness and humility.

like

a chosen vessel for proclaiming

man

like the

garden to children of grace; a

narrated

and Cruimther Collaith of Druim-Poilgech.

the patriarchs

good.

firstly,

Ultan, the descendant of

the grandson of

Ciaran of Belach-Doinj Bishop

Uamach

life

dark, ungentle

servant of labor and service of Christ,

king in dignity and power for binding and loosening, for libera-

ting

and convicting,

for killing

and giving

After these great miracles, therefore,

dead

after healing lepers,

lame, and

all

diseases

and the

life.

i.6.

blind,

after resuscitating the

and the

after ordaining bishops,

deaf,

and

and the

priests,

and

deacons, and people of

men

the

of

Eriu,

orders in the Church

all

and

after

them

baptizing

churches and monasteries; after destroying

and druidical

He

arts

of Christ from the bishop, from Tassach,

He

according to the advice of the angel Victor.

spirit

founding

and images,

idols,

the hour of death of St. Patrick approached.

Body

received the

after teaching

after

resigned his

afterwards to heaven, in the one hundred and twentieth year

of his age.

His body

reverence.

Though great

be to him in the

Day

here

is

his

and

in the earth, with honor

still

honor here, greater honor which will

of Judgment, when

judgment

will

be given on

the fruits of his teaching, like every great apostle, in the union of
the apostles and disciples of Jesus

in the union of the nine orders

of angels, which cannot be surpassed

and humanity of the Son of God

thau

all

unions

May we

I beseech

in the

Holy

which

is

higher

Trinity, Father, Son,

mercy through the intercession of

arrive at that union

all

union of the divinity

in the union,

in the union of the

and Holy Ghost.

Patrick.

may we

enjoy

it

for

Amen.

ever and ever.

These miracles, then, which we have related, the Lord performed

Though one should attempt

for Patrick.

not.

memoration

And

there

is

for there is

them, he could

to recount

many

Nevertheless, they are but a few of

related in com-

no one who could remember them

no writer who could write

all

all.

the prodigies and

miracles he wrought in the countries he reached.

After the foundation, then, of numerous churches

consecration of monasteries

after baptizing the

men

after the

of Eriu

after

great abstinence and great labor; after destroying idols and images
after degrading

raising

and

up those who obeyed him

fifty

or three

and

after

and prayer

after

all

his neighbor;

after ordaining

other orders in the Church

showing mercy and mildness

gentleness and sweetness towards sons of

God and

he had throe hundred

hundred and seventy bishops; and

three thousand priests and persons of

after fasting

numerous kings who would not obey him, and

life

after

after the love of

he received the Body of Christ from the

r^gw"
*LL^i>3ifc2Si_l23

7^1;"-^"

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.

and he afterwards resigned his Bpirit to
is here on earth still, with honor and

bishop, from Tassach;

His body, however,

heaven.

And though

reverence.

great his honor here, his honor will be

Day of Judgment, when he will ahine like a sun

and when judgment will bo given regarding the fruit

greater in the

heaven,

his teaching, like

He

Peter or Paul.

union of the patriarchs and prophets

and virgins of the world

in the

union of the saints

union of the apostles and disciples

in the

of Jesus Christ; in the union of the Church, both of

earth

of

be afterwards in the

will
;

in

in the union of the nine orders of heaven,

heaven and

which cannot be

surpassed; in the union of the divinity and humanity of the Sun

God

of

which excels every union

in the union

the union of

in

the Trinity, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for ever

and

ever.

Amen.

it

may we

inhabit

beseech the mercy of God, through the inter-

May we

cession of Patrick.

it,

reach that union

all

and

for ever

may we

deserve

ever.

These are the four-and-twenty who were in orders with Patrick,

Mochta his priest Bishop Ere his brehon ;

viz ., Sechnall his bishop;

Bishop MacCairthen

man

his strong

of Cill-Kuada his youth

Benen

Athgein of Both-Domhnach his cook

Domhnach-Mescan
Domhnach-Dala,

Ocan, his two waiters

his

Caemhan
;

Cruimther Bescna, from

Cruimther Catan, and Cruimther

Odhran, from Disert-Odhran,

in Ily-Failghe,

Cruimther Siahach his wood-man;

charioteer;

Cruimther Mescan, from

at Fochan, his brewer

his mass-priest

his psalmist

from Cill-Daresis, his bell-ringer

Sinell,

Rodan

hie

shepherd; his three smiths, MacCecht, Laeban from Domhnach-

Liebhan (who made the Findfaithnech), and Fortchern

Adine.

Essa,

and

Bite,

and Tassach, were

in

Rath-

his three artists.

His

three embroiderers were Lupait, and Ere, daughter of Daire, and

Cruimthiris in Cenn-Gobha.

And

the company of Joseph; and

at the

table

of the

King

<>f

Fedhlimidh, son of Crimthann,

of Munster, etc.

it

this
is

Cashel,
he.

is

the

the number that were in

Dumber that is allowed

down from

the king of the

the

time of

two provinces

Maynooth, to avail myself of

Church of Ireland.
It

bis treatise

on the Ancient

appears to the present writer, that

much

of the

dispute between Catholic and Protestant antiquarians,

on the subject of diocesan jurisdiction in Ireland before

the eleventh century, might have been avoided
little

by a

consideration as to the state of the country in

the early Christian ages.

ble for the limits of

We, who

defined.

has become a
institution,

It

would have been impossi-

any diocese
live in

science,

to

have been

strictly

an age when mensuration

when Ordnance maps

are an

and when the very boundaries of a parish

are defined to a hair-line,

may

easily forget that there

a
Ireland. This pamphlet is entitled "The Ancient Church of Ireland
few remarks on Dr. Todd's 'Memoir of the Life and Mission of St. Patrick.'"
I may, perhaps, remark that one cannot open a page of this excellent treatise
without rinding the sharpest animadversion on Dr. Todd's work, couched in
the severest language.
Yet a person, writing in an Euglish Catholic paper,
has attacked the present writer, in language which we would be sorry
to use under any circumstances, for having shown the errors of previous
writers.
The attack was evidently written by an uneducated person,
and the paper is not one of any literary repute, so that it scarcely
3

%.

We are at a loss to know what would be the use of writing

such a work as the present unless we had taken every pains to ascertain truth
and sift it from error. The ignorance of the writer was curiously shown by
the only remark he makes about St. Patrick's life, whom he describes as " the
meekest of men :" the fact is, as our readers will have seen, that St. Patrick's
merits notice.

was fiery and energetic to the last degree. It was this lire,
tempered by divine grace, which gave him the zeal of an apostle and it was
this energy, checked by divine fear, which caused the holy severity with
which he denounced and so repeatedly cursed the evil-doer. It is a pity that
a Catholic paper, however insignificant, should allow an opinion to be expressed
All this is deeply injurious
in its columns by the prejudiced or the ignoraut.
to the interests of true religion, and that apirit of charity, which, according to
natural character

the present statements of so

many

of the English Catholic papers, is so

wanting amongst some English Catholic writers.

happily free from this disgrace, which

from our English

serials.

much

Ireland and America are

we must hope

will be soon

removed

^fifeto
State of the Early frisk Church

was a time of impa

sable

morasses, of impenetrable

when trigonometry was nol an "applied science,"

and when theodolites were unknown. The real quesforests,

then,

tion,

is

not whether

St.

Patrick

established

diocesan system in Ireland, with exactly defined boundbut whether he instituted a diocesan system in

aries,

any form.
Todd,

is

The, Protestant theory, as

diction existed

The

adopted by Dr.

that neither archiepiscopal nor diocesan juris-

historical

that there

Ireland before the twelfth century.

in
fact,

was such

precisely in the

as ably

shown by Dr. Gargan,

jurisdiction,

same form as

The existence

is

though not carried out

at the present day.

of a class of ecclesiastics

known

chorepiscopi, appears to have been the original

as

ground

on which the doubt was founded as to the arrange-

ments made by

Patrick.

St.

This order was

first

instituted in the east, about the

end of the third century, and was probably originated

to

supply the necessities of monastic houses.

mentioned
fifth

in the

century.

It is

not

Church history of the west until the

It

disappeared

altogether

about the

twelfth century, at which time the topographical defirily better

became
The exact grade of the chorepiscopi has m w i
By some it is held that
been accurately ascertained.

nitions of ecclesiastical sees

defmed.

they were simply priests

by

others,

that they were

ishops.

The next question

the

is,

early Irish Church;

whether the order existed in

since, if it did, this would

sufficiently

account for the great number of ecclesiastics

without fixed sees

Ireland.

It

who

are

known

this order existed in that country

time of

to

have ministered in

would be quite impossible now

St. Patrick's

mission

but

to prove that

immediately after the

it

can be proved that

there were chorepiscopi in Ireland in the year 1 152, leav-

ing a strong presumptive evidence that their establish-

ment

there

had been many centuries anterior

to that date.

In the year 1152, a great Council was held at Kells,

under the presidency of Cardinal Paparo, which enacted,

that upon

the death of chorepiscopi and of bishops

Avho governed small sees in

arch-presbyters

Ireland,

should be appointed by the diocesan to succeed them.

Here we have an indisputable evidence both of the

existence of chorepiscopi,

We

bishops.

of the Acts of St. Patrick

the writers of his

so

many

and the undue multiplicity of

have already observed that those

life,

who

critics

question the veracity of

because he

is

said to have built

churches, arc simply ignorant of the necessities

of the times.
Christians,

The

early Celtic converts, like the early

had each a church

own house and,

who had not a son
who ministered in

in his

probably, there were few families

consecrated to the priestly

office,

these

primitive oratories.

It

times

when homesteads were

was a

necessity of the

scattered far

and wide

over mountainous tracts of country, separated by vast

plains of unreclaimed land.
affords

ample evidence of

The

life

of St. Patrick

his practice

priests in almost every family, so that

it

of ordaining

would occupy

unnecessary space
the

to

But

quote particular instances.

same necessity which required

numerous

pri

hood required also a numerous episcopacy; while the

rapid increase of religious houses, and the extraordinary

number

God

of those -who consecrated themselves to

these abodes of peace

and

holiness,

duties of ecclesiastieal superiors.

our careful observation

how

added daily

And

worthy

of

the Church ever providi

the

for the necessities of her children in

these necessities can be best met, and,

sity ceases,

is

it

in

to the

way

when

in

the

which

removes what might then be a hindrance

rather than a help.

Thus, although

it

cannot be ascertained

chorepiscopi were introduced

how

into Ireland,

early the

it

can bo

proved that they were an institution in that country

There

the middle of the twelfth century.

great deal

of incidental

evidence

is,

in

indeed, a

of clearly

denned

diocesan jurisdiction in the Acts of St. Patrick, and

notably in the well-known instance

MacCarthen over the church

not be too far from him for

when he placed

in Clogher, so that

St.

he might

friendly intercourse, or too

near him for interference in ecclesiastical arrangement-.

And, although the term archbishop was not used in the

early Irish Church, there were certainly some bishops
possessed of higher rank and jurisdiction than others.'
*

ijui,

Others.

"At

pise qui alii s

veto, esti quidem inter Siberian Episcopos semper oiiqni,

qnid unplioria dignitatii ant jurisdictions ecclesiastics bah

ii tamen non prfan, qaam

ad xvii Junii diem in oommantario,
nensis EpUcopi pram, num, viii Jam docuimus, appcllari cupcrunt embiepia-ActaS.*;." 12th Oct

roathineqae rccte dici posscnt primatof, cxtitcrint,

Kei-, circitcr xii, uti

<mm-

The stock arguments

in Ireland are

for the non-diocesan jurisdiction

a letter from St. Anselm, Arch-

first,

bishop of Canterbury, a.d. 1109, to Murtagh O'Brien,

The archbishop

nominal King of Ireland.

"It

is

also

said (item

elicit ur)

writes thus

that bishops in your

country were elected at random, and appointed without

any fixed place of episcopal jurisdiction." This vague

charge, made on hearsay, which might or might not be
true,

can scarcely be called evidence, and at best can

only be taken to prove that some irregularities had

We

occurred.

have already shown that even before the

synod of Rathbreasil, a.d. 1118, when a decree was

passed for the regular division and clearer definition of
the boundaries of the various sees, such divisions existed

and were

distinctly recognized.

The next argument

known complaint
complaint

also

is

taken from

of the state

made

on

St.

Bernard's well-

of the Irish Church, a

second-hand

information,

though probably in some degree founded on

in the very accusation, as quoted

proof that the irregularity

irregularity,

normal

and that

it

if it

fact.
Yet
by Dr. Todd, there is

existed

existed as an

was an infringement of the

state of ecclesiastical society,

and as such

cer-

have been the rule.

St. Bernard's
statement was that " bishops were changed and multitainly could not

plied at the pleasure of the metropolitan

thing un-

without

heard of since the beginning of Christianity

order, without reason,

so

that one bishopric

was not

content with a single bishop, but almost every church

"

had
jfe'

its

In commenting on this
Gargan has well observed: "Dr. Todd

separate bishop."

Dr.

unfortunate in having brought

only

dries doI

forward a witness,

prove his point* bul

l'

regarded as proving the contrary,

in

tin*

vny

passage

metropolitical

cited,

who may
For

3umes the

is

who

fairly

Bernard,

St.

existence of

and diocesan jurisdiction, and takes

it

for

granted that the irregularities which he deplores arc not

incompatible with that very form of hierarch govern-

ment, the absence of which, Dr. Todd conclude?,

f--

may

be clearly inferred from his highly colored animadver"ii

the -late of the trish Church.

'metropolitan,'

of

rate bishops

'bishoprics,'

of

II

peaks of a

having

the very constituent element of that

;'

form of ecclesiastical government which

rily

'churches

opposed to Dr. Todd's

'

is

contradicto-

non-diocesan theory.'

The third and last of the objections which ha\

made to Catholicity of discipline in the early [rish Ihurch,

is

founded un the

a.d. 816,

lit'ih

canon of the Synod of Cealcythe,

which prohihitcd Scottish

[Irish] ccclesia

from ministering in English dioceses without the license

of the ordinary.

This was simply an enforcement of a

well-known canon.
lly

g
rr.<

From

this

argued, that the trish

at

it

has been

not very

home acted in a similar

manner, and preached, baptized, and administered

ments, regardless of epi

pervisioD.

whole Ecclesiastical History of Ireland

in proof of the contrary theory.
of this canon

is

may

The

he adduced

Indeed, the enactment

a subject deserving of the highest con-

sideration

Church

it

shows the care and caution used by the

where the sacred ministry

in all cases

is

con-

cerned, and that proper authorization and indisputable

testimonials of a man's ordination were required, before

But

he could be allowed to administer the sacraments.

even unimpeachable testimonials are not

sufficient with-

out the permission of the bishop in whose diocese the

might wish to perform

priest

his sacerdotal office,

the Irish ecclesiastic of the ninth century was as

bound

obey this rule as the Irish

to

and

much

ecclesiastic

of

to-day.
It is probable that

troubled times

some unworthy persons in those

may have

feigned themselves priests, in

order to secure the respect and attention which the true

was

religious

certain to receive.

It

may

be, also, that

amidst the unavoidable relaxation of discipline which

followed the incursions of the barbarous Northmen, some
ecclesiastics preferred

an unsettled

life,

and, instead of

trying to restore the monastic houses from which they

had been banished

life

at the point of the sword, chose a

of comparative ease in other lands.''

It

not unfrequently happens that ignorance

source of

much

historical

writers are charged,

by

misapprehension

critics

is

the

and that

who know nothing

of the

" Lands.
I have entered into the subject of the discipline and doctrine of
the early Irish Church at some length, partly because a Life of St. Patrick
would be very incomplete without a full account of the doctrine which he
taught, and partly because, as some lifteen or twenty thousand copies of this

it is important that this subject should be clearly

Religious controversy is the order of the day, and Catholics
cannot be too well provided with weapons of defence.

work, will be in circulation,

understood.

Bubject of which the writer has treated, with

or

false

exaggerated statements, when a

making

little

more

knowledge on the part of the accuser would enable him

to discover, if not to

The

own

acknowledge, his

ecclesiastical student is

singular in having a large episcopacy.

the

ignorance.

aware that Ireland was not

The Acts of

Council of Jerusalem, a.d. 53G, were signed by

45 bishops, and Palestine, with an area of only 1G0

miles,

in

had 48 bishopries. In the territory of Latium,

which was not above 60 miles in extent,

Italy,

there

were between 20 and 30 bishopries.

are now," says

Bingham,

quities,"

224,

p.

iii.

Italy, in the

"a

in his

great

"There

"Ecclesiastical Anti-

many

such dioceses

in

realm of Naples, where the whole number

147; 20 of which are archbishoprics, and some of

so small, as not to have any diocese beyond the

is

them

In Asia Minor, which extended G30

walls of the city."

210

miles in length, and

dioceses.

Thus,

Christianity,

existed for

we

in

breadth, there were 400

find that, in the

where both a moral and

it,

there

was quite

earliest ages

of

spiritual necessity

as great a multiplication

of the episcopacy in other countries as in Ireland.

It is scarcely

necessary to allude to the establishment

of religious houses

by our

saint, since his Life contains

such frequent mention of the holy virgins, whose vows

of virginity he received in his Master's

name, and

whom

he assisted by his ministrations to consecrate themselves

to

"

God.

We

doctrine taught

Sri

must, however, say a few words of the

by the

saint.

<"'

Enough has been

written

>

>>

already to prove his

Roman

mission

draw the attention of the reader

acts as prove that the Faith

remains only to

it

documents or

to such

which he taught, was the

unchangeable Faith of the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic

Church of Rome.
also, I

Happily, as regards this subject,

have the assistance of a work devoted

illustration of this matter,

for his learning as for

privileged to call

my

gious belief taught

necessity,

holy

by a

and whom I am happily

Even were not the reli-

life,

friend.

by

St.

to the

priest as distinguished

Patrick a matter which, of

should find place in his Life, I gladly avail

myself of the opportunity of making this work very

widely known, and of affording those

able

to procure

Our

contents.

very

it,

who may not be

some knowledge of

its

valuable

synopsis, must, however, necessarily be

brief.

That the Irish continued the practice of devotion

Rome,

if I

may

from St. Patrick,

to

use the term, which they had learned

is

amply proved

the early Irish Church,

first,

One

pilgrimages to the shrine of Peter.

which Monsignor Moran gives

ful translation of the

by the hymns

and secondly, by

of the

hymns

at length, with the grace-

Rev. Mr. Potter, a convert to the

old Faith, contains the two following verses

Elaboravit ubiquo

of

their frequent

Nor clime nor

space might

bound

his zeal,

Curse datus historiae.

Fundamentum

dominicso

Ecclesira Catholicre.

And pages writ his deeds reveal.

On him, the rock, so strong, so sure,
Christ's

Church

endure.

shall ever firm

"--

'-

Hymns
<

-1

i/n Vl, i

'

..m-m^_j'-Ttr.*i J^^

^-.*~

of the Early Irish Church.

And now,

rloriosom apostolum

513

deathlea

in

crowned,

Deus ornavit

The earth

gloria,

with his prai

<l>>lli

le

resound

Roma

And

arbia qua in

Vint cum

victoria.

Hi.;

Br

thou, the

ther,

t,

sweet mo-

ll'olllr.

his

see,

his

battle-field,

homa

A hymn by

Cummian

St.

In

!.

apostles,
ia

and the verse

sufficient

St

Fota,

in

which he

Patrick, on that subject.

Apostolorum cxultans memoria,

laviculaii Petri,

primi pastoris,

In apostolic

memory
And chief

nun, rete evangelii, captoris.

Of

this writer

prayed
gift

to

of

it

is

rod that cacli

said,

that

Jerusalem

f<>r

of Peter, key-bearer,

ii

in the

herman, who draws

I

kwpel name.

when he and

St.

which was

in the early

Althelm,

Church,

others

The

ancient

Juda

word claviculari

a characteristic

Thus,

St,

coelestis clavicularii

grace,

jpe< ial

wisdom was bestowed on him.

calvicularii,

P< tei

exulttheir

pastor of the flock,

might obtain som<

the Church, and that the

celebrate;

proclaim,

on the verse quoted above Bays, thai

'

by

now

praise

still

The mystic
net

the

O new

Rejoice,

Peter

St.

as follows

is

It

first
i

a.d. 590,

Ireland,

in

Christ's saints

<lia;

Pi

elebrab

evidence of what waa taught

Celebra, Jiula, fostaChristi gau-

<

who was bom

he commemorates each of the

if

name

Clement

primus

is

indiis

put

for St.

Btyled

s iccessa.

v. ;,,

:'

514

Life of St. Patrick.

In the

Hymn

of

pendix, he

Sechnall,

St.

praise of St. Patrick,

which

or

Secundinus, in

will be given in the

Ap-

specially extolled as being "constant in

is

the service of God, and immovable in the faith of Peter,

upon

whom

the Church

built,

is

and whose apostolate

he received from God, against whose gates the assaults

of hell cannot prevail."

It

would require a separate and

a large volume to enter fully into this subject

Our

present object is, from necessity, though not from choice,

to give only such brief notices as

letter

from

may serve to

illustrate

Usher has published a very interesting

our subject.

Cummian on

St.

the Paschal question, in

which he strongly urges the Catholic doctrine of submission to the see of Peter

remarkable words
"

Can anything more pernicious and

be conceived, than to say,

errs,

in one place he uses these

Antioch

alone are right

errs,

Rome

errs,

injurious to

Jerusalem

the whole world errs

the

Mother Church
errs,

Irish

Alexandria

and Britons

?" c

St. Patrick's

canon, which requires that

causes should be referred to

all

important

Rome, has been already

A glance at any Irish History is sufficient

show how frequent pilgrimages to Rome were in the

mentioned.
to

Right.

"Essays

on the Early Irish Church," by the Very

Itev.

Mon-

signor Moran, p. 3.
Curiously enough, what almost reads as a parody on
these words may be found in the Articles of the Frotestant Church.
The

nineteenth Article runs thus:

and Antioch have erred

their living and manner

"As

the Churches of Jerusalem, Alexandria,

Church of Rome hath erred, not only in

but also in matters of faith." It is
remarkable that this profession of faith, or of the want cf it, has been condemned a thousand years before it was written.
;

so also the

of ceremonies,

ages of the Dational conversion, and in wrhal a

earliesl

reverence ami devotion these pilgrimages were

spirit of

performed.

We

shall now briefly show, from authentic and

known documents, what St Patrick taught re-

well

garding the sacraments.

missal

and of which Dr. Todd has said

which

exists

"
:

It

is

by no means

MS. may have been the

impossible that the

is

to the sixth century,

by the beat authorities

referred

original

Buadhan himself, the founder of tli.monastery of Lothra, who died a.d. 584." Dr. Moras
thus describes the Mass
of

missal

St.

"

the litanies of the saints, which are pre-

The Mass begins with

ceded by the antiphon

-

Then

Deo, with the collect or prayer,

follows the Glori

and the

lesson

from the

Epistle to the Corinthians, chapter xi, relating to the blessed

Eucharist.

In the versicle which follows, the blessing of salvation

who

those

are present at the sacrifice.'

is

asked for

is

that of St. John, in the sixth chapter.

'

part of the Mass, which

d in the

Church

most important

for

too,

forms

a remarkable peculiarity of this missal

is

the use

at so early a period, for

The Gospel

The Creed,

until

many

of the Creed did not

years later.

become

What, however,

i*

our present purpose, not only are the words of

consecration given as used at the present day, but also the 6ubse

quent prayers, 'agreeing

the

memento for

so in the

the dead

literally witli
;'

and

the

Roman canon down

to

thus, as in the nineteenth century,

Church of our sainted fathers of the sixth century, was

Almighty
'Humbly we beseech tine,

thai beautiful prayer,

Cod, command

this offering to

holy angel into thy heavenly

Majesty, that

all

of us

who

be carried by the hand- of thy

altar, in the

receive,

presence of thy divine

through the participation

most holy body and blood of thy Son, may be

of this altar, the

idled with every heavenly blessing

Such

Christ our Lord.'

is

and grace, through the same

the language of this venerable monu-

ment, whoso writing, to use the words of Dr. Todd,

guarantee that

sufficient

it

'

is

is

of itself a

century.'
' ;

In addition to the every-day Mass, the Missa Colidiana,

Missal presents to us a Missa Apostolum, a Missa

Sanctorum
and, in

ct

line,

Mass pro

This surely

is

this

Martymm, a Missa

Sanctorum Virginum, also a Mass pro pecnitcntibus

a

IF

certainly not later than the sixth

vivis,

mortuis."

ample and most

of the pure Catholicity taught

satisfactory evidence

by our

saint to his faithful

if

converts.

A Communion Hymn is preserved in the Antlphonarium Benchorensc, which commences thus

:

Sancti, venite,

Oh

Christi corpus sumite

Christ's

Sanctum bibeutes

Come, drink the Sacred Blood,

come, ye holy ones,

body receive

Quo redempti sanguiuem.

For

Salvati Christi

Saved by

Corpore

And

quo

et sanguine,

will give.

Christ's

Body,

saved by His Blood,

Refreshed

refecti,

Laudes dicamus Deo.

And

life it

nowand

strengthened,

Sing praises to God.

then this strophe, which

is

one of rare poetic

beauty, concludes with these words, which none but a

Catholic could write

V&/V
>.'.&*
<

Alpha

et

omega,

Ipse, Christus

Domiimm,

Ho

comes, the

first,

the

last,

Himself, the Christ our Lord,

who

come

Venit, venturus

Ik'

Judicare hominus.

For every act and word.

shall

to judge us

hto

it is Btatedin the preface to St. Sechnall's

hymn,
when he and St. Patrick approached the church
"they heard a choir of angels chanting a hymn at the

X.'v.

that

offertory in the church,

hymn whose

chanted in Erin when the body of Christ

is

Thus we have the most

direct

is

the Mass, as taught

pressions through the

Rambach,

by

In

Patrick.

St.

hymn

received."

and unimpeachable

dence on the subject of the doctrine of the

.Mr.

hymn

bo that, from that time to the present, that

tc.,

and what they chanted was the

beginning is, 'Sancti.vcnite, Christi Corpus,'

evi-

sacrifice of

fact,

the ex-

are bo purely Catholic, thai

Protestant writer,

his "Anthologia," suppressed

who

published

it

one of the verses on

in

this

account.
It

has been remarked that there

between

this

hymn and an

is

a great similarity

antiphon which was used

in

the early church of Gaul, during the time of the Paschal

Communion.
phon

St.

Iregory of Tours mentions this anti-

in his "Treatise on the Miracles of St. Martin,"

and thus we can see how

brought the
France, or
his
is

it

St. Patrick may easily have

hymn from his old conventual home in
may have been the composition of some of

companions.

The

similarity of sentiment

and

w<

certainly suggestive of a .similarity of origin.

An
Mass

we

interesting
is still

treatise

on the ceremonies of the

extant in the ancient

find the Catholic doctrine fully

Here also the holy Eucharist

is

-eltic

tongue, in which

and clearly explained.

declared to be

"the

very body that was born of the Immaculate Virgin, and

rj^i

n wi. ..

rr

Jv

Life of St. Patrick.

was
are

crucified
still

by the unbelieving Jews

some Protestants who would

less the trial, to

and

yet, there

however hope-

persuade our people that the Irish Celt

was taught Protestantism by

St. Patrick.

The teaching of the Church

subject of penance was not less
respect, except, perhaps,

no

;"

try,

of St. Patrick on the

explicit,

an excess of

and

differs in

severity,

from

the teaching of the Catholic Church of the present day.

In the eleventh canon of the Penitential of

banus, he enacts as follows

St. Colurn-

" Special diligence must be used in confessing our

sins

and imperfections before the celebration of Mass,

lest

with an unclean heart we should approach the holy

altar."

It is probable that the holy Eucharist

was adminis-

tered to infants immediately after baptism, as

was

cus-

tomary in many churches on the continent in the early

We

ages of Christianity.
tions

were made

Viaticum,

and

repose

the

of

penitential

for

for

the

souls of

exercises

also find that strict regula-

the administration of the holy

offering

the

Masses

of

enjoined

for

for

departed.

faithful

offences

the

The
against

rebgious discipline on notorious sinners, were exceedingly severe.

This,

indeed, might be

expected, not

unly because penance was severe in the early Church,

but because there was undoubtedly a strong element of
sternness in the character of St. Patrick.

commission of a sinful
sinner,

was

act, or to

sutficient to

To behold the

witness an impenitent

excite his hatred of the evil,

Early Irish Litanies

and

heavy punishment of the

arc so lax

in discipline,

and

bo

Mary.

to

how

little in

compensate

Bui

-tern.

us,

who

thoughtful of

;i

God

all

of hive, and

comparison the most severe penance

the

for

may

justice, it

To

offence.
little

the Buffering which sin has caused to

519

let

slightest

scorn as

remember that

us

keenly alive than

duty of making

we

divine

against

offence

his conduct

if

waa

at

limes too

farmon

the saints were

are to the evil of iniquity, and the

the atonement in our power for

all

Nor was devotion

Mother of God, or the

to the

it.

Bainta

od, less fervent or less frequent in the early agi

Irish

than

Christianity

is

it

to-day.

hymns, which combine the most gifted

highest devotion, arc
of the

saints

invoked.
of Jesus

is

litany

and

their

of

which the pra

power with God

remains in which the .Mother

the tenderest epithets

in

"

worshippers cry out

blessed

still

invoked

love could devise.

<i

extant, in

still

sung,

are

number

taste with the

O great Mary!"
"(>

which

these old Celtic

Mary! greatest of Marys I

No modem saint has

and must Lhsscd!"

ever accorded her higher attributes, or invoked her with

more confidence.
earthly Church!

of the sins

"

Mother of

washing of the souls

tossed emigrant,

the

who

sails

!"

over the stormy billows from

cries

from the

of the sea," does but

and Bung by his ancestors in honor

depths of bis soul to the"

echo the words said

cleansing

And thetem]

an Irish port to the western shores, and

of the

heavenly and

temple of the Divinity!

St<>

<

Mother of Jesus more than a thousand yean

iH^>I

ago,

Life of St. Patrick.

in

that Faithful

friends,

if,

as I

Land which he has

the hands of voyagers outward

let

me

left

'*.

Ah,

my

doubt not, these pages shall come into

bound

pray yon not to forget, amidst

to a

its

new home,

prosperity, the

Faith of your fathers and the Mother of your God.

There can be no doubt whatever that the ancient

practice of honoring the rebcs of the saints obtained in

Ireland from the very

We

first

find St. Patrick bringing relics from

were held

Rome

might well be expected,

after his death, as

if

introduction of Christianity.
;

and

his relics

in the highest veneration.

J?!

There

is still

" the Obits

Holy

in existence the original manuscript of

and Martyrology

Trinity, Dublin."

It

is

of the Cathedral of the

at present preserved in

the library of Trinity College, Dublin,

also

is

in the

hands of Protestants.

and the cathedral

But

this valuable

and important work was published some years ago by

two Protestant clergymen.
In this work a

list

is

given of the principal

relics

which were venerated in the then Catholic cathedral.

of these was a crucifix which had spoken
The next was the Bacillus Jhesu, " which the
The next was the
angel had given to St. Patrick."

The

first

twice.

super-altar, or altar-stone,

on which the leper followed

the saint to Ireland.

It is probable that all these relics

the same time.

burning of the Baculus, which

highly

it

were destroyed at

There are two separate accounts of the

is

sufficient to

show how

was venerated, and how deeply the nation

felt

the wanton barbarity which

provoked

The

pn

account

first

erved

is

the

in

given

in

The following entry occurs

'

Tlie

at

the year

people

Irish

all

of annals,
Dulilin.

College,
1

f>:i8

most miraculous imago of Mary, which was

Truim, and which the

destruction.

MS. volume

Trinity

library of

its

at Baile-Atha-

honored lor a long timo

before that, which used to heal the blind, the deaf, the lamp, ami

every disease in like manner, was burned by the Saxons.

which was

staff of Jesus,

womlors and miracles

in Ireland since the

that time, and which was in the

by the Saxons

in like

And tinmany

Dublin, and which wrought

in

time of Patrick

hand of Christ

And

manner.

himself,

down

to

was burned

not only that, but there was

not a holy cross, nor an image of Mary, nor other celebrated image
in

Ireland over which their power had reached, that they did not

Nor was

burn.
their

there one of the seven orders which came under

power that they did not

in the east

And

ruin.

the Tope, and the Church

and at home, was excommunicating the Saxons on that

account, and they not paying any heed or attention unto that, &c.

And

am

not certain whether

it

was not

in the

above year that

these relics were burned."

second account

is

given in the "Annals of the

Four Masters" under the year 1537

" A.U. 1537.

heresy and a

new

error broke out in England,

the effects of pride, vain-glory, avarice, sensual

desire,

and the

prevalence of a variety of scientific and philosophical speculations,

so that the people of

England went into opposition to the Tope and

Home.

At the same time they followed a variety of opinions,

and the old law of Moses, after the manner of the Jewish people
t<>

ami they gave the

rei

n, to

the king.

new laws and

title

of head of the

Church of God, during

his

There were enacted by the king and council

statutes after their

own

will.

They ruined the orders

;1

who were

permitted to hold worldly possessions,

viz.,

monks,

and the four mendicant

Preachers, Carmelites, and

and brethren of the

canons, nuns,

cross

Minor order, the

The possessions and livings of all these were taken
up for the king. They broke the monasteries, they sold their roofs
and bells, so that there was not a monastery from Arann of the
Saints to the Iccian sea that was not broken and shattered, except
only a few in Ireland which escaped the notice and attention of the
orders,

the

viz.,

Augustinians.

They

English.
shrines,
in like

and

and broke the famous images,

After that they burned

further burned

relics of

Ireland and England.

manner the celebrated image

was

of Mary, which

at Ath-

Truim, which used to perform wonders and miracles, which used to

and the

heal the blind, the deaf, the lame,

and the

Staff of Jesus,

which was

in

sufferers

from

all

diseases

Dublin performing miracles

from the time of Patrick down to that time, and which was in the

hand of Christ while he was among men.

They

also

made

arch-

bishops and sub-bishops for themselves; and although great was the

Eoman

persecution of the

emperors against the Church,

it is

not

probable that so great a persecution as this ever came, even from

Eome

hither.

So that

description, unless

How
Church

it

is

it

impossible to

should be told by him

tell

or narrate

who saw

its

it."

highly this Bacillus was honored in the Irish

is

shown by the frequent mention in the Annals

and of the calamities which

of its use as a test of truth,

befel those

tions

it,

who swore

in his

insignia of the see of

in

falsely

by

it.

St.

Bernard men-

" Life of St. Malachy," as one of the

unsettled times,

Armagh

and hence those who,

strove to obtain the revenues of

that see without being canonically appointed to govern

it,

possessed themselves

by

force or fraud of the time-

honored and sacred Staff of Jesus.

)/ St. Patrick's Bones,

Giraldus Cambrensis mentions thai

was believed that St. Patrick had used

noxious animals out of Ireland

safety,

it

and

was removed from Armagh

hie

in

time

it

><> >

to drive all

it

that, for greater

There

to Dublin.

however, two different accounts of the removal of

are,

The

this relic.

first

of Cambrensis, and

account agrees with the statement

is

Book of

contained in the Black

Christ Church, Dublin.

This account

further con-

is

firmed by an entry in the manuscript annals of Innis-

where

fallen,

it is

Adclm."

recorded that " the Staff of Jesus was

Armagh

from

brought

According

to

Dublin by

William

Fitz

Baculus

to the other account, the

was removed by Strongbow, who died a.d. 1176; but

is mention of several staffs or croziers which

as there
St.

Patrick

left in

and may

true,

different

refer

places, the

account

to one of these less

maybe

celebrated

relics.

The

list

of relics also mentions, amongst

-urcs of the cathedral,

one of

the holy

St. Patrick's bones.

This was probably obtained at the time of the discovery

of his

body

interesting
(

riraldus,

who

Earl John,

and

St.

Downpatrick.

in

The

first

account of this

and probably miraculous event

states that, " in the year in

first

is

given by

which the

lord,

cam'' into Ireland, they [Patrick, Bridget,

Columba] were found, as

it

were, in a triple

tomb [quasi in spelunca triplici], Patrick lying in the

This threefold
middle, and the others at either side.
ore having been discovered by divine revelation,
the relics were translated under the direction of

T-,

p^r

John

7"~

De

Hence

Courcey, then governor of that province.

the verse
In

In the city of Down, beneath the

burgo Dono, turnulo tumulantur in uno

same mound,
atque

Patricius,

Brigida,

lumba

The

Bridget, Patrick, and pious Co-

lumba were found. 7

pius.

Irish

Malachy

Co-

Church was indebted to the piety of

for the discovery

of those relics.

St.

It is said

that he used to pray frequently and earnestly that the

spot where the saints were interred might be discovered

and that one

was offering this petition

Down, he beheld a ray of light traverse

night, whilst he

in the cathedral of

the church, which stopped at the place where the bodies

On

were.

digging in the place thus miraculously indi-

cated, the bones of three bodies

were found, and placed

again under ground, in separate cases.

message was

then despatched to Home, in order that fitting arrange-

ments might be made

for the translation of the bodies.

The following year, a.d. 1186, Cardinal Vivian, whose

previous knowledge of Ireland gave him a special
interest in the country,

was sent

to Ireland to

perform

the office with all solemnity.

Before his return to Rome, however, the Cardinal

selected

some

these relics I

Pope, Urban

relics for the

am

able to give an interesting

III.,

and of

and authen-

tic description. 8
7

Found. Oainbrensis, " Topographia

Description. The

Hibernica," cap.

xviii. p. 742.

Very Rev. Monsignor Kirby writes thus

inquiries
" On receipt of your esteemed letter I

iu reply to our

went

to St. Mark's,

where

had

-A

Account of

lu's

Relics in Rome.

It is generally believed that

the hand

and arm of

Patrick were enshrined, and placed on the high altar

of the cathedral by the Cardinal.
When Edward Bruce
St.

invaded Ireland, he plundered the cathedral of Down,

a conversation with some uf tho leading members of tho chapter,
(torn
whom I learned that they had no documents in their archives relating to the
relic of St. Patrick which they possess, or to any miracles or
other supernatural favors obtained in connection with its veneration.
Before initios to
yon, however, I thought it better to confer with Monsignor Bartolini,
formerly
a canou of the same church, aud now secretary of the Congregation of Kites
a prelate justly esteemed by all for his erudition, especially in what appiT;

tains to the veneration of the Saints,

His impression

is

that the Papa] legate,

Cardinal Paparo, on his return to Home after bis Irish legation, brought it
with him, and deposited it in his title, St. Mark's. Hue, as yon know
(the
period of his legation), was about the middle of the twelfth century.
When
Home fell into the hands of the French republicans, towards the eL.se of tho
last century, the relic of St. Patrick, with others of the church
of St. Mark,
were removed, to avoid their profanation, and deposited iu a place of security
B mtigaoufl to the sacristy. An interval of several years having elapsed before
full confidence in the re-establishment of public order was
restored, the place
was completely forgotten. And it was
only about thirty years ago, on tho occasiou of some repairs being
made near the
sacristy, that the concealed treasures were again brought to light,
with the
seals unbroken, which verified their identity.
Monsignor Bartolini told

of the concealment of these relics

mo

that he himself had tho good fortune to be one of the number who
ma
This is all the information which I have been able to obtain
discovery.
1

with

the relic of our holy apostle at St. Mark's.

A
The portion we possess
received as a gift from the chapter of St. Mark's.
placed it afterwards
in the magnificent reliquary in which it is at present venerated, the
gift of
some pious Irish ecclesiastics.

we

We

"I congratulate you on your most useful labors to promote

God and Uis saints. I trust that St. Patrick will reward you

tho honor of
well.

With

sincere esteem,

Believe me, dear Sister,

"Sincerely

in Christ,
44

"Pome,

Irish College, llh

P.

IvlKIIV

March, 1S70."

I have thought that it would be moro satisfactory to the

reader to give the
account of Monsignor Kirby himself, though I am bound to Bay that Iih
letter was only intended for our own perusal.
In all such matters it is ono of
the first duties of tho historian to give testimony either from personal
knowledge or from the direct evidence of reliable witnesses.

Life of St. Patrick.

526

and the
is

was

relic

known

of

off.

But nothing further

came

into the possession of

carried

until

it

it

Magennis of Castlewellan, possibly from some of his

family, who were at various times Abbots of Down.
In the early part of the eighteenth century George
Russell, of Rathmullen, county Down, married one of
the Magennisses, and the relic passed into the custody
of their only child, Rose,

who married Rowland Savage,

Lord of the

styled, in the Ulster Inquisitions,

Ards.

He

Margaret,

Little

died in June, 1G19, leaving one daughter,

who married Thady O'Hara, of Crebilly,

Upon the failure of male issue, the

county Antrim.

estates reverted to the descendants of

Rowland, uncle

Rowland who married Rose Russell. The family

continued Catholics till 1725, when Edward, the then
of the

owner, died at Bath on the ISth of March that year,

when they descended

to his uncle,

James Savage,

of

Ballyvarley, who, being a Catholic, declined to accept

them under the then

less

existing laws

but his son,

being-

conscientious, entered into possession as next in

remainder, and conformed to the Establishment.

John

died 25th April, 1736, and James, his infant son, the
following year

whereupon the

estates vested

hi his

Andrew, who married Margaret, daughter of

He was succeeded by his son,
Governor Nugent.
uncle,

Patrick,

who

died in March, 1797

and he by

Andrew, who assumed the name of Nugent.

>

Nugent.I am indebted

Uolywood,

Belfast,

and

to

to the Rev. J. O'Laverty, P.P.,

Mr

Hauna,

of

his son,

Colonel
M.R.I.A.,

of

the same place, for the abovo

^^
Shrine of

St.

Nugenl obtained the

relic

ami as he was the

firsl

kindly gave
tli.n

Patricks Hand.
through the Savage family

who

Protestanl

into the custody

it

T~

ice

<>f

beld

if,

he

the Elev. Mr. Taggart,

parish priest of Portaferry, in the

Ards.

After

Father Taggart's death, about a.d. 1765, Mr. Savage of

Porjtaferry,

the next

hereditary guardian,

over to Mr.

M'Hemy,

of Kerstown, in the

It

remained

in the

handed
Upper Aids.

it,

custody of this family, although they

were frequently offered large sums of

money

for

it

and Connor, obtained

WK

"The
of

reliquary

Down and

is

from them.

it

uow

deposited

among

opened by the

Denvir

late Dr.

O'Laverty, P.P., saw

contained

in

the archives

Connor, which are under the special cus-

tody of the Most Rev. Dr. Dorrian.

J.

by

Down

Protestants, until the late Dr. Denvir, Bishop of

the

it

in 1N.">0,

The rase was

when the Rev.

examined, and found

ulterior a

that

it

yew wood, about

piece of

nine inches long, which was bored lengthwise with a

hole

sufficiently

human

large

to receive

the

This was smeared ever

arm.

at

wrisi

bone of

both ends with

wax, obviously the remains of the episcopal seals which

account.

The latter observes that there

I

ject in the

on the same subject

in the

are several mistakes in the

an article which appeared "n the subThi3 article is quoted by Mr. Smith in a paper

bis relic in

" Dublin Review."

" Ulster Archteological Journal," and

b<

two curious inaccuracies. It states in one place that the shrine

contains " the mouldering Remains of a human arm, if not of the patron s.iint
of Ireland, doubtless of some person of reputed sanctity j" and a fen
further on the statement of the writer in the "Dublin Etc view"
quoted,
who says correctly that the case is empty. From the fact of the account

there are

given above being that of a priest

communicated
u.rthy account.

examined the ease, and

open having now a trust.

illy

v.

ith as directly, the

reader

may

rely

mm

had been impressed on the inner wooden receptacle,

to have been merely intended for the

which appeared

purpose of preserving the bone in

venting

its rattling

its

place,

and preIt

against the outer silver case.

contained no bone when examined by Dr. Denvir.

The case had been despoiled of some of the Irish

diamonds with which

had been ornamented, whilst

it

being lent out as a judicial minna, on which voluntary

exculpatory oaths were taken.

being used for that purpose in

Lecale, in cases where

it

myself recollect

its

some family disputes in

was considered inexpedient

to bring the disputed matters before a

and improper

After

legal tribunal.

session, in 1840,

on

it

its

came

pos-

into Dr. Denvir's

purchase by the Rev. James

M'Aleanan, then P.P. of Portaferry and now of Castlewellan, he

had new stones replaced

in the matrices

from which the originals were stripped, by Mr. Donegan,

the eminent jeweller, in Dublin."'

As
tance,

this relic is

The shrine
ship

one of the greatest interest and impor-

we have given
is

full

page engraving of the shrine.

of massive silver

represents the hand

it

and antique workman-

and arm of an

ecclesiastic

of rank, covered with the embroidered drapery of a

sleeve,

and wearing a jewelled

glove.

It

stands

foot

3^ inches high, but there is no inscription except the

I.H.S., shown by our artist, so that it is difficult to
estimate
1

and

Dublin.

its

probable age.

The above account hag been written for this worlc by Mr.

Itev. J.

O'Laverty.

JTanni

Patricks

<S?.

celic,

said

be

to

the

Relics.

531

jawbone of

Patrick,

St.

also at present in Dr. Dorrian's possession.

from

was placed under the

it

1S2D.

in

Dr.

Dorrian

altar

purchased

Derryaghey

of

this

whose family

the sons of Mrs. Cullen, in

is

tooth

from

relic
it

had been

kepi

The Four
s

Blasters

(voL

i.

p.

553), under the yeai

"The foreigners were

on Loch-Eathaeh on the calends of January, and they
seized on Etach-Padraig " (Patrick's raiment).
O'Dono'.>

have the following entry:

!.

that this was probablya garment preserved

some old church near Lough Neagh.
With a brief notice of the influence exercise. by St

van observes
in

Hi

Patrick on the laws

and customs of the

Irish Celt,

must conclude a subject which has been with

condensed into a volume, which, however large

>,

might

easily

have been expanded

we

difficulty

to fully

may

it

double

present dimensions.

its

That our saint should have exercised an important

influence

Erin

is

on the pagan laws and customs of ancient

only what might be expected from the circum-

stances of his

life.

The unexampled power which ho

obtained so speedily, and exercised so wisely, could not

fail

to culminate in his holding a position of

poral superiority.

We

find that he

some temwas appealed to on

id occasions about the settlement of property, and

that he not unfrequently himself interfered in the

matter also by pronouncing Btern judgments on offem

against equity.

H^n

v^^KI

We

cannot here enter into the important and inter-

esting history of the

pagan laws of ancient Erin

subject would require,

and

and ought
All that

special treatment.

the

to receive, a separate

we now purpose

is

to

give a brief outline of St. Patrick's share in the compilation or revision of the code

and which

is

known

as the

Brehon Law,

now, happily, in course of translation and

publication.

According to the account given in the Seanchus Mor,

the immediate occasion of

its

compilation was the death

of Patrick's charioteer, Odran.

siderable attention, as

This event excited con-

might be expected.

was pronounced on the

case

Judgment
by Dubhtach Mac Ua

Lugair, chief of the royal poets and chief brehon of

Erin

come

and the saint then requested the men of Erin to

to one place to

bold a conference with him.

"When they came to the

conference, the Gospel of Christ

was preached to them all and when the men of Erin

heard all the power of Patrick since his arrival in Eri,
;

and when they saw Laeghaire, with

come by the great

presence of the

signs

men

all

his druids, over-

and miracles wrought

in the

bowed down in
God and Patrick. It was then

of Erin, they

obedience to the will of

that

the professors of the sciences in

Erin were

assembled, and each of them exhibited his art before

Patrick, in the presence of every chief in Erin.

It

was

then that Dubhtach was ordered to exhibit the judg-

ments and

all

the poetry of Erin, and every law which

prevailed amongst the

vV

men

of Erin, through the

law of

His Compilation of

Brehon Laux

the

nature and the law of the seers, and in the judgments

1

(^

and in the

of the island of Erin,

"Now
Spirit

poets.

judgments of true nature which the Holy

had spoken through the mouths of the brehons
the

and great poets of the men of Erin,

occupation of this island
Faith,

wore

What

did not clash

all

down

to

Dubhtach

by

exhibited

New

consciences of the believers,

of the brehons by Patrick,

the chieftains of Erin

in

the

Testament, and with the

was confirmed

and by the

for the

laws

in the

ecclesiastics

and

law of nature had been

quite right, except the Faith and

of the

first

Patrick.

to

God

with the word of

written law and in the

harmony

from the

the reception of the

its

obligations,

And

Church and people.

and the

this is the

Seanchus."

According to the Seanchus, the work was compiled

in the reign of the

Roman emperor

the Irish monarch Laeghaire.

"Annals of the Four

Theodosius, ami of

There

.Masters''

ia

which

an entry

in the

states that

the

Seanchus and Feinechus of Ireland were purified and

written in the
Christ 438.

year of Laeghaire, the

tenth

There

is

not,

age of

however, any date given

in the Seanchus.

As almost every

date and event

the

in

saint has been a subject of controversy,

it

life

may

of

our

be sup-

posed that his influence on and connection with the

embodying of the national code would

Prejudice so blinds those

argument

is

who

also be disputed.

arc afflicted

useless; and anyone

who

will

by

it

that

deny the

truth

of historical

which

conflict

records because they

with his private theories,

prove facts

may

be

left to

enjoy his pleasaut dream of self-confidence in peace.

Truth, however,

is

none the

less truth;

and

-the Irish

Celt has ample historical ground for honoring his great

saint both as a moral

We

have thought

and
it

religious lawgiver.

well to add here a

successors of St. Patrick in the See of

seems to us a suitable conclusion to

list

of the

Armagh, as

it

this part of our

subject.

The Successors of

St.

Patrick in the Sec of Armagh.

The names and dates

in the following

pally taken from Ware, entries in the

and the Chronicum Scotorum, so

cession is concerned

but

it

is

list

are princi-

"Four Masters,"

far as the early suc-

almost impossible to

reconcile several of the dates of accession and periods

of sitting, as the annalists followed different

tations,

and Harris frequently

compu-

altered Ware's dates.

Other differences arise from the contentions for the

abbacy

some writers

counting the legitimate sittings

in their integrity, while

facto sittings.

been used

others only reckoned the de

There are four early

one

was taken from the Psalter

who republished

lists

which have

published by Colgan, which he states

it

of Cashel,

which Dr. Todd,

from a manuscript in the Bodleian

Library, calls the

Mac Richard, and which

Psalter of

>

>

>

appears to have been transcribed in 1454.

The other
The second

three

list-;

have been printed by Dr. Todd.

from the Leabhar Breac, a manuscripl of

is

the fourteenth or fifteenth century,

The

Academy.

Irish

third

is

Lecan, written about 1390, and

The

fourth

now

in the

Royal

from the Yellow Book of

now

in Trinity College.

preserved in the Book of Leinster, corn-

is

idled l>y Finn

MacGrorman, Bishop of Kildare,

in the

middle of the twelfth century, and now also in Trinity

(

!ollege.

TH

Armagh, according to the Annals of Ulster, was founded by St.

Patrick A.n. 444, equal to our 445, which date has been adopted

by Usher and Ware

founded

a date

which

is

of the death of St. Scchnall,

whom

they

it

Aa>.

1">7,

while, according to the

call

at A.D. 447, ten years prior to their entry of

1.

St. Patrick.

Four Masters, ho

inconsistent with their entry

Bishop of Ard-MadiM,
its

erection.

Resigned, according to Ware,

in 455, in favor

of Benignus.
2.

Sechnall

St.

or Secundinus.

He was

one of the sons of

Parerca, sister of St. Patrick, and Bishop of Dunshaughlin, county

The

Meath.

Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, the

Four Masters, and

the O'Clerys, in the Martyrology of Donegal, style him

l'.ishop

of

Armagh and he is so entered in the four lists mentioned in the introductory note. They differ, however, as to the period he governed
;

the see

the Psalter giving

which may be the entire of

1 College.

M -earthy
he

^~

This

c -mill spare

Manna

li*t

of Maynootii,

yean, and the other three, thirteen,

his episcopate.

has been carefully examined by the Very K.v. Dr.

and !>y nfonaignor Mono, in the few momenta whieli

daring his short absence

compiling it.

for the labor of

six

f, oin

Home.

lam

indebted to Mr.

3.

Benignus or Benen, succeeded

a.D. 455.

He

was son of

Sescnen, descended from the Cianaclita of Glenn Gemhin, county

Londonderry, and when a boy became a favorite disciple of

Probus and Tirechan write he was

Patrick.

Usher quotes

diate successor.

St.

imme-

St. Patrick's

anonymous biographer, who

ail

wrote that St. Mocteus, of Louth, immediately succeeded

St.

Patrick in the See of Armagh, which he held for a few days, and

then enthroned St. Benignus.

for a
4.

few days,

is

Mocteus, having only held the chair

not reckoned.

St. Jarlatii, succeeded A.D. 4G5.

of Saul, St. Patrick's

first

the Dalfiatachian race,

who resided

According to the Irish Life of

and became
styled

as

was cousin of Dichu

chieftain of

at Eath-Trena, in county

St. Patrick

In the

his disciple.

He

and son of Trena, a

convert,

list

Down.

he was baptized by him,

in the Leahbar Breac,

he

is

having been of Cluain-Fiacla, a church mentioned in

the Lives of St. Patrick as having been on the banks of the river

Dabhal,

feacle,

now

the Blackwater, where a tooth of our saint was pre-

and of which

served,

St.

Lugud was abbot

in 580.

the Catholic parish church stands on the old

:

It is

now

Clon-

on the margin of the counties of Armagh and Tyrone, and

Bishops

the other three

lists

List "

site.

which Harris adopts

assigns eighteen years to his sitting,

in

"

Ware's

Ware

allow only fourteen years.

gives his death at 11th February, 482.

5.

Cormac, succeeded

Laeghaire,

by

whom

him

Monarch

A.D. 482.

He was son of Enda, brother of

of Ireland, and

was baptized by

St. Patrick,

The Four Masters call

Chrioch-in-Ernnidhe, which O'Donovan thought was a

of

he was appointed to this

see.

corruption of Crioc-Loeguire, a territory near Trim, county Meath,

of which place

and

his

where

Cormac had been

body was preserved

St.

but

also bishop,
it

and where he

Mochta, of Louth, had been abbot, and

now

the old

cemetery of Urney, in the parish of Faughart, county Louth.

gan gives his

died in 497.

life

at

died,

was more probably of Ernaidhe

Col-

17th February ("Ada. SS." p. 358), and says he

The Four Masters have

49G.

The

lists

in "

P" and

pss

^^8*^^
// \

"

B"

I.

mors

in ih'

See of Armagh

yean for his sitting, the other two only four*

modes of computation easily account for this

give fifteen

The

teen.

Sm

different

diversity.

Dui'.HT.u/ii

0.

by some

I.,

The Four Masters record

called

DuACH, succeeded a.i>. 497.

and style him of Druim-

his death at 512,

Dearb, which O'Donovan, in his note ou that passage, thinks

is

probably Derver, a parish church in Louth.

The life of his successor, Ailill (./'.<. $8." p. 62), states that
Duach governed this see sixteen years, and died in 612, which is
Ware has 513. In a list of
the date given by the Four Masters.
the kings of Ireland in the Book of Leinster, he is styled Abbot
of Ardmach, being the

and abbacy are stated

7.

St,

Ailill

I.,

first

succeeded a.d. 513.

13th January ("Ada. SS."

held,

and

him

style

Gl),

Colgan gives

on which day his

his

He had

been converted, with

at

life

festival

was

was of

live brothi

his death at 525,

as of Ui-Breasail, which Dr. O'Donovan, in his notes,

was a

states

p.

The Four Masters, recording

Patrick.

St.

the bishopric

states that he, like his predecessor, St. Jarlath,

the Dalfiatach family.

by

known where

instance

to be conjointly held.

territory co-extensive with the

East, county

mistook the

But

Armagh.
tribe, as

it

is

barony of O'Xcilland

quite evident that O'Donovan

he traces our bishop

to Urcasal, great-grand-

son of Colla da Chrioch, whereas Colgan expressly writes lie was

descended from Bressal, grandson of Fiatach Finn, from whom the

There were territories in county

and the Book of Leinster states that Ailill

Dal-Fiatach derived the name.

Down
and

called Ui-Brcasal,

his successor

were both of Drumchad

in

Hi-BreesJL

are the remains of the church of Drumcath, alias

Drumca, near Clough,

in question,
lists state

in that county,

though the other name

which

is

is

There

Drumcad, now

obviously the church

obsolete.

Ware and

all

the

that he sat thirteen years, and that he died 13th January.

52G, for which the Martyrology of Donegal has 525.

8.

Ailill

II.,

succeeded a.d. 52G.

He was of the same family

as his predecessor, sat ten years, and, according to

j-

j*

^^fca^^B^^^

Ware, died

538

Life of St. Patrick.

which the Four Masters and Marian Gorman

1st July, 536, for

have 535.
9.

Dubhthach

or

race of Colla Uais,

Duacii

King

II.,

succeeded 536.

He was of the

The Book

of Leinster adds

of Ireland.

that he was of the Ui-Tnirtre, a tribe descended from Fiachra Tort,

grandson of Colla Uais, originally seated on the west of Lough

Neagh, and afterwards on the east of the Bann, where they

He

and

died,

according to the Four Masters and Colgan, in 547, for which

Ware

assumed the name of O'Flyn.

sat twelve years,

gives 548.

Fiachra, succeeded A.D. 548.

10.

of Colman, son of

Eogan

of

and Four Masters, at 550,

whom

the

Irish

lists

have

call

the

him David, son

Armagh and Legate

nan, Bishop of

All

Book of Leinster calls son

Enuch-Senmail. The Aunals of Ulster

Fiachra as Duach's successor,

of

all

of Guaire Ua-Foran-

Ireland,

whom

Colgan

(" Tr. Th." p. 293) contends are the same.

Feidlimid Finn,

11.

Hy-Niallan, a
ing to the

succeeded a.d.
to

territory

Book

the

east

of

551.

He

was of the

Armagh, and,

of Leinster, grandson of Faelan of

accord-

Domnach-

Nemaind.

Two

him sitting twenty years, the Book of LeinThe Four Masters record his death at 577, as
Armagh, and Ware, at 578.

of the lists have

ster only fifteen.

Abbot of
12.

Caerlan, succeeded

A.d. 578.

of Leinster only four.

He was of Domnach-mie-hu-

give him ten years, the Book

The Four Masters record his death on the

Garba, of the Ui-Niallain.

Three

lists

24th of March, 587 (rede 588).

13.
calls

Eochaid,

him son

succeeded

A.D.

588.

The

Book

of

Leinster

of Diarmait, and as of Domnach-Big-Druing.

The

him sitting ten years, the Yellow Book of

The Four
Lec'an fifteen, and the Book of Leinster only three.
Masters record his death at 517 (rede 59S), and call him both
Lcahbar Brcac has

bishop and abbot.

14. Senacii,

succeeded a.d. 598.

The

Book

of Leinster calls

/.JlE?

//

r-

--'/.>.

the

ii

See of Armagh.

him Senach-Garb, of Cluain-hu-mic-Gricci, of the Ui-Niallain (..

the smith whd was in orders of Cill-mor).
Kilmore ohnrch is in
i

I'Neilland, about tour miles to tho east of

returned as sitting

fifteen,

are too long, as the Four .Masters record his death

and Ware
15.

at the

Mac

same

him bishop and abbot, and

the

Two

Book of Leinster

16.

which

009 recle

610

Tho Four Masters

state his death at

of the

632

(recte

have him fourteen years

lists

call

623), which
sitting,

eighteen.

623. The Four Masters call

Hunan, and record his death at 6G0 (rcclc 661) the
;

Chronimm Seolorum describes him

gives his a.ts at

10th January

from Venerable Bede the

640

variously
of

St. T.'MiNK, succeeded a.d.

hiin son of

in

is

all

date.

Laisrb, succeeded a.d. G10.

agrees with Ware.

He

Armagh.

twelve, and thirteen years,

during

as abbot

{"Ada

and bishop.

SS." p. 53), and quotes

letter written

by the clergy of

Holy See

the vacancy of the

Colgan

to the

bishops and

abbots of the north of Ireland, on the Paschal controversyamong

others, to this

Bishop Tomine

Cronan, Bishop of

Xendrum

Columban, Bishop of Clonard

Abbots of Moville, Bangor, and Ard-mae-Nasca, now Ilolywood,

the county of

Dima, Bishop of Connor; and the

in

Down.

17. St. Segene, succeeded A.D. 661.The Book of Leinster calls

him the son of Breasal of Achadh-Chlaidib, or Aghaclive, as the old

translation of the Annals of Kilclooney has

Armagh, and

it,

to

the south of

states that he held the Bee twenty-seven years,

which

agrees with the time of his death on the 24th of May, 687, the
true year being 688, as corrected by Ware.

All the annalists style

him Bishop of Armagh.

18.

St. Fi.ann Fekiila, Bucoeede

A.D.688.

eighth in descent from C'olla-da Ciiorli.

Son of Scanlan, and

He presided

over a synod

held in 695 or 697, where were present thirty-nine other ecclesis

among whom were St. Adamnan of lonaj St. Killen, Abbot of B

Kyran; Cenn Faelai.lh, Abbot of Bangor; and Murrhu Mac G-MacTeni, writer of a Life of St. Tatrick in the Book of Armagh

Life of St. Patrick.

540

Monarch

Loingseach, son of Aengus,

the Picts ;
are

now

and forty-seven

him
the

places his

and the

of

synod

Chroni-

702 (reck 70G); the Leabhar Breac and Psalter have

Assuming

of Leinster twenty-six.

and that he

Ware

sat twenty-seven years,

("Life of St. Patrick,"

Colgan ("Ada SS."

is

Ware

the Four Masters at 704

King

acts of this

twenty-seven years, the Yellow Book twenty-four, and

sitting

Book

at

Bruide,

The

Burgundian Library, Brussels.

in the

death at 24th April, 715

cwm Scotorum

of Ireland

chiefs of territories.

p.

his accession at 688,

Dr. Todd

is correct.

481) adopts 704 for St. Flann's death.

24th July for his

p. 713) gives

festival;

but he

Tho

not mentioned in the Martyrologies of Donegal or Tallaght.

Leabhar Breac states he was the pupil of Berchan, son of Michan.

The Four Masters, as also

him son of Crunmall, son of
Konau of the Ui-Niallain. The Leabhar Breac calls him In-Sui, i.e.
His death is set down at 21st June, 729 (rede 730), on
the sage.
19. St.

the

list

Suibhne, succeeded A.d. 715.

in the

which day
All the

Book

of Leinster, state

his festival is

lists

mentioned in the Martyrology of Donegal.

have him sitting

but that in the Yellow

fifteen years,

of Lecan, which assigns only twelve.

20.
list

Book

Congus,

the

called

Book

of the

Scribe,

of Leinster he

is

son of Ainmire of Cuil-Athgoirt.

Allan,

King of Ireland

and

it

succeeded A.D. 730.

In

He was

appears that

it

confessor

was at

Hugh

to

on account of some

slain,

Hugh

sacrilegious act

committed by some of his people at Kilcooney, county Tyrone, a

church belonging to the Bishop of Armagh.
that he sat twenty years.

He

All the

lists

agree

died in 750, being styled Bishop of

Armagh.
21.
styles

him

of

The

Book

of Leinster

Druhn-Chetna, in Ui-Bresail, which

O'Donovan

Cele-Petaik, succeeded a.j. 750.

thought was the Ui-Bresail-Macha, where a branch of the race of

Colla-da-Crioch had settled

which the

Ailills

belonged.

but

it is

more

Three of the

likely the
lists

&'

his instance

that king fought tho Ulidians at Faughart in 732, where

Boin, their king, was

tho

called grandson of Dasluaig,

Drumchad

have him

to

sitting

years.

ighl

Pout

Yellow

Tlic

Book

Lccan only seven.

of

The,

Masters record his death at 757 (rede 758) as Abbot of

Armagh.
S3.

him

Ferda-Crioch, succeeded

call

and assign
years,
ive

him sou

Omnnmael,

Ware to 708, which,

Foendalach,

which
first

might

it

to

defect-

illustrate this difficulty.

succeeded A.n. 7G8.

is

only ten

if sitting

Unfortunately, the Chronicum Scotoivm

23. Foeniul.U'ii,
sat,

li

of Suibhne, son of Ronan, son of

from 71S to 804, otherwise

time he

Three of the

The Four

Book

his death to 771

correct.

is

a.d. 758.

of Leinstei being silent.

sitting ten years, the

The

lists differ

as to the

be accounted for by the contention

with Dubhdaleth, and afterwards with GtormghaL

The Psalter and Book of Leinstei have him

sitting only

thn

which agrees with Ware, that he succeeded in 768, and resigned in

The Four .Masters have his death at 794 (reek 799). The
771.
Vellow Book of Lccan has him sitting ten years, most likely count-

Gormghal

ing part of his successor's time.

is

not in any of the

lists,

though the Four Masters record his death at 805 (rede 810) as
Abbot of Armagh and Clones. Perhaps he had retired to the
latter.

24.

Dubhdaleth, succeeded

778.

a.m.

He was son of Sinach,

according to the " Ogygia," the founder of the Claim Sinach,

The

so long held the see.

Psalter

list

has him sitting

who

fifteen years,

which agrees with Ware; the Leabhar Bread and Book of Leinster

The Four Masters

eighteen, taking three years from his predecessor.

have his death at 792

25.

Ware

at 793.

Airechtach, succeeded

A.D.

793. All

tach as successor of Dubhdaleth, and

Ware has

lists

the same sitting.

Alliat as successor, with

at 793-798, record that

the

ha\

that he sat only one year.

Alliath,

The

Pour

Bishop of Aid Mai

ha,

and Aireachtach Da Paelain, Abbot of Ard-Macha, died on the same

night."

of

The deaths

whom

been suffragans.

e-

of

many Bishops

of

Armagh

are styled successors o f Patrick.

-j.

are recordi

They appear

I,

none

to

have

Cudiniscus, succeeded a.d. 794.

26.

Conasuiehus

Book

the

All the

Cathbad, son of Eocliad.

Ware

Ware

calls

him son

of

of Leiuster sou of Concas, grandson of

lists

gives 798 for his death, the

have him sitting four years.

Four Masters 795

but

it is

altogether impossible to reconcile the chronology of the annalists

with Harris, the translator of Ware.

Conmach, succeeded

27.
cessor,

a.d. 798.

He

was son

of his prede-

Dubhdaleth of the Claim Sinach, so severely condemned by

Bernard, in his "Life of St. Malachy," for usurping the see for 208

St.

years

and the

list

Book

in the

of Leinster observes this

was the

son in succession to the father, as was prophesied by Bec-mac-De.

It

was at

the clergy were exempted from warlike

his solicitation

expeditions.

The

and sixteen years

have him variously

lists

that

cessor of Foendelach

in the

sitting fourteen, thirteen,

of Leinster

Ware, counting from

giving his death at 807

Four Masters, he

Book

but

making him

suc-

his dates, only nine,

we accept the chronology of the

the period fixed by the Book

if

sat sixteen years

of Lecan, counting from the death of Cudiniscus, 790 (rede 795), to

his

own sudden death

28.

in

806

Toebach, succeeded

811).

(rcctc

A.d. 807.

Son of

Gorman, who had

been Abbot of Louth, of the Ui-Ceallach Breagh, of the same family

with the celebrated Conn-na-Mbocht, of Clonmacnois.
ted in the

one year.

He is

omit-

Book of Leinster list. The others assign him as sitting

Ware and the Chronicum Scotorum have liis death at

808, the Four Masters at 807-812.

Nuad, succeeded a.d. 808. Had been Abbot of Loch Uarnh,

now Lough Nahoo, in the parish of Drumlease, county
The Book of Leinster omits him ; the other lists assign
Leitrim.
him three years' sitting. Ware writes, he died in 812, agreeing with
29.

in Breffny,

the Chronicum Scotorum

816.

Colgau has his

p. 373).

811-S16.

Ware
The

has
lists

ception of that in the

the Annals of Ulster and Four Masters,

life

at the 19th of February ("Acta SS."

his

death

at

812, the

Four Masters

at

have him sitting three years, with the ex-

Book

of Leinster, where he

is

omitted, like

bSI

>-

m.

~w_
the

)rs in

'/Armagh.

The Four Masters have,

his predecessor.

543
ath of

al

Toictheach (Ja-Tighearnaigh, Abbot of Armagh, but bis name

not in any of the

Mac

30.

Loing

of Loingsech, in
.

-i.

succeeded a.d. 812.

thi

He

is

called Fergus, son

Scotorum, where his death

and record

his

Book

him

sitting, variously, thirteen

in the

Ware

death at 825.

list

gives

of Leinster omits him

822 as the

the other

and seventi en

yeai

ice,

Cumnscagh, King of
and confessor of

Niall Caille,

.Minister on primatial business, and,

Mac Loingsi,and on

his death

presumptive King of

visited

Connaught and

we may presume, was coadjutor

assumed the office

the protection of his powerful family.

in

who was

and Eogan, Lector of

Oriel,

had on sever.d occasions

Airtri

have

s.

Upon the death of Mac Loingsf,

31. Airrrru, succeeded a.d. 822.

half-brother to

date.

lists

great contention arose for the primacy between Airtri,

to

Btated

is

while the Four -Masters call him Flannghus, son of Loing-

The

Ireland.

is

lists.

He

absolutely, under

was, however, deposed

825, after the battle of Lethi-Cam, where his brother was slain.

All the lists assign

of the annalists
his accession
32.

till

him but two

his death, 833.

back

the

all

with his death in 834.

and

It

have

lists
is

Ware

Iras

him

which exactly

eight,

sitting
tallies

probable he had an assistant abbot,

829, the Four Masters record the death of Suibbne, son of

Fainneach, Abbot of
Leinster

33.

A.D. 825.

Airtri's death, in 833,

till

only one year; but

force,

which agrees with the dates

EOOAN, of Monasterboice, succeeded

his succession

as, at

years,

whereas Ware gives him eleven, counting from

list

Armagh

states there

perhaps tanist abbot.

and were not commemorated

Fobahnah,

The Rook of

were three erenaghs,who took the abbey by

in

the

of K.ith-n.ic Mulais succeeded a.d. 834.

All the

lorannan as immediate successor of Eogan, instead of

1

lermaidt >Tighernach

though

it

of the Four Masters, at 834, that

they state Forannan became abbot

;=5

might be inferred from the entry

Dermaid was
in place of

first in

possession, as

the other. At B38 they

T~"

record another change,

when Dermaid succeeded.

these statements, and maintains that

all

O'Flaherty rejects

Forannan held the

without competition until 848; which agrees with two of the

which have him

He was

teen.

the Book of Leinster, sevenArmagh by Turgesius the Dane, resided

sitting fourteen years

driven from

in Minister four years, where, in 843,

Cluain-C'omharda,

now Colman's

He

he was taken prisoner at

Well, county Limerick, by the

Danes, and carried to their shipping,

wards released.

see

lists,

resigned in

from which he was

848, and died

after-

851 or 852;

according to the Four Masters, in the same year as Dermaid, his

successor.

Dermaid O'Tighernach,

34.

35. St.

Fethgna, succeeded

calls

him son

lists

have him

He

five.

succeeded a.d. 848.

He

he was sitting four years.

state

All the

A.D. 852.

The

Book

sitting

twenty-two years, the Lcahhar Breac twenty-

according to the

Four Masters,

872; to the

Chronicum Scotorum, 874, which O'Donovan writes

The Martyrology

year.

of Leinster

Three of the

of Nechtan, of the Claim Eochadh.

died,

lists

died 851 or 852.

of

Donegal has his

is

the true
at 12th

festival

February.
36.

Ainmire, succeeded A.D. 874.

<*

the

Book

Niallain,

of Leinster, he

According

list

in

was grandson of Faelan, sovereign of

and one of the priesthood of Armagh.

ters write that

to the

The Four Mas-

he had been a priest thirty years, and only held

the see nine months, dying in 870.

Ware

fixes his

death a year

earlier.

37.

Cathasach, son of Robhartach, succeeded

Annals of Ulster, recording

Ardmach.

The

to seven years.

lists

his

vary as to the period of his

The Book

A.D. 875.

The

death at 883, style him Prince of

sitting,

from four

of Leinster states he was grandson of

Moinach, of the Clann-Suibhne. and that he died in pilgrimage in

the name being illegible.
Maelcobha, son of Crunnmhael, succeeded A.D. 883. He
was taken prisoner by the Danes of Lough Cuan (Strangford), with

the island of
38.

Z7ts

in the

The Book

Mochta the Lector.

of

Sec of Armagh.
was of the

family of Cill-mor, ami makes him precede Cathasach, conti

*o>

ther

lists,

and to the Four Masters. All the lists have him

Ware only two, and dates liis death at 885 but

Bitting five years

the

Dr. B

Columba"haa

of

and which appears to be

itnviiatm Scolorum,

888, the date given also by

and recon

correct,

the differences.

cilea

39. St.

and a

Maelbrigde Mao Dornan, succeeded

aj>. 888.
The
him " a man full of the grace of God,
of the wisdom and knowledge of his time," and

Martyrology of Donegal
vessel full

calls

Hates he was of the race of

He was Abbot

Gulban.

('..nail

of

Raphoe, and in S91 succeeded Flann as Abbot of Iona, retaining

Two

Armagh.

of the

lists

have him

sitting thirty-nine years

Book of Lecan and Book of Leinster omitting the

'.:

Colgan did

in transcribing

ary, 927,

who has him

mistake,

from

on which day

tie.

obits,

40. Joseph, succeeded a.d. S27.

him a

his death at 93G, call

is

was

and as he died 22nd

The Four Masters

of four of his coadjutor

The Four

scribe, bishop,

According to the

the

held, this corrects Ware's

sitting forty-two years.

and Chronicum Scolorum have the

bishops in Armagh.

wisest of the Irish.

Psalter

his feast

ten, as

first

Masters, recording

and anchorite, and the

list in

the

Book

of

Leu

son of Fathach of the Clann Fathgaeta of the Dalriattl

They were
nine

41.

only

county Antrim.

located in

All the

lists

make him

sit

MaelpATBIOE, succeeded AD. 93C Son of Mailtuile, sat

months, and died in 936 the same year as his prede-

five

cessor.
42.

Cathasach

Dolgen, by

II.,

Ware and

937. He is
Book of Leinster, and son

succeeded a.d.

the

son of

called

of Fergus in

the Yellow Book of Lecan.

lie is described as of Drnim-Thorraidb,
otherwise Drumtorraig, the mo<t distinguished bishop of the Irish.
All the lists have him sitting twenty years.
He died in 957.
13.

MuntKADHACH,

son of

I",

rgus, succeeded

A.i.

057.All

the

^^^^aas^g-

fes

lists

He

have him sitting nine years, and as then removed.

described as of Glinn-Arind, in Sliabh-Cuilenn,

now

is

one of the

glens in Slievegullen Mountain, in the south of county Armagh.

He

died the following year.

Dubhdaleth

44.
list

in the

tuile,

was

Book

son of Cellaigh, succeeded A.D. 9G5.

II.,

The

of Leinster states that Deolaid, daughter of Mail-

The place should be Inis-Cain-Dega, now

a monastery taking its name from its

his mother.

Inishkeen, county Louth

founder, Bishop Daigh,

commemorated

at

Ware

18th August.

places his election at 9GG; but Dr. Beeves' "Life of Columba,"

396,

p.

at

9G5, which

the corrected date in the Chronicum

is

2nd June, 998,

number assigned by three of the

Scotorum, tallies w-ith the date of his death,

after

sitting thirty-three years, the

lists,

and in
45.
is

his eighty-third year.

Mukechan,

of Both-Domnaig,

variously called in the

Three of the

lists

lists

succeeded A.D.

998.

lie

son of Eathach and son of Ciaracan.

have him sitting three years, the Yellow Book of

Lecan nineteen, computing most likely from his appointment as

assistant to
as 992,

Dubhdaleth, for as such we have him acting so early

when he

visited the

Kinel-Owen and the

rest of the north

of Ireland, and inaugurated Aedh, sou of Domhnall O'Neill, as king.

He

resigned in 1001, and died in 1005, in the seventieth or seventy-

second year of his age.

46.

Maelmuire, son

succeeded A.D. 1001.

visited

Armagh

of Eochaidh, of the race of Colla da Chrioch,

During

in 1004,

his prelacy the celebrated Brian

Bom

and presented a golden ring of twenty

ounces as au offering on the high altar of the church, at the same

time he caused

by

an

entry to be

made

in the

Book

of

Armagh,

his confessor, Maolsuthain, ratifying the ancient privileges of

the see, of which the following

when going to heaven, ordained

as well as of baptism,

and

is

a translation

decisions, as of alms,

was

to the apostolic city, which in the Scotic tongue

macha.

Thus

have found

it

" St. Patrick,

that the entire produce of his labor,

to be delivered

is

called

in the records of the Scots.

ArddThis

is

//

my

Successors

namely, Calms Perennis, in the

wriiinur,

sovereign of the Scuts

and what

Maolsuthain, whose death

ally

is

the Latin

the

/'

'ah

recorded at 1031

is

of

Brian,

have written he decreed

equivalent for Cashel.

body of Brian and

nnu

as the

After

the

for

is liter-

word
battle

his sou,

Murchadh,

to

Armagh,

Maelmuire died 3rd June, 1020, having

where they were interred.

sat

presence

547

23rd April, 1014, Maelmuire with his clergy con-

Cloiitarf,

of

The Latin form

the terms of Maceria."

all

See of Armagh.

in the

nineteen years.

Amalgaui, succeeded

17.

In 1021

predecessor.

1020. Son

a.d.

made

lie

of Maelmuire, has

a visitation of Minister, the first

by any of the successors of

St.

Patrick,

attended the death-bed of King Malaehy.

and the next year

The Psalter has him

thirty yean, the other lists only twenty-nine, agreeing with

the record of his death in 1019. After his death some writers havo
for his successor Giila Patrick, son of

was merely

distinctly state he

Dubudaleth

48.

predecessor,

succeeded

III.,

Donald, but the Four Mastera

prior.
a.

k KM.

i.

Was brother of his

and had been chief lector of Armagh.

According to

the annals, he assumed the abbacy the day of his predecessor's

death,

and the next year made a

visitation of the Kind Owen, In

between Dublulaleth and Cumuscagh
the abbacy
and it appears certain, as Dr. Lani-

10G0 there was great

I

>'ll.

rudan, as to

strife

oought, that he resigned about that time in favor of his com-

The

petitor.

four

havo him sitting twelve yean, thereby

lists

fixing his resignation in 1261,

his successor,

Cumuscagh,

to

ing this, allows on]

All the

have

favor

fixing Dubhdaleth'e resignation at

He
penance.
cessors,

40.

died

both unfortunately

Si

BJJ

bis

lists

allow three years for

Ware, though acknowledgpeculiar chronology; but

1261- _ reconciles the app

September, 1Q64, alter praiseworthy

of Ireland,

and a history of

his prede-

lost.

O'llrui 1;AN, succeeded A.D.

stated, sat three years,

"4,

He wrote Annals

OUMUBOAGH

sat.

1061.As above

and resigned on the death of

his prede-

Life of St. Patrick.

He

cessor.

according to the Annals of Ulster, in

died,

1071,
.;

Head

being there called

50.

of the Irish Poor.

Maelisa, succeeded a.d. 1064.

decessor,

and

sat,

according to the

Son

lists,

of Amalgaid, his pre-

twenty-seven years, though

by the computation of the Four Masters he

died, after penance,

20th December, 1091.

51.

Domhnall, succeeded

his predecessor,

made

visitations of Ulster

endeavored to

a.d. 1091.

Was

brother of Maelisa,

on whose death he was immediately

effect

and Munster.

installed.

He

In 1099 and 1105, he

a peace between the southern O'Briens and

northern M'Loughlins, both claiming the sovereignty of Ireland.

In the latter year he took

to Swords, Duleek,

ill

in Dublin,

and was conveyed thence

and Armagh, where he died on

St.

day, 12th August, in his sixty-eighth year, and was buried in

The Books

of Lecan and Leinster have

him

Laisren's

Armagh.

sitting fourteen years,

the Leabhar Breac only eight, an obvious mistranscript.

52. St.

*;'

Cellach, otherwise Celsus, succeeded A.D. 1105.

Grandson of Maelisa, and nephew of Domhnall, his immediate

predecessor ; was immediately consecrated on St. Adamnan's day
(23rd September), in his twenty-seventh year.
tions through Ulster, Munster,

He made

visita-

Connaught, and Meath, and, in

1111, presided over the synod of Fiabh-mic-Aenghusa, in West-

meath, where were assembled

fifty

bishops, three hundred priests,

and three thousand students. In 1126 he consecrated the great

Jlcglcs Church of SS. Peter and Paul, which had been erected by
Imar O'Hagan.

The Four Masters record

in county Limerick,

having spent a

life

body being buried

At

1st April,

his death at Ardpatrick,

1129, in

his fiftieth year,

of fasting, prayer, and mass-celebration

after

his

in Lismore. lie wrote several theological works.

his death, deploring the miseries

and

sacrilege

which arose

from the hereditary succession in his family, he, by his

will,

directod that he should be succeeded by his vicar, the great St.

Malachy, and enjoined the kings of Munster to have this object

carried out.

His

festival is placed

in

the

Roman and Donegal

His Successors

See of Armagh

the

Martyrologiea on 6th April, having been transferred from the

Isfc.

(Mi tho death of Celsns, notwithstanding his dying directions,

and

and people of Ireland,

the wishes of the clergy

Ml QtCHKRTAOH or Maurice, tho son of Donald, who

died in

1106, assumed the abbacy, through the influence of his powerful

family,

and had himself immediately

intrusion existed for five years,

1

74>

and was then continued

134,

brother of St. Celsus.

till

in the

This uucanonical

installed.

his death,

17th September,

person of his cousin, Niall, the

Niall died in 1132, after intense penance.

Malaciiy, otherwise MaelmabDOG (Ja-MoRGATB,

53. St.

ceeded a.d.

He

1132.

suc-

was a native of Armagh, and had been

Abbot of Bangor and Bishop of Connor, and was electnl Primate

in 1132, at a synod convoked by Malchus, Bishop of Lismore, and
Gillebert,

Bishop of Limerick, Legate of the Apostolic See. In 1136

he resigned the see, having accomplished tho peace of the see, and
retired to the bishopric of

On

Down, which he separated from Connor.

tho 12th of June, 1138,

his

brother,

Christian O'Morgair,

Bishop of Clogher, died, and was interred under the great altar in

Armagh.

In

Down

the palls for

at Clairvaux,

November

afterwards proceeded to Rome, to

Armagh and

Cashel,

in

the arms of St. Bernard, on the

that year, in

His

his fifty-fourth year.

been transferred to 3rd November.

life

solicit

and was then appointed Legato

In 1148 he again set out for Rome, but died on his

for Ireland.

way

he founded several monasteries, and restored

He

Bangor and Saul.

2nd

festival

valuable and exhaustive

of this eminent saint has been written by the Rev.

O'Hanlon, which embodies the great

.">!.

1136.

St. Gklasius, otherwise

The Yellow Book of

of Rory, and the

He had been

sixteen

years

secrated

to

this

sec.

by

St.

John

Bernard.

Cii.i.a-Mac-Liag, succeeded a.d.

Lecan

name Mac-Liag

appointment to Armagh by

life

of

has

calls
is

him son

of Diarmaid, son

explained as son of the poet.

Abbot of Derry, previous to hie

Malachy, by whom he was con-

St.

His visitations of different parts of the

kingdom, and the synods which he held, are noticed in tho

Life of St. Patrick.

550

his death at 27th

March,

festival is held), in the eighty-seventh

year of

The Four Masters record

Annalists.

1173 (on which his

his age, as a son of chastity, filled

with purity of heart towards

all

mankind.
55.

Cornelius

Mac

family of

Mac

Concalede, succeeded

1174.

a.d.

The

Concalede appear to have been Erenachs of Deny,

though the Chambery Life makes our bishop a native of Armagh,

and

to have,

The Book

been born there 17th September, 1120.

of

him the Bishop Hua Muireadhach. He succeeded

Mochaibeo in the abbacy, and the same year became

Leinster calls
Gilla

St.

Having proceeded

Primate.
see,

to

Rome on

matters relating to the

he died on his return home, at the church of

St. Peter's,

Lemenc, near Chambery, in Savoy, 4th June, 1176, where his

body

is

still

preserved, on which day his festival

church as St.

the late Primate Dixon,

50.

Gilbert

Concord.
is

portion

now

O'Caran,

of his

in the church of

succeeded

He was

moted from the bishopric of Eaphoe.

by the English
St.

at

Down, with

Patrick and other

canon and

the

procured by

Armagh.

117G-7.

a.d.

held in that

is

relics,

Was

Jinitj'a'ulhcch

He

but afterwards released.

relics,

pro'

taken prisonel
of

died

in 1180.
57.

Thomas

or

Tomaltagh O'Conor,

The Four Masters record

tion at

1184,

succeeded a.d. 1181.

his consecration at 1181,

when Maelisa

O'Carrol

and

his resigna-

was consecrated.

After

Maelisa's death in 1187, he resumed the Primacy, and died in 1207,

ami was buried in Mellifont.

He was son of Hugh, son of Torlogh

He assisted with Cardinal Vivian

O'Conor, King of Conuaught.

at the translation of the relics of SS. Patrick, Columba,

and Brigid,

in Downpatrick, in 1184.
58.

Maelisa O'Carrol, succeeded

a.d.

had been previously Bishop of Clogher,

correct he

Armagh

was only

1184.

bift if

Ware

states

he

the Four Masters are

bishop-elect, as they record his consecration to

in 1184, and, at 1187, his death, as

has for his successor in Armagh,

Bishop of

Oriel.

Ware

Amlavo O'Murid; but the Ordnance

His S

in the See

of Armagh.

Memoir of Derry shows that be was Bishop

Kind Firry in Tyrone, and not of Armagh.
59. Figexe, otherwise Eohdoun Mac (in.r,.\
A.n. 1202.

Appointed

by the Pope, who

and was

of three other claimants,

authority.

He

finally

Ardstraw and

of

ii>m

551

BttO

i;,

set aside the preten

acknowledged by the royal

and died

assisted at the Council of Lateran,

in

Rome

in 121G.

GO.

Luke Netterville, Archdeacon

of

Armagh, succeeded

A.D.

1217. Having been confirmed by the Pope, he was consecrated by

Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, and died 17th April,
1227,
Gl.

and was buried

according to his request.

in Mellifont,

NICHOLAS, a canon of Armagh, succeeded

A.n. 1227.

He

was unanimously elected by the chapter, confirmed by Pope Gregory

and consecrated by the Iiishop of Tusculum, but resigned

IX.,

favor

of his successor,

who during

in

his absence

had received royal

succeeded A.D. 1227.

Translated from

institution.

G2.

DONAT O'FlDABKA,

Clogher, which he had governed nine years.

Died

in

England,

returning from Rome, October, 1237.

G3.
friar,

Albert of Cologne, succeeded

1240. A Franciscan

A.D.

consecrated at Westminster, 30th September, 1240, by the

Bishop of Worcester,
the Pope's

in presence of

He

legate.

Archbishop of Livonia.

resigned

King Henry

III.

121G, and

in

De Burgo (Mb. Dom.)

provincial of the Dominicans, as appointed in

and Otho,

was appointed

has one Henry, a

1245, but the Bull

must have been issued under a misconception of Albert's death.

G4.

Reiner, succeeded

A.d. 124G.

On the resignation of Albert,

the Annals of Ulster state that the Bishop of Rath-Luraigh,

now

Maghera, county Derry, was elected, but Reiner, a Dominican

friar of Irish birth

in the opinion of

had been sent into England by

St.

De Burgo, one of twelve who

Rome, was appointed by Pope Innocent

He

returned to

Rome

in

1 2.

>.'5,

being then at

Dominic himself
IV.,

and there consecrated.

and died there

in

25G, having sepa-

rated the old see of Louth from Clogher, and annexed

it

to his

own.

Co.

Abraham O'Connellan,

succeeded a.d. 1257.

Was

Arch-

Presbyter of the church of Armagh ; confirmed by the Pope in Rome,

He

same time receiving the pallium.

at

GG.
friar,

Patrick O'Scanlain, succeeded

1270-1.

Mac

Nicholas

1299, calling

" the

him

1293,

it

A Dominican

his being honorably received

in 1270.

Molissa, succeeded a.d. 1272.

he died 10th May, 1303

was revealed

Ware writes

but the Four Masters record his death at

most godly and devout

While he

time in Ireland."

a.d. 12G1.

died at Dundalk, 16th March,

The Four Masters record

by the King of England

G7.

He

and Bishop of Eaphoe.

died 21st December, 12G0.

to

sat,

ecclesiastic of his

She Four Masters relate that, in

him wh^re the

relics

of St. Patrick,

Columba, and Brigid, were deposited, at Saul, near Downpatrick,

and that he had them taken up, whereby great miracles were
In his annotations on this passage, Dr. O'Donovan most

wrought.

unwarrantably and

illogically argues against the

of the same relics in

1 1 85,

former translation

under the supervision of Cardinal Vivian,

Thomas O'Conor, Bishop of Armagh, and Malachy, Bishop of

Down, and about forty other bishops, because not recorded by the
Irish annalists,

and only by English

historians,

and in the

Ofiice of

theTranslation, published in Paris in 1G20, andreprinted byColgan;

asserting that

Down, then

was a scheme of De Courcey

it

in his possession.

proves nothing, for

his

argument that

many
it is

to

add dignity

But the omission by our

to

annalists

other important events are unnoticed; and

hard to believe that the

been deposited in a costly shrine, could be

relics, after

having

lost in the course of the

next century, betrays great ibrgetfulness of the disturbed state of

Ulster in that period; that in 12G0 Brian O'Neill
effort to drive the

1220, as

Bymer

English from

Down; and

states, the prior

and monks of

mitted, or iutended to transmit, to

feretnm

him a

in

which those

relics

resting-place in England.

made

a desperate

that, previous to this, iu

Henry

St. Patrick trans-

III. of

England, the

were enshrined, and sought from

It

was perhaps about

the relics were secretly buried in Saul.

this period

XJ

r^=^ Q&~~~.

kSfl&s

Efts Successors in the

Miohabl, 1303.

A Franciscan

See of Armagh,

friar of

Armagb, was

elected by

the dean and chapter, and received the royal assent and certificate
for the Pope's confirmation,

John Taafe,

C8.

but died before consecration.

succeeded A

Clement V., and consecrated

D.

1306,

Was appointed by Pope

Rome, where he died

in

in 130G, the

business of the see having been transacted by his Vicar-General,

Reginald Taafe.

Walter de

69.

Jorse, succeeded a.d. 130G.

and brother to Thomas Jorse, Cardinal of

friar,

A
St.

Dominican

Sabina; was

appointed by the Pope, and consecrated by Nicholas, Cardinal of

He was an eminent writer, and resigned the see, accordDe Burgo, in 1307; but according to Ware, ou lGth Novem-

Ostium.
ing to
ber,

1311

which Harris shows to have been too

late, as in

Pope's letter appointing his successor, the church of

the

Armagh

is

stated to have been long vacant.

70.

Roland de Jorse,

and brother of

succeeded a.d. 1311;

his predecessor;

November, 1311, and consecrated

He

Tusculum.

in

Rome by

Berengar, Bishop of

resigned 20th March, 1321-2.

De Burgo

several authorities, showing that Martin of Bologna

successor to Walter in 1307, possibly on

to the latter's death
71.

Dominican,

was appointed by the Pope, 13th

quotes

was appointed

some misapprehension

as

but this appointment wasnot carried out.

Stephen Segrave, succeeded a.d. 1322. Dean

of Lichfield,

appointed by Pope John XXII., died 27th October, 1333.

72. David MacOirechtoigh, succeeded a.d. 1334.

Dean of
Armagh; elected by the Chapter, and confirmed by Pope John

XXII., the 4th of July, 1334, and consecrated at Avignon.

cording to the Four Masters he died in 1343

134G as the true year, and Ware

gives lGth
73.

May

Ac-

but O'Flaherty has

from the Annales NenaghUnscs,

in that year.

Richard Fitzralph, succeeded

a.d.

1347.

native of

Dundalk, and successively Chancellor of Lincoln, Archdeacon of

Chester,

and Dean of

Lichfield

appointed by Pope Clement VI.,

31st July, 134G, and consecrated at Exeter, 8th July, 1347. Several

i,.-rirr7

fc"

\-i,

-"fC'M*

of his works have been published, and some remain in manuscript.

He

died at Avignon, 16th November, 13G0, and in 1370 his body-

was removed

to his native

town by Stephen deValle, Bishop of Meath.

Milo Sweetman, succeeded

74.

kenny

A.D. 1361.

cathedral, in diocese of Ossory, to

He

elected.

Treasurer of

Kil-

which see he had been

proceeded to Avignon for the Pope's confirmation

but the Pope, having already conferred Ossory on John of Satenale,

He

appointed him to Armagh.

died at Dromiskin, county Louth,

11th August, 1380.

75.
in

John Colton,

succeeded A.D. 1382.

A native of Norfolk,
In 1374 he

England, in which country he held several livingsn

was

elected

Dean

of St. Patrick's, being then treasurer of Ireland.

In 1379 he became lord chancellor, and in 1382 was advanced by

Pope Urban VI.

years.

to this see.

He was lord

justice of Ireland

some

Early in 1404 he resigned Armagh, and, dying 27th April

that year, was buried in St. Peter's, Drogheda.

A secular priest;
7G. Nicholas Fleming, succeeded a.d. 1404.
was appointed by Pope Boniface IX, and consecrated 1st May, 1404
died in June, 1416, and was also buried in Drogheda.
77.

John Swayn, succeeded

Meath, and a prebendary of

St. Peter's,

78.

III.;

was consecrated

Dublin.

Appointed by

He

in

Drogheda.

John Peene,

succeeded A.D. 1439.

was appointed by Pope Eugene

1439.

Rector of Galtrim, in

Pome, February, 1417. Re1439, and, dying a few years afterwards, was buried in

Pope Martin
signed in

A.D. 1417.

St. Patrick's,

IV.,

Archdeacon of Armagh;

and consecrated November,

died at Termon-Fechin, county Louth, 13th June, 1443,

and was there buried.

79.

John Mey,

succeeded A.D. 1444.

Official of

vicar of Delvin and Kilmessan in that diocese

Meath, and

appointed by Tope

Eugene IV., and consecrated 20th June, 1444. He died 1456.

Appointed Abbot of Navan
80. John Bole, succeeded A.D. 1457.

in

450

was advanced to

secrated June, 1457.

He

this see

by Pope Calixtus

died 18th February, 1170.

III.,

and con-

John Foxallb, Boooeeded a.i>.

Ho died

81.

1475.

pointed by Pope Sixtoa IV.

in

Franciscan, ap-

England, 1476-7, having

never visited the sea

En.MiNi) CouNKsnuRGii, succeeded

B8.

by Tope Sixtus IV.

1477.Appointed

a. p.

Resigned, 10th November,

178.

iavian de Palatio, sneceeded ah. 1480.A native of

Florence, who had been Apostolic Nuncio and Administrator to the
-

ii.

\.

see to his predecessor;

was appointed by Pope Sixtus

He

ted, -March, 1480-1.

St. Peter's,

died, June, 1513,

and conin

Drogheda,

84 Joiin KITS,
became chaplain

to

ad. 1513. A native of London,

succeeded

Henry

VIII., sub-dean of the Chapel

September, 1510, rector of Weyhill,

and, in

IV.,

and was buried

in

the

Royal,

diocese

of
Worcester, from which he was appointed to the primacy by Pope
Leo X. In February, 1518, he went as ambassador to Spain with

John Lord Pernors, from which lie returned in 1519. In 1521, he

resigned the primacy was subsequently appointed Archbishop of
;

Thebes in Greece, and commendatory Bishop of

He

Carlisle in

England.

died 18th June, 1537, and was buried in St. Margaret's church

Westminster.

George Cromer,

85.

byter

1522.
86.

succeeded a.d. 1521.

An

English pre

was appointed by Pope Leo X., and consecrated

He died 16th March, 1542.

Robert Waucop, succeeded a.d.

appointed bishop by Pope Paul

this see.

He

1510.

A Scotchman

was

with right of succession to

took an active part in the negotiations of the Irish

princes with the French king

Worms, and

III.,

in April,

was present at the conference of

assisted at the Council of Trent,

He

died 10th No-

vember, 1551.
87.

George Dowdall,

county Louth; had been

succeeded a.d. 1553. A native of the

official

to Dr. Cromer,

schismatically appointed to the see, 28th

then

full.

and on

his deal

November, 1543, although

He, however, warmly opposed the Reformation, and

obliged to go into exile.

After Waucop's death he was canonically

Life of St. Patrick.

556

appointed in consistory, 1st March, 1553.

He

died in London,

15th August, 1558.

88.

of

Donatus Teige Fleming,

the diocese of Limerick

succeeded a.d. 15C0.

was appointed

priest

7th

in consistory,

February, 15G0; shortly after consecrated, and received the pallium

He

27th March following.

rick

died in 1563.

A native of Lime-

Eichard Creagh, succeeded

a.d. 1564.

was appointed

22nd March, 1564, and

89.

enduring

much

in consistory,

persecution and imprisonment,

was poisoned

after

in the

Tower of London, 14th October, 1585.

90.

Edmund MacGauran,

succeeded A.d. 1587.

He

was

ap-

pointed Bishop of Ardagh, 1584, and translated to Armagh, 1st

He was

July, 1587.

killed near Tulsk, county

Roscommon, June,

1593.
91.

Peter Lombard, succeeded

a.d. 1601.

A native of Water-

ford and an eminent Franciscan; was appointed in consistory, 9th

July, 1601,
92.

and died 1625.

Hugh MaoCaghwell,

Saul, near

Downpatrick; was

He

appointed in 1626.

succeeded a.d. 1626.

also

A native

of

an eminent Franciscan, and

died 24th September, 1626.

When young

he was selected by Hugh, Earl of Tyrone, as tutor for his sons,

Hugh and Henry. Several of his works have been published.
93.

Hugh

O'Reilly, succeeded a.d. 1628. Promoted from the

bishopric of Kilmore, 21st August, 1628; died, 7th July, 1651,

or February, 1653
94.
priest

Edmund

was buried

in Trinity Island,

O'Reilly, succeeded a.d. 1654.

county Cavan.

Had been a parish

and Vicar-General of the diocese of Dublin.

Was

on 15th March, 1657; consecrated in the following year.

1669.
95.

Oliver Plunket, succeeded

Crew, county Meath.

A.d. 1669.

appointed

Died

in

A native of Lough

Appointed in consistory, 9th July, 1669,

and consecrated by the Bishop of Ghent, 30th November following.

Suffered martyrdom in London, 1st July, 1681.
96.

Dominick Maguire, succeeded

A.D. 1681.

A native of Fer-

His Successors
managhj was appointed

in

See of Armagh.

the

After the Revolution he was

in 1681.

obliged to Beek exile in France, where he died in 1708, and was

buried in the College des Lombardes.

Hugh M'MAHON,

97.

Buooeeded a.d. 1715.

Had been appointed

Bishop of Clogher in 1707, and translated to Armagh,

2nd of August, 1737, and buried

Bernard M'MAHON,

98.

in

succeeded A.D. 1738.

Had been ap-

pointed Bishop of Clogher in 1715, and translated to

Died 27th May,

1738.

1717,

Died

17ir>.

Drogbeda.

and buried

in

Armagh

Ematria,

i:

in

county

bfonaghan.

Ross M'Mahon, succeeded

99.

Had

decessor.

lated to

100.

a.d. 1747.

Brother of his

pre-

been appointed Bishop of Clogher, 1738, and trans-

Died 29th of October, 1748.

Armagh, 1717.

Michael O'Reilly, succeeded a.d. 1749.- Had been Vicar-

General of Kilmore

and translated

to

consecrated Bishop of

Armagh, 1749.

(erry, tth April,

1739,

Died 1758, and was buried

in

Drogheda.
101.

Anthony Blake,

of Galway, are. 1750,

succeeded a.d. 1758.

Appointed Warden

and Bishop of Ardagh, 1751

translated to

Armagh, 1758, and died in Galway, December, 1787.

Was consecrated
102. Richard O'Reilly, succeeded a.d. 1 787.

coadjutor to Dr. O'KeetTe, Bishop of Kildare, and thence translated

to

Armagh
103.

in 1782, with full powers.

Died 31st January, 1818.

Patrick Curtis, succeeded ad. 1819

native of county

Month, and had been President of the College of Salamanca,

Spain, for thirty years.

Consecrated 2Sth October,

181'J,

in

and died

2Cth July, 1832.

104.

Thomas Kelly,

succeeded a.d. 1832.

A native ofEscragh,

Maynooth.

was junior Dean and Professor of Theology in

Consecrated Bishop of Dromore, 27th August, 1826

translated to

Armagh 23rd December,

county Tyrone

Curtis,

105.

whom

he succeeded in 1832.

William CbOLLY, succeeded

lykilbcg, near Downpatrick, county

5S

v^Li

1828, as coadjutor to Primate

Died 13th January, L8S5.

A.D. 1835.

Down.

A native of

Was

Bal-

a Professor in

ibt.

>

Life of St. Patrick.

Maynooth, and Parish Priest of

Belfast.

Consecrated Bishop of

Down and Connor 1st May, 1825, and translated

May, 1835. He died at Drogheda, Cth April,
buried in the
106.
sistory,

new

Armagh, 8th

1819, and

was

Armagh.

cathedral,

Paul Cullen,

to

succeeded A.d. 1850.

Appointed

in con-

8th January, and consecrated at Eome, 21th Februry, 1850,

and translated

15th August, 1852.

to Dublin,

Joseph Dixon, succeeded a.d. 1852. A native of Killyman, county Tyrone was Professor of Hebrew and Sacred ScripAppointed in consistory, 1th October, and
tures in Maynooth.
Died 29th April,
consecrated in Maynooth, 21st November, 1852.
107.

18G6.
108.

Micuael Kieran, succeeded

A.D.

186G.

native of

Darva, county Louth, and Parish Priest of Dundalk.

Consecrated

Died at

Forthill, near

3rd February, 1SG7, by Cardinal Cullen.

Dundalk, September, 1SG9.

109.

Daniel M'Gettigan, succeeded

May, 1856, and translated

Si. Fiacc's

As wc

a.d. 1870.

native of

Consecrated coadjutor Bishop of Eaphoe, 18th

county Donegal.

Hymn

to

or

Armagh, 8th March, 1870.

Poem on

the Life of St. Patrick

arc anxious to include in the present

every document relating to

St. Patrick, in

volume

order to put

the reader in possession of a complete repertory of Lis

life

and

the

Hymn

acts,

we append

the

Hymn

of St. Fiacc and

of St. Sechnall or Secundums.

lation of the

"Ecclesiastical

Hymn

of St. Fiacc

Eecord"

lished from the O'Curry

for

is

The

trans-

given from the

March, 18G8, and was pub-

MSS.

in the Catholic University.

FT
//

;/'

559

Fiacc.

.S7.

has also been translated by Mr. Whitley Stokes in his

" Goidilica." For further information as to the authen-

It

and probable date of

ticity

position,

present
1.

we

volume

chapter

ii.

p. 43, of

the

Patrick was born at

most interesting com-

this

refer the reader to

Emptor

this it

that history relates to us.

is

child of sixteen years (was he)

when

lie

was taken

into

bondage.
2.

Succat was his name,

He was

it is

said

who was

his father

is

thus told

son of Calpurn, son of Otidus, grandson of Deochain

Odissus.
3.

He was

six years in slavery

Cothndge he was

5m.
t.

Victor said to Milcho's slave

He

human

called, for as slave

:

food he ate

Go thou

"

it

not.

he served lour families.

placed his foot upon the leac (stone):

over the sea

its trace

:"

remains,

it

wears not away.

5.

lie sent

him

across all the Alps

over tho sea marvellous was

his course,

Until he staid with Germanus in the south, in southern Letha.

C.

In the islands of the Tyrrhene Sea he staid

tated

therein he medi-

He
7.

read the canon with Germanus: it is this that history relates.

To Ireland he was brought back in visions by the angels of God

Often was he in vision solicited to return thither again.

-

Ireland was the coming of Patrick to Fochlaidh

Ivatiuii to

Afar was heard the sound of the

call

of the youths of

(.'aill-

Fochladh.
9.

They prayed that the

saint

would come, that he would return

from Letha,

To
10.

convert tho people of Erin from error to

The Tuatha
faith

That

it

life.

of Erin were prophesying that a

new kingdom

of

would come,
would

waste and

last for

evermore

the land of Tara would be

silent.

'

11.

The druids

of Loegairo concealed not from

Patrick

him the coming

of

Their prophecy was verified as to the kingdom of which they

spoke.
12. Patrick

walked

in piety

extirpation of sin

13.

till

his death

he was powerful in the

He raised his hands in blessing upon the tribes of men.

Hymns, and the Apocalypse, and the thrice fifty (psalms) he
was wont

He

to sing;

preached, baptized, and prayed

from the praise of God he

ceased not.
14.

The

cold of the weather deterred

night in ponds

By heaven
on the
I4j'

15.

his

him not from passing the

kingdom was protected ; he preached by day

hills.

In Slan, in the territory of Benna-Bairche, hunger or thirst

possessed

him

not.

Each night he sang a hundred psalms, to adore the King of

angels.
16.

He

slept

A bare

on a bare

stone,

and a wet

rock was his pillow

sack-cloth around

him

he allowed not his body to be in

warmth.
17.

He

preached the Gospel to

all

he wrought great miracles in

Letha

He
18.

healed the lame and the lepers

Patrick preached to the Scoti

With him
to the
19.

The sons

will
life

come

the dead he restored to

judgment everyone

to

toil in

whom

life.

Letha

he brought

of faith.

of Emer, the sons of

To the abode

he endured great

of Satan

Eremon,

all

went to

they were swallowed up

Cisal,

in the deep

abyss,
20. Until the apostle

tempests

He

came

to

them: he came despite the raging

preached, for three-score years, the cross of Christ to the

tribes of Feni.

5G1

flywwi </ St. Fiacc.

On

the land of Erin there was darkness

theTuatha adored tho

sidhi

They believed not

Armagh
away

In

in the true

there, is

Deity of the true Trinity.

sovereignty

long since Email] passed

it is

great church

is

Dun-Lethglasse

wish not that Tara should

be a desert.
Patrick,

An

when he was

in sickness, desired to

go to Armagh

angel went to meet him on the road in the middle of the day.

Patrick came southwards towards Victor

to

meet him

The bush

in

he

it

was that went

which Victor was, was in a blaze

from the flame

return thanks

he (the angel) spoke.

He

said

Thy

Armagh

dignity (shall be) at

to Christ

To heaven thou shalt come thy prayer is granted thee.

The hymn which thou chosest in life shall be corselet of
;

26.

tection to

Around
for

pro-

all.

Day

thee on the

of

Judgment

the

men

of Erin will

como

judgment.

Tassach rcmaincth after him

communion

to

him

(in Sabhall),

having given tho

He

said that Patrick

not

would return: the word of Tassach was

false.

He (St.
!

L J.

To
At

Patrick) put an end to night; light ceased not with

a years' end there was radiance

it

him

was a long day of peace.

the battle fought around 13eth-horon against the Canaanites

by the son of Nun,

The son stood

still

at

Gaboon

this

it

is

that the Scripture

tells us.

30.

The suu
It

lasted with Josue unto

tho death of the wicked

this indeed

was

was more

befitting that there should be radiance at tho

befitting

death of the saints

vj

31.

The

went from every part to watch around

clergy of Erin

Patrick

The sound

harmony

of

fell

upon them, so that they

slept

enchanted on the way.

32. Patrick's

body from

The angels

his soul

God on

of

the

was severed
first

after pains

night kept choir around

it

unceasingly.

When

33.

Patrick departed (from

Patrick

life),

he went to

the other

visit

Together they ascended to Jesus, Son of Mary.

34. Patrick,

without arrogance or pride, great was the good which

he proposed to himself,

To be

in the service of Mary's

Son ; happy the hour

in

which

Patrick was born.

The

Hymn

The hymn of
published

in

the

friend,

" Catholic
;

and

we

Layman,"

am

believe,
vol.

indebted to

Mr. Hanna, for a copy of this

serial,

first

ii.

No.

my

kind

long since

was published again in 1855, in the

Fasciculus of the Liber Hymnorum, or Book of

out of print.
first

Hymns
the

Sechnall, was,

St.

1853

24, December,

of St. Sechnall or Secunclmus.

two

It

of the ancient Irish Church.

sets

notes are added

St.

Sechnall

In this edition

of glosses are published,

by the

late Dr.

was the son

and valuable

Todd.

of Eestitutus, one of the

sister of St. Patrick.

He

was, consequently, nephew of our glorious apostle.

For

Longobards, and Limania, a

; ;
;

Hymn

of

> y^r

***

+
St.

Seek nail.

563

circumstances connected with the composition of

the

his alphabetical

hymn,

append the Latin

We

translation.

see ante, pages 359-362.

original,

with a metrical

have had some

difficulty in preserving

the alphabetical character of the

lation,

but

attempt

it

hymn

seemed desirable at

the trans-

in

least

make

to

Deum,

omncs amantes
sancta merita

Patricii episcopi

Simulatur angelis,

hear

To Christ ever near

Who, like unto angels,
And,

Beat! Christi custodit

found,

is

like the apostles,

For ever

apostolis.

in

now

praises

Patrick, the bishop,

In glory

rerfectamque propter vitain

Mandata

The

Quomodo bonum ob actum

^Equatur

AH yc who love God

Of

Viri iu Christo beati,

is

crowned.

Brightly his light shines,

omnibus

He
Of

Cujus opera refulgent

keepeth the word

Christ, ever blessed,

And

Clara inter homines

so like his

Lord

Sanctumque cujus sequuntur

Then

Exemplum mirificum
Unde et in ccelis Patrem
Magnificant Dominum.

The good he hath done,

To the Father give glory,

Constans

Christ's fear

fide

in

Dei timore

immobilis

Super quern

a3dificatur,

Ut Petrum, oedema
Deo

sortitus est

In cujus porta) adversus

Infcrni

follow him, praising

And

unto the Son.

still

upholds him,

In faith he stands

Cujusque apostolatum

the

Aii'lito,

Et

We

English

non prevalent.

With

fast,

the Church he will conquer

And triumph

at last,

Liko Peter, whose mission

From God cannot

For

hell's gates shall

Airainst

him

fail,

never

prevail.

;;; ;

Life of St. Patrick.

Dominus ilium elegit

Ut docerefc barbaras

Divinely

Nationes, ut piscaret

With

Per doctrinaj

Ut de

the net of the Gospel

He

retia

seculo credentes

Traheret ad gratiam,

he's chosen

fisher of souls

gathereth shoals

Dominumque sequerentur
Sedem ad ajtheriani.

Who

Electa Christi talenta

Iliach talent

Quro Hibernas inter gentes

And

Turn opera pretium

Christo regni celcstis

Possessurus traudium.
ITidelis

Apostolicum exemplum
praibet bonis

Qui tam verbis quam

et factis

quern dictis non convertit

Actu provocet bono.

Grloriam habet

Honorem

cum

Christo,

Qui ab omnibus ut Dei

Ad
Ut

misit, ut

Eternal reward,

his actions

So that

What

Paulum

Gentes, apostolum,

homiiiibus ducatum

Praiberot regno Dei.

all

ho preaches,

men may

see

a faithful apostle

In his conduct should be.

By

deeds thus he winneth

So great

Of a

words cannot gain,

is

life

the grace

without

stain.

Grreat glory Christ gives him.,

still

As an angel

He

Veneratur angelus

Quern Deus

And usury tenfold,

From Jesus, his Lord.

By men

in seculo

of Erin

the evil of sin

When

Plebi prajdicat Dei,

Ut

he uses,

he gets for his labor

Erom

Dei minister,

Insignisque nuntius,

Formamque

The people

From

usuris exigit

Navati hujus laboris

Cum

in heaven hereafter

Shall be crowned by His grace

For God he would win

Vendit evangelica,

Cum

From barbarous nations

He wins God a race

is

To the

Ho

of

honored and feared

Gentiles, like Paul,

is

sent to proclaim

The kingdom

And

revered

God

to

of heaven,

preach in God's name.

;;

lluinilis Dei ob mctuui

lie

Super quern bonnm ob actum

Requiescit

And

Christi portat stigmata

Still

pascit

celestibus,

cum

Christo

In

While giving

Verba evangelica,

The word

To

manihus.

Kastani qui custodit carnem

Ob amorcm Domini
Quam carnem templum

His
paravit

cum mundis

Ingens, evangelicum,

In candelabro levatum,

Supra montem

qua

est

posita,

multa

Quam Dominus

he will teach.
pure, for God's sake,

flesh undefiled,

evil ensnared,

possidct.

beguiled

sacrifice true,

offers to

God

Each moment anew.

Like
To

He

a candlestick placed
diffuse

Gospel

light,

shines through the world,

Dispelling

Civitas regis munita

in

Ho

Domino.

Liumenquo mundi accensum

Copia

to each,

holocaust living,

ut hostiam placentem,

Toti fulgens seculo

of the Gospel

By no tempter

Possidetur actibus

offert

no

liy

Spiritui,

A quo constantur

all

Keeping

Yivam

things like his master,

all

lie ever will seek

In cujus multiplicantur,

Quam

he'll seek.

Liko the manna increasing,

Quibus erogat ut panes

Sanctoque

humble and meek,

He teiideth the weak,

And the faint and the weary

In via deficiant

in

of Christ bearing,

In each action

Impiger credentes

Ut manna,

grace places,

blesses his zeal

God's glory alone

Gloriatur cruce.

qui ridentor

Spirit, a seal

The marks

In eujus sola sustcntans,

Ne

on each action

Of heav'nly

Dominus

Cujusquc justa in earns

Dapibua

sets

God's

Spiritu et corporo

its

night

city established

Un a hill ever suro,

Ho keepeth Christ's riches
In his fortress secure.

.4

]\laximus uamque in regno

Ccelorum vocabitur,

Qui quod verbis docet

sacris

Meetly honored in heaven,

The greatest is he
Whose words and whose actions
In virtue agree

Factis adimplet bonis.

Bono prrecedit exemplo

Formaque fidelium,

Good example he giveth,

With heart ever pure,

Mundoque

A pattern

in corde liabet

Ad Deum

To

fiduciam.

Nomen Domini

Now

audenter

Of

salutis

Ad Deum

Omnem

too,

he prayeth,

offereth each

day

A holocaust worthy
All evil to stay.

hostias.

spernit gloriam

God's holy word

And

quotidie,

Opposing things

pro divina lege

Muudi

salvation's pure laver,

For them,

delictis

Pro quibus, ut Deo dignas

Immolatque

to Gentiles he preaches,

And

^Eternam dat gratiam

Pro quorum orat

of virtue

and to poor.

In the name of the Lord,

Annuntiat gentibus,

Quibus lavacri

rich

Qui cuncta ad cujus mensam

^Estimat quisquilias,

earthly,

For God's holy law,

As the pure wheat is severed

From chaff and from straw

Nee ingruenti movetur

Mundi liujus fulmine,

Unmoved by affliction,
He heeds no rebuke,

Sed in adversis

Nor the threats of the sinner,

Nor the scoffer's proud look.

Cum

lsetatur,

pro Christo patitur.

Pastor bonus ac

fidelis

Gregis evangelici,

Quem Deus Dei

elegit

Custodire populum,

Suamque

pasccre plebem

Divinis dogmatibus

Pastor most

He

faithful,

guards Gospel sheep,

Whom God

in His

Hath given him

He

tradit

animam.

hopes, like his Master,

That

his life

Pro qua, ad Christi exemplum, For the souls

Suam

wisdom

to keep

And

may be

whom

given

he teaches

guides on to heaven.

Quern pro

meritis Salvator

Ut

Cclestem quibus annonam

Erogat cum vestihus,

Qui ornatur vcstimento

He
*

vinum

In vasis celestibus,

Propinansque Dei plebem

invenit thesaurum

emit Sanctis

Perfectisquc meritis

Israel vocatur hujus

Anima

videns

Deum.

T c stis Domini fidelis

In lege Catholica,

Cujus verba sunt divinis

Condita oraculis

No humanas

putrent carnes

Esaeque a vermibus,

Scd

celesti saliuntur

Sapore ad victimam.

herald,

to the nuptials

In vessels

all

pure

hxP!

celestial

He gives heavenly wine,

And pledges the people

Scripture's rich mine he openeth,

And

came

Deitatem pervidit

Quem thesaurum

To come

fed.

and poor

Well taught in

Sacra in volomine,
Salvatorisqne in

calls rich

must bo

In a chalice divine.

Spiritali poculo.

Sacrum

Christ's flock

In raiment

Nuptiali indutus;

its lore,

daily he g.iineth

Of merit yet more ;

As an Israel counted,
For
His

in all things

God and

And

The

from

he sees

his Saviour,
evil

he

flees.

witness most faithful,

All truth he'll unfold,

And the Catholic Faith

By his preaching is told
No human taint ever

His words shall profane,

The

they learn from his teaching

Raised up as a

Credentes ad nuptias,

side;

them in vestments,
gives them true bread)

How

Regis nuntius invitans

.-

clothes

And

in divinis impletur

celeste haurit

Ho

lie

Sacrisquc affatibus.

Qui

plain are his merits

a bishop, he'll guide

The clergy to conflict,

With truth on their

in cclcsti nioneret

Clericos militia,

Quod

Quite

As

Provexit pontificem,

salt of true

Shall keep

wisdom

him from

stain.

V erus

cultor et insignia

fields tilling,

sows the good seed

Cujua scmina videntur

Of the Gospel

Christi evangelia,

Without

Quas divino

Quorumque corda ac mentcs

Sancto arat Spiritu.

Xvs

Qui de gemino captivos

Liberat servitio

Plerosque de servitute

hominum,

redemifc

Innumeros de Zabuli
Absolvit dominio.

Ymnos cum

Apocalypsi

Psalmosque cantat Dei,

Quosque ad ajdificandum
Dei tractat populum ;

Quam

legem in Trinitato

Sacri credit nominis,

Tribusque personis

unam

Docetque substantiam.

Zona Domini pwecinctus

Diebus ac noctibus
Sine intermissiono

Deum

orat

Dominum

Cujus ingentis laboris

Percepturus proemium,

Cum

weed

apostolis regnabit

Sanctis super Israel.

Audite omncs.

he speaks

In the cars of the wise,

In a rich crop of grace

From

their hearts shall arise.

Xt. Jesus hath

ilium sibi legit

In terris vicarium,

Quos

of Christ,

tare or

And the words which

serit ore

In aures prudentium,

Vast Gospel

He

Agri cvangelici,

>*l

That here

He

chosen,

in His place

should liberate captives

From two-fold disgrace

From slavery some,
But from Satan

still

more,

freed from all chains

Thus

Which

in

bondage they wore.

Yet hymns

and Apocalypse

This great chanter sings,

'/

And

with psalmody sweet

To his Lord honor brings

The people thus teaching
The God One in Three,

Ho

worships Three Persons

In one Unity.

Zoned with God's

cincture,

By

night and by day,

With

fervor unceasing,

He fails
And with

not to pray,
the apostles,

As reward

A saint

for his pains,

over Israel

In glory he reigns.
All ye, &c.

i^j- .

-<m-

-^w^-

>

-->

jfc^

-t-

S<. FairieHs Confusion.

HE

? set'

-~

v
-

.:..-

Introductory Remarks.

Confession of St. Patrick

is

undoubtedly one of the most an-

and important of our early

cient

writers have

documents.

has

never been

the

most

Its authenticity

ascribing

it

illustrious

Protestanl

learned

Catholic

pen of our

to the

saint

however, their opinions diverge.

Protestant, or, at Least, a certain cla

whose idiosyncracy

consists

in

and

questioned,

agreed with the mosl

archaeologists in

at this point,

Irish

of

The

Protest

morbid

Popery, can sue nothing in the Confession

horror
but

of

Pro-

testantism pure and undefiled.

afflicted

Happily, individuals

with this peculiar mode of viewing historical

documents are becoming dady more and more

The Catholic
pected

finds

it

just

rare.

what he would have ex-

though even Catholics have, perhaps, scarcely

given the attention to this important document which

it

merits.

There are four ancient copies of

sion

known

to exist at present,

St. Patrick's

and

Confes-

in order to secure

reader the immense advantage of having an

for the
original,

we have procured

carefully executed copies of

Former

these four documents.

editors of St. Patrick's

Confession have, for the most part, contented themselves

with second-hand information, or have compiled a copy

of the Confession from the versions given
in

point of fact, however good

reader has not had the original.

this

by

others

so,

the

their intentions,

To

the present writer

seems a most unsatisfactory method of procedure.

It is the

duty of an author to spare no pains to procure

for his readers the

most accurate information regarding

may

whatever subject he
question of documents,

it

treat

of.

seems to us

Where
little less

some

it

stands, not as

cases, indeed,

we fancy

it

is

than an

and the

ori-

ought to stand.

In

injustice to give anything but the original,

ginal as

there

more particularly in dealing with

may suggest a word, or the outwhich may be useful but where the

palimpsests, an editor
line of a sentence,

MS.

exists complete,

expert,

and can be

no tampering with

it

read, at least

can be justifiable.

by an

to'

MS

The

Patricks Confession.

f St.

'

known

Tlif lour .MS. copies of St. Patrick's Confee ion

to txi.-i

at

Armagh

presenl

in

present

(2)

the copy

are, (1)

Book of

the

in

the copy in the Cottonian collection, at

the

British

Museum; ami

(3

and

4)

two

copies contained in the Bodleian library at Oxford, and

known

as Fell

1, 3.

the copy contained in

Afi

Book

the

Armagh

of

undoubtedly the most ancient, we have used

text,

is

this as the

without making the slightest alteration, believing

be the arrangement which would prove most

this to

satisfactory

our readers.

to

tolerably

version

fair

has already been published by Betham, in his "Irish

Antiquarian Researches," part

and as we make

editor,

it

ii.

but as this could

known inaccuracy

not be relied on, from the

of the

a rule never to take docu-

ment- on second hand, we applied to the Rev. Dr.

.

the'

ologist, for

from

tlie

present
Tlii--

well

known and

original,

in

distinguished Irish archae-

permission to have an accurate copy mule

the

which

is

Library of

copy was made

for

his property,

Trinity

although at

College,

Dublin.

us by the Rev. T. O'Mahony,

Professor of Irish in that University, with a kind prompt-

ness for which

we must always

feel grateful to

him.

In

order to secure the most perfect accuracy, he has also

Lei

been so obliging as to compare the proofs word by word

with the original; the reader
of a copy of the Confession as

it

is

thus put

is

in pos

believed to have

script in

the

be< a

The copy of the manuCotton collection was made for as by a

written by the saint himself.

,o.

gentleman connected
British

Museum.

officially

with the Library of the

For the copies of Fell

the Bodleian Library,

we

the librarian, the Eev. H. 0. Coxe,

services of an expert,

of the

and

3,

from

are indebted to the courtesy of

when he found

who

obtained the

that the collation

two manuscripts would occupy

so

much time

that he could not himself attend to the matter as he

had most kindly wished

to do.

The copy of the Confession given by the Bollandists,

and by Villaneuva from the Bollandists, is said to have
been taken from a MS. preserved in the library of the
celebrated Abbey of St. Vaast, at Arras, in the province
of Artois, in France.

This abbey was destroyed at the

time of the French Revolution

Bollandist writers, however,

general accuracy.

hence

it is

impossible

The well-known accuracy

to verify this version.

is

sufficient

of the

guarantee for

Villaneuva gives various readings,

but does not say from where they were taken, which
is

unsatisfactory.

In his preface to the Confession, he observes

" Leland, in his book on Irish writers, has

Journal or Itinerary, entitled

fession,"
first

frequently quoted

book of the Life of

St.

my

why

Patrick.'

" Conin the

Leland's manuscript

is

Ballaces, referring to British

and says that the Journal and the

Itinerary were different works.

easily, in

Patrick wrote a

by William of Malmesbury

to be found in the library at Oxford.

writers, contradicts Leland,

'
:

cannot conceive

Ware,

in reply, says

'

matter

opinion, disproved, not only from the passage quoted

above from William of Malmesbury's book, but even from the very
Confession

itself,

in

which

St.

Patrick frequently refers to his two

- :" H
+

>^

may have

the benefit of

always in the Lord,"

form of an

it

epistle.'

i*

"The

my

presence, and that

pretty clear that

Ami Ware

Life of St. Patrick praises

the

it

it

"That

may

was sent

you

enjoy you

to the Irish

adds that an old writer of the

highly as such.

texts of Scripture quoted in the Confession, as well as in

l'.pistlc

to Coroticus, being taken from the Septuagint, and nol

from the then recent version of St. Jerome

in

various pas-

the Confession, especially from the words,

iu

in

Prom

perogiinations, his trials, &c.

his

<-...

MSS.

Autliority for these

.iiios,

*-

the time of St. Patrick

quity of these

would

not generally accepted

of themselves prove the anti

works"

As many

of the variations in the readings of the

four ancient manuscripts arc merely orthographical, and

and do not

as others are merely constructive,

Hence,

them.

of real value

The

we have simply

and

collations have,
15.

affect the

would occupy valuable space uselessly

it

interest.

The MSS. from which the

been taken are distinguished

copy in

Cotton

the

to give

selected such as seemed

tints:

collection,

British

Museum.
F.

or 3, the copies in the Bodleian library, Oxford.

V. Villancuva, which,

it

will

lie

remembered, coin-

cides with the Bollandists.

Ware's version.

\V.

The

text being that

of the

refer the reader to pages

a
MS.
for

full description
It will

Book of Armagh, we

5S-G7 of

the present

of this important

and

be seen that, although the copy of the

lonfession contained therein cannot be said to

written

ly

St.

work

interc

have been

Patrick himself, yet that there can be

doubt, from the inscription at the end, that

little

it

was

copied from the very autograph of the saint himself.

The copy

of the

supposed,

by

Book

Armagh,

of

at present extant,

is

the most competent authorities, to have

been written before the year 845.

should be observed, however, that a considerable

It

portion of the Confession as given

the copies in the British
Library,

Book

is

of

by the

Museum and

writers of

the Bodleian

not contained in the version given in the

Armagh.

It

is

impossible to

quite

decide

whether these portions are interpolations or part of

the original.

certainly

is

would appear probable that the copy

It

Book

in the

of

Armagh

the oldest

is

the most, authentic, as

but the

critical

it

reader need not

be reminded that the oldest copies in point of date are

not necessarily the most

Still it

reliable.

would seem

very improbable that an Irish writer in the ninth century

should have curtailed or should have been ignorant of

so important a document.

any portion of

Be

this as

it

may,

for the satisfaction of the reader, we

have supplied the portions not contained in the Book of

Armagh from

These portions are

the Bodleian copy.

enclosed in brackets.
It

w'm

and

remains only to draw attention to the whole tenor

As a literary
style of St. Patrick's Confession.

composition
the

it

has been very

circumstances of

St.

much

criticized

Patrick's early

membered, avc cannot suppose that

possible for

^iL;frT*T~'

him

[.:?,^.",y

i
i

|"yi'

,,.
i-

to have devoted

nvjflf

fi
i

i|!

it

but when

life

are re-

would have been

more time

to the study

-,!

Spirit of

111'-,*..!

Vlff

_>^^*

tfo

of languages or composition than was absolutely necessary for the ecclesiastical

What

state.

he

wrote

is

more importance than how he

wrote, and the whole tone and style of his Confession

certainly

is

of infinitely

as purely Catholic as

might be expected from

training under St. Germaiius of Auxerre.

As this

his

subject

has been already discussed in the early part of the

present work, a few words here will be sufficient.

haps the most notable point

is

Per-

the strong and earnest

language in which the saint inculcates reverence and

obedience towards ecclesiastical superiors.

In the com-

mencement of his Confession he attributes the captivity

and sufferings which he and others endured, to their
disobedience to their priests.

He

writes several times

of his zeal in ordaining priests to baptize

Irish,

any Catholic

priest would

do under similar circumstances

in the present day) given to the

I

aptize

all

nations.

Church

And even while

with the utmost humility, he never

He

office.

as

and teach the

and quotes the divine command (precisely as

to teach

and

speaking of himself
fails to

magnify

his

speaks of the constant repetition of prayer

an act most pleasing to God, aud of good works as

meritorious.

But
those

his heart

seems to go out most especially towards

who had been

Perhaps

it is

consecrated as virgins to Christ.

through his prayers, which must, indeed,

be all-powerful with God, that there

of the world where the Irish

is

scarcely

any part

maiden may not be found

consecrated as a virgin to Christ, even as her ancestors

f'^

<"

578

Life of St. Patrick.

wire

in the

In every part of America,

days of Patrick.

in Australia, in the burning sun of Indian climes, in

the cold north, in the sunny south, go where you will,

you can never

vent,

and

if

travel

you

far

without hearing of a con-

you are

visit it

many

one, and frequently very

to sure find

more than

Irish nuns.

But perhaps that part of the Confession which has

is the account which the saint

obtained least attention

gives of the supernatural favors granted to him.

have already discussed his invocation of

Elias,

"We

and that

he intended the prophet Elias there can be no possible

doubt, from his statement that he

knew not how

it

occurred to him to invoke him, an expression which he

could not have used had he applied the

our Lord

name

Elias to

thus he showed, what, indeed, no unpre-

judiced person can doubt, that he not only invoked the

saints,

but also believed that he did so by a special

inspiration of God.

divine prediction

We

made

to

which was subsec[uently

next find that he mentions a

him

in the silence of night,

verified.

Such heavenly com-

munications were evidently frequent, and there can be no

doubt that the saint had attained a most blessed state

of sublime contemplation, even before his escape from
slavery.

It

warned, like
\v;is

was
St.

commended

in the night, in a dream, that he

was

Joseph, to seek his ship, and that he

for fasting.

It

was

in the night that

he saw the vision of Victorious coming from Ireland,

and heard the voices from the wood of Fochlut.

was

in the night also that he heard

an

It

interior voice,

fes

Patricks

St.

after
thai

which he awoke
the

"sleep"

rejoicing.

from which

It

he

is

quite

possible

was thus blessedly

i.wakened was not the sleep of nature, but the mystic

sleep of ecstacy in which the saints, even iii out own

day and time, have been abstracted from earthly things,

and only conscious of heavenly communications.

It
was in the night also that he was favored with that
re m arkable vision to console him for the charges made
against

him by

those in whose friendship he had

merly confided.

There are some

details of this vision, hut

its

scope and intention.

saint

gloried in
in his

difficulties

enough remains
is

It

clear to

show

indeed evidenl that

those revelations,

as

well

for-

about the

he

the

might,

deep humility he refers them wholly to the

grace of God, and takes no merit to himself.

In one

place he declares that he will not conceal the wonders

which God had wrought for him, and in him, no matter

who might deride or insult him for his manifestations: a plain evidence that then, as now, while the

multitude were credulous enough as to

practices, the favors granted

objects of contempt to
St. Patrick's

by God

to

all

superstitious

His saints were

many.

Letter or Kpistle to Coroticus has been

given from the text of the Cotton MS. in the British

Museum.
I have
not thought it necessary to give

any

collations, as there are only

copies extant, Fell

and

variation in the readings.

:;.

two other manuscript

There

is

no important

;-

temptibilissimus

apud plurimos,

patreni habui Calpornium Diaco-

num,

byteri

quendam

filium
3
:

Potiti Pres-

qui fuit vico Bannaveni

enim 5 prope

temptible to very many, had for

my

father Calpornius, a deacon,

the son of Potitius, a priest,"

Annorum eramtunc ferexvi. Deum

had a small country house

where I was taken captive when I was nearly sixteen

vcrum ignorabam,

years of age.

Taberuia3 4 villulam

habuit ubi ego in capturam dedi.

et Hiberione in

captivitato adductus
millia

nostra

F.

sum cum

tot

hominum, secundum merita

quia a Deo recessimus, et
:

1,

3,

close by,

knew not

the true

was brought captive to

Ireland, with many thousand men,
as we deserved, for we had forGod, and

and B. agree with the above. Fell 1 is headed thus

quod est xvi. Kal. April." Fell 3

"

Incipit

"Incipit

confessio Sancti Patricii Episcopi, xvi. Kal. Aprili."

a The student of early ecclesiastical history need not be reminded that,
although priests were never allowed to marry, persons who had been married
were sometimes ordained priests, if they separated from their wives. It may be
observed that the purely Catholic tone of St. Patrick's teaching is manifest in
the very beginning of his Confession, in his strong reprobation of the crime of not

being "obedient to priests."

3 All agree
but the Armagh copy has filii odissi in margin.
It is not given
by Ware or Villaneuva.
4 F.
1, 3, Banauem ; B. and W. Banavem ; V. Benaven.
5 F. 1, 3, Villulam enim projte ; W. enon ; V. cairn (own) ; B. enim.
It is
difficult to ascertain how the enon was introduced
it is not in any of the oldest
;

See ante,

p. 83.

he

coufessio Sancti Patrici Episcopi

MSS.

83

who

lived in Bannaveni Tabernire, for

<?>

{&
St,

pr.iaptaejus

aBaaVvQ

Patricks Confession.

noil custodivinius, et

sacerdotibus nostris non oboedion-

581

saken God, and had not kept His

commandments, and wcro dis-

tea fuimus, qui

nostram salntein

obedient to our priests,

admoncbant

Doniinus induxit

monished us

ct

super bob* irain animationis 7

ct dispersit

nos in gentibus

sua',

niultis,

usque ad ultimum terne, ubi

nunc parvitis inca videtur esso

ctiain

inter alcnigenas.

ibi

Dominus

aperuit sensuin incredulitatis mea3

And
lis

for

our

the Lord brought

who

ad-

salvation.

down upon

the auger of His Spirit, and scat-

tered us

among many nr.tions, even

now

to the ends of the earth, where

may be seen amongst

And there tho Lord

ray littleness
strangers.

utsero remomoraremdilictamea,ut

showed me ray

confirmarem toto corde ad Donii-

my iniquities, and strengthen my whole

heart towards tho Lord my God,
who looked down upon my humiliation, and had pity upon my youth

num Deum ineum, qui respexit

meam,

militatem

adoliscentiae et ignorantia:

cam,

mew,

me antequam

costodivit

liu-

ct missertus est
et

scirem

antequam saperem vel disbonum et malum, et

unbelief, that

at

length I might remember

inunivit me, et consolatus est mei

and ignorance, and kept me, lefi ire

I knew him, and before I had wisdom, or could distinguish between

ut pater nlium.

good and

et

tinguerem vel

Unde autem

evil, and strengthened

and comforted me as a father
would his son.

non possum,

Therefore, I cannot and ought

ncque expedit quidem tanta bene-

not to be silent concerning the

fuia, et

tacero

tantam gratiam quam

niihi'

dignatus in terra captivitati3 meae

great benefits and graces which the

Lord has bestowed upon

me in

the

quia haec est retributio nostra, ut

land of

my captivity, since the only

post correptionem vel agnitionem

return

we can make

Dei, exaltare et confiteri mirabilia

fits is,

ejus

coram omni natione, qua

sub omni

fuit,

hoc, prater

The

est alius Deus, nee urn-

nee ante, nee

erit

post

Dominura Patrem

six foL

to extol

God

for such bene-

has reproved us,

and confess His wonders

before every nation under heaven.

caelo.

Quia non

quam

est

after

words omitted
8

in-

For there

no other God, nor

except the Lord, the unbegotteu

in B.

Dominiu prcularc,

is

ever was, nor shall be hereafter,

'

B. F.

1, 3,

Indignationia, V.

and V.

Life of St. Patrick

582
genitum, sine

tem

a quo est
omnia tenen-

principle),

omne priucipium
(ut diximus)

filium

et ejus

Jesum Christum qui cumpatre scilisemper fuisse testamur, ante

cet

originem soeculi spiritualiter apud

genitum ante

I'atrem iuerrabiliter

omne priucipium, etper ipsum facta

sunt

liominem factum

vissibilia,

morte devicta in
illi

cselis.

Et

dec!

it

oranem potcstatem super omne

nomen

crelestium, terrestrium

et

infernorum, ut omnis lingua confiteatur

ei,

Dominus et Deus est

quia

Jesus Christus quern credimus et ex-

mox futurum
udex vivorum atque mortuorum

pectamus 2 adveutum
j

qui reddet imicuique secundum facta sua et effudit in nobis

donum

Spiritum Sanctum

habunde
et

pignus

inmortalitatis, qui facit credentes

et oboedientes, ut sint

coheredes

Cliristi,

Deum

et

per prophetam

in Trini-

Ipse enim dix-

tate Sacri nominis.

it

Dei 3

quern confitemur

adoramus unuin

et

filii

" Invoca

me

in die tribulationis tua;, et libera-

bo

te,

et

magnificubis me."

iteruni inquit

"

Et

Opera autem Dei

without

Father,

whom

all

beginning,

by

things have their being,

who upholds all

things, as

we have

and His Son, Jesus

Christ,

whom, together with the

we testify to have always

Father,

said

existed

before the origin of the world, spi-

with the Father, ineffably

ritually

begotten before every beginning

Him

and by

made

things

were

the

was

made

visible

man,

death^being overthrown, in the heavens.

And He hath

given

Him all

power over every name of things

in heaven, and earth, and hell,
that every tongue should confess to

Him that Jesus Christ is Lord, and

whose coming we expect ere long
to judge the living and dead
who
;

will render to every

to his

works

one according

who hath poured

forth abundantly on us both tho

gift of

His Spirit and the pledge

who makes the

and obedient to become
the sons of God and co-heirs with
of immortality

faithful

Christ;

one

whom we confess and adore

God

Name.

in the Trinity of the holy

For he Himself has said

means " unerringly ;" perhaps it was intended for

" ineffably." T. O'M.
Patrem reception, B. F. 1, 3, W. and V.
2
Between the ex and the p of this word there is what seems to be ce the
whole looks like excepectamus. T. O'M.
3 Patris, W.
The reading in V. varies very much here, but as there is no
authority given for it, we do not insert it.
B. and F. 1,3, have Patris also, but
Inerrab'diler literally

innarrabiliter,
1

Ad

lead as above

ivul.nv.

it

by the prophet

honorificum

confiteri,

Upon

< ''ill

/ will

est."
1

Ami

!/,

shalt

again he say 8

and

to reveal

li is

liver

/<

me

'[in//;/

honorable

confess the works of

God. 1

Tamenetsi

Although

multis imperfectua

in

opto fratribus et cognotatia

Mini,

things,

requalitatem meam, ut pos-

votum animaa

perficere

.-int

am

speak

rationemdeeoindie jadiciL'"
(Jnde autem vehementer cum tiat

tremore metaera hanc sen-

tentiam in die

ilia,

abtrahere,

ubi

vol

senemo

po-

IS

And

word

thai

men

/' /i'/i

abscondere,

a Oathal

declares in the

wilt destroy nil

lie.

'!

Day

again

t/i<if

Th-

shall speak,

an account for

of Judgment.

they
it

in

Therefore

ought, with great fear and tremto

bling,

that day,

dread this sentence in

when no one

shall

be

able to withdraw or hide himself,

The quotations from what Protestants

i.

Patrick, as

who

shall
the

edomnea omnino reddituri euiqus

tationem etiam minimorum pee-

St.

soul.

mouth thatbelieth, kiMeth the soul.

And the same Lord: Every i'il>

otiossum

homines red-

i,uod locuti fuerint

di

Lord,

Psalm: Thou

"Verbum

my

not ignorant of the testimony

my

of

" Os, quod menEt idem

titur oceidit aniinam.' 7

Dominns :'

brothers and ac-

derstand the desire of

loqnuntni mendacium,'

iterum inquit

et

my

know my disposithey may be able to un-

tions that

mete.

mei,quiinPsalmotestatur: "l'erdes
cos* qui

am imperfect in many

quaintances to

testimonium Domini

ttoro

wish

call the

Apocrypha, but what

part of the canon of Scripture, have becu

perplexity to those who are anxious, for controversial reasons, to make

out that the early Irish Church was not taught the same faith by him as it is
taught now by his successors. All the quotations from Scripture are given

from the translation of the Bibb- published by Dolman, with the approbation of
My aon-Catholin readers, and I am happy to
the late Bight Kcv. Dr. Denvir.
say many such have expressed and shown great interest in tlii - v. .rk, will

rem mber

kindly
6

I'

v.

Sap.

Z3\

this.

B. has perdes qui locunler

i.

and

"

1'..

'

Matt

7.

F.

1, 3,

eos qui

lot

<

The Vulgate has pcrdes omnes.

11.

P.

1,

.'i,

BoangeUo

inquit

W,

in

Bvangelis

dixit.

xii. 86.

'

but

must give an account, even

all

of the least sins, before the judg-

ment-seat of the Lord Christ.

Quapropter ollim cogitavi

Therefore, although

scri-

timui onim ne incederem in

guam hominum: quia non

cut et

eaiteri,

si-

learned

as

the

who

others

stu-

qui optime itaque jure

died the sacred writings in the best

modo

way, and have never changed their

language since their childhood, but

utroque pari

ct sacras literas

combiberunt et sermones illorum ex

infantia

thought

censure of men, because I had not

lin-

dedici

of writing long ago, I feared the

sed usque nunc hessitavi

bere,

numquam

motarunt, sed

continually learned

it

more per-

while I have to translate

my

niagis

ad perfectum semper addide-

fectly,

runt

nam scrmo

words and speech into a foreign

translata est in

et loquela nostra

linguam alienam,

sicut facile potest probari ex salive

sum

scriptural meaj, qualiter

ego in

sermonibus instructus, atque eruditus

quia inquit sapiens

guam

" Per lin-

dignoscetur sensus et scientia

et doctrina veritatis."

Sed quid

prodest excussatio juxta veritateru,

cum prsesumptione ] quomodo ipse adpeto in senecmea quod in juventute non

proesertim

tinus
tute"

tongue

and

from the
I

am

it

can be easily proved

style of

instructed

my
in

writings

how

speech and

Wise Man says

wisdom is discerned,
and understanding and knowledge
and learning by the word of tlie
wise.
But what avails an excuse,
however true, especially when accompanied with presumption 1 for
learning, for the

By

I,

the tongue

in

my

old age, strive after that

quod obstiterunt ut
confirmarem quod ante perlegeram.
Et si
Sed si quis mihi credit

which I was hindered from learning in my youth. But who will

believe me 1 And if I say what I

dixero (quod ante prrefatus sum),

have said before, that as a mere

comparavi

"!

adoliscens,

immo pene

puer in ver-

capturam dedi, antequam scirem quid peterem vel quid adpeter-

bis

em vel quid vitare debueram. Undo ego hodie erubesco,

et

vehemen-

Eocl. iv. 29.

B. omits four words,

ami

reads,

hibite.

P I'l

TIH,it

jB li>'

," |

'

ll

.'i^l'l'

~'j*W

|i|

was taken captive, before I knew

what I ought to seek and to avoid.
Therefore, I blush to-day and

!"Evi

greatly dread to expose

my

igno-

differently, but this is the sense.

non compnri que ; F. 3 lias them after pro

The Vulgate reads

youth, nay, almost a boy in words,

Ml

mon.

protimeo* denudare imperitiam

quia non possum de decritia

Bermone explicare aeqne

euiius) intus ges&t,et an' mas

brevitate

i
et

ut

Sed

sensus monstrat adfeotus.

si

datum mihi roisset, ^i<-ut et

ceteris; verumtamen aonsUerem
itaque

propter retributionem,

et

me

videtur spud aliquantos

proponere

ram men

tardiori lingtta

"Lingua?

in

inseientia

hoe
1

et

sed scriptum est,

balbutientea

quanto

noa adpetere debemus, qni

Bnmoa noe Bepiatola Christd in salutem usque ad ultinmm terra? et si

non deserta, sed ratum et fortissi;

muiii

myself

am

briefly,

not able to
with clear

and well-arranged words, as the,

spirit desires and the mind and
out

intellect point

But

me

been given to

as

if

to

had

it

other-,

would not hare been silent tor

and although it

the recompense

may seem

some who think thus

to

that I put myself forward, with

my

ignorance and too slow tongue

"The

written,

is

it

tongues of stammerers shall speak

readily and plain;''

how much more

who are

ought we to undertake this

the epistle of Christ for salvation

scriptum in cordibusvestris,

unto the end- of the earth, written

in pure heart, if not with eloquence,

sed

yet with power and endurance, not

"non

atramento

Si>iritii

Del vivi

tatur,

:"

testatur
et

iterum Spiri-

" Rusticationem

Altieatmo crests

est."

Unde ego primus

ab

rusticus per-

posterum providere

qui uescio
;

Bed illud

scio certissime, quia utique, prius-

quam

humiliarer, ego eram

Lapis,

qni jacet in Into profundo;

velut

veniens* qui potens est in sua mis-

F. 1, 3,

F.

'

ha.

1, 3,

written with ink, but with

of

thing God

tli-

Spirit testifies,

fuga, inductus BcOicet

in

because I

rpi

nevertheless

vel

pacem:"

loqui

discent

forte

si

rance,

585

H.

and again the

"Husbandry, it was
;

ordained by the Most High."

Therefore I undertook this work

though a rustic and a fugiand not knowing how to pro-

at first,

tive,

videfor the future: but this

for

certain,

humbled
in

that

was

before

know

deep mire, until

He who

and B. ptrtimeo, and V. pertimeteo.

reads as above. B. and W. have hudtia.
Readl as above in alt the copies, but the Vulgate reads

xxxii. 4.

was

like a Btone lying

is

dif-

ferently.
Ec. vii. If,.
Pot V'ni'n*, which was written down at
suggested a change, which would make tie in

and

B.

have n

first,

the scribe seems to have

F.1,3,
T. o'M.
'

sericordia sustolit me, et

quidem

sursum adlevavit,

et collo-

scilicet

cavitmein sua parte

powerful came and in His mercy

num, qu3 mens hominum aestimare

non potest. Unde autem admira-

tum

man cannot

rhetoriei 8 et vos dominicati,

excitavit de

me

who

God

fear

medio eorum qui

aroused me, a

and ye
and inquire who

rhetoricians,

of the Lord, hear

stul-

from the midst

fool,

of those

who seem

periti et potentes in sermone, et in

skilled

in the law,

re et

me quidem

detestabilis

in speech,

Lujus mundi de ceteris inspiravit,

essem

si

talis

ut

cum metu

querella,

such)

me

ad quani

with fear

ut

cum

humilitate

veraciter deservirem

and
and powerful
all things, and

to be wise,

in

me

indeed I be

(if

though I

others,

am

by this world, so that,

and reverence and with-

out murmuring, I should faithfully

in vita mea, si vivus f uero

denique

beyond

despised

et reverentia, et sine

charitas Christi transtulit et donavit

and

hath inspired

dummodo autem

fideliter genti,

Therefore,

estimate.

videntur esse sapientes, et leges

omni

His

in

be amazed, both great and small

et pusilli, qui timetis

audite et scrutamini quis

me

and therefore I ought to cry

out loudly, and thank the Lord
in some degree for all his benefits,
here and after, which the mind of
part

tantis beneficiis ejus, hie et in seter-

Deum

up, and indeed again

succored and placed

debueram exclamare ad retribnendam quoquo aliquid Domino, pro

mini magni

me

raised

et inde fortiter

whom

serve this nation, to

the

charity of Christ hath transferred

et

illis.

my

me, and given

me

shall survive

and that

for

humility and truth

life, if

with

at last

should serve

them.

In mensura itaque
tatis

fidei

In the measure therefore of the

Trini-

oportet distinguere sine repre-

hensione

donum

notuni

periculi

fiducialiter

nomen ubique expandere,

post obitum

meum

danger, and to

3,

Dei

gift of

ut etiam

ex a Gallias 8

rclinquere fratribus, et

filiis

F.

1,

meis,

ex Gallias;

behovesme to
the

solation, and, without fear,

confi-

dently to spread abroad the

name

of

3,

make known

God, and everlasting con-

God

everywhere, so that after

and B. have nethorki.

B. has Gallia.

it

distinguish without shrinking from

facere

Dei, et consolationem reter-

nam, sine timore

F.

faith of the Trinity

ex Gallicis.

quoa

in

millia

Domino ego baptuavi, tot

t-t
nun cram
hominum
;

neque

dignus,

talis,

hoc

ut

Dominna servo suo coucederct

my

deatb

may

many thousands

et

leave

of

in the Lord.

to

it

Galilean brethren and to

my

whom
And

my

sons,

have

was

post aaromnaset tantas moles, post

neither worthy nor deserving that

captivitat m, post annos multos, in

the Lord

gentem illam tantem gratiam mihi

his servant, after such

donaret, quod aliquondo in juven-

and great

difficulties, after

vity, after

many

mea nuniiiuam

tnte

speravi,

neque

me

cogitavL

should

cotidie itaque pecoj

Bui after I
I

capti-

years, as to grant

still

had neither hoped

Sed postquam Hiberione devc-

afflictions

such grace for this nation,

thing which,

mram,

mc,

favor

so

was

my

in

;i

youth, I

for nor thought

had come

to Ireland

daily tending Bheep, and

die orabam,

prayed frequently during the day,

amor

Dei, et timor ipaius et fides auge-

and the love of God, and His faith

and fear, increased in me more and

batur, et spiritus agebatur, ut in

more, and the spirit was stirred

bam,

frequens in

et

magis ac magis accedebat

die

ana usque ad centum orationes

et in nocte

prope similiter, ut etiam

in silvis et

monte manebam, ante

lucem exeitabar

al

orationeni per

nivem, per gelu, per pluviam,1

nihil mali sentiebam,

erat

me,

in

et

nequo ulla
sed

modo
me

so that in a single
as

many

as a

day

in the night nearly the same, so

remained in the woods,

and on the mountain, even before
the dawn, I was roused to prayer,
that I

in

snow, and

ice,

and

fervebat

no injury from
there any slothfulness

nocte in

see now,

quia tunc spiritus in

Et ibi scilicet quadam

somno audivi vocem dieen-

tcm sibi mihi

:'

"Benejejunas,

cito

have said

hundred prayers, and

felt

because the

then fervent in me.

rain,

it,

in

and

nor was

me, as

spirit

And

was
there

Ma

Pluiiwi in
T. O'M,
Sibi has two dots over it, marks which usually indicate an erasure.
T. O'M.
Adhering to our rule of giving the version of the Book of Armagh as it is, and
not as wo think it ought to be, we give the version as it stands thus the rc]>e1

'

tition of

jrjunans

is

obviously a mistake of the BOribe,

MorMVl r, t!
t r.
that the work was copied from
_; evidence

takes, to our thinking, aro I

'i

some older MS.; such mistake* would scarcely occur

in an original composition.

^^i

^ij'

!i

\i'

iii T

i'ii

tifM 'ifi,i'

f >,ii4S M u i
;i

f|i

'

i
;

|
i
,

'/^P^

;iii i
i

'ii

^f

i!

J|i i
i
i

Life of St. Patrick.

jcjunans iturus
iteruni 3 post

Et

.id

patriam tuam."

paullulum tempus

audivi responsum dicentem mihi

navis tua

ecce

non

parata

Et

est.

erat prope, sed forte liabebat

numquam

millia passus, et ibi

cc.

fueram, nee ibi

notum queraquam

de hominibus habebam.

one night I heard a voice, while

I

saying

slept,

dost fast well

soon go to thy country."

thy ship

is

the

man

nem cum fueram

six

years,

vi annis

et veni

Domini, qui viam

meam

dirigebat, et nihil

me-

tuebam, donee perveni ad navem

Et

illam.

ilia

die

fecta est navis

qua perveni pro-

de loco suo,

et lo-

sum ut abirem unde navigarem cum illis, et gubernatori displicuit illi et acriter cum interroga" Nequaquam ut
tione respondit
Et cum
nobisoum adpetes ire."
cutus

>1

audiissem, separavi

litec
illis,

me ab

ut venirem ad tegoriolum ubi

liospitabam

et in

itenere

ccepi

antequam orationem consummarem, audivi unuru ex illis et

fortiter exclamabat post me "Veni
orare

et

And again,
:

ready."

was not near, but perhaps about

two hundred miles distant, and I
had never been there, nor did I

bonum4

Thou

me " Behold,
And the place

response, saying to

know any one who

ad

"

after a very short time, I heard a

Et deinde postmodum conversus

sum in fugam et intermissi honiiin virtute

me,

to

fasting thou shalt

Soon

lived there.

after this I fled,

with

whom

and I

and

left

had been

came in the

strength of the Lord,

who

my way

and I feared

good

for

nothing until

And
place

and

moved out
asked

displeased,

angrily
us."

"

Do

to

the

.and

of her

go

and

master
replied,

not seek to go with

And when

heard this

went from them to go thither

where I had lodged and I began
;

to pray as I

went

but before I

had ended my prayer, I heard one

of them calling out loudly after
me, "

Come

quickly, for these

men

B. has terrain.

have here a curious evidence of how the wildest theories may bo built
When writing on this subject, ante, p. 136,
up upon the purest conjecture.
we had not got the collations of the Cotton and Bodleian MSS.j they quite set
the subject at rest, all giving the same version, qui viam meam ad bonum diriWare has this also but V. on pure conjecture, qui viam meam dirigebat,
01 bat.
veni ad Benum.
4

We

fflfiBiH

arrived at that ship.

with them, but

was

directed

day on which I came

the

ship had

the

sail

"

quia vocanl te homines

cito,

Btatim ad

it

;-
.

il'oo

q-.ruiu mihi theere

ex

recipimua

fide

cum
Et

nun

amiin

are calling you ;" and

returned to
them immediately, and they beI

ct

gan saying

[Uiv

in,

fac nobis-

te,

quomodo

friendship with us as you w ish"And

then that day

reppuli

disdained to suppli-

cate them,

Jesu Christi,' quia genteserant ;ct

JesusCbri.-t, for they were Gentiles;

obhocobtinui cum

and
and

God

illis;''

et

post

pi r

disertam

derait

iter

tri-

land,

cibus

el

fames invaluit super

ct

illis,

fecimus,

uipotens

tifficile

vertdmini

Ileum

in-

fide7

ex
ii

ad

rinum

.-ibile,

ut cibuni

viaru

vestram, usque

niini,

quia nbique liabundat

lit

mittat

adjuvante Deo,
rrex

Ion-

in

Lord

in

IV

anl

P.

3,

1.

have

et

days we

and

from hunger

my God,

fied, for

est,

Him."

via ante

protinus

days we reached

for twenty-eight

tl

and one
v to

to

whom

me,

nothing

Ee may send

food on your way until ye are

illi."

it

abounds everj

And

so done, for

nculos nostros apparuit* et multos

and

impassible, that

satia-

factum

ita

porcorum

nobis

dam

obtained from them

cui nihil est inpos-

in.

since we are perishing with hunger,

and may never see the
man again ]" And said to them
plainly, " Turn Bincen ly to the

videamus."
illis: "(

m. that

tie

"What sayest thou,

Christian 1
your God is great and all-powerful
why canst thou not then pray for us,

enim umquam

imevidenterdixi

of the fear of

of

day the mastei

quare ergo pro nobis

aliqnem hominem

ut

this

reatly

orarenon potest Quia nosfamepericlitamur

Imped

after three

est,

their provisions failed,

"Quid Christ iane tu

Dens tnus magnus et om-

dicisl

but

journeyed through a desert, and

die ccepit gubernator

alio

mihi dicere

on account

they would come into the faith of

dunm terrain ca3pimus;etzxviii dies

mammellaa eoram propter

timorem
lei
Bed rerumtamen
it lihs Bperaii
venue m hdem
!

me

to

ceivethee in good faith;

volueii

itaque

die

ilia

isti

sum

reversus

satis-

with God's help

lo,

is

us

it

was

a flock of swine ap-

very obscure; it would make nonsense to

translate tuyere mammellcu literally.
It was, probably, some proverbial <\pression. If any one acquainted witht VI tie colloquialism! knows any correspond-

The whole

ing one,

of

I shall

and
Not in
I

J.

F.

P.

1,

1,

passage

is

be obliged for information. The expression

is also difficult to
7

this

render.
.'),

.'!,

have

et et

toto eorde.

or B., but \V. lias

^Ui

it

V. real-

' ante,

tc

Life of St. Patrick.

.WO

exillisinterficerunt: etibi

manserunt bene

eorum
illis

uoctes

ex

repleti sunt, quia multi

secus

viam semivivi

relicti

summas

gratias

Et post

sunt.

ii.

et canes'J

refecti

ha?c

egcrunt Deo, et ego honorificatus

way

before our eye^,

left

exhausted

by the wayside.

After this they gave the greatest

oculis eorum. 3

sum sub

peared in the

and they killed many of them, and

remained there two nights, much
refreshed and filled with theii
flesh, for many of them had been

thanks to God, and I was honored

in their eyes.

Etiam mel silvistre invenierant,

mibi partem obtulerunt, et
et
onus ex illis dixit " Immolaticum
:

Deo

est,

exinde

gratias,"

Eadem

gustavi.

miens, et

vero

nihil

eram dor-

tcmptavit

fortiter

me

quod memor ero quandiu

Satanas,
f uero

in hoc corpore, et cicidit eniin

super

me veluti saxum ingens, et

membrorum prevalens. Sed

nihil

unde mibi venit 4

Heliam vocarem,
solem

caelum

in

in

spiritum ut

et in
oriri

hoc vidi
et

dum

Heliam, 5 viribus meis

clamarcm,

ecce splendor solis illius decidit

super me, et

me

bat pro

discussit

me

et spero

Et credo quod

Domino meo 6

Christo

statim

gravitudinem.

quod

as long as I shall be in this body),

and there fell as it were a great

stone upon me, and there was no
strength in

came

into

the same
rising

upon

and at
saw the sun
in the heavens, and while

how, to

my limbs. And then it

my mind, I know not

cried

call

moment

out

Elias

Elias,

with

all

my

clama-

might, behold, the splendor of the

sic erit in

sun was shed upon me, and imme-

die pressuane mere, sicut in ^'Evan-

8 B.

They also found wild honey,

and offered me some of it, and
one of them said " This is offered
in sacrifice, thanks be to God,"
But
after this I tasted no more.
the same night, while I was sleeping, I was strongly tempted by
Satan (of which I shall be mindful

diately shook

from meall heaviness.

has carries eorum.

ami B. have defeccrunt et.

1, 3, have Et e.c lute die abundantur cibum habuerunt.
and B. have nocte.
4
have ignarum.
B.
and
F. 1,
6 B. and F. 1, 3, have Heliam Heliam.
'
B. and C. 1, 3, have (jubvenlus sum, el spiritus ejus jam tunc) clamabar.
4c, and give the whole of the text, non vos cstis, &c, Matt. x. 20.
1

F.

B.

and

3,

3 F. 1, 3,

P.

And

believe thai

cried out for

mj

Ihrist

<

and

hope thai

be so in the day of

will

it

mi.'

adversity, as the

Lord

the Gospel

is

It

my

testifies in

not

ijuu

that

speak, Sec

adhuc captnram dedi

Miiltns

nocte prima itaque manai

i;i

eris

illis :"

Xocte

eravit

O"

" Duobus autem mensibus

cum

est,

<

autem divinum

responsam

illis,

audivi

rum.

cam

ilia

quod

ita

factum

sexagensiraa lib-

mo Dominus de manibns
Edam in itenere prcevidit

nobis cibum

et

ignem, et siccitntcm

donee decimo die perveni-

cotidie

mns omnia.

Sicnt saperina insinn-

avi, viginti et octo

disertum iterfe-

Some time

after 1 was taken

and on the first night I
remained with them I heard a

captive,

divine response, saying: "

You

shall

be two months with them;" and

so

it

On

was.

the sixtieth night

the Lord delivered

hands, and on the

me out of
mad lie

vided for us food, and

fire,

their

pro-

and dry

weather daily, until on the fourteenth day

have

we

all

came.

As

above mentioned, we jour-

cimns, et ea nocte qua perrenimua

neyed twenty-eight days through

omnia de cibo

a desert, and on the night of our

habaimus.

nihil

arrival

Et itenim post pancoa annoa,'

in Britannia eram cum parent ibus

me

meis, qui
et

ox

tuk-

modo ego
quas ego

ut filium susciperunt,

rogaveront me, ut vel

post tantaa tribulationes

pertuli,

Et

discederem.

muu
de

noctiv*

ibi

illis

in

scilicet

virum venientem qoasi

I/iberione,

toricus,

nnscraam ab

cum

cui

nomeu

tepiBtolia

\*i<-

innuuura-

And

we had no provisions
again, after a

was with

who

my

received

at least, after I

many

relations in Britain,

me

earnestly besought

so

left.

few years,

as a son,

me

and

that then,

had gone through

tribulations, I

nowhere from them.

would go

And

there

saw, in the midst of the night,

man who appeared to come from

whose name was Vic-

Ireland,

: B.
and F. 1, 3, have Et itcrum pott annot ; B. has non multoi ; V. 1, 3,
We
tuuuM mult'u. It is evident both B. and F. copied from very similar MSS.
here
tlio first great variation from the version of the Book of Armagh, whi re
have
the Et iUrum pott paucoa annot 'vt only given once, and comes alter nihil

habvimut.
a
8ixu nortis Literally, the

J"""

"bosom

of the night."

i^SsfS^^SS,

Life of St. Patrick.

bilibus vidi, et dedit mihi
his

principium

et legi

dum

aepistola?,

toricus,
letters

Vox Hiberionacum.

continentem

Et

unam ex
sepistolae

principium

recitabam

putabam enim

in

ipse

mente audire vocem ipsorum, qui

erant juxta sylvam Focluti, 9 quae

as I read aloud the beginning of

the

Et

my mind

sic

exclamaverunt, "

te,

who were

Rogamus

punctus
plius

sum

corde,

non potui

Et valde comet vald [e]- am-

legere

tus sum.

Deo

plurimos

annos

et sicexper-

quia post

gratias,

praestitit

illis

Dominus secundum clamorem

illo-

rum.

Et alia nocte, nescio, Deus scit

utrum in me, an juxta me, verbis
quos

peritissime

non

potui

ego

audivi,

intellegere,

nisi

expertus

sum

gaudi-

Et iterum vidi in me
ipsum orantem et eram quasi 4 in:

meum,

et audivi

hoc

est,

super interiorem hominem, et ibi

f ortiter

orabat gemitibus.

B. and F.

3,

B. and F.

1, 3,

is

near the

western

cried out

entreat thee, holy youth, to

"

We

come

and walk still amongst us." And my

heart was greatly touched, so that
I could not read any more, and so
Thanks be to God that,
I awoke.
after very many years, the Lord
hath granted them their desire.
in

And on another night, whether

me or near me God knows, I
words which

could not understand until the end

bundus.

tra corpus

and they

of Foc-

heard

suam, 3 pro te ipse est qui loquitur

sic

which

sea

those

of

wood

near the

luti,

heard in

voice

et

Et

the

ad

postremum orationis sic efficiatus

" Qui dedit pro te animam
est
in te."

I thought

letter,

prope mare occidentale.

ambulas inter nos."

me and I read the commencement of the epistle containing "The Voice of the Irish ;" and
gave to

est

sancte puer, ut venias, et adhuc 1

M\\

and he had innumerable

with him, one of which he

E t inter

eloquent

of the speech,

when

it

was

said

He who gave His life for thee is

He who speaks in thee;" and so I
awoke full of joy. And again I saw
"

one praying within me, and I was,

as

it

were, within

heard, that

is,

my

body, and I

above the inner man,

and there he prayed earnestly with

groans.
And I was amazed at

have viryulti ; F. 1, sylvam virgultique.

have quasi ex uno ore.

This valde has marks of erasure over it. The scribe had written raid, when
he seems to have discovered his error. T. O'M.
3 B. and F.
3, have qui pro te animum suam posint : F. 1, the same, except
-

posuil.
4

B. omits quasi

:v-|

St. Patini
hoec stupebam, et

bat

el

this,

and marvelled and ecu

ora-

who

this could be

admirabam,

cogitabam quia asset qui In

me

ad postremum orationia

Soil

expertns

it

sumet recordatus sum

and

" Spiritna adju-

that

Apostolo dicente

in

awoke, and

I
tin:

remembered

apostle said

Liketoist

the

sed ipse Spiritna postulat

nho helpeth OUT infirmity,

far uk know nut what we should
pray for as we ";//</, but the Spirit

pro nobis gemitibna inerrabilibus,

himself atketh far us with unspeak-

qua: verbis exprinii non possunt.' '"

able groaning*.

infirmitates orationia nostra

v:it

Spirit

nam quod oremus sicut oportet nescimus

Et iteruin
noster

est
[

lit

"Dominus advocatus

is

senioribus

sum ab
meis,

Utque

in

episcopatum
illo

die

who also maketh

(And whi n

us.

was tried by some of

im-

Bed Dominus pepercit

my

an objection to

mourn,

pulsus sum, ut caderem hie et in

ceternum.

for

who came and spoke

qui

fortiter

And again, 77e Lord

advoc'tti
ision

win-runt, et peccata mea, contra

laboriosum

our

pro nobis." 7

postulat

quando temptatus

aliquantis

of

my elders,
my sins as

laborious epis-

was on that day, some-

fall away
But the Lord
spared a proselyte and a stranger

times, strongly driven to

here and for ever.

His name's sake, and mercifully

proselyto et peregrino propter no-

for

men suum, benigne

assisted me greatly in that affliction,

mihi

et valde

Bubvenit in hac conculcatione, quod

in labe

deveni
pi

et

opprobrium non male

Deum

oro ut non

illia

in

ccatum reputetur occasionum

post anims triginta invenerunt me,

tt

adreraua verbumquodconfessus

fueram antequod essem diaconus

who prayed

But at the end of the prayer

came to pass that it was a bishop,

me.

sic efficuttus est at sit epiacopus,' et

sic

593

All read thus except F.

was thus mistaken

* Rom. viii. 2G.

3.

P.

because

was not entirely deserving

of reproach.

may

an occasion of
after thirty

against

sin

years,

me words

fessed before I

has ep$.

pray God that they

not be found guilty of giving

they found

and

me

brought

that I had con-

was a deacon

Probably the original had

from

sp*,

and

fur

7 B. has
The paraDeus.
Probably a loose quotation from Rom. viii. 34.
graphs from Et quando to xupra dictis arc wanting in the Rook of Armagh.
I give them above, in brackets, bom the Cotfam 1638.
mint Banff myself
very doubtful of the value of anything pur|>orting to be a part of theCanfesHowever, as the above is
rion which, is not contained in the Booh of Armagh.
found in all the three versions,
give it.
1

Life of St. Patrick.

594

anxiety, with sorrow of

propter anxietatem mcesto animo

insinuavi amicissimo meo qure in

pueritiameaunadiegesseram,immo
in

Nescio,

I told

one hour, because I was not then

necdum prrevaDeus scit, si habe-

hora, quia

una

lebam.

mind

my dearest friend whatl had done in

my youth, in one day, nay, rather in
able to overcome.

know not, God

sed in morte et in in-

knows, if I was then fifteen years of

did
age, and from my childhood I
not believe in the living God, but

crudelitate mansi, donee valde cas-

remained in death and unbelief

tigatus sum, et in veritate lramilia-

until I

bamtunc annis quindecim, et Deum

vivum non credebam neque ex in

mea

fantia

sum

tus

et nuditate;

a fame

now

sponte pergebam, donee prope deficiebam. Sed hee [sic] potius bene

mihi fuit

sum a Domino,

me

et aptavit

mc

ut ego curas

erat,

to Ireland of

will, until I

was nearly

But this proved a blessing to me, for I was thus corrected

by the Lord, and he made me fit
to be to-day that which was once

worn

ut

hodie essem quod aliquando longe

a

come

I did not

my own

quia ex hoc emendatus

chastised, and,

have been humbled by

hunger and nakedness and even

non

Hiberione

contra

cotidie

was severely

in truth, I

et

haberem

far

aut satagerem pro salute aliorum,

quando etiam de me ipso non co-

out.

from

my

thoughts, so that I

should care for the salvation of

others, for at that time I had no

gitabam.

thought even for myself.

And

quo repiobatus
sum A memoratus supra dictis ad
Igitur in

noctem

die

illo

scriptum erat contra faciem meam,

Et

sine honore.

the night.]

Male

"

;"

sed

"

male vidimus

"Qui
tanguit

F.

Zach.

pupillam

1, 3,

oculi

have del signati.

ii.

8.

Not

-vs

;"
:

me\.'"

F.

1, 3,

saw

in a vision of

to me,

"We

have

but " we have badly seen," as if he

had there joined himself to me, as

qui

quasi

tanguit,

vos

the

heard with displeasure the face of

the elect without a name." He did
not say "thou hast badly seen,"

quasi ibi se junxisset, sicut dixit

answer saying

audivimus faciem designatr* nudato

nomine," nee sic prasdixit " male
vidisti

day in

for

the night a writing without honor

before me. And then I heard an

inter lirec audivi

rosponsum dicentem mihi

was reproved

things above mentioned, I saw in

Vidi in vissu noctis

illam].

in the night of the

which I

and B. read mate vidbmt*.

in the Vulgate.

ago

gratias

[dciroo

me

omnibus

in

non mo

inpediret

qua statueram,
(|iio

opera,

qui

ei,

confortavit,

ut

profeetdone

de mea quo-

el

am virtatem non paxvam,

fides mea probata
est coram

et

hominibua

give thanks to

who comforted

ii

that Hi-

Bed magis

me

in

all

not binder

ilil

from the journey

which

work which
no

my

[earned

of

But from this thing I

felt

approved

my

faith

God

and

ami

strength,

little

w.h

had

me
had

proposed, and also as regards

Christ.

is

toueheth the appl

Therefore

eye.
1 1 i

thai touehelh you,

//

to/to

Do

quod a Christo

minus meo dedideiam

he said

atht

before

man,
l'n.lo

me

antem audeuter

reprahendil

hie et in futuruni

Bennonibus
[.Sod

l:>is.'

teste

tale

cradidi

et

quos ego

retuli

non

interfui,

mea

in

vo-

nee

me

in

ego

fratribus

me now

Britanniis

me

pulsaret.
:

"Eccedandus eatu adgradumEpiscopatua,* quod non eram dignus.

Sed unde venit illi poatmodnm ut
coram cunctis bonis et malis in me
1

od

or for

ante

that

more

grieved

whom
my

to

friend,

occasioned

defence,

have

should have

And

when

the

dearest

would

lifo,

this.

fool

my

from certain brethren

this

God now,

[But

that

that, before

nor even in Britain, and

with win

-h

had nothing to do.

me in my absence.
to me with his
"Thou art going to

that he defended
I

[e

had even said

own
be

lips:

given

the

rank

of

bishop,"

was not worthy of it.

Bow, then, did it happen to him

though

Et

that,

afterwards,

Dominus qui major omnibus

est?

sons,

good

future.

have not lied in the words

have told you.

sponte et Istus iudulseratf

of

the

have the testimony of

say that

to

conscience does not reproach

orietur, ut et ille

ipse ore suo dixerat

puplice dehoni

Therefore, I dare

my

trusted even

El

quod ego

illain,

absentia pro

Etiam mihi

cni

auimam.

aliquantis

ante defensinnem

cram, nee a

in

meruimus

responsura,

etiam

ab

compeii

Deo ab

magis doleo pro ami-

ciBsimo meo, cur hoc

audire

ine;i

sum mentitus

non

da

non

dico,

conecientia

and

before
bad,

In-

all

per-

should

The paragraphs from ted magu down to ultra est are wanting in the Book
Armagh, but arc giveu from the Cotton M33. for the reasons stated above.

Life of St. Patrick

Sed tamen non debeo

Satis dico.

donum Deo, quod

abscondere

lar-

me]

mea?, quia tunc fortiter inquisivi

than

eum, et ibi inveni ilium, et servavit

me ab omnibus iniquitatibus, sic

credo propter inhabitantem Spiri-

my

in

ejus,

qui operatus est usque

hanc diem in me audentur rurSed scit Deus, si milii homo

when he had

publicly,

And the Lord who

gitus est nobis in terra captivitatis

tum

me

detract

before this freely and gladly praised

all 1

ought not to hide the

He

which

me

gave

greater

gift of

Him

captivity, for I sought

earnestly
there,

and found him

then,

and He preserved me from

all iniquity, I believe,

hoc effatus fuisset forsitan tacuis-

indwelling of

sem propter charitatem

worketh within

His

were

mc

through the

Spirit,

me

which

unto this day

But God knows

more and more.

if it

God

in the land of

6us.

Christi.

is

I have said enough. Still

man who

spoke this to

would perhaps be

silent for

the love of Christ.

Unde ego indefessam gratiam

me fidelem ser-

ago Deo meo, qui

vavit in die tentationis mese

ut liodie confidcnter offeram

sacrificium,

me

temptation, so that J can, to-day,

my

vel quae est in-

Ita ut hodie

uecnon

fuero,

in

secundis, sed etiam in pressuris

ut quicquid

bonum,
debeo

sive

mihi

evenerit,

malum,

suscipere,

et

:"

sive

sequaliter

Deo

gratias

semper agere, qui mihi ostendit,

ut

eum sine
me audierit

indubitabilem

crederem, et qui

fine

ut et

ego inscius sim in novissimis die-

Lord,

day of

the

sacrifice confidently, the

omnibus

magnificarem nomen tuum ubiloco

him

servavit ab

in gentibus constanter exultarem

cunque

offer

in

living sacrifice of

vocatio mea, qui mihi tantam divi-

et

faithful

Domino

nitatem cooperuisti

my

me

Christo

Domine]

unceasing

give

God, who preserved

ita

augustiis meis, ut et dicam: " Quis

ego sum,

my

illi

ut hostiam viventem

animam meam
meo, qui

Therefore,

thanks to

my soul

to Christ

me from
I may say

who

preserved

my troubles, so that
Him " Who am I, O Lord ? or
what is my calling, that divine grace

all

to

should have so wrought with

me

So that to-day I can so rejoice

amongst the nations, and magnify

Thy name, wherever

am, not only

in prosperity but also in adversity;''

and I ought to
ever happens

receive equally whatto me, whether

good

God thanks in all

who hath shown me that

or evil, giving
things,
I

should, undoubtingly,

ceasing, believe in

heard

me though

without

Him who hath

I am ignorant,

Patrick

St.

bus hoc opus tam piom

tain

et

mirificum adire aggredet

ita

ut

imitaram quispiom iUoa, ([ins ante

1

''minus

jam olim prsdixerat prav

nuntiaturos Evangeliuni suuin in

testimonium omnibus gentibus an8

finem mundi.

te

Quod

ita ergo

ut vidimus itaqne Buppletum est

Ecoe testes sumus, quia Evangclium pnedicatom

nemo

ubique ubi

per

partes.

qualiter pissimus

sin-

meum,

laborcm

enarrare

gula

per

totuin

est

prater

we

Behold,

are witnesses that the

Gospel has been preached to the

But

my

human

habitation.]

too

is

it

from

and
by which

et

qua

exprimere non valeo,

ncc

Sed
auctorem qui novit omnia

me

etiam antequani hunt' [ut

pau-

Ideo tamen

perculum pupillum.

long

to

labors particularly,

God

annua una

that

the good

est

whom

old

of

the end of the world

which baa
been accomplished, as we have seen.

Deus de

servi-

in

they should preach His Gospel to

all nations for a testimony before

injuriam legentibus faeiam.

Deum

our Lord predicted

partially.

niultas,

insidias

a work, and imitate those of

Breviter dicam

tute sepe liberavit, ct de pcriculis

xu qua pen: hiata

should undertake,

those days, so holy and wonderful

limits of

ultra est.]

Longum
vel

est

and that

even

will briefly say

often delivered

from

slavery

dangers

detail

or

my

twelve

soul

many

threatened, besides

how
me
was

snares,

and what in words I cannot express,

and with which I will not trouble
my 'readers. But God knows all
things, even before they come to pass
fas

he does me, a poor creature.

responsum divinuin creberrinic ad-

Therefore the divine voice very often

moneret, 6 unde mihi hasc sapien-

admonished me to consider whence

came this wisdom, which was not

tia,

qua; in

me non

qui nee

erat,

numerum dierum noveram, neque

Deum sapiebaml Unde mihi
postmodum donum tam magnum
tam

salubro

vel diligere,

Deum
sed

agnoscere

ut patriam

et

in me,

the

who

knew God nor

Whence

neither

number

of

my

days.

did I obtain afterwards the great

and salutary
God,

and

gift to

to

leave

know

or love

my

country

8
A reference to St. Matth. xxviii. 20. It is evident that St. Patrick was
very familiar with Scripture there are many indirect references to it throughout the Confession, which it seems scarcely necessary to verify.
5 F. 1, .1, and B. read dum authorem.
* 9. 1, 3, and B. have the paragraphs inclosed in brackets.
i
B. crcberrime admonuit, and V.
;

Life of St. Patrick.

59S
amitterem,

parentes

munera

et

multa mihi ofl'erebantur cum

Et

lacrimis?

et

modo

Deo, nullo

illis

me

many

with sor-

row and tears. And! offended many

consensi neque

Deus,qui vincitiu me,et

although

illos

offendi

non mea

relations,

were offered to

gifts

necnon contra votum aliquantis de

scnioribus meis. Sed gubernante
adquievi

my

and

fletu

gratia sed

resistit illis

my seniors then

of

against

my

will.

by God, I yielded
no way to them not to me,

But, guided

in

God be

but to

the glory,

who

con-

quered in me, and resisted them

came

omnibus, ut ego veneram, ad Hi-

all

bernas gentes Evangelium prsedi-

people to preach the Gospel, and

ab incredulis contumelias

bear with the injuries of the un-

care, st

ut

perferre,

aurem

obprobrium

pevegrinatiouis mere, et persecutionis

multas usque ad vincula,

meam

ut darem ingenuitatem

Et

utilitatem aliorum.
fuero,

animam meam

etiam

ut

incunctanter

nomine

libentissime pro
ibi

pro

dignus

si

promptus sum

et

ejus

si

Dominus

renascerentur,"

que

illis

nuper

ut clerici

et

venientem

extremis

ad

falso

nostri

uni-

sumsit

terrse,

crcdulita-

Dominus ab

sicut

olim

pro-

" Si-

miserat per profetas suos

cut

Deum

in

ordinarentur ad plebem

quam

tem,

me

comparaverunt patres

idola,

et

non

est

in

and

eis

Irish

to the reproach

and endure

persecutions, even to chains,

to give

benefit

of

worthy, I

up

my

freedom for the

And

be

ready to give up

my

others.

am

if

unhesitatingly and most cheer-

fully for

qui mihi tantam gratiam, donavit

ut populi multi per

many

life

Deo,

and listen

to the

of being a stranger,

et

iudulgeret.]

Quia valde debitor sum

believing,

et

opto inpendere earn usque ad

mortem,

so that I

His name, and thus,

if

the Lord permit, I desire to spend

it

even until

For

am

my

death.]

truly a debtor to God,

who has given me so much grace,

that many people should be born
again to God through me, and that
for

them everywhere should be

or-

dained priests for this people, newly

come

to the faith,

which the Lord

took from the ends of the earth, as

He

promised formerly by His Pro-

phets
idols,

"Our fathers falsely prepared

and there

is

no

profit

in

and F. 1, 3, have el jiorlmodum consummarenlur.

aud F. 1, 3, have ad gentes venient ab extremis terra et iHcent, sicut, &c.
The text seems to be taken from Jer. xvi. 19 ; but is more a paraphrase than a
8

B.

13.

quotation.

-K5T

5- C-

-7

Patrick's

St.

ad togentesveniunt

utilitas,

iterum: " Posui

I'.t

ad extremum terwe.*8

promisaum

expectare

uumquam

utique

:il>

ipaius,

qui

"
:

Venient

Jacob

:'

unto the

vation

And

ih.

Tin

Mint credentea

Dominua

piscare, sicut

pramionet

docet dicens: " Venite

et

post me, et faciam vos

hommum."

catorea

Unde autem
nostra

ita

turba Deo caperetur:

et

ubique essent

zarent,

ut multitudo

clerici

ezhortarent

et

tum indegentem

et

popu-

dissiderantem

Dominua in Evanguelio
amonet et docet dicens: "Eunergo nunc
docete omnes
tes
sicut

baptizantes

mine
tus

'

Patris,

B.

xiii.

and

V,

47
1,

.1,

Matt, vitt 11.

B.

and

K.

1,

.'*,

ad

no-

in

eas

Filii,

usque

sancti

Acts,

et

et

Sj.iri-

<

fails,

lospel

the north and from

and shall sit down with
Abraham,and Tsaac,and Jacob. So
we believe that the faithful shall
all

parts of the world.

Therefore we ought

and

diligently, as the

and said
iritl

And

'ome

again:

11<

means,

of

hold, saith

men.

and many hunwe should, by

fishers

set

well

1.

hers

I send many

all

fish

t<>

Lord taught

"/>

U(

in,'

our nets

in

manner that a great multitude and

a crowd may be caught then in

qui baptisic

never

the

in

of

wait the

Him who

&&'

valde oportebat retia

tendere,

copiosaa
et

venatores

et

Dominus,"

dicit

pis-

Et iterum, 1

"Eccemitto piscatores
multos,

fieri

utmost jiris

[from

come from
diligentei

south]

th,

itaquc oportet bene et

Ideirco

s/

11

the west

credimus ab omni nunulo vcnturi

.,/

thus

He promises

as

again, / have

ligM

that thou mayest be for sal'

promise of

aicut

'

be th*

1.1

in

sicut

And

say."

will

tli.,

lilet,

recumbent cum

et

Isaac et

et

volo

occidente, ab austra

et

aquilone

Abraham

set

il>i

fallit,

pollicetur

lio

ab oriente
et

Et

5^

vnfession.

and

salutem usque

in gentibus, ut sis

T=

them, to thee the (untiles come

el <li-

lumen

te

^w-

^T

~f

1.

may

and that everywhere there

be priests win) shall baptize

and exhort
and

it

a people

desire

and
(

lospi

I,

it

who
as

'

teach y< all nations,

r,

9.

andofthe

Qhost, even

omit the following word?.

the

iptiaing them

nearly as in Vulgate.

have dkii per propheta*

in

oing, tlierefore,

in the name of the Fatht

terminum

the Lord

admonishes

bsmpeeeatores farj

to

secnli."

ergo in

Et

iterum

mundum

"Euntes

consummation

the

And

universum, pre-

again

Go ye

and preach

of the world
into the whole

dicate

Evanguelium omni creaQui crediderit, et baptizatus fnerit, salvus erit, qui vero non

v:orld

tura?.

every creature ; he that'believeth

credideret condemnabitur." 4

that

liqua sunt exempla.

is

Re-

[Et iterum

mundo

meo super

carnem, et prophetabunt
vestrse, et

ves-

filii

vestri,et

tri

visiones videbunt, et seniores

filire

filii

not

believeth

dom

in testimoni-

iinis."
Et item Dominus per prophetam prsenuntians, inquit " Et
erit in novissimisdiebus,dicit Domi-

omnem

baptized shall be saved, but

shall be preached in the whole

And again, the Lord,

come.

ing by the prophet, says

shall

come

saith the Lord, that I will

my

spirit

upon

conseeutam

dictum
ibi

est

" Vocabo non plenon misericordiam

et

et

erit

Non

vocabuntur

in loco ubi

plebs raea vos,

filii

Dei

vivi."] 6

pour out

and your

all flesh,

servants

it

sons and your daughters shall pro-

de Spiritu meo, et prophetabunt." 5

dicit

speak-

And

to pass in the last days,

phesy, your old

bem meam

lie

con-

be

worldfor a testimony to all nations,

awl then shall tlie consummation

Et
somnia somniabunt.
quidem super servos meos et ancillas meas in diebus illis effundam

vestri

Et Osee

shall

The rest are examples.

[And again: ThisGospel of the king-

um omnibus gentibus et tuncveniet

nus, effundam de Spiritu

to

ami

demned.

"PraxlieabiturhocEvangeliumregni in universo

Gosp>el

the

men

shall

dreams, and your young

see

and handmaids

I will

pour forth

was

not

people

And

And I will say to

my

Osee

that which

people: Thou art

and

to

my

in those

my spirit and

they shall prophesy.

saith

shall

Moreover, upon

visions.

days

dream

men

my

her who hath noi

found mercy ; and they shall say:

Thou art my God. Andin the place
where I said to them, You are not

my people,
Ye are

Matt.

B.

rolls

F.

1, 3,

have sancii docentes eos observare omnia quaeungue maud"!

sum omnibus diebus, usque ad consummationem seculi

xxiii. 19.

Mark,

xvi.

iterum to Dei
6

shall be said to them,

ego vohiscum

et ecce

Matt,

it

sons of the living God.]

18.

iv.

and

tlie

Joel,

ii.

1(5.

viri ig

18.

The

four following words are not

wanting

in

Book

of

Armagh.

ill

B. or P.

Prom Et

Sap

St. Patrick's Coi<>

I'nde

1 1

notitiam'

qui

habuerant,

bimunda usque nunc

idula et

Hiberione,

.lutein

numquam

Bempei coluerunt, qaomodo nuper

efiecta est pleba Domini, et filii
Dei nuncupabuntur
torum*

i'ilii

Scot-

Regulorum monachi

et filise

et virginea Christi ease videntur.'

Wherefore behold how

land they
led

'

worshipped

utiva, nobilis,

pulchemma, adul-

[And

quam ego baptism

et

pauOOB dies una causa venit

nos

ail

sum

insinuavit nobis respon-

accepisse

monuit

etiam omnes virgines Dei

fa riant)

quod

ita

hoc

patiuntur,

et

inpropria falsa apparentibus suis,

nihilLominus plus augetur nu-

et

merus

Data

sunt,

et

nescimus

Sed

nentcs.

borant,

Os.

illas

and

after a

whom

baptized,

few days she came to

informed that she was' to become

and

to

draw

Thanks be

to

God,

a virgin of Christ,

near to God.
six

days after this she most ex-

cellently
this state

virgins of

and eagerly entered on

of life, which all the

God now

adopt, even

nunieruin

even enduring reproaches and per-

conti-

secution from them, and notwith-

et

maxime

la-

qua; servitio detinentur

ii.

very beautiful,

against the will of their parents,

viduas

et

blessed Irish

ibi

de gencre nostro qui

eonim, pneter

there was one

maiden, of adult age, noble and

understand that she had received

a command from God, and was

non sponte patrum caruin

pcrsecutionem

Bed

us for a reason, and gave as to

die uptime

et avidissime arripuit illud,

ai

virgins of Christ

et

proximaret.

Deo gratias, sexta ab hac

monks and

virgo

Dei,

esset

Deo

ipsa

Christi, et

nutu

ut

etiam

have

idols,

the daughters of princes

to be

crat,

unclean

become the people of the

Lord, and are called the
God. The sons of the Scoti and

benedicta Sotta,1

ta

[re-

lately

[Et etiam una

gi

'/

in

who never had the kuow<: /,

and hitherto only

standing they increase in

and as

for those

who

number

born

are

l.eti. 10.

have Dei habuerant.

Scottornm and in Scnlla has been erased. On the first word
in the Hook of Armagh the Kcv. T. O'Mahony gives mo tlio following not e
"It is doubtful whether tho word hero should bo Scottorum the MS. has
Scurum only but there is a small mark not unlike an inverted comma over
the c, which may have been intended a-s a contraction."
1
From Et etiam to anima&i/.i veiltis i* wanting in tho Book of Armagh. In
the Cotton MS., from which the text is taken, the letter c iu Sootta has been

and F.

B.

In B. the

1, 3,

c in

It is

probable that caiua, thrco lines further on, is a mistake for

text, to a letter, as it stands.

However, we prefer giving the

".'' ~

-'-t^ ^

f-

'*'

""

-C

again in this way,

we know not

number, except the widows

their

and those who observe continency.

But those who are in slavery are
most severely persecuted, yet they
persevere in spite of terrors and
threats.

But the Lord has given

grace to

many of my handmaids, for

Him

they zealously imitate

as far

as they are able.

Unde autem
tanniis,

ad patriam

non id solum, sed

Gallias

visitare

Brit-

wished to leave them, and had been

paratus

ready and very desirous to go to

in

libentisaime

et

erani, quasi

et parentes

usque

etiarn

fratres,

ut

et

viderem faoiem sanctorum Domini

rnei

scit

optabam.

Deus quod ego valde

Sed alligatus spiritu qui

mihi protestatur,

futurum reum

hoc

si

esse

; et non
Dominus, qui

vanirem, esse
ajtatis

mere

et custodierit

fecero, ut

designat,

et

quem

in-

timeo pendere laborem,

choavi

ego, sed Cliristus

me
cum

Therefore, though I could have

voluero amit-

etsi

tere illas, et ut pergens

iniperavit
illis

ut

residuum

Dominus voluerit,
me ab omni via mala,
si

ut non peccem coram

illo.

Spero

Britannia, as

my

to

if

and parents, and not that

country

alone, but

to go even to Gallia, to visit

and

brethren,

my

and God knows

But I
the spirit, and He who

Lord's saints

that I desired

am bound in

it greatly.

witnesseth will account

I

do

it,

which
I,

and

me guilty if

I fear to lose the labor

have commenced

but the Lord Christ,

and not

who com-

manded me

to come and be with

them for the rest of my life if the
Lord grants it, and keeps me from
;

every evil way, that I should not

autem hoc debueram sed memet

ipsum non credo, quamdiu fuero in

sin before

hoc corpore mortis

trust not myself as long as I

quia fortis est

qui cotidie nititur subvertere

me

who

strong

from the

Christo

Domino meo

vita; lneai

sed caro

ini-

mica semper trahit ad mortem,id

ad inlecebras in
das, et scio

est

inlicitate pcrficien-

ex parte ququare vitam

cere

my

But

to

body of death,

in this

non

usque in fincni

Him.

am bound

which I

fide etpropositacastitate religionis

ficte

my

to see the face of

hope that
do,

but I

daily tries to turn

faith,

religious

am

for he is

and from the

chastity to

me
sin-

Christ

Lord, to which I have dedi-

cated myself to the end of

but the

flesh,

which

is

my life

in enmity,

Patrick's Confession.

<S7.

perfectamego non
meo,

non erobesco

et

quia nun

ejus,

agi sicut etcetcri

Bed confiteor Domino

credentea

in con

ex quo

mcutior,

cum in iuventuto
in me amor Dei, ct

mea,

merit
ipaioB,

et

Domino,

usque

nunc,

tinior

fovente

always draws

me

to

unlawful

be

unlawfully

know
a

led

to death, that

gratified,

that

perfect

havo not
other

like

life

is,

must
and I

that

desires,

part

in

But I confess to my
and do not blush before Him,

believers.

Li

'rd,

because I

tiilem servavi.

G03

the truth, that from

tell

knew Him in my youth

of God and His fear in-

the time I

the love

creased within me, and until now,

by the favor of the Lord, I have

kept the

Rideat nutem

non

ego

voluerit,

abscondo signa
a

milii

Domino

qui

ncque

silebo,

mirabilia, ansa

et

ministrata

ante multos annos

iusultet

et

quam

sunt

fuerunt,

faith.

Let him who pleases insult and

laugh at me, I will not be silent,
neither do I conceal the signa and
wonders that the Lord hath show n

to

me many

before

years

they

He who knew

quasi qui novit omnia, etiam ante

took place, as

Unde autem
tempora s;ecularia.
debuero sine ccssatione Deo gratias

things

even

began.

Therefore I ought to give

agere, qui stspe

thanks to

tiaj

insipien-

in.lul.-it

mea?, negligentia; mere do loco

who

before

God without

often pardoned

my

all

world

the

ceasing,
nncalli d-

for folly

and negligence, who did

vehementer irasceretur, qui adjutoi

not

His anger turn

datus sum, et non cito adquievi,

against me,

secundum quod

work with Him, though I did not

promptly follow what was shown

non in uno quoque, ut non

milii

ostensum

milii

fuerat ct Spiritus suggerebat, et

niiscrtuscst milii

millium

Dominus

paiatna cram

scd quod mini pro

his nesciebam de statu

facetem,

quia

bant

mittit in

qui

tergum

et dioebant

meo quid
banc lega-

nmlti

tioncm prohibebant,
sc ipsos post

ininillia

me quod

quia vidit in

et

jam

meum

oana-

"Iste quare se

periculum inter

Deum non

inter

noverunt

i"

let

who

Non

me

to

me, and what the Spirit suggested;

and the Lord had compassion on

me among

thousands and thou-

sands, because
will

do, because

my
hind

He saw my good

knew not what

many were hii

but then I

to

mission, and were talking be-

my back, and saying

does he run into dangi

'

fiercely

allowed

enemies who know not

"Why

God !"

This

Life of St. Patrick.

ut causa

propter rusticitatcm

tclligi

et

sed non sapiebat

rualitise,

sicut et ego ipse testor,

illis,

non

in-

mcam

agnovi gratiam, qua?

cito

tunc erat in rue

nunc miki

sapit

was not

said with malice, but be-

cause they did not approve of

now testify, because

but, as I

rusticity,

you understand

did

at

not

once

it,

my

of

and

the

recognize

grace which was then in me, but

quod ante dcbuerain.

now I know I

should have known

he/ore.

Nunc

ergo

fratribus

mihi

lated to

quod

servants

ad roboran-

confinnandam

et

fideni ves-

Utinam utimitcmininiajora,

tram.

et potiora faciatis.

Hoc

mea

sapiens

quia

patris

filius

Vos

est.

erit gloria

cordis

sinceritate

geutes

ego fidem

prajstiti

illis

Deus

stabo.

scit,

lorum

circumveni,

propter

Deum

ne excitem

ad

et

prse-

neminem
nee

il-

cogito,

Ecclesiam ipsius,

et

illis

etiam

et nobis

persecutioneni, et ne per

Nam

matur."

sum
tus

imperitus

etsi

nominibus, tamen cona-

in

sum quippiam

also

servare

me,

Would

might aim at

This shall be

a wise son

is

my
the

You know

glory of his father.

and God knows how I have lived

among you from my youth up,
both faithful in truth and sincere
in heart

also I

to the people

have given the faith

among whom I

dwell,

and I will continue to do so. God

knows I have not overreached any
of them, nor

blasphe-

and conthat you

higher things and

strengthen

to

firm your faith.

cause of

blas-

Domini

preach

omnibus

nomen

me,
still

me

quia
phematur nomen Domini
" Vse homini per
scriptam est

quern

believed

glory, because

quas habito,

inter

illas

who have

have preached and

Deus

a juventute mea, et fide veritatis

et

re-

brethren and fellow

succeed better.

et

scitis

why

have simply

my

gloria

apud vos conversatus sum

qualiter

Therefore,

meis qui

propter

credidcrunt,

prasdixi et prsedico

dam

insuavi

simpliciter

conservis

et

do I think of

it,

God and His Church,

should excite

them and

all

be-

Sw

persecution

of us,

and

for

lest the

name of the Lord should be blasphemed through me

for it is
;

written,

whom

"Woe

the

to the

name

of

man

through

the Lord

For though

is

am

etiam et fratribus Christianis et

blasphemed."

virginibus Christi, et mulieribus

unskilled in names, I have endea-

religiosis

munuscula
altare

quaj

mihi

donabant,

jactabant

ex

ultronea
et

super

ornameutis

to

lest

vored to be careful even with

my

Christian brethren, and the virgins

of Christ,

and devout women, who

Ik,

^J_i

W.

Sit.

illis :et

nie scandalizabantur cur

ego facicbam.

spem

Scd ego propter

perennitatis, ut

me

omni-

in

bus caute proterea conservare

me

ut

ita

in aliquo titulo infidcli car-

pcrent, vel ministerium servitutis

mrae, ncc etiam

in

minimo,

locum darem

credulis

|-

'

Patricks Confession,

iterum rcddebam

suis, et

adversum

'

'<!

in-

infamare

me

freely gave

and

gifts,

cast of

ornaments upon the

their

altar,

but I returned them, though tiny

were offended with me because
I did
of

But

so.

cautiously in

for the

I,

guarded

immortality,

things

all

they could not find

me

hope

myself
so that

unfaithful,

even in the smallest matter, so that

unbelievers could not defame or

sivc detractare.

detract from

my

ministry in the

least.

Forte autem quando

tot millia

baptism
hominum, speravcrim ab

But when
baptized so

aliquo illorum vel dimidio scriptu-

did

reddam vobis ;
ant quando ordinavit ubique Dominus clericos per modicitatcm

from them?
return

meam

lity

la?.

Dicitc mihi, et

et

ministerium gratis

distri-

bui illis ? Si poposci ab aliquo illorum vel pretium vel calceami nti

me et reddam
Ego impendi pro vo-

mei, dicitc adversus

vobis magis.
bis,

et

me

ut

caperent

et inter vos

ubique pergebam causa vest ra. in

multis periculis, etiam usque ad

partes, ubi

extras

ubi

eras, et

numquam

nemo

ultra

aliquis per-

veucrat qui baptizaret, aut clericos

populum consumdonante Domino, dili-

ordinaret, aut

maret

3
:

genter et libentissime pro salute

it

happened that

expect even half a "scrcpall"'

it

and

Tell me,

to you.

will

Or when the Lord

ordained clergy through

and ministry, did

grace gratuitously

any

many thousand men,

my

If I

humi-

I confer the

asked of

them even the value of my

tell me, and I will repay you

of

shoe,

more.

I rather spent for you, as

far as I

was able

and among you

you I endured
in distant places, where

and everywhere

many

perils

for

none had been further or had ever

come

ordain

the

clergy, or confirm the people.

By

to

baptize,

or

the grace of the Lord I

labored

freelyand diligently in all things for

your salvation.

At

this

time also

This was an ancient Celtic coin, ralue about three pence, weighing twentyThere is an obvious
See l'etric's "Round Towers," p. 214.
allusion hero to I. Kings, xii. 3
Protestant version, I. Sato. xii.
3 The word coiunimmare was used for the sacrament of Confirmation, as by
St. Cyprian, L't s'njnaculo Domini consummentur, quoted by Potter, p. 190.
*

four grains.

.'!.

omnia

vestra

Iuterem

generavi.

dabani

prremia

regibus,

propter

quod dabaui mercedeni filiis iprnecum ambulant

qui
sorum,
nihil 4

ct

cum

comprehenderunt
meis
et

comitibus

cupiebant

die avidissinie
cere

me

nerat

sed tempus

et

ferro vinxerunt

die absolvit

eorum,

ta

fuit,

ilia

et

wished to

ve-

meipso
potes-

quicquid nostrum

et

est

nobis propter

et necessarios amicos,

and who understood

[to protect] me and my

companions.

quarto decimo

me Dominus de

redditum

Deum

et

me,

nothing but

me

omnia qurecunique no-

biscum rapuerunt,

whose sons I hired, who travel

with

ilia

iuterfi-

nondum

I used to give rewards to kings,

kill

not come yet

And on one day they

me but the time had
but they put me in
;

and carried off all we posBut on the fourteenth day

the Lord released me from their
power, and what was ours was
restored to us through God, and
irons,

sessed.

through the friends

we had

before

secured.

quos

ante previdimus.

Vos autem
erogavi

omnes

experti estis quanta

You know how much I expended

qui iudicabant per

on the judges in the districts which

I visited most frequently. For I

illis,

regiones, quos ego frequen-

Censeo enim non

minus quam pretium quindecim
tius visitabam.

hominum

distribui

illis

ita

ut

me

fruamini, et ego vobis semper fruar

Non me

Domino.

in

satis est

mihi

pcenitet, nee

adhuc inpendo,

et

superinpendam, pro animabusvestris.]

Ecee testem

animam meam,

in

tior,

neque ut

sit

Deum

invoco

quia non men-

occassio vobis ne-

que ut 5 honorern spero ab aliquo

vestro. Sufficit

mentitur.

enim honor qui non G

Sed video jam

in pive-

think

paid them not less than the

hire of fifteen men, that

you might

have the benefit of mypresence, and

that I might always enjoy you in
the Lord.

and

will

do not regret

it sufficient

for me.

it,

still

nor

is

spend,

spend, for your souls.]

still

Behold, I

call

God

soul that I do not

to witness
lie,

on my

neither that

you may have occasion, nor that I

hope for honor from any of you
;

sufficient for

truth.

But

me

is

the honor of

I see that

now

in the

V. reads correctly nihilominus, and two lines above prater.

B. F. 1, 3, and V. read ut sit ocasio adulalionU vel avarilice scripserim vobis
neque ut, &c.
6 B. and F.
1, 3, read non videtur sed corde crcditur, fidelis autem qui promisit
4

nunquam

mentitur.

me supra modnm
Domino et non

BBonlo

.-inti

sum

ezaltatoa

nam

neque

digitus,

milii pnestaret

talis

dam

scio'

conyenit p&apertas et

quam

by the Lord

ut hoc

nor

melius

know

Sed

Dominus pauper

greatly exalted

was not worthy

that poverty and calamity

more suitable for me than

But even
and luxury.
Christ the Lord was poor for us.
riches

et

pro

fuit

am

be thus exalted, for I

to

fit

and

are

calamitaa,

divitisa et delicix.

luistus

present world

nobis.

Ego vero miser

Truly, I a poor and miserable

ct infelix, et si

opes voluero jam non habeo, neque

creature,

meipsum

judico,

wealth, have

Bpero aut

internicionem, aut

quia

quotidie

even

wished

if

not

it

judge myself, because

cir-

for

neither do I

I daily ex-

cumveniri, aut redigi in servitutem,

pect either death, or treachery, or

sive occassio cujuslibet. 8

slavery, or

[Sed ni-

horum vereor propter promissa

coalorum: quia jactavi meipsum
in manus Dei omnipotentis, quia
unique dominatur
(licit

on

relying

of these things,

the

have cast
myself into the hands of the omniheavenly promise, for

sicut Prophcta

"Jacta cogitatum tuum in

Domiiium,

an occasion of some kind

[But I fear none

or another.

hil

potent God,

who

rules everywhere,

as the Prophet says

et ipse te enutriet."

upon

the Lord,

Cast thy care

and

lie shall sus-

commend my

tain thee.

Ecce nunc commeudo

mcam;

fidelisaimo

Behold now

an imam

Dun meo, pro

soul

officium,

unus cssem de

ut

"

minimis minister.
retribuam
r.

me ad hoc

illi

tiilmat milii

pro omnibus
!"'

suis

Undo KUtem
qtu-e

Sed quid dicam,

promittam Domino meo 1

Quia nihil video, nisi ipse mihi

and F.

certissimc

B.

From Sed

Psalms,

Psalms, cxv. 12.

1, 3,

nihil

liv.

quod

to vix evaserum

23.

He

unworthiness

to be one of

me

to

Him

the

for

all

the

that 11' hath rendered to

what

shall I say or

me

wanting

in the

Book

of

Armagh.

of

ren-

things
1

promise to

milii.
is

for this
least

W/tal shall

His ministers.
der

but

does not accept per-

and has chosen

sons,
office,

vel quid

because

God,

faithful

I perform, notwith-

my

standing

accipit, et elegit

most

whose mission

quo legationem fungor in ignosed quia personam

bilitate mea

non

my

to

But

my

dederit

Lord

scratatur corda ct

sed

He
He

renes, quia satis et minis cupio, et

paratua erani ut donaret mihi bibcre calicem

ejus,

amantibus

ceteris

//<i

me

to

to

He

should

His cup,

drink

as

in ulti-

Lord never permit me

whom He

people

ut reddam

ends of the earth.

testem fidelem us-

meum

propter

therefore, that

perseverance, and

mihi utcum illisproselitisetcaptivis

pro nomine suo effundam sangui-

God

nem meum,

etiam caream

etsi ipse

mo

my

whom

God,

I love, I beseech

me

proselytes and captives I

out

mihi hoc

Certissime

incurrsit, lucratus

sum animam cum

corpore

meo

quia sine ulla dubitatione in die

ilia

hoc

resurgenius in claritate
est,

in gloria

Christi

redemptoris nostri quasi

coha;redes

Christi, et

futuras imaginis ipsius. a

filii

my

Him

that with those

aut bestiis asperis, aut volucres

si

if

have done anything good for

ver per singula dividatur canibus,

reor

my

And

death.

to grant to

ut comederunt illud.

to give

testimony for

faithful

until

give me
He may

that

vouchsafe to permit

Him

His

I pray God,

sepulturam, et miserrissime cada-

cceli

has

to lose

He may

Deum meum. Et si aliquid boni

umquam imitatus sum propter Deum meum, quern diligo peto illi det
;

He

has gained in the

mihi persevcrantiam, et dignetur

illi

am
me

who have
Wherefore, may my

loved Him.

acquisivit

Oro Deum ut det

give

because I ardently desire and

ready that

meam, quam
terraj.

but

searches the heart and reins,

permitted others to do

que ad transitum

ity,

see

meo, ut nunrpiam amittam plebem

mis

re-

indulsit

Quia prop-

non contingunt mihi a Domino

ter

sicut

se.

For I

gives Himself

may pour

my blood for his name, even

if my body should be denied burial,

and be miserably torn limb from

limb by dogs or

fierce

beasts, or

that the birds of heaven should de-

most certainly

solis,

vour

Jesu,

happen to me, I
have gained both soul and body;

Dei,

conformes

that

it.

if

I believe

this should

for it is certain that

we

shall rise

one day in the brightness of the

sun

that

is,

the glory of Christ

Jesus our Redeemer, as sons of

God, but as joint heirs with Christ,

and

to

become conformable

to

His

image.

81(1)1

R.
US.

and

C. 3 read hero qtioniam ex ipso, ct per ipsum, el in ipso, rerjnalur

St. Patrick's Confession.

Nam

sol

oritur

ejus

noa

ootidie

nomqnam

regnabit,

rule or continue

splendor

for ever,

sed et omnes, qui adorant

cum, in posnam miseri male deveniont.

Nos autem qui credimus
et

adoramus solem verum Chris-

nunquam

qui

tum,

neque

qui

com

omnipotente,
Sancto,
et per

voluntatem

fecerit

regnat

qui

interibit,

manebit iu tstenram,

ipsius sed

sun

tliat

rise3 daily for us,

permanebit

sed

neque

et

For

videmus,

qucin

iste,

proptor

jobeote,

ante

omnia

et

Deo
cum

srecula

all

we

but

will not

in

who

it

its

see

splendor

adore

it

shall

But we who

suffer very miserably.

and adore the true sun,

believe in

who will never perish,

he who shall do His will,

Christ,

neither

but even as Christ shall abide for

who

ever,

with

reigns

Father Almighty, ami

Patre

Holy

Spiritu

in rw,

et

soecula,

and

which

God

the

with

the

and
Amen.

Spirit, before the ages,

and

for ever

and

ever.

nunc,

saiculorum.

Amen.
Behold, again and again, I shall

Ecce iteruni itemmque breviter

exponam verba con/essiotiis mea?.

briefly

Tcstincor in veritatc, et in exulta-

Confession.

tione cordis

coram Deo et Sanctis

Angclis ejus, qui

numquam

habui

aliquant occasionem, prater Evan-

gelium, et promissa

illius,

quam redderem ad gentem

onde

autem

prius

vix

ut un-

declare the words of

my

I testify in truth

and

Cod and Bis

in joy of heart, before

holy angels, that I never had any

occasion, except the Gospel

and

its

promises, for returning to that peo-

whom

had before with

illam,

ple from

evase-

difliculty escaped.]

ram.]

Sed precor credentibus et timenDeum, quicumque dignatus

fuerit inspicere, vel recipere hanc
tibus

scripturam,
tor,

quam

iudoctus

conscripsit, ut

Patricius pecca-

scilicet,

Uiberionc

nemo umquam

quod mea ignorantia

si

dicat

aliquid

demonstraverim

pussillum

egi, vel

secundum.

Sed arbitramini, et
credatur, quod donum

ine

Et base est
mea antequam nioriar.
Dei

fuisset.

confessio

in

But I beseech those who believe

and fear God, whoever may con-

descend to look into or receive this

writing,

which Patrick, the igno-

rant sinner, has written in Ireland,

that no one

may ever

say, if I

have

ever done or demonstrated anything,

my

however

ignorance.

little,

that

it

was

But do you judge,

and let it be believed firmly, that

was the gift of God. And this

it

is

my

Confession before

I die.

Life of St. Patrick

612
Hue3

usque quod Patricius

sua

conscripsit

manu

septima decima

Thus

what Patrick wrote

he was transheaven on the seven-

far is

with his own hand

Martii die translates est Patricius

lated

ad

teenth of March.

ccelos.

ST.

ad Christianos

Tyranni SubditosJ

ATKICIUS

peccator

St. Patricks Epistle to the

PATEICK,

in-

id

quod sum.

Deo

Inter bar-

baras itaque habito proselitus et

parfuga ob amorem Dei.

est

ille,

tabam

tarn

dure

ob-

tam aspere

et

meo

aliquid ex ore

Testis

Non quod

si ita est.

effundere, sed

a sinner

and

unlearned, have been ap-

episcopum me

constitutis

esse futeor certissime reor, a

Christian

subjects of the tyrant Coroticus.

doctus, scilicet Hiberione

accepi

PATRICK'S EPISTLE TO COROTICUS.

S. Patricii Epistola

Corotici

to

pointed a bishop in Ireland,

and

I accept

from God what

amongst barbarians
as a proselyte and a fugitive for the
love of God. He will testify that
I dwell

I am.

it is so.

forth so

things

It is not

many
but I

my wish

to pour

harsh and severe

am

forced

by zeal

for

excitavit pro dilectione proximo-

God and the truth of Christ, who

raised me up for my neighbors and

rum atque

sons, for

cogor zelo Dei ac veritatis Christi

tradidi

filiorum

patriam,

pro

quibus

et parentes,

et

animam meam usque ad mortem,

sum, vovi Deo meo
si dignum
docere gentes,

etsi

contemptior a

quibus manu mea scripsi atque con-

whom

I have forsaken

my

country and parents, and would

give

up even

were worthy.

God

my
I

life

itself, if

have vowed to

to teach these people,

I should be despised

my

though

by them, to

3 This sentence is separate from the text in the Book of Armagh, but seems writWare does not give it, but quotes it in a note.
ten by the same hand. T. O'M.
Fell 3 : " Explicit
Fell 1 concludes " Explicit liber primus ; incipit secundos."
The Bodleian MS. : " Explicit liber i. ; incipit ii."
liber i. incipit liber ii."

This is the title given by Villaneuva. It will be remembered that the Epistle
not in the Book of Armagh, though it might be inferred from the title of the
Confession there, " Incipiunt libri," that it was the intention of the scribe to
add more. The title in Fell and the Bodleian have been given already above.
4

is

St.

didi verba ista

militibus

Patricks Epistle

danda

et tradenda

mittenda Corotici

non

Coroticits,

to

whom
hand

given to the

dico civibus meis, ncquo civibus

to be sent to Coroticus

sanctorum luimanorum, sed

say to

civi-

bus dssmoniorom ob mala opera

ipsorum

ritu

In morte

hostili.

my own

hare written with

to be

my fellow-citizens,

do not

nor to the

pious Romans,

fellow-citizens of

but to the fellow-citizens of the

through their

deeds and

vivunt, socii Scotorum atquc Pic-

devil,

torum apostatarum, qua; sanguen-

hostile

practices.

death,

companions of the apos-

sanguinarc

alentos

de

sanguine

innoccntium Christianorum, quos

ego

inmimerum Deo

genui, atque

evil

They

and Picts, bloodmen, ever ready to redden

Scots

tate

thirsty

themselves with the blood of inno-

in Christo confirniavi

cent Christians, numbers of

I have begotten to

ri

whom

God and

con-

firmed in Christ
Postcra die, qua erismati
(iti

in veste Candida,

in fronte

dum

neo-

flagrabat

ipsorum crudeliter

truci-

dati atque mactatigladio supra dic-

Et

tis.

inisi

presbytcro,
docui,

cpistolam

quam

cum

sancto

ego ex infantia

cum clericis,

ut nobis aliqtrid

indulgerent de pra;da, vel de captivis

baptizatis,

quos

cacbinos fecerunt di
nescio

On the day following that in which

they were clothed in white and

they were cruelly cut up and slain

with the sword by the above mentioned

from

I sent a letter

whom
infancy,

his

by a

I have taught

with

some

clerics,

begging that they would

Idcirco

restore

some

illis.

an

the

vel quos graviter zabulus inlaque-

know

avit perhenne poena gehennam pari-

most

ispo mancipabunt.

Quia

utiquc qui facit peccatum servus

nuncupatur.

plunder or

the

of

but

baptized captives,

laughed

est et filius zabuli

and

holy priest,

coeperunt,

quid magis lugebam

cum

re-

neophytes,

ceived the chrism of

qui interfecti vel quos ceperunt,

tcr

ii

in

live

at

them.

they

Therefore,

not whether I should grieve

for those

for those

whom

who were

slain, or

the devil insnared

into the eternal pains of hell, where

they will be chained like him. For

whoever commits sin

of sin,

and

is

is

the slave

called tho son of the

devil.

Quarc propter sciat omnis homo

tuuens Deum, quod me alieni sunt,
et a Christo Uco meo, pro quo

Wherefore,

who

fears

let

God

every

man know

that they arc es-

tranged from me, and from Christ

.-;

fea

legationemfimgor, patricida,

fratri-

ray God, whose ambassador I

cida, lupi rapaces, devorantes ple-

these

bem Domini

ravening wolves,

ait

ut cibum panis

sicut

" Itiiqui dissipavorunt legem

tuaui,

"

Domhie

quoniam insupre-

am

fratricides,

and

who devour

the

patricides,

people of the Lord as

if

they were

bread; as it is said " The wicked have

:

mis temporibus Hiberione optima

dissipated thy law

benigne plantaverat atque instructa

these latter times Ireland has been

erat favente Deo non usurpo partem habeo cum his, quos advocavit
at prasdestinavit Evangelium pra>
dicare in persecutionibus non par-

well and prosperously planted and

vis,

usque ad extreinuin

Deum non

qui

veretur,

nee sacerdotes ipsius, quos

summam

et indulsit illis

sublimam

etsi

per tyrannidem

invidet inimicus
Corotici,

terra?

potestatem, "

elegit,

divinam

Quos

liga-

wherein in

"

Thanks be

instructed.

usurp nothing

whom He

to God, 1

I share with these

hath called and predes-

tinated to preach the Gospel in

much

persecution, even to the ends

But the enemy hath

of the earth.

towards

me

through the tyrant Coroticus,

who

invidiously

acted

fears neither

God, nor His

priests,

rent super terram, ligatos esse et

whom He

in ccelis."

mitted to them the high, divine

hath chosen, and com-

"Whomsoever they

power,

shall

bind on earth shall be bound in

heaven."

Unde
sancti et
talibus

potum,

qureso

ergo

plurimum,

humiles corde, adulari

non licet, nee cibum, nee

sumere cum ipsis, nee

I beseech you,
are the holy ones of

who
God and hum-

therefore,

you will not be

by them, and that you

ble of heart, that

flattered

drink with

elemosynas ipsorum recipere de-

will neither eat nor

bere donee crudeliter poauitentiam

them, nor receive their alms, until

effusis lacrymis,

Deo
Dei,

faciant,
et

zatas, pro

crucifixus.

pcenitentiam satis
liberent

servos

Cristi

bapti-

et

ancillas

quibus mortuus est et

"

Dona iniquorum,

probat Altissimus

re-

qui offeret sa-

crificium ex substantia pauperem,

quasi

victimat

filium

spectu patris sui."

quit,

in

con-

" Divitie, in-

quas cougregabitinjuste, evo-

they do penance with

many

tears

and liberate the servants of Godand

the baptized handmaids of Christ,
for whom he was crucified and
died.

lie that offcreth

of the goods of

one that sacrificeth

sacrifice

poor,

tlie

tlie

is

as

son in

ilia

" Riches, he
which the unjust accumu-

presence of the father.

saith,
late,

shall be

vomited forth from

>
Sic.

Patricks Epistle

mental de ventre ejus, trahit ilium

angelem mortis, ira draconnm mucrabitai interficiet ilium lingnam
coluris comedit

cum

Ideoque

guibilis."

ignis inextin-

" Va; qui rc-

plent se qui non sunt sua."

Vel,

...

615

to Coroticus.

bia belly, the angel of death Bhall

drag him away, lie shall be punished

with the fury of dragons, thetongue
of the adder Bhall slay him, inextin-

consume

him.'

"Woe to those who (ill

them-

guishable

Hence,

fire shall

"quid prodest homini, ut totum

selves with things

mundum lucretur,ct animoe sua; de-

their own."

trimcntum patiaturl" Longum

fit

est

man

which are not

And wliat

doth

if he gain the

whol

/ //< loss

it

of his soul

pro-

It

per singula discutere, vel insinuate

mi'/

per totam legem carpcrc testimo-

were too long to discuss one by

one, or to select from the law, tes-

Avaritia
de tali cupiditate.
mortale crimen. " Non concupisces
ni.-v

rem proximi tui." " Non occides."

Eomidda non potest esse cum
" Qui odit fratrem suum,
(liristo
:

linmicida adscribitur."

non

diliget fratrem

Vel,

"Qui

suum, in morte
qui

manct." Quanto magis reus

est,

menus suas coinquinavit

in san-

fuj!',

against

timonies

Avarice is a mortal

such
sin.

cupidity.

"Thoushalt

not covet thy neighbor's goods."

"Thoushaltnotkill." Thehomicide

cannot dwell with Christ. If* who

hateth his brot/ter is a murderer,

and he who

loveth not his brother

dbidt th in di nth.

he

How much more

who hath

defiled bis

guine filiorum Dei, quos nuper ad-

guilty

quisivit in nltimis terra; per exta-

hands with the blood of the sons

tionem

of

[sic]

parvitatis nostras

is

God,

whom He hath

recently ac-

quired in the ends of the earth by

Numquiil sine Deo, vel secundum

caraem Eiberionem venil Quia

our humble exhortations

Did I come to Ireland according
to

God

or according to the flesh)

compulit alligatus Bpirita ut

vidcam aliquem de cognatione

Who compelled me, I was led by the

Spirit, that I should see my relatives

a me piam miquod ago crga gen-

towards that nation which formerly

me

Numquid

mea.

scricordiam,

tem

illam, qui

me

aliquando cepe-

runt ct

devastaverunt servos et

ancillas

domus patrcs mei 1 Ingcsecundum carnem De-

nuus

fui

Vendidi
a rione patre nascor.
enim nobilitatem meam non erubesco, ncquc me pcenitet pro utili-

no more ]
took

lave I not a pious mercy

me captive? According to the

am of noble birth, my father

flesh I

bein g a Decurio.

Mush

for

do not regret or

having bartered

my

no-

a servant in

good of others. I am
Christ unto a foreign

people, for

the ineffable glory of

bility for the

r~
3

ci

Denique servus sum

aliorarn.

t;ite

in Ghristo genti extere

ob gloriam

ineffabilom perennis vite, que est

Domino

in Christo Jesu

nostro ;
cognoscunt, " Pro-

mei non

etsi

pheta in patria sua honorem non

habet."

unus

Non

destruit,

quasro quas

Qui non

Non
alter

mea

est

convenit
cedificat."

country.
Are we not from
one stock, and have we not one
for our Father
:

and he

against me,
not

As He has
me is

lie that is not with

me

that gathereth

scattereth.

Is it not

agreed that one pulleth

down and

ti'ith

another buildeth

sunt.

me

own

said

"

propJiet is without honor in his

God

"

unum Deum patrem

bemus sicut ait

mecum, spargit."

which is in Christ
Lord though my own

life,

my

people do not acknowledge

Forte non sumus ex uno

neque

ovili

eternal

Jesus

I seek not

my

own.

Non mea gratia, sed Deus quidem banc sollicitudinem in corde

Not to me be praise, but to God,

who hath put into my heart this

meo, ut unus essem de venatori-

desire, that I

bus, sive piscatoribus, quos olim

hunters and

Deus

Invidetur mihi

prenuntiavit.

quid faciam, Domine

dictis

Valde des-

me

norum

in the last days. I

shall I do,

despised.

Lo

Christia.

traditor

the soldiers of Coroticus

and Scots are

Lupi rapaces deglutierunt gregem Domini, qui utique

the charity

Pictorum.

cum summa

optime crescebat:
filioe

et

filii

diligeiitia

Scottorum,

regulorum monachi

et

of

God.

diligence,

land

was increasing

and virgins

te

inferos

placeat,

non

etiam usque ad

Ire-

who

are

monks
many

of Christ, are too

to enumerate.

Therefore, the op-

pression of the great

placabit.

in

the sons of the Irish, and the

daughters of kings,

non

from

Puivening

wolves have scattered the flock of

Quamobrem

justorum

hands

far

the Lord, which, with the greatest

virgines Ckristi enumerare nequeo.

injuriam

the be-

trayers of Christians into the

of the Picts

et

thy sheep are torn

above-mentioned robbers, aided by

mauus Scottorum atque

Hiberione

around me, and plundered by the

Dei
in

am reviled what
I am greatly

Lord

deprajdantur et

Corotico hostile mente longe est a

caritate

whom, of old,
God hath announced should appear

latrunculis, jubente

atque

lauiantur,

supra

Ecce, oves tuee circa

picior.

4-

diebus ante

novissimis

in

should be one of tha

fishers,

is

not pleasing

and never shall be.

Who of the saints would not dread

to thee now,

Quis

sanctorum

jocundare, vel

non

convivium

horreat
fruere

to share in the feasts or

"i^H'i

amuse-

cum

talibus

l>e

spoliis dcfunc-

They

such persons?

till

spoils of the

with the

tonim Christianorum repleverunf

their houses

domus sua

Christian dead, they live by rapine,

qi

de rapinis vivunt

jciunt misered

venenum,

they know not the poison, the

deadly food which theypweent to

letale

al '.um porngunt ad amicos et bhos

Eva nun intcllcxit quod

mortem perenuem, pcenam

and children

Baos,sicat

their friends

lnorteiu

did BOt understand that

offered

.-he

death to her husband, so are

operantur.

those

who work

evil

they labor

11

to

eternal pun-

work out death and

ishment.

Consuetudo Romanorum Gallorum Christian' >rum, niittunt viros

Banctoa idoneoa ad Francos et

of

cum tot mil solidorumad redimeodoa oaptivoa baptiTu interfkis, ct vendis illos
zate.

to

caeteras gentes

ti.

Deum quad

esters ignoranti

u'uiiti

in

lupanar tradis membria Chris-

Qualeni spcmhabes in

aut qui

te consentit,

Vel qui

communioat

verbis

Deum

te

adulationial

Deus judical lit. Nescioquid dicam,

velquidloquarampliuadedafunctia
filionim

modum
anim

Dei, quos gladius

dure

tctigit.

supra

Scriptum

est

cum nentibus :" et

Bidolat unum ineinbruni,

" Flere

iteruin

"
:

Rome and Haul to send holy

men to the Franks and other
nations, with many thousand solidi,
redeem baptized captives. \ ou,
slay them, and sell them to
foreign nations ignorant of God,

who

deliver the

et

filias

aondum

suos,

in

Who

God1

in

vet agrees vvith you, or

com-

mands you God will judge him.

know not what 1 can say, or what
in speak more of the departed
I

sons of
sword.

God
It

IS

by the

slain cruelly

written

them thai we&.

suffers

II

And again

If one

anything, all the

suffer with

it.

Therefore,

it.scdpro-

her sons and daughters, not slain

tonga

ter-

bU

by the sword, but sent away to

i- more

distant countries, where sin

Bhamelees

veuundati inganxu iiomiiu sChristiani in servitute redacti sunt, DBSsertiffi

wolves.

of

What hope have you

the Church laments and bewails

peooatnm manifesto graibi

vetur iinpudeiitcr habundat

rarum

a den

adhuc

quas

intsrfi

Eportati

of Christ, as

members

into

were,

it

condoleant omnia membra." Quapropter Eccksia ploiet et planget

films

custom of the Christians

It is the

indignissimorum pessimo-

i,

and

abounds.

Christian

nun

and enslaved amongst

There
are sold

the wicked,

abandoned, and apostate Piota

rum apoatatarumque Pictoram.

Jgp&MgilBSSSmSS.
''

=p-r-T?.. *..

rrCai'

Life of St. Patrick

Idcirco

cum

tristitia et

vociferabo.

amantissimi

fratres, et

mcerore

speciosissime, atque
filii,

quos in

Christo genui, enumerare nequeo,

Non sum

quid faciam vobis ?

dig-

nus Deo neque hominibus subvePrrevaluit iniquitas iniquo-

nire.

rum

supra nos.

facti

sumus.

Quasi extranei

Forte non credunt

Therefore, I cry out with grief

and sorrow.

beautiful

beloved

brethren

whom

have

and

and well
children,

brought forth

Christ in such multitudes,

do for you?

shall I

am

in

what
not

worthy before God or man to come

The wicked
to your assistance.
have prevailed over

We

us.

have

would seem

unum baptismum percepimus, vel

unum Deum Patrem habemus. In-

become

dignum

one baptism and one Father, God.

Hibernia nati su-

est illis

mus: sicutait: " Nonne unum

Deum

habetislquiddereliquistisunisquis-

que proximum suum

leo

1"

Idcirco do-

pro vobis, doleo carissimi mei

outcasts.

that they do not think

They think

Therefore, I grieve for you,

bor?"

I grieve,

mea

contigit
effabile.

tizati

sum.

vacuum non fuit et

scelus tarn horrendum inDeo gratias, creduli bapin

de celo recessistis ad paradiCerno, vos migrare ccepistis

an indignity that

it

non
tio

wo have

we have been born in Ireland as

He said " Have ye not one God ]
why do ye each forsake his neigh-

sed iterum gaudeo intra meipsum,

gratis laboravi, vel peregrina-

It

O my beloved

ones.

But,

on the other hand, I congratulate

myself I have not labored for nothing my journey has not been in

This horrible and amazing

vain.

crime has been permitted to take

luctus,

place. Thanks be to God, ye who have

sed " exul-

believed and have been baptized

tabitis sicut vituli ex vinculis reso-

have gone from earth to paradise.

conculcabitis iniquos, et

Certainly ye have begun to migrate

" ubi

nox non

erit,

neque mors amplius

luti,

et

neque
:"

erunt cinis sub pedibus vestris."

where there

no night, nor death,

is

nor sorrow, but ye shall exult,

Vos ergo regnabitis cum Apostolis et

Prophetis atque Martyribus

asterna regna capietis

sicut ipse

" Venient

ab

ori-

ente et occidente, et recumbent

cum

testatur inquit

Abraham,

et

Isaac,

et

Jacob, in

like

from their
bonds, and tread down the wicked
under your feet as dust.
Truly you shall reign with the
apostles and prophets and martyrs,
and obtain the eternal kingdom, as

young

He

bulls

hath

testified,

shall come
west,

and

loosed

from

shall

sit

saying:

tJie

east

Tliey

and

the

doim ivithAbra-

"

.V. Patrick's Epistle to Coroticus.

bua

perjuris

et

stagnum
merito

ham and

homicidffi et mendaci-

sos et

;"

"pars eorum in

Non

ignis seterne."

ait

Apostolus

"

in-

Ubi Justus

vix s.ilvuserit, peccator, et impius,

el

transgressor legjs ubi se recog-

noscit

Uhde enim

1
'

cum

suis

ton

Crista ubi se

Coroticus

scelcratissimis

mulierculas

rebella-

videbunt qnam

baptizatas,

praamia

distribuuntur ob

misere reguum

temporale, quod

utiquc

mento transeat
imis, qui uiique

sicut

mo-

in

nubes vel fu-

vento dispcrgitur.

and Jacob,

Isaac

in

th>-

kingdom of heaven. Without are

and sorcerers, ami murderers,
do
and liars, and perjurers, and they
.

shall

have their part in the ever-

lasting lake of

Nor

lire.

den

thi

Apostle say without reason: "If

the just are scarcely saved, where
shall the sinner, the impious,

and

the transgressor of the law appear 1

here-n

rebels
l

elves,

ill

<

loroticusandhiswicked

against Christ find them-

when they

shall see

rewards

distributed amongst the baptized

women 1

Ita peccatorcs et fraudulent] a facie

his

Domini peribunt justi autem epulentur in magna constantia cum

shall

619

What

will

miserable

away

pass

he think of

kingdom,
in

which

moment,

et

clouds or smoke, which are

dispersed by the wind t
So shall

regibus iniquis dominabuntur in

deceitful sinners perish before the

Cristo,

judicabunt

natioues,

Amen.

secula seculorum.

like

face of the Lord,

and the just

shall

with great confidence with

Christ, and judge the nations, and
feast

rule over

and

quo

inperitia

coram Deo

et Angelis

I testify

ita erit, sicut intimavit

angels that

Testificor
suis,

mere.

Non mea

verba

sed Dei, et Apostolorum, atque

Prophetarum, quod ego Latinum

cxposui qui

sunt

"

Qui

numquam enim mentiti

crediderit salvus erit

bitur."

kings, for ever

before

These aro not

have set forth

God and
who

of

apostles,
'

that

my

my

words that

be

but those

in Latin,

the

lie

ignorance.

and

prophets

never lied:

shall

believeth

God and His

shall be BO, as

it

hath intimated to

qui vcro non crediderit, condemna'

>njust

Amen.

ever.

saved,

not shall

He

li,

but
be

U
he

con-

demned.

Deus locutus

est.

Quae-o plu-

riimim ut quicuinque famulus Dei

ut

promptns

fucrit,

ut

sit

gernlua

God hath
whosoever

is

said

it.

entreat

a servant of

God,

that he be a willing bearer of thi>

".'
1

Life of St. Patrick.

620
litterarnm harum, ut

nequaquam

letter,

drawn aside

that he be not

subtrahatui a nemine, sed magis

by any

potius legantur coram cuuctis ple-

it

bibus, et prsesente ipso Corotico.

presence of Coroticus himself, that,

Quod

si

Deus

inspiret

illos,

ut

quandoque Deo resipiscant, et vel

sero poeniteat quod tarn impie gesserunt honiicidas erga fratres Domini et liberent captivas baptizatas,
q'uos ante ceperunt ; ita ut mererentur

Deo

vivere, et sani effician-

if

read before

C4od

some

all

inspire

time

repent,

and repent

the people in the

them, they

late

may

God, and

return to

though

may liberate

that

they

the baptized captives,

for their homicides of

the Lord's brethren

may

he shall see

one, but that

deserve of

God

so that they
to live

and

and

tur bic et in seternum.

to be whole here

et Filio, et Spiritui

The peace of the Father, and of

the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen.

Pax Patri,
Sancto. Ameu.

hereafter.

vv

A XT PATRICK'S
I

of the

Purgatory was one

most widely spread devotions of

the middle ages, though

to ascertain
originally

established.

doubt that
i

before

Henry

it

impossible

There

was known

for

it

was

is

contributed so largely to
a

there,

and thus

fame.

its

Purgatory,

or, at least, to

a place

of pilgrimage and devotion to the saint, which, howevi

he places on Croaga-Patrick,
is

certainly

~t

do

no

many

of Saltrey wrote the account of the

wonders which the knight Owen saw

Jocelyn alludes to

it is

now when and how

ground

&&

in the

for

county Mayo,

supposing that

r,

TJ

the .saint

Life of St. Patrick.

established the devotion personally

and there are some

serious discrepancies in the statements of the earliest

writers

who

notice

show that very

which are at

it,

little

was

really

least sufficient to

known, even then, as

by some that it was established

by others that it owed its origin

to its origin.

It is stated

by

St. Patrick

himself

to

an abbot Patrick in the eighth century

added, that
St.

it

Augustine,

was entrusted

and

it is

to the care of the canons of

who were not established

in Ireland before

the twelfth century.

Under

these circumstances

we have no

choice but to

leave the early history of the Purgatory shrouded in the

mist of ages, and to describe

it

as

it

was described by

who wrote of it as an established fact.

year 1152, a monk of the English Bene-

the earliest writers

About the
dictine

abbey of Saltrey, in Huntingdonshire, wrote an

account of this Purgatory, stating that he had obtained

Owen Miles, an
who served in the army of Stephen, King of
Sir Owen wished to revisit his native land, and

the material for his narrative from Sir

]

rish knight,

England.

obtained the royal permission.

While

in Ireland, per-

haps touched by the revived recollections of the teachings

of his childhood, he

and anxious

became penitent

act of severe penance.

to

make

for a life of crime,

to repair the past, as far as possible,

The

result

by some

was a determination

a pilgrimage to St. Patrick's Purgatory.

It

would appear that he then returned

to England,

Henry

knowledge of the

of Saltrey thus accounts for his

knight's visions

^^

and

St. Patrick's

It

happened

in Lincolnshire],

Purgatory,

at this time that Gervasius,

623

Abbot of Luda [Louth,

had obtained from Stephen, King of England, a

grant of land on which to build an abbey in Ireland, and he sent

one of

monks, named Gilbert, to the king, to take possession of

his

the land, and to build on

it

But

the abbey.

country

to

and

calling

bade him go with Gilbert and remain

agreeable to
faithfully

the language of that

which the king replied that he would, with God's

soon find him an able interpreter

lie

coming before

Gilbert,

know

the king, complained that he did not

Owen, who gladly went with

but

Owen

help,

before him,

This was

in Ireland.

and served him

Gilbert,

would not assume the habit of a monk,

he

They

because he chose rather to be a servant than a master.

crossed

into Ireland,

Owen, acted

as the

and

an abbey, wherein the knight,

built

monk's interpreter and

faithful servant in all

he did.
"

Whenever they were alone together the monkasked him minutely

concerning Purgatory, and the marvellous modes of punishment

which he had there seen and

felt

but the knight,

who

could never

hear about Purgatory without weeping bitterly, told his friend, for
his edification,

and under the

seal of secrecy, all that

and experienced, and affirmed that he had seen

eyes.

By

the care and diligence of this monk,

it all

he had seen

own

with his

that the knight

all

had seen was reduced to writing, together with the narratives of

the bishops and other ecclesiastics of that country, who, for truth's
sake, gave their testimony to the facts.

" Lately, also, I did speak with one

who was nephew

of Patrick,

name

the third of that name, the companion of St. Malarhius, by

Plorentianus, in whose bishopric, as he said, that Purgatory was

of

whom

having curiously inquired, he answered

that place

gatory

is

within

my

bishopric,

'

Truly, brother,

and many perish

in that Pur-

and those who by chance return, do, by reason of the

extreme torments they have endured, ever look pale and languid.'
'I

he aforesaid narrative the said Gilbert did often repeat

hearing, according as he had often heard

IT"'-

it

in

my

from the knight,"

As might be supposed,

Protestants,

and even some

Catholics, entirely discredit this account.

ever, clear that

was

written,

Saltrey

was believed

it

we cannot suppose

for

made up

The way

Owen

narrative of

Henry

it

of

which he writes of per-

in

and of having

informants,

as his

that

how-

is,

which

a purely imaginary narrative like the

vision of Dante.

sons

It

at the time at

verified

the

Miles by reference to others, to test

any idea of voluntary decepThe question remains whether he was

his accuracy, quite forbids

tion

on

his part.

not deceived by the knight

of

tradition

yet there was the constant

country iu favor of

the

supernatural

occurrences of this kind having taken place.

A Protestant will,

of course, credit the whole matter

to the imagination of Miles or the

Ucs will consider

not be true

made

CathoIt

But before we condemn

would be well

may

undoubtedly Henry of Saltrey has

the most of the original story, even gi'anting

be true.
it

Many

a mere poetical legend.

it

and

monks. 5

to

it

it

to

as altogether false,

remember that there

are

many

instances on record in the Lives of the Saints which

show that

God

it

has, at certain times,

to manifest to

of purgatory,

them the

and the

pleased Almighty

terrors of hell, the pains

bliss of

heaven, and this by no

merely imaginative impression, but by a vision seen

We

with the corporeal eyes.

G

Monks.

Mr. Wright

gives

n.

might

fill

a chapter with

long account, iu his "St. Patrick's Pur-

gatory," London, 1844, of thff various works, ancient and modern, which
have been written on this subject. But, of course, not being a Catholic, he
quite misunderstands the subject, and unintentionally misrepresents

it.

?'~<~

St. Patrick's

instances

but

if

Purgatory.

G2. )

one example would not convince,

examples would be of

&

little

We

utility.

many

only wish to

show that there is no reason why the knight may qoI

have seen the vision described by Sal trey, if God was
pleased to
bility of

show

to him.

it

Those who deny the possi-

such miraculous interventions have the burden

of proof thrown on them,

and

are

bound

to

show why

they discredit the testimony of those who, at different

periods of the Church's history, have manifested such
revelations.

We

read in the " Life of St. Catherine of Sienna," as

written by her Confessor, what she said to

occasion,

when he was asking

him on one

her to give an account

what had happened to her during an ecstacy of four

which her soul appeared to be, and, as she
declared, actually was separated from her body.
Her
of

hours, in

words are thus recorded

"

Know,

father, that

my

soul entered into an

unknown world,

and beheld the glory of the just and the chastisement of sinners.
But here also memory fails, and the poverty of language prohibits
a

full

description of these things.

be assured, that

much

in

I tell

you, however, what

saw the Divine Essence

and

remaining enchained in this body.

for the love of

My

God and

great consolation

can

Were

not retained

love of the neighbor, I should die of grief.

is

suffering I shall obtain a

to suffer, because I

more

perfect view of

lations, far

from being painful to

delight.

saw the torments of

for this I suffer so

words can describe them.

Had

my
hell

soul, are,

am
God.

aware that by
Hence, tribu-

on the contrary,

and those of purgatory

its

no

poor mortals the faintest idea of

them, they would suffer a thousand deaths rather than undergo the
il

G2G

Life of St. Patrick.

it

Whilst

torments during a single day

least of these

contemplated these things,

possessed for ever, said

who

torments they suffer

its
'

Celestial Spouse,

Thou

it

my

soul

believed
lose

and

Return, therefore, to

life,

what glory they

seest

offend me.

whom

and show them how they have strayed, and what appalling danger

my

menaces them.'

And

turning to

the Lord added

demands

it

life,
;

as

thou shalt no longer

thou must renounce thy

in order to save souls.'

was

soul

'

horrified at the idea of re-

The

live as

many

salvation of

thou hast done

souls

henceforth

and continually pass through the

cell,

city

"

The explanation which our divine Lord condescended

to give to St. Catherine as to His reason for

her this vision,

manifestations.
of eternity ;

and

is

the

We are
for the

explanation

showing

of other

similar

slow to realize the great truths

good of the many, as well as

for

the sanctification of the individual, God, in His infinite

mercy, from time to time, permits,

or,

perhaps,

we

should rather say, ordains certain supernatural occur-

and these occurrences, we must

believe, since

they are directed by Infinite Wisdom,

are precisely

rences

what

are

most suitable to the age and time in which

they occur.

Thus, the Protestant theory, that these

visions are due to the peculiar

century in which they occurred,

tone of
is

mind

of the

simply begging the

question.

We

cannot but think

it

probable that the account

given by Miles of his vision was a true one, and that

vision actually took place.
rein to lawless passions,

what touched these

At a time when men gave

easily moved by

and were most

passions, so vivid

an account of the

other world must have made, and, indeed, whether true

not, did make a strong impression on those who

or

most needed

it

What was needed

fourteenth century, was not

less,

Italy

in

St Catherine was

the twelfth.

If

Lord Himself

to manifest to the sinners of

appalling dangers of their state,

it

told

was not

that a similar manifestation should be

another age.

in

the

indeed, in Ireland in

by our divine
Sienna the

less

made

necessary

to shiners of

It should,

however, be remembered, that

Owen's vision was not written by
would be eleariy impossible for any

the narrative of Miles

himself,

that

it

other person to give an accurate description of

had

true, it
it

is

and

what he

that,

even admitting the vision to be

by no means

follows that the account given of

seen,

verbally correct.

There is one important point connected with the

whole subject, which seems to the present writer to
have

been

entirely

overlooked.

Those who

have

written about the Purgatory, wrote merely from second-

hand information, and, consequently, the accounts they

give cannot be considered perfectly reliable.

Henry of Saltrey and Giraldus were the two

prin-

and undoubtedly the continental fame of

the Purgatory (of which more hereafter) is due to the

cipal writers

former*

many

Now, they obtained their information from

and we all know, even in our own day

sources

and time, that accuracy of information is aoi always

insured by multiplicity of witnesses.
Neither of these
writers

had

visited the

Purgatory, and, therefore, they

could not

tell

what was taught about the Purgatory by

who had

the ecclesiastics

the charge of

This should

it.

be remembered before a sweeping accusation of credulity

or imposition

is

made

against them.

follows, because Miles

every one

who

Owen saw

by no means

It

a vision there, that

entered saw visions.

It is true, that

both Giraldus and Saltrey state that this was the

popular belief;

but, as

we have

accurate means of knowing this

existed, it

may have been

they had no

said,

belief,

and

if

the belief

spread, as popular fictions

are spread, without the concurrence of the clergy.

Again, the very

misapprehensions.

name
It is

name was used only

clear,

from

all

of Purgatory led also to grave

more than probable that the

in a generic sense.

It is cpuite

the testimony on record, even from what

appears most fanciful, that the devotion to visiting

Lough Derg was simply to do penance in a very severe

manner for the sins of the penitent's past life and
there was nothing whatever contrary to Catholic doctrine
;

Even

or practice in such a proceeding.

day, the pilgrimage continues, and

the same spirit in which most probably

Catholics will not need to be told

what

in our

carried

is

it

own

on in

originated

their catechism

teaches them, that " prayer, fasting, and alms-deeds,

are

the

most useful
temporal

cancelled

"by

to Christian people ;" a.id

punishment due
indulgences, or

to

by

also,

our cins

that

may

be

acts of penance, or

other good works."

Both Giraldus and Sal trey have

left

descriptions of

as of the

as Well

the

Purgatory,

was

visited.

are

some discrepancies

"any

says that
true

faith,

and day in
whole

As might

life,

in

shall

and

their

pit,

which

Saltrey

and armed with

all

the sins of his

even as he passes through

behold not only the torments of the wicked, but

he has constantly acted through

blessed."

<>r

it,

also, if

joys of the

who

spent

cave would be tormented by evil

but he says nothing of their seeing the joys of

spirits,

heaven.

He

adds, that "

ments once by the

any person

more grievous

Henry

suffering these tor-

injunction of his confessor, will

never incur the pains of

hell,

unless he relapse into

sins." 6

of Saltrey, however, distinctly states that "it

was a custom approved by

sors,

faith, the

Giraldus merely says that those

the night in the pit

it

there

and spending one night

be cleansed from

shall,

in

expected,

statements.

person truly penitent

entering this
it,

manner

naturally be

St, Patrick

and

his succes-

that no person should be allowed to enter that

Purgatory without the licence of the bishop of the

diocese ; the bishop ordinarily dissuaded him from the
project; but

if

he persevered, the bishop gave a letter

which the penitent carried

to the prior of the place

again, the prior, after reading the letter, dissuades

Sim.

There are a number of

him

very valuable notes on this subject in the

Cambrtruu Boermi published by the Celtic Society, and edited,

with notes and translation, by the late Rev. M. Kelly, at St. Patrick's College,
Maynouth. Dr. Kelly says that, for reasons which he gives, and which in t
long for insertion here, " it is not rash to conclude that Lough l>erg owed
its fame and its connection with St. l'atrick to the soldier Owen and his con-

edition of

temporaries "vol.

i.

p. 144, n. 6.

:.'r-^n..i >rvi*s5r^rrr')nii

i*

Tits*

iti~

from bis project

but

be persevere be

if

is

conducted to

tbe cburcb, where be devotes fifteen days to prayer and

Dr. Lyncb, tbe author of Cambrensis Eversus,

fasting."

was an ample proof of the care and

by tbe Church in this matter. He cerbelieved that the Purgatory was a holy insti-

considers that this

caution used
tainly

he condemns Giraldus for censuring

tution, for

says

"He

and

it,

[Giraldus] rashly points his sneer against a

pilgrimage instituted by Christ Himself, strongly

commended by

St.

re-

and confirmed by many

Patrick,

the approbation of several writers, and tbe

miracles,

7
usage of centuries."

Lough Derg, the

site

of St.

Patrick's

Purgatory,

must not be confounded with the lough of the same

name on the Shannon. Tbe small lake, of mediaeval
fame,

situated

is

in the county Donegal,

and

is

no

way remarkable except

for tbe historical circumstances

connected with

contains two islands,

down on
was

it.

It

accessible

There

is

still

Station Island,

called

one laid

as Saint's Island,

which

from the mainland by a wooden bridge,

the stone piers of which

is

map

the Ordnance

remain.

Tbe other

island

and contains the Purgatory.

a tradition amongst the people that the Pur-

Dr.

Kelly says that Dr. Lanigan insinuates that the monks of

to establish their Purgatory as a rival to that on Croagh
"The Bollandists and Feijoo suppose that St. Patrick,
Patrick.
He
like many other saints, spent some days of retreat in the solitary cave
that
his example was followed by the monks, who used the cave as a duirtheach;
that some had visions, others imagined they had, and others still, according
This is precisely our own
to Feijoo, pretended they had been so favored."
view of the case, and we are glad to support it by such respectable authority.
7

Centuries.

Lough Derg conspired

adds:

^^E^?*^ gH
T

Patrick's

fife.

G:il

Pwgatory.

How-

gatory was originally situated on Saint's Island.

ever this

was not

may have

been in remote

ages,

certainly

it

so in Lombard's time, for he says

"

On

the

a convent of Canons Regular of St.

Augustan, subject to the abbot and monastery of the

other island

is

Apostles Peter and Paul, situated in the sec of

he

yet

who on

this

honored with the

Two

title

of these monks,

island

of the

lake

is

Purgatory,

always reside on the

turn,
to

is

Purgatory.

of the

Prior

of

in

Armagh

chief of the monks,

and

instruct as

who come

here to ex-

receive

spiritual fathers those pilgrims

piate their sins."

Allowing for possible exaggerations,

much more severe

should say, for the

of the early ages of the Church, there

much

difference between

and that which

"

The order

tially

is

or,

was not

so very

the penance practised

Dr. Kelly says

now customary.

of penance in the sixteenth century

the same as at the present day.

of pilgrimage, during which a rigorous

and oaten bread, was observed.

perhaps we

religious discipline

Nine days

fast,

then
:

was substan\vas the

term

on the water of the lake

The pilgrim was

first

conducted,

barefooted, to thechurch of St. Patrick, around win. ih he moved seven

number outside, in the cemetery, n

ingsome prayers of the Church. The same ceremonies were observed
at each of the penal beds or oratories of the saints on the island

times inside and the same

the pilgrim moving

on his knees inside the churches. He next

prayed around a cross in the cemetery, and another which was
Thence he proceeded over a rough
fixed in a mound of stones.
'

8 Say*. " Commentariiu de Segno Hibcrnia:," edited by Very Bar. M.

signor Moran.

m^w^mmmi

n-

and rocky path to the border of the

believed St. Patrick had prayed

lake, a spot

on which

it

was

and there he recited the Lord's

Prayer, the Angelical Salutation, and the Apostles' Creed, which

closed the station.'
" This station

was repeated three times each day

noon, and evening

during the

the stations were doubled

first

seven days.

on the ninth,

communion, and an admonition from the

morning,

On

the eighth,

after confession

and

prior, the pilgrims entered

the cave, where they remained fasting and in meditation during

twenty -four hours

some, however, did not enter the cave, but

spent the twenty-four hours

of solitude

in

some of the

little

This exceedingly painful penance was regarded then,

churches.

as it is this day, as a

means of obtaining a remission of the temporal

punishment which the Catholic Church believes may remain due,

in the other

life,

to venial sin, or to mortal sin after the mortal guilt

Neither Rothe nor Lom-

has been remitted by the sacraments.

bard had visited Lough Derg

but in modern times

it was visited
by Dr. Burke, author of the Hibernia Dominicana,' according to
whom there was not a more severe penance in the Catholic world.
;

'

So highly did Benedict XIII. approve the penitential

1-

austerities of

Lough Derg that he preached a sermon on the subject, while he

was yet cardinal, which was printed and indeed well might Dr.
;

Burke exclaim that

it

was a most

rigid penance, for

exclusive of

preparation for confession, attendance at Mass, sermon, fasting,

vigils,

morning and night prayer

the

pilgrims repeat each day

the Lord's Prayer and Angelical Salutation nearly three hundred

times,

and the Apostles' Creed about one hundred times, together

with the entire Rosary three times.

" In Dr. Burke's
1

time the pilgrims kept

the prison,' during twenty-four hours

on the

first

days.

As

night of the station, which

vigil in the chapel called

but at present

may be

it is

in pilgrimages to other places, a prayer is repeated

the lake comes in view, and a popular hymn, 'Fare thee well,
Derg,'

is

kept

three, six, or nine

sung when the boat pushes from the island.

As

when

Lough
to the

St.

stations

around the penal beds where

the reader will find

gous institutions

by

St.

Patrick'8 Purgatory.

Gregory

much

in the

little

633

churches formerly stood

interesting information regarding analo-

Bollandistsnamely, stations established

and cemeteries of Rome, which were

in the basilicas

frequented in Lent, Advent, Rogation days, and the four great fee
tivals of our Lord; also in Martene, 'de Ritibus Aniiquis,' where he
publishes, from the archives of Lyons, Strashurg, .Milan. Vienna,

&c,

rituals

more than nine hundred Tears

from the

1st of

July to the

June to the 15th of August.

close,

1,200 or 1,400.

is

i'200 or

300

old,

At Lough Derg

celebrated at each station.

giving the offices

the Btation continues

From

the middle of

number on the island, each day,

The boatman pays the landlord of the place

the average

a year, which

is

levied

oft'

Saltrey wrote his narrative in

the pilgrims."

Latin prose, ami his

account of the knight's vision was soon spread all over

Europe.
It was subsequently translated into various
languages in the metrical style then popular.
Two
English metrical versions

tire still

in existence.

contained in the Cotton collection, and

date from the fifteenth century.

is

One

supposed

The other

is a

MS. of

the fourteenth century, in the Auchinleck collection

Scotland.

The narrative was

France,' the

celebrated

There

twelfth century.

versions in the British

The

vignette

at

also versified

Anglo-Norman
are, besides,

Museum.

the head

is

to

in

by Marie of

poetess of the

twu other metrical

of

this

chapter

is

taken

from an illuminated MS. of the fifteenth century

in the

3
xiii.
1

France.

"Poesies

de Marie dc France'
polh Auglo-Nonnuid du
Par Roquefort Paris, 1820.
Museum. Cot. JJoro. A. i\\, and Harleian, No. L'T.'i.
Mielc.

Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, No. 7588, A. F.

commence

le

" Ici

Purgatoire de Monseigneur St. Patrice."

It represents a pilgrim

entering the

Purgatory, and

monks chanting psalms.

metrical version of Owayne Miles

attended by the
In the
is

thus described

his entrance

man
Went with hym, yn processyoun,
And as lowde as they myghte crye
For hym they songe the letanye,
And browte hym fayre ynto the entre,

" Every prest and every

Ther

as

Syr Owayne wolde be."

Here the Prior of the Purgatory gives the pilgrim

into

which the pilgrim has entered.

description of his adventures

must condense

met by

his

and then he shuts the door of the cave

last instructions,

is

most graphic

then given, which

into the briefest possible form.

fifteen venerable

He

we

is first

men, clothed in white garments,

him that he must

soul, as, when
they leave him, he will be assailed by a number of
demons, who will torment him, and try to terrify, or
persuade him to turn back, and if he does turn back
he will perish.
The moral in this part of the legend

who

receive

him

kindly, but inform

act manfully, or he will perish,

is

obviously the

The English

necessity

body and

of persevering in

virtue.

metrical version has the following very

beautiful words,

which we have given precisely as they

stand in the original, only altering the orthography for

y$

^jBL+^^r^al
'%='

'! =''

may

such of our readers as

to old English

G35

nol be

accustomed

" But

if

they will thee boat or bind,

Look thou have these words

'

-*-

'Tfe f'

Patrick's Purgatory.

,sv.

the sake of

""+

Jesus, as thou art

Have mercy on me,

sinful

And evermore

in

have

mind

in

of might,

full

knight

!'

thy thought

Jesus, that thee so dear hath bought."

There certainly
ful verses;

took

it

and those

no superstition

who

an actual narrative of

fact,

instruction from

spiritual

to obtain greal

feil

beauti-

these

in

read the legend, whether they

as an allegory, or

could not
it.

is

"We could wish that there was no worse reading

circulated

amongst learned or unlearned

enlightened century.
people than
dictine

this,

What

in this so-called

hitter could

we

teach our

which wastaughl them by the Bene-

of the twelfth century:

monk
"

And

evermore have in thy thought

Jesus, that thee so dear hath bought."

The knight
wlmle object

is

tead&st, and

then attache,! by the demons, whose

make him turn hack. But he is

to

is

then seized by them, and Hun-- into a

is

furnace, where he calls upon

"

'

Jesus,'

he

said,

-Testis to

'

full

of

help him

pit}',

Help, and have mere)- en me.'

He

t^

name.

at once rescued

is

He

is

then

taken

by

tints

"

invoking the holy

through differenl places of

_
i*

is delivered by invoking the

At last the demons fling him into hell, and
down deeper and deeper, forgetting, in his
This he rememcall on God for deliverance.

punishment, and in each he

holy name.

he sinks
terror, to

bers at

last,

again.

He

ntters the usual

narrow, and so

human being

cross

prayer

is

safe

so slippery, so

It is called the bridge " of

it.

But the knight has recourse

the three impossibilities."

to

is

seems impossible for any

lofty, that it

to

and

aspiration,

has to pass a bridge which

vV
" Sir

Owayno then kneeled him down,

to God his oraison

And made
'

Lord God,' he

said,

'

full of

might,

Have mercy on me, sinful knight

Send me, Lord, thy sweet grace,
That

may

this bridge pass

Help, Lord, I

For to

may

my

lose

not

labor

fall,

"
all.'

The bridge was then crossed

safely,

and the good

knight comes to a wall, bright as glass, in which was a

Here he was met

gate adorned with gold and jewels.

by a procession of the

wearing crowns and

blessed,

carrying golden palms in their hands, and they

him

their beautiful garden,

flowers,"

where there "

This place

who

informs

is

shown

is

to

him that

where

Adam and

dwelt,

and where there

Eve,

which

is

"green and

mirth and never

Owen by
it

is

show

full of

strife."

a venerable bishop,

" the earthly paradise,"

"who were not wise," once

are many souls detained who

have

hut

purgatory,

left

beaven.

At the conclusion of this strange interview, the bishop

shows him the celestial paradise and the hill which leads

up

to

Owen

it.

desires

wry

ardently to remain in the

earthly paradise, hut his companion

tells

him

it

must

not be, that he must return to the world, and

"other

his flesh

left

comed

and that when he has

and bones on earth

his soul will be wel-

he has Been

there.

Owen

Sir

-i

then returned easily 1" the door of the cave

where he had entered, and found the

He

him.

them

all

remained

Land.

fifteen

priests waiting for

days with them, and told

he had seen, " to make them

took cross and

tine,

tell

;"

men what

He

staff in

some years

lived

but at

wise."'

hand and went

Then he
Holy

off to the

after his return

from Tales-

last

'

He

died,

and went the bright way

To the bliss that lasts for aye ;

To that bliss may He us bring
That of

And

all is

Lord and King."

thus ends the legend of the knighl Owen.

In

the last century a Spanish monk, the general of the BeneGeronymo Feijoo, published a scries of essays
He treati of
popular errors, which have obtained a European reputation,
v> Paferii I.
I'm ! itory," and in particular notices this heretical statement,

dictines Fray Benito

for

which

it is certainly difficult to

account.

Dr.

Lynch,

in his note

on this

"
rt," saya : " Fei
of Saltrey and Matthew Pari*, on the ground that they lived before
Council of Lyons an answer which cannot extricate Colgan, who attempt

subject, in bis edition of

solve the difficulty

^.v

by saying that the non-possession

^&<i

the
I

of the beatific vision

to

by

There are some curious similitudes between the vision

and that of the knight Owen

of Dante

but no one

can carefully peruse the wrapt poetry of the Italian, and

comjtare

it

with the quiet prose of the Englishman, with-

out seeing at once that the former was pure

resume of the legends of

in fact, a

fiction,

centuries,

and,

and that

the latter bore some probability of being founded on

fact,

least to those

at

who do

not pride themselves

on disbelieving everything which does not agree with

their

own

limited experience.

There can be but

little

doubt that Dante was ac-

quainted with the legend of the knight

and we

find, in

" Orlando Furioso," a passage in which Ariosto plainly

3

mentions the Purgatory, about half a century after the

narrative of Owen's descent or vision

was made

public.

Caesar of Heisterbach, in his dialogues on the miracles

of his time, says

him go
St.

"If any one doubt of Purgatory,

to Scotia [Ireland],

and

Patrick,

doubts will be dispelled."

his

earliest record of a pilgrimage to

lished in

Rymer's " Fcedera

let

and enter the Purgatory of

Lough Derg

;" it is

is

The
pub-

found in the Patent

the souls in that earthly paradise

as saying

'

pcenis liberi

was a punishment. But they are represented

sumus ;' and, moreover, the idea that Adam's
Lough

terrestrial paradise is a part of purgatory, is as strange in theology, as

Derg's being the gate of paradise is in Irish topography."

"Cam. Ev." p. 146,
d.
The fact is, there seems to have been some confusion in the mediaeval
popular traditions on this subject even Dante, after leaving Purgatory, is
conducted to the terrestrial paradise before he enters heaven.
* Purgatory.
*'E vide Ibernia fabulosa, dove
11.

II

santo vecchiarel fece la cava

In che tanta mercO par, cho

Che l'uom

vi

si

trovo

purga ogni sua colpa prava."

UolLs of the Iiiyit, under the date L358,

letters

granted by Edward

Rimini,

and Nicholas de

that they

III. to

and

consists of

Malatesta Ungarus of

Beccariis, a

Lombard, to

certify

bad performed the pilgrimage.

Lough Dcrg

described in the Registry of John Bole,

is

Primate of Ireland, who died

in

1170.

celebrated English Jesuit, mentions

it

Campion,' the

in his " Historic

and wrote most shrewdly

of Ireland," written about 1570,

and sensibly on the subject, condemning popular superbut declaring that he "saw no cause but a

stitions,

Christian

man,

heaven and

assuring himself that there

may, on

hell,

persuaded that

it

be
for

wisdom known,

by miracles the vision of joyes and paines

who wrote

popular opinion, that

saw visions

in

to reveale

eternal."

1586, also condemned the

who

all

entered the Purgatory

but admitted, with the saintly and mar-

may have

tyred Jesuit, that such visions

to some.

regret very

which remains

at

the

much

been given

that the limited Bpaa

work

conclusion of this

not admit of a fuller discussion of this subject

the bishop of this diocese,

this

and other

a Life of
it

St.

that, if

will

but as

and several of the clergy of

dioceses, are desirous that I should write

so,

and

St. Patrick's Purgatory,

and

Owen

Brandon,

an account of

nriiji u'il

both

might please God, at some time,

considerations to His infinite

Stanihurst,

is

information,

sufficient

legend of Miles

had not

hope

to

do

in full.

this plan in view,

it

to

add

to

to give the

must admit

would cause me

considerable regret to give so imperfect a sketch of a

subject so full of interest,

and

to omit so

many most

valuable and interesting details.

In concluding this Life of

glorious apostle, I

of the vision of

would

Owen

say,

Miles,

St. Patrick,

our great and

with the devout chronicler

who

described the bliss of

heaven and the joy of the blessed ones

$o

iliat bliss

W,^a

of all

man

$jc

is foi'fl

vis

ut

bring
"iiing.

Adamnan, the miracles

known to, 891.

Patrick

of

Annals

Four Masters,

of the

9, 222,

230.

Aen-Adharrac, baptism at, 42.".

Aengus, brother of St. Fiaec, 404,
Aliens, property "' "'-'"'
Aengus, ion oi Nadfraich, Bung of
Monster, 2S5 baptism of, .'ii'T, 400
daughter of, 391.

Annals of Ulster, .172.

Annotations of Tin .Inn, ,'!S7, n.
Antony, St., visions appearing to, 4.
Antrim, the saint's captivity in, 75.

^gabna, the prediction of, '-''!.

Agreda, Mary of, miraculously carried
t.i Mexico, 368.
Agricola, the Pelagian, 97.
Ailbhe, St., ordination of, 401.

Archbishop not the same as Ardep-

Ailliun, Lughaidh's queen, 391.

Aitbcen, St. Patricks cook, 249.

Alban, SL, aud

St.

Aaron, martyrdom

'.'7.

of,

of, 110.

Alcluaiclh, traditions of
connected with, S3.

Patrick

St.

398.

at,
.

mcilof,

360.

,n,

.1

St. Patrick's visit to,

ii,

Armagh, Book

434

'J7.

Life of St. Patrick

erasures
contained in the, 44, OS
in, 59 ; probable date of, 59 ; proofs
great importance of,
of date, till
01 annotations on bishops o
life of
successors of St. Patrick, 61
of,

Patrick

St.

chan

287.

Alphabets, St. Patrick's distribution

of, 46, h. G, 412, 413,428.
Doninach-Patrie,
stone
at
Altar
county Meath, emits streams of
blood, 2S0.
Altos, the centurion, his visit to Ireland, 95.
Amalgaidh, the children of, 2S." agree;

ment made by St Patrick with the

sons

of,

286

Amatho King

twelve Bona
of the

of,

421.

Romans, 378.

Amator.St., lnsiniracles, 157; journey

to Aiitun, 159; .loath, 163,
Amator or Amatorex, the consecrator
of St. Patrick, 213.

Ambrose,
,

Martin of Tours in, 63; Brian

Bora's inscription m. in hereditary
keepers of, 65 ; now in Dr. Keoves'
possession, 66 ; annotations of TireSt.

Allan dc Dunfres, an account of the

Fealty of, 80.
All 11 dlowa' Eve, ancient name of,

scop, 50.

Ardagh,

Alcantara, St. Peter

Blessed Sebastian

Life of

123.

of,

name, 492,

"f the

Apparurio,

St.,

comparison made by,

atholic teaching

of,

181.

marks out the site of the

church at Armagh,
under Victor ; carries St. Patrick to

in, 67,

Armagh,
:.

B
0.")

go

tu's
;

remains

d by

Danes, 02

tin-'

340

of, ''">{

51

in,
;

Brian

04 townlands near,
- St.
Patrick to
foundation of the church

visit to,

thi

to,

314,

Lupita's

relics in, 358.

Asicus, St.. Bi ihopof Elphin, 306.

Assaroc, St. Patrick's visit t
433.
Assicus, an altar-maker, 402; death
of, 40.1.

Augustine
Augustin

of [nisbec, 46.
I

isions,

iporary with St. Patrick, 117;

his declaration of papal infallibility,
185.

AnxilinB, St. Patrick's companion, 378.

Dgol

mveraation with on
c
Borne, ^"'7
Patrick, 414.
;

BackdU
lso,

Iosa, or Staff of J
190; destruction of idols with,
S also Staff "f Jesus ; CoHall

of the,

1J7.
i

Jiaile Chuinn, Conn's Ecstacy, 397.

Ballyshanuou, St. Patrick's visit

to.

of St. Patrick, 104, 372 ; of

l>ichu, his first Irish convert, 229
of Conall, son of Endeus, 284 ; of
the princesses Ethna and Fetldema,
292 ; at the well of Aen-Adliarrac,
297 ; of Aeugus at Cashel, 327, 46G.
Barach, Connor Mac Nessa's druid,

Baptism

93.

British Museum, documents in, 3S0, v.

Britons, the, plunder made on, SG ; of
Alcluaid, S5 ; of Letha, 87 ; an
assembly held by, 374.
Brogan, St. Patrick's nephew, 251.
Brosna, St. Patrick blesses the Ministermen at, 338.
Buas, the river, now Buch, crossed by
St. Patrick, 315.

Cadoc, the same as Mnchatoce, 40

honored in Wales and Brittany, 47.
Cairbre opposes St. Patrick, 305.
Cairpre Niafer, Monarch of Ireland,
.

Bauban,

St. Patrick's

nephew, 251.

Bealltaine, the, 253.

Beda Ferdan bound

to entertain pil-

grims to St. Patrick's church, 80.

Bede, quotations from, 73.
Bell, St. Patrick's, the sweet sounding,
rung on Croagh-Patrick,
250, 299
;

301, 495.

Benen, St. Patrick's psalmist, 249.

Benignus, St., conversion of, 244

419, n.
Cairpre, son of Nial, desires the murder
of Patrick, 396.
Cairthenn's son, cure of, 333.
Calphrann, 248.
Calpurn, St. Patrick's father, 70, 372 ;
the murder of, 128.

Cambrensis Eversus, quotation from,

miracle at Tara, 2G0, 3S9.

Benum

a mistake for bonum, 136.

Bernan Brighte, the bell called, 299,
414.
Berraidhe, the chieftain, 339; Odran
slain by, 340.
Bescna, son of Alprann, 250.
Birds appearing to St. Patrick, 29S.
Bite or Beoadh, Bishop of Ardcarne,
306, 402.
Black Book of Caermarthen, 248.

Blind man, curing of the, 29.

copy
Bollandists, opinion of the, 50
of Confession used by the, 09, 136,
;

221.

Book
Book

of Orders, St. Patrick's, 407.

of Eights, 123, 127, 253.

Boulogne, the saint's connection with

the see of, 72.

Brehon Laws,

St. Patrick's assistance

in the compilation of, 5S1.

Brenainn, St., prophecy of, 472.

Brendan, St., visits Paul, 47.

murder of, 397.

visit to Armagh, 64 ; inscription of in Book of Armagh, 64 ;
ancestors of, 332.

Bresal,

Brian Born,

Brigid, St., the administration of the

Holy Viaticum to, 47.
St. Patrick's arrival in, 75;

Britain,

St. Patrick

manus
manus

to,

accompanied
184;

visit of

St.
St.

GerGer-

to, 196.

Britanniis, assertion
was born in, 85.

that

St.

Patrick

283.

Canoiu Phadraig,

63.

Patrick taught the, by

159, 180 to 1S3.
Captivity, St. Patrick's, 91 ; the date
of, 126; cause of, 375.
Oarrickmacross, the saint's visit to

Canons,

St.

Germanus,

346.
Cashel, vision on the walls of, 111
destruction of the idols at, 327.
Casula, St. Patrick's, cleansed by an
angel, 299 ; of Bishop Mel's sister,
398.
Catau, St., 251.
Cathal Mac Fergus, death of, 80.
Cauldron, a, given by Daire to St.
Patrick, 351.
,

Abbot of Mainister-Bmthe.
county Louth, 24S.
Cele De, disobedience of Malach, 467.
Celestine, Pope, St. Patrick sent by,
98 ; gave St. Patrick his name, 112,
St. Patrick ordained by, 211, 378.
Cethire, the bishop, 2S5.
Ciaran of Belach-Duin, the miracles of
Patrick known to, 391.
Cill-Garad founded by St. Patrick,
Ceciuit,

407.
(

'inaeth, son of Irgalach, violates sanc-

tuary, 2S0.

Cinel-Eoghain, miracle performed for

the ancestor of, 307.
Cinne, daughter of Eochaidh, a virgin
at Clogher, 317, 453.

the three, at st. Patrii

Conor Mac Neasa, the

!.

death

ii.itH'n, :>ts.

Cmi

Christopher

Patrick's episcopal,

St.

ion,

210.

Constantius, the life of St, tiermanus

written by, 180,

Clebaoh, conversion oi the princ

.

292.

of,

:.

imi'

9,

ss

celebrated in

Btone preserved at, 288

founded by St Patrick, 316.
idoJ

county Meath,
Si.

117.

saint, 251.

Mr,

249.
Dr., theories on miracles, 30.
r
to, 315,

11.

miracle perfon

St.,

Colgan, his second Life of St. Patnok,

alters the narrative of St.
Patrick's being carried to Home miraculously,

.'SoS

Cornelius,
Coroticu

Patrick, 306.
Colomcille, the miracles of St. Patrick
known to, 391; prophecy of his
SI

birth, 436.
is,

Bishop of Clonshanville,
inmon, 114.

Consll-Sciath-bachall, 127.
baptism of,
Conall, son of Niall, 280
28 1 measures a church for Patrick,
;

sister of St.

Conches,

Martin

24a
St. Patrick',,

four

MS8,

59; ancient lives four

70; important remarks on the parts
a

the

Book

of

Arms

original from the Book

and

original

transla-

King of Hy-Kinsel
b

destruction

of,

399

idol,

- s7

probable sito

399

Cross, St. Patrick's revereuccfor, 302 ;

miracle at, 420.
rowe, translation of the Lurka by,
(

264.
Crozicr, Aengus' foot pieroi

Cruachan, meeting
the princesses

by, 327.

.1

of st. Patrick with

40 I.
Crucifixion, Irish legend
at,

of, 93.

Cruimther Collait knew Patrick's miracles, 391.

Culleu, county Limerick, child restored

to life at. 830.
Daire, St. Patrick's visit to, 348 ; ho
19 his illness and
offers him a rath,
miraculous cure 350, s -i.
Dalaraida, St. Patrick's servitudein,
131, 104; visits to, 313, 441.
Dal-Kiada, St Patrick's visit to, 313,
.'!

::|
>

'

I.

.Minuter, the people

follow tho

of,

saint, 348.

Danii
1

1,

Winagh plundered bj
Patrick's angel and dwarf, 314,

12.

247, 307.

Dauglit'

Deachnaus, the three, 312.

ancient palace of the kin,;

visit

Patrick remained seven

left crosses
(

Patrick's

in St.

Ci imthann,

of

collations of it
Armagh, 5S0
with other versions, 581.
Conn, prophecy ofj 95.
Connanght, visit of St. Fiacc to, 45;

Patrick'*

-'.':.

of Tours,

and St. Patrick's mother, 86, 372.

Conchessa, another form of her name,
86. 103; Cochinas, another form,
...n,

son of Lebrinth, 24S.

lion of,

Cothraige, a name for St. Patrick, 111.

Cows, miraculous cure of, 374
r, 403.
Crimthann was

390.

letter to, 7;!

tion of letter

of,

Caiman, St, of Dromore, 239.

Columba, St. bis birth predicted by

...

remarks ou his

to,

301.

Cormac, King of Ireland, 453.

Cormac, the priest who baptized tho

the bishop of, 114.

Patrick's cham

nville,
i,

Controversy on miract
Corco-Thcuiuc, St. Patrick's visit

and

unell's bobcrecn.

he Etonian

bells in, 304.

Death, St. Patrick's, at Armagh, 363,

497.

G44
Edward Lhuyd, Welsh

Deisse mentioned, 248.

Vere, Aubrey, his poems, 11.

Dc

power

Devil,

of the, 259.
Mae Cerbhaill,

Diarmaid

marks out the

397
macnoise church,

of,

banishment
site of

Clou-

sou of Eestitutus, St. Patrick's nephew, 1 14, 280.

Diarmid left by St. Patrick at DoniDiarrnid,

nach Fiacc, 46.

Diehu, the saint's first convert, 231,
382 St. Patrick's visit to, 235.
;

St., blessed by St. Patrick

before his birth, 340.
Donegal blessed by St. Patrick, 30G.

Domangart,

Donegal, Martyrology of, 49.

encaseDorjough, son of Flanu, G4
ment of the Canon of Patrick by, 04.
;

ItaJ'

Dounchadh, Monarch of Ireland, 462.

Downpatrick, Loarne Bishop of, 51.
Dr. O'Donovan, (opinion of the late),
253.
Dricrin, King, the saint's visit to, 323.
Dricriu, King of the Ui-Garchon, 459.
Drogheda, St. Patrick's arrival at,
244.
Drombo, building the rath at, 345.
Dromore, St. Colman of, 239.

Druids Barach, 93 Lochra and Luchat Mael, 90 names of the king's,

252, 254 at Tara, 25S, 379 ; burned
;

Drumconratli, county Meath, a church

there,

280

visit to,

313,

314.

Dublin,

Book

of

Lecain preserved

Dubhtach Mac Lugair, the king's

in,

chief

bard, 258.

Dubthach Mac Ui-Lugair, the

45

he asks

St.

poet,

Patrick to tonsure

Fiacc, .45.
Dun-da-leth-glaisse, county
Patrick buried at, 365.

Down,

Eadberth, an account of the army

St.

142, a.

Eochach, son

of

Muredach, cruelty

of,

346.

Eochaidh, resuscitation of, 316, 453.

Eoghan, sonofNial, miracle performed
for, 307, 430 ; blessing on the race of,
437.

Episcopal jurisdiction in the early Irish

Church, 503.
St. Paul burning the book?

Ephesians,

Ere, daughter of Daire, 250.

Ere, marriage of, 464.
Ere, prophecies of. 251.
Ere, son of Dega, first Bishop of Slane,
St. Patrick's judge, 249 ; his conversion and baptism at Tara, 2S3, 3S5.
Ere, twelve sons of, 313.
Erca, daughter of Loarn Mor, 306.
Erin, lives of the saints of, 44 ; the
cause of Patrick's coming to, 112,
127, 375.
St. Patrick's visit to, 305.
Essays, Monsiguor Moran's, great
value of, 99 quotations from, 206
opinion about St. Patrick's conse-

Es-Ruaidh,
of,

83.

Faster, St. Patrick's visit to Tara at,

243, 385, 387.
Ecchu Baldearg cured at the well of
Sangul, 333.
Ecclesiastical Record, valuable articles
in, 45, 215.
Eohtra, resuscitation of, 426 ; her grave
still known at Kilmore Moy, 420, n.

Ecstacy, the, of Conn, 379.

of the, 23.

in the lire at Tara, 390.

founded

philologist, 05.

Eileran the Wise, author of the Vita

Quarta, 205 ; the miracles of Patrick
known to, 391
Eimhin, St., or Evin, Life of St. Patrick written by, 54, 50, 249.
Elias, St. Patrick invoking, 2, 143.
Elphin, in Conuaught, plain near,
visited by the saint, 290.
Ely mas struck blind by St. Paul, 23.
Embroiderers, St. Patrick's, 250.
Emptur, St. Fiacc states St. Patrick's
birthplace was at, 84.
Endeus, son of Amalgaid, 284 ; his
visit to Tara, 285.
England, MacMoyer's visit to, 65 ; a
theory that St. Patrick's birthplace
might be in, 71 ; Roman legion in,
Refor74 ; Roman camps in, 77
mation in, 141 ; strange misconception of Protestant clergymen in,

cration, 215.

Essays and Reviews, immense circulation of,

12; arguments against
miracles

Ethna the

in, 32.

Fair,

conversion

of,

291,

404.

Etymologisch Forsch, 78.

Europe, a description of Christian
in,

145.

life

Safe
Index

to

death of, 840.

on the necessity of, >
Faith of the Irish, 87, 209.
his sleep at
Fallen, proverb about

Franco, a suggestion ol St. Patrick s

of, 71,
bit thpl ice being in the north

Failge,

Faitn

7.");

320

Fedhkmidh,

rceeives
Fedhlimidh, sonof Ueghaire,

Mt

Feidelm. the resuscitation of, H,

306.
Felim, St. Oolumba's father,
in
Ferdomnaoh, important inscnption
61.

Gaeidhil, St. Fatrick loosens the bon-

dageof

Garment

Fergus, son of
iiromised donation of, 313.
the ConFerguson's, Mrs., Irish before

j;,i,i, the, at

quotations

Ins

from

Cruachan, 294; at Ar-

Gaul, journey of the leper from, 106

the

monks

of,

v of

146.

Null's sons, 273.

the saint's voyage with the,

138.

German, St. Patrick's tutor, 251.

Germanus, St., St. Patrick's rtudy
and
under, 79; mission of, 97; birth
return to Gaul
education of, 156
;

15S; rehis teaching,

157;
velation of, 158; austerities pracSt. Patrick's intert, ed by, 164
course with, 177 ; amiable qualities
the miracles of, 183 ; conof, 183
secration as Bishop of Auxerrc, 1S4;

of

magh, 353.
2,253.! St.
jEngus, the Culdee 57of st. Batnck,
2.".

/,,,,?, ofETara,

v of

the, :i78.
of invisibility, St. Fit

387

Conall Gulban, 31-,

95Dr.,

to,

Frion, Bishop, 338.

Furscus, St., Life of, 75.

w.

,n,

inter-

boFrancis, St., of Aaaissi, similarity

tween, and St. Patriok, 194, 297.
of,
340.
battle
the
Freanihain,

Fedelnud,
nach Fiaco, 46.
Fedhlidhmidh, Columcille son ot,
the dun of, at Trim, 394.

t,

77;

Patrick's return

St

Qermanua' return

196.

297

poems, 95.

St.

Franceses, St., of Rome, 333.

341.
Fasting, St. Patriok, on Irian,
Doinleft by St. Patriok at

Annul..

stations in,
'.17

ith,

184;

to,

to, 846.
irney, visit of St. Patriok
Patack,
Fast, St, Patriot's, oaCroagh

of

Roman

?<aa.s,

Book

645

Persons, Events, etc

70.

Fethlema the Buddy, conversion

291, 404.
Fiacc, St., Life of St.

_
Tatnck by,

of,

43;

interview bethe baptism of, 46

an
tween St. Patrick and, 46, n.
47 ; retirehim,
to
appears
ancel
;

death

oftti

Patrick sends

him

cnloasly, 359, 493

his hymn, 559.

;.f,

St.

a chariot miratranslation of

Fiachra, ordination of, 48.

Finn-faidheach, the swect-souuding
1,11, 250.
Finnian, St., of Moville.
from
the Munstcrmcn blessed

Vinninv.
the hill of, 332.
Funes, St, Patrick'!, "7.
Patrick by
Flowers strewn over St.
Benignus, 24 1, 381.
Foohlot, the saint's visit t<>, 296.
.

Fotaide, 248.

Fonr

ist

re,

re

ord the arrival of St.

222; foundation of Trim

s from,
reoardedby, 217; nuotat
on Strangford Though. 230, 381.
Patrick

great devotion

Britain, 190;

visits

to relics of, 199.

Glcaghrann.Cnl.ri and Lasn daughters

meetingof St. Patriok with

of, 251
at Foohlnt, 295.
Gnasacht, ordination of. 233.
Goat, miracle of the, 455.
Gormias, the saint baptized by, 104.
Gospels, Lomman reading the, 394,
Grada (orders) read over Patrick,
;

from
Qraif, St. Patrick's fell
destroying the idols, 400.
hop

Grananl
im wln-n

him when
of,

233.

give, 351.

Crav.s, Dr., identilieations

made

by.

59; important discovery of, 60.

Qregraighe, stones Hung at St. Patrick
by, 429.

H md
II

SI

Patrii k's,

brine

of,

526

sites and
an,., Mr., identifications of
riven by, 7 ; paper on St
lauding place by, 231.

Patrick's

au eminent Celtic
scholar, 7; translation of the Tripartite by, 369.
Henry VIII., establishment o the
Hennessy, W.,

Protestant religion by, 19.

St. Patrick receives
Staff of Jesus on, 18S ; description
origin of name, 192.
probable
191
of,
Hibernia, visit of Palladius to, 101.
Hilary, St., of Poietiers, the instructor
of St. Martin, 148.
Historic tale of Conor Mac Nessa, 95.
History, details of miracles in Catho-

Hermon, Mount,
;

lic,

40.

Hono, a mass
Honorat,

of gold given to, 401.

St., his

power over animals,

Horses, St. Patrick helps his charioteer

to lind, 303.

Household, St. Patrick's, 227.

Hungary, removal of St. Martin's parents from, 103.
St. Patrick's Loriea, 204 ; preface to St. SeehnalPs, 360 ; original
Latin and translation of St. Sechnall's, 563 ; St. Fiacc's, 559.
Hymns of the early Irish church, 512.
Hy-Nialls, prophecy of the, 311.

Hymn,

larlaid,

Ireland continued.
St. Patrick's altar-stone brought to,
109 ; saints in, 112 ; Reformation in,
141 ; command given to St. Patrick
to go to, 192 St. Patrick's jouruey
to, 206 ; Palladius returning from,
207 ; date of St. Patrick's arrival in,
221 ; banishment of demons from,
;

222

Fiatach Finn, Monarch

son of Trian, blessing

of,

479.

Ice changed into tire, 373.

Idols, the destruction of, 2S8.
Ignatius, St., similarity between his
prayer, Anima mea, and St. Patrick's

Loriea, 267.
Imagined, visions not always,

Inishowen, county Donegal, blessed by

St. Patrick, 437Innes, a description of Kilpatrick by,

Annals

of,

231

founded by,

80.

St.

Patrick's

companion,

bishop in county Kildare, 460.

Isidore's, St. College at Rome, copy of
St. Fiacc'.s hymn preserved at, 85.
Italy, ravaged by the Goths, 74 Longobards of, 113 ; called Letha, 358.

321

Jarleth, St., third Bishop of

232.

Armagh,

Jocelyn, his Life of St. Patrick, 53 ;

details given by, 237 ; mystical interpretation of, 238, n.
John of the Bosom, 63.

John

of

John,

Tinmouth, 215.
miracles performed by,

St.,

21,

22.

John the deacon,

99.

Julianus Campania, character of, 1S5.

Joyce, Mr., his Origin of Irish Names,
137.

4.

Indies, the Apostle of the, 105.

Inis-an-ghoill, discovery of tombstone
on the island of, 115.

78.
Inuisfallen, the

of,

faithfulness of, 367.

Irish Celt, form of oath by the ancient, 271.
Irish liturgy, treatise on, 179.
Irish, the faith of the, 37.
Isabella, Duchess of Albany, church

Iserninus,

151.

222.

Innocent, Pope, his letter to Decentius, 98.

Ireland, evangelization of, 16; poem
written on the history of, 57 ; pedi-

gree from Conary More, Monarch

of, 62 ; Flanu, King of, 04 ; journeying of the saint towards, 72
St.
St. Patrick's escape from, 74
Patrick's return to, 79 ; St. Patrick
carried off to, 80 ; visit of Altus to,
95 ; the advent of St. Patrick to, 96 ;
evidence of Christians being in, 98 ;
;

Kells, first public baptism in Ireland

at, 275.
Kermand-Kclstach, idol at Clogher,

288.

Kerry, O'Connell of, 57.

Kienau, St. Patrick captured

by,

139.
Kilcullen, Mac Fail patron of, 324.
Killala, episcopal see founded by St.
Patrick, 424.

Kilinacthomas,

pagan

remains

at,

2SS.

Kilmore, Fedhelim venerated as patron of, 47.

Kilpatrick, description of, 7S ; termination of the Roman wall at, 86.
Kirby's, Mpnsignor, account of St. Patrick's relics in Rome, 524.
Knock-Cae, miracles performed on, 331.

,;

Zncft

prophecy

Evt nte,

to Pi rsons,

Conn about,

of

etc.

Lngnath, discovery

iland, 221, 384 taki a

prisoner by the Leinstermen, 371
mode of burial, 272; conversion ol
the two daughters ..i, 292.

the tombstone

of

Lnpita,

miraculously from

,m

\i

i
!

larthy,

nl.

'

his His.

the lioyue du-

rand of the, and the flagstone,

108.
Lcrins, St. Patrick's visit to, 1S7.
the, or stone of destiny, 288.
.

preserved in Rome,

it.

Limerick, identifications made l>y Dr.

59 St Patrick's arrival
piety of the people
in, ."529
:".
y Mr. Lenihan, 397.
Lives of .St. Patrick, ancient, 50, 53.
Lives of the saints, miraculous occurrences in, 25.
;

p of Bright,

now Down-

natrick, 51.
Lol.in.au, Hiatoin

deBretogn ,71.
the air and killed, 250.

St. Patrick's

helmsman, 251.

Lomman

114.

Sech-

i.

96.
259.

342
death of,

324.

Mocbin baptized by St. Patrick, 251,

Mac Moyer visited England,
he Book of Armagh, 05

ti.~>

betrayed Dr. Plunk,

MacNessa,

t,

65.

!onor, 93.

Macraith, the ise, 251.

Ma. I. thedruid, 291, 40G.
Magh-Dala, the saint's visit to, 31 1.
Magh-Life, the river Liffey takes its
323.
M;i. h-Slecht in Cavan, description of,
288 idols destroyed at, 399.
Magus, Simon, the conversion of, "2.
.

the saint's

I,

wood

supplier,

Malone, Rev. A., of Limerick,

St Patrick's
Manchen, St., left
tion of

_'.">!

di scrip-

well by, 337,

to govern the

church at Aen-Adharrae, '">'.

Mantan's disobedience, 331, 171
mi

St..

-nti

Mi.

household.
Martin.

_'.")

in

at 31

the

[50

Patrick's
of his

list

I.

Patrick to. 7'.'

miracles
by, IIS, tea bins of,
Patrick journeyed to Tour

visit of st.

St.
.

Lnchat Maet and Lochra,

St.

St. Patrick.

Mac Eroa ordained bishop. 815.

Mac Fail, Bishop of CSll-tJsaile,

perfon

,,.

l.uchat

hi

264 ;

of

poems,
1.
character and at-

!'..

hi,

aversion, 343, 479

Martin.

left at the Boyne, 245, S94

found by Fortchcrn, 394.
I7n.
Lonan's banqoi
Loogobar.l-, on the origin of the,

Lorica, St. Patrick's,

nall's, 362.

of, 431.

15.

in

1>.

St.,

ring, 394.

consecration

186.

Hymnornm

baptism

rtliinn,

tempt to impose on

left at

'J7

Mac Carthainn consecrated Bishop

Mr, quotation from

Lommaii

Logha,

religion by, 19.

Lochrn raised

mothi

thend, Bishop of Clogher, 451.

5]

an

when a child,

refer, n

Rom

Lcinstcr, Book of, 95.

Leinster, O'Dcvr.ms in. 5fi Palladium'
arrival at. 10]
St, Patrick's labors
in, 305
great number of ofanrches
erected in, 325 St. Patrick's arrival
in. 377.

of,

19; organization of the Protestant

of,

Liber

12

oare

St., of Troves,
as bishop, 1!>7.

of,

Luther,

sceptical, 293;
unintentional mistakes of, 340.
raising from the dead
Life of St Patrick in,
03, 104; on St. Patrick's obtaining

nit,

13

Lupus,

I.

Kurd,

374.

Lenihan,

ter,

Limania,

finding puce of St. Patrick, 230.

Languedoo, Aatruc'a Hist, de, 78.
Dr., on St. Patrick's birthplace, 71, Bccletiatlicai History of

relics

- 1.

17.'{.

Martyi

lit,

49, of Done-

gal, 4!>, 233, 285.

Lughaidh, the son of Laeghaii

Matter, miracles not a violation of the
J7"

assumed the sovereignty, 391.

law

,,f,

39.

fltl^gp^^p^^
tis,

Events,

etc.

St., of Turin, probably St.

Patrick's consecrator, 218.

Moran, Very Rev. Monsignor, his

important literary labors
assist-

Moath, St. Patrick in, 272, 394 ; St.

Patrick leaves, after destroying the
idols, 2S9
St. Patrick's return to,

ance give by him to the author of

this work, 7 ; his Essays, 99, ISO,
on the history of St. Mac279

Maximus,

304.
St.,

249.

Mexico

visited

by a Franciscan nun

in ecstasy, 358, n.

Milelio purchases St. Patrick, 129,

131 ; vision of the servant in flames
of fire by, 133 ; St. Patrick's escape
from, 138; St. Patrick's visit to,
prediction on the family of,
232
233 ; remains of his rath, 234.
Miliuc, Patrick sold to, 3715.
Miracles, St. Patrick's compared with
those of Scripture, 13 ; performed
by the saints in all ages, 19 ; by the
Apostles, 21 ; performed by the use
of relics, 21
Christ's miracles questioned by the Pharisees, 2G ; careful
examination of all alleged miracles
by the Church, 27; objections made
by modern sceptics to, 35 ; occur at
the present day, 124 ; peculiar litnessinSt. Patrick's, 310.
Miracles of St. Patrick ice changed
to lire, 119 ; cure of his sister, 120 ;
taming the mad ox, 123 ; changes
snow into curds and butter for
tiibute, 123; tames a wolf, 125;
restores the use of Rius' limbs, 237 ;
destruction of the druids at Tara,
258 finding the horses, 303 known
at the time of writing the Tripartite, 391 ;
known by Columcille,
&c, 392.
Mnchac, St., description of the staff of,
239, 384.
Mochaembrog, St., of Cashel, 110.
;

Mochonuoe,

the

saint's

hospitaller,

251.

Mochta,

conversion of, 249, n. ;

left at Louth by the saint, 348.
Mouasterevin founded by St. Evin.
Monastery, a description of St. Fiacc's,
St.,

49.

Monks of the West,

Montepulciano,
cles,

cuil, 345.

patron of diocese of Longford, 107

bishop, 39S.
Merlin, a dialogue between Taliessen
and, 248.
Mescan, St. Patrick's particular friend,

Mel,

177.

quotations from, 154.

Agues of, her mira-

St.

Mount Hermon, our

divine Lord appeared to St. Patrick on. 18S.

Moville, St. Finuian of, 239.

Muchatocc, of Inisfail, 4G.

Muirchu-Maccu-Maetheni, the writer
of St. Patrick's Life in the
Armagh, CO, 138.

Book

of

Mungret, county Limerick, foundation

of the church of, 330.
Munis, brother of Lomman, 394.
Minister, Oilioll Olnim, King of, 57
Flann, King of, 110; Aengus Mac
Nadfraicb, King of, 391
blessing
;

of the people of, 475.

Munsterman, resuscitation of a, 33S.

Munstermen, St. Patrick's blessing
to the, 332, 338.

Naas, baptism at, 320

in the fort of, 320.

Fallen's sleep

Nainnid left by St. Patrick at Domnach Fiacc, 40.

Nathi, St. Patrick repulsed by, 224.
Nemthur, opinions about the meaning
of, 70 ; various readings of the name,
372.
Nessan instructed by the saint, 332.
Nevtur mentioned in the Black Book
of Caermarthen, 248.
Niall, Cairpre son of, 396.
Nicholson's, Mr. Steele, Life of St.
Patrick, 5, G.
Ninian, St., of Scotland.
North of Ireland, the saint's residence
in the, 240.
Nurse, St. Patrick's, 120, 373; St.
Benedict's, similarity between, and
St. Patrick's, 123.

O'Briens, their ancestor baptized by

St. Patrick, 332.
Obsequies, St. Patrick's, 3G5.
O'Clerys, Calendar of the, 427.
O'Connor, Dr., opinion of, 252.
O'Curry, E. , remarks on the hymn of
St. Fiacc by, 44; Manuscript Materials of Irish History by, 52, .
discovery of Tripartite by, 57 ; on
the prophecy of Conn, 95.

'

0'Dodo\

.ui,

notes on the

(r.,

list

of

st. Patrick'! h
St. Patrick's

Odran,
339;

liia

v,
'

charioteer, 250,
death, 340, 177.
Rev. .'., assistance given

221;

his household, list

of,

249

"

three

313, 440.

of,

Mo

athighs, the, of Clare, 58.

monks

Paisley,

of, 80.

county

the
Patrick's de-

parton
Paris, journey of St. Patrick and
lermanua to, 197.
Paschal lire lit by St. Patrick, 254
Patricias, a name of power, 378

_'ins,

St.

-,

two

the

instructing
con'

vir

of,
::.;l

."I
;

eof

memoir

of,

341

;.'.

his disciples
;

charity

of,

341; Dare presented a cauldron to,

351
Dr. Todd's memoir of, 354;
Bera and Bright* visit to, 361 the
rings made by

ESliaa in2
voked by, --, tlie angel Victor appearing to, 3
an account of the
visions of, 3 an accoo
of,

'2'.l'2

<

life

from

^.">7;

angel and, 31 r
Fochain and, .""7; jonrney to Ail
each. 'ill; prophecy of, 311, angel

mission and

bin baptized by,

gadh b
it. 285

Limerick,

St

bewail

of,

lives

100.

green,

five sist

sent by
07
dluro of his mis-

!.

women

Ins

the king
commands Ins people to seize, 257
Magna attempted to poison, 259;
re's wish to kill,
J7.'i;
visit to Cairbre and
missionary labors of, 273
273
churches found' i by, 283

ParockuUes, 78.

'

r.-.
t )i

Rome, 252

of,

of

Dibroiderers, 250
ancient
r
of,
2. ).'t ;
his companions

Patrick's, 378.

the

poem on

Ordination of Aengus, 312; accouutof

St.

landing place

land,

229
249

by, 7.

tism

l
16
the ma
-'::
hymn or poem on the
43; St. Place's lifeo
baptized by, 46; ordination
of Piachra by, 48; Jocelyn's life
of, 53;
observation on thi
of,
ancient lives of, 53; unity about his birthpl
the parents of, 7'
baptism of, 81,
104; birthplace, disputes about, 85
capture of, 86, 1-0 the early life of,
90; dmidical prophecies of

of,

killed by,

by,
at,

426

'

St.,

of,

69

performed

cles

ix

tamed

l>y.

by, 120
to life

119;

mira-

tl

-.,

"Jl

Blymas struck

'

of,

181.

miracles per

i,

formed by,
h,

n opted by, '.'7.

formed by, 9;
the angel releasing from pi
his miracles, 35; authority of the
mi
see of,
at Rome

19

his joui

189; our divine Lord app

19] the teaching of, 'J<>9; episcopal
:> n
of, 217; on the trials
of, 219; date of hi< arrival in Ire;

.">71

23.

on,

lo7; Satan tempting,

143; visit to the mon
147: bell of, 166 Irish viai
four years in Tours, 177; viait to
of,

|s7

Its

barkation

n mai

Paul's retirement to a desert island, 17

by, 123; escape

from servitude of,. 133,
of aiii'n da

135

.,

body,

memoir

relatives of, 113;

431.
junior, 51.

580,
Paul, St., miracles performed bytouch-

n.

'.

<

l'J7

.">.')

413

by, 412,

Ona present
alphabets written
episcopal see founded
the Iregraighe nun
seven sons of 1

Tethbha, 399;
house to, 402;

life of,

ill

<i

date of Book
opinion

I about
i

ol

Lori

miracles denied by the, 26

Simon Macom
gna by, 22; caught up by apgi I, 24.
-.

Philip, St.,

Index

Persons, Events,

to

Philological Transactions for 1S55, 78.

P. J. Kennedy, author of Legendary
Fictions, liS.
Plunket, Dr. Oliver, Mac Moyer's
betrayal of, Co.
Poetry, proverbial quatrain on St.
of St. Mace,
Patrick, 221 ;
of St. Sechnall or Se558;
St. Patrick's blesscundinus, 562
ing on Diclm, 229, 3S2 ; quotations
from Aubrey de Vere's, 234.
Poly carp, St., the acts of the martyr,

Hymn

Hymn

142

h.

Potid, grandfather of St. Patrick, 372;

Prayer-water, 483.
Probus, Life of St. Patrick by, 07, 138,
275.
Promises made to St. Patrick, 300.
Psalms, St. Patrick's devotion to the,
236.

of,

from heaven,

fire

235, 383.

423.

Record, the Irish Ecclesiastical, 45, .

Reeves, Dr., his Down and Connor,
131, 238; Adamnan, 324; Report
of late Ec. Com. 395.
Relatives, St. Patrick's, 395.
Ktlics, miracles performed with, 21
given to St. Patrick by Pope Celes;

tine,

205

brought miraculously by

Patrick from Rome, 357, 491

destruction of, 521 kept at present
in Rome, 524; of St. Patrick's
hand, 526.
Rioc of Inis-bo-fuide, St. Patrick's
nephew and satchel-bearer, 307.
Rius cured by St. Patrick, 237.
Rodan, St. Patrick's shepherd, 250.
Roman mission, St. Patrick's, 223.
St.

Rome, Liber Hymnorum preserved

in,

44 we should be children of, 69

Palladius, Bishop
deacons of, 99
of, 100
the
the empire of, 139
Pelagius'
saint's journey to, 149
visit to, 184
St. Patrick receives
his visit to,
authority from, 203
mentioned by Tireehan, 204 prayer
of St. Patrick that he might be con;

continui

<>.

ducted there to receive authority,

205 ; St. Patrick's return from. 222
the angel took St. Patrick to, 355

Patrick desiring to obtain relics

the saint's arrival in,
from, 356
357 ; St. Sechnall's visit to, 359 ; St.
Patrick sent Sechnall to, 360.
St.

Roscommon,

plain near, visited

the saint, 290.
visited by
men
of,
Ross, the
Patrick, 346.
Ross, sou of Trichim, 383.
Rothe, David, elucidations of, 53.

now

Dichu

at,

astery

at,

by
St.

Saul, St. Patrick meets

foundation of mon;
presented to him by
;

231
238

Dichu, 282.
administered to St.

Vila, 53, 178, 257.

Rechred burnt by

etc.

Sacraments

621.

Rath, Milcho's, remains

Rome

Sabhall,

by St.
Public penance performed
Patrick, 176.
Purgatory, St. Patrick's, history of,
Quinta

Pa-

trick, 363.

Sadducees, disbelief in angels and demons, 18.

Saints, on the miracles of, 117.
Samhain, All Hallows' Eve, 287.
Sanan, St. Patrick's brother, 128.
Bangui; couuty Limerick, description
mi, 334-tp337.
the Cross
Santafiora, St. Paul of
preaching at, 259.
Scholiast on St. Fiacc's hymn, 85, S9.
Scothnoe receives St. Patrick, 246, 394.
Scotland, St. Patrick's journey to,
147.
Sciibes, indignation of the, 26.
Sebastian, Blessed, his miracles, 123.
hymn of, 68, 113,
Sechnall,
St.,

495

St.

Patrick's

bishop,

249

nephew, 249, n. ; his visit to

Rome, 359; preface to his alpha-

his

betical hymn in praise of the saint,

360 ; original Latin and translation
of the

hymn,

562.

Sectmaide, plunder
tons by, 86, 127.
Segetius, sent with

made on the
St.

Bri-

Patrick by

Germanus, 179, 376.

St., of Iniscalach, prophecy of
his birth, 334.
Senell, St. Patrick's bell-ringer, 249.

Senan,

church of, near Elphin,

founded by St. Patrick, 403.
Shannon, Ferdomnach probably retired
to a monastery on the banks of, 62
Shankill,

miraculously forded by
290.

St. Patrick,

'

3-T

^>

~J&

*fci

Persons, Events,

to

sis i" the,

meaning

siillii,

379

Simon Magus, death of, 206.

sini'll, the first who believed in

ESrinn,

',

prophi

Tailcenn,

-1.

291.

etc.

St.

49

in,

meaning

of,

49; bishop

Sliabh-Hermoin,

of,

of,

of,

19.

Patrick

to,

by

to,

66.

St. Patrick's tin

Smiths,

256; banquet

hall of,

Brine it, 259; SI

concluat, 274
sion of St. Patrick's vi it to, 278
the plain of, 279,
St. Patrick ble sin
Endi n
baptised at, 283
to, 285; the saint's departnn
287j the men of Erin feasting at,
;

burned by

i,

ham, and Fori

Soldier, the angel appearing

chieftains of old

Patrick,

St.

books
Tassach, St. Patrick's artifi.
administered the last sacrament, to
the saint, 363.

tb

name

Soul-friend, Irish

for confessor,

Spain, the Ariano traversing, 140.

Sparks of fire Been by lire on St.
1'atriek's lips, 283.
to St. Patrick,
Staff ol
178, 186, 190; .1. -traction of the
i

rith, 288,

Teach-na-Roman founded by Palladia

trick's disciple, 46.

Patrick at the

Tell town, St.

272, 396.

St. Patrick's, 149.

Temptation,

377.

'..

I.:

LOS

of,

of

108

ne

left by St. Patrick at fashcl, 32S;

thrown behind him, 397.
St. Patrick writing names on,

408

Aitchen

patron saint

of,

town, plain near, visited by the

.

St. Patrick landed in Ireland, 221.

Tiernmas, worship of idols introduced
by, -287; death of, 287.

Tillemont,
159,

290.

//

/.'
.

'imitations from.

'..

180, 200.

Patrick preaches to the

St.

cross on,

Strebane,

332,

when

an altar-sb

flight of

at,

471.

Patrick's, in the CI

predictions

100.

iptism
St.

de;

St. Patrick's visit to,

liver blessed

ng

-1")

49 prophi ey about, 50
St. Patrick preaching at, 201
iall at, 223
of Lai
.ut. at, 252
aire requested the saint to return

7,251.
Mr., identifications of, 248.
Skerry, famous pilgrimage at, 132.
3t Piacos monaster; in, 47

111.

mi

Tirawley,
people of, 296.
Tirechan, Annotations of, their antimention of St. Patrick's
quity, 07
.! , -jul quotations from,
;

116.

Patrick, 111.
Successors, list of St. Patrick's, in the
of
see

Poi hint,

285

important quotation

onl

286

Patrick's visit

'

'

Snlpicii

Martin's

bio-

Todd,

grapheri 150.
I

to. 301.

nion condemned by theChurch,

Dr.,

ferred to,
i

177.

Swift,

Edmund,

his

theory

trail

rks on the

life

icts of St. Patrick by, 53.

Memoir
1

ion

his
saints

Roman

stations in

Patrick re

anew

Romai

brick's

on St

grave miastati
t!

of

St.

of

bach, 291, 404.

TabenuB, name

of

91

the elements, 269.

Patrick

invoked

Vico Varo, the monks

Tours, life of St Martin of, 63; St,

Patrick's visit to the monastery of,
147 ; St. Patrick's visit to St. Martin at, 173 ; the austerity of tlie

monks of, 174.

Tresi, sbter of Aengns

Mac

of, 259.
Victor, the bishop, consecration of,
319, 450.
Victor, St. Patrick's angel, apparitions of, 134, 179, 299. 379.
Vincent, St., of Lerius, his Catholia
teaching, 154.

Nadfraicb,

2S5.

Trian's slaves, St. Patrick's charity to,

341, 478.
Trian, Bishop, 47G.
7'rias Tltaitmaturgas, 379.
Trim, ancient name of, 245 veneration of St. Patrick's disciple at,
250 dun at, 394 ; notices of by
Dr. Butler, 395.
Tripartite, quotations from, 49 ; three
ancient MSS. of, 55 ; discovered by
O'Curry, 55 ; antiquity of, 56
translated by Mr. Hennessy for this
work, 70 ; commencement of the

Visions, St. Patrick's, 134, 170, 175,

192, 221.
Vita Quartet, quotations from, li 2, 107
1SS, 205, 344.

Vita

in,

173.

2S7.

as Pvtrus, 207.

Tuoby, Dr., grave

335.
of, 311.
Patrick's visit to

of,

Wales and Brittany, Mochatocc hon-

Tyrone, night of the Earl

Tyrrhene Sea,
the islands

St.

ored as an apostle in, 46.

Sir James, his works, 65 ;
opinion of St. Patrick's Confession,
69, n. 9 ; opiuion about his con-

Ware,

of, 195.

Ua

Bairds, or Longobards, 114.

Ui-Ercau, a tribe iu county Kildare,

secration, 215.
into honey, 375.
of, 80.
Well at Tobar-Knn-Maighe, 301, 41S ;
at Aen-Adharrac, 297 ; at MaighcSlecht, 400 ; at Uarau-Gar, 4i!il
at
Tara, 42Z.
Whitsuntide, St. Patrick spends, at
Croagh Patrick. 414.
WicklowJ tin.' leper's arrival at, 109;

Water changed

462.

quotations from,

107, 212, 225 ; compared with Book

of Armagh, 227 ; abrupt conclusion
of, 27S.
Vita Sexto, quotations from, 225
244.
Vita Tertia, quotations from, 107, 144,
1SS.
Voice of the Irish calling St. Patrick,
170, 211.

translation, 372
Tullyhaw, barony of, important events

Tu

Quinta,

17S, 243.

Vita Secunda, quotations from, 101,

Wattle, house

UKdians taught by St. Patrick, 235.

St. PaUlster, Annals of, SO, 222
;

trick's landing in,

229

St.

Patrick

in, 319.
Ultan, St., bis charity to the poor, GS.

name for

Auxilius, 324.
Usher, opinion of St. Patrick's Confession, 69 ; ancient Life of St.
Patrick mentioned by, 174 opinion
about his consecration, 214.
Usail, St., Irish

St. Patrick landed

the saint to, 323.

Xavier, St. Francis,

Japan, 19.

Veagh, remarkable miracle at, 306.

Vedastus, St., the monastery of, 69.
Vetuatiara
Latinorum
Scriptorum
Chronica, 98.

Young.

Dr.,

m, 226

his

tombstone

of,

visit of

missiou in

3S5.

s&
Sliulcx to

Achailh-farcDa, field of lightning, 391.

well of, iu county
May. 413.
Aen-Adharrao, the well of, 297.
Aileaoh, royal palace of, 31 6.

Achadh-Fobhair,

Airdne-Caemhan, in Connaught, 498.

Al-Cluaid, 372; the royal palace at,

Itocalititf.

Braid, the river, 131.

county Meath, 461.
Bright, ancient name for Downpatrick,
i

51, 385.

Bri leith, in Longford, 399,

Britain, country
of
St.

n.

Patrick's

parents, 71.

375.

Aottach Ifacha, near Armagh, 357.

Ardd-Maohte, city of, 51

Anl-Patrick, county Limerick, 334.
Ard-Phadraig, in Louth, .Ms.
Ard-senlis, county Raacouuni
Ardsratha, a church in Tj rone, 193.
Ardstraw, in c. unity Tyrone, 315.
'

Atli carpait, a ford "ii the river Boyle,

439.
Ath-da-lorg, in Kells, 406",
Ath-O'Lilaigh, a ford bordering Monaghan, 457.
Ath-Trim, ancient name of Trim, 245.

Badhghna North, county Roscommon,

491.
Ballina, 29G.
Ballintober, well of, 413.
Ballisakeery, parish of, 296.
Ballybrindar, holy well at, 230.
lughdalla, 426.

BaMymagaaran, count Cavan,

laiael-Irra, Sli

Callraighe, in Westmeath, 431.

Callraigbe, in Sligo, 131
'!

in

Cashel, the rock

i,

Bantry, ancient name of, 137.

Barrow, the river, celebrated monasn, 40.

church of, Roscommon, 407.

h-Gabhrau, ancient name of
Qowran, 326.
Bertlacha, an island belonging to Sligo,
,

W.

Place's

of,

monastery

county

119.

Itoscommon, 299,

394, n.

Cechtumbar, a church beside

453.

.1,
Bnna, in count] Doni
46 !.
Ciarraighe-Airne, in comity Mayo,
'<

411.
Ciarraighe, in Connaught, 394, n.
Cill-Alaidh, county Mayo, 296, 424.
Cill-Buaidh, 299.
Cill-Corcaraidhe, in
county Westmeath, 428.
Cill-Oarad, now Oran, county ltoa-

common,
."09.

Ballytigpatrick, townland of, 133.

i:;n.

,-St.

in. 46, 49.

-In7.

Cill-roe-mor, now Kilroc,

428.
Cill-Tog, in Mayo, 419
Clebacb, the well of, 291.

in

Mayo,

C-Locha-na-n-Airneadb, in Mayo, 394

Clonord, county Meath, -117.
Clonbroney, nunnery "f, 300.
lonbnrren, 290.
Clonmacnoise ford, near where St.
Patrii
cro Bed the Sh innon, 299.
C'luaiii
Bronaigh, county \.
(

I.

Bile-Tartan, in Meath, 458.

Binbulbin, county Sligo, -117.
Blaokwatarin Meath, 396.

B doney, church
i

of,

394

n.

Quain-Iraird, county Meath.

t

77.

incieut nam.- <;", 130.

ancient' name of, 2 13;
of the,

300,

!hoc a-tirrol, the bill

117.

ol

296.

county Louth,

mouth

128,229; 376.

Coram*.

123.

Index

654

to Localities.

G'orco-TJiemne, comity Mayo, 418.

Corcu-Achland, east of Roscommon,
40].
Coshlea, county Limerick, 473.
Costello, county Mayo, 411.
Coyle river, ancient name of, 345.
Croch-Cuile-Conmaicne, in Connaught,
408.
Cross-Patrick, in Killala, 296, 423.
Cruachan, Cruachan-Aighle, a mountain in Mayo, now Croagh-Patrick,
297, 414.
Cruachan, palace of the kings of Con-

naught, 290.

Emlagh, county Roscommon, 395.

Emptur, see Nemtor.
Erende, in county Monaghan, 455.
Es-Ruaidh, in Donegal, 305.
Feidelm, a church in county Dublin, 4.39
Fenagh, county Leitrim, 399.
Fera Bfis, south of Monaghan, 456.
Fera-Cuile, in Kells, 457.
Ferta-fer-fec, ancient
257.

Fidharta, county

hill of,

Domhnach,

wood

of,

in Killala, 2S4,

295.

in Killala, 424.

stone

at,

altar-

325,

in

Queen's

county,

n.

Domnachs, the seven, 446.

Donagh- Patrick, conuty Meath,
Dorsum Salicis at Armagh, 349.

Ford

tribes, in

280.

Drumanna-bregh, in Meath, 417.

Drummana, county Sligo, 411, n.
hummut, county Roscommon, 411, n.
Drum-Urchaille, a church in Meath,
I

Meath, 279.
in West-

hill

Glenarm, church of, 442.

Glenavy, in Down, St. Patrick's church
314.

Glynn, church

of,

442.

Gowran, ancient name

Druim-lias, in county Leitrim, 431.

Druim-raithe, in Westmeath, 39S.
Drmnconrath, county Meath, 2S0.
Drumma, in Sligo, 408.
Drumnacooha, in Killoe, 399, n.

of. .T_V>.

Grean, county Limerick, 330, 469.

Gregraighe, in Sligo, 427.
Grenan El}', anciently Ailech, 437Gulban-Guirt, a hill in county Mayo,
417.
Gullen, in King's county, 231.

Hy-Cremthand,

in county Meath, 450,

463.

Hy-Failge, county Kildare, 250, 339.

Hy-Fiachrach, in Connaught, 427Hy-Figeute, county Limerick, 331.

Hy-Garchon, 227, 323.

45S.

Drynaghans, in Sligo, 428.

Dubh, river in Sligo, 432.
hililin, Library of Trinity College,

two

of the

Freamhain, now Frewiu, a

meath, 340.

at,

396.

Drobhais, a river in Leitrim, 432.

Druirn-Choroorthri, in county Meath,

Forraeh-Patrick, a church in county

Kildare, 461.

280.

Domnach-Bile, 312.
Domnach-Fiacc, 4G.
Uomnach-mor, barony of Clare in Gal-

way, 402.
Domnach-mor,

near Kil-

425.

lala, 296,

miraculous

407.

472.

Forrach-Mac-Amalghaidh,
Romhnach-Patric,

of Slaue,

Fidh-mor, 307.
Finnine, the
Fochlut, the

Cuil-Tolaigh, in county Mayo, 412.

Cuircne, in Westmeath, 394, n.

name

Roscommon,

Hy-Kinsellagh, the, 47

King

of,

Crimthaun,

48.

66.

Duin-Sebuirgi, now Dunseverick, 315.

Duleek, Kierau's church at, 139.
Dumbarton, S3, SG, 372.
Dumha-graidh, in county Mayo, 403.
1 Kimha-Selca, in Roscommon,
407, n.
Dunlaing, King of Leiuster, 458.
Dunseverick, Patrick's well at, 441.

Inbher-Boinue, month of the Boyne,

394, .

mouth of a river near

Wicklow, 224, 381.
Idrone, county Carlow, church at, 230.
Imgoe, in Castlcreagh, county Roscommon, 407.
Inisfail, an island in Wexford harbor, 461.
[nishowen, St Patrick's hermitage at,
311.
Inbher- Dea,

Inia-Patrick, 228,
1

881.

[nver-Domnand, Malalmle nv.

[nver-Nainge,

Nanny nur,

r,

Du-

left, 381.
St.,

Island.

.['

Roscommon,

401.

...
3B1

n.:ir

north, county

.,

ot,

nver-Brena, probable ulentitication

Patrick's, near Skerries,

Maccuohor identification

donbtl
, ,
[sland-Magi e, ancient name
[vrea, probably the same a
conwas
Patrick
when St.

Magh-Life, a plain
Magh-Luirg,

Ma "li-Nai,

:a

'

a plain in

Mach-Slecht,

Wicklow, W0.

in

nnrt
-'.<

Roscommon,

county

-..

Leitnm,

Magh-Slecht, in county Cavan, 287.

Mantao, county Wicklow, 331,
279.

J is.

in county Dublin, 4.V.

Moin-Choluim, church south of Kil-

Mohan, a church

Kerry, coast of,

Kilfeaole, county Tipperary,4G7.
anciently Cill-Loebhain, 250.
Kilkenny, barony of, 394, .
Kilkenny, 200.
Killala, church near, 261 ; 200.
Killaragbt, county Sligo, 408.
Killemry, church founded by St. iaI

dare, 324, 46L

Morning Star, the river, 331.
Mount Hermon, 191.

Mourne
of,

mountain'!,

tlio

ancient

231.

390,

Kildare,

south of couuty

Moy-alvy,

name

.,,

>'>.

parish ot 280.
Mughorna, near Dublin, 466.
MuTrisk, in county Sligo, 429.
Mruloch-Fharraidh; the Hill of
t,

290.
Killfhorclann, church of, 296.
'>- 1, n.
KiUoasy, county Kildare,
t.

ICHpatrick, id Lennox, 78.

Kiltecly, parish of, county Limerick,
330.
Kisse, a mountain in Donegal, 434.

sembly, 296.
t, county Limerick,

Mun !

Ihe-Tire, in

I.athrach-Patraic, well at.

Xaas, county Kildare, 458.

Nemthur, the native town of

314

Latteragh, county Tipperary, 337.

therockofCashel,

Lee-Patrick, 432,

county Tip

337.

Knock-Cae, 331.

As-

Nenagh, church

I.;::.

Lemhuin, a church

in

county Cyrone,

451.
Lerins, the monastery of, 151.
Letha. or Latium. Brittany so called
1

Limerick^ Aradha-Ghacn

in.

330

St.

Patrick's Woll near, 334; st. Patrick's church.

Loch-Fii, expansion of the Shannon,
307.
LoclbTechet. in south of Sligo, 408.
at Tara, 2S3.

Mac-Ercac, plain in Roscommon, 421.

Magh-Ai, OSnnajght, LOG
n. II 1.
Magh-Airtich.oountyRoscom
Magh-Bregh, plain of, in Month, 2d 3.
>W (,'arra, county Mayo,

U-2.

Magh-Dala, 311.
-Eni, south of Donegal, 18

St

i a-

trick, 248.

110.

NeUBtria, name
Nevtur, 248.

near, 337.
of a province, S5.

Newry, county Down, commencement

of

the ancient district of Dalariada,

131.

Nodain, a lake in county Roscommon,

433.

Normandy

called Neustria,

>.

Northern and Southern Letha,

87.

nty Roscommon, 407.

Ixford, Bodleian Library at, 00.

Dallas-green, county Limerick, 330.

at,
Pannpnia, St. Martin's birth-place
11 13.

l'artree,

county Mayo, 418.

Rashee, church
Rathcolpa, now Baholp, county Down,
260.

'^MMs^mi,
Index

65 G

to Localities.

Rafch-Cuilo, in county Month, 457.

Rath-Cuuga in Seirtlie, Donegal,

Sugar-loaf Mountain, anciently called

iSliabk-Cualunn, 226.

403.

Rath-Murbhuilg, now Maghera,

Down, 4 IS.
Ratk-Noi, in Wieklow, 4G0.
Rath-Righbhaird, in Sligo, 428.

Rock

of Cashcl,

in

called also Patrick's

Rock, 110.
Rosses, iu Sligo, 432.

Taltenam, county Meath, 396.

Tamhnagh, a church in Sligo, 404.
Telach-Maine in Londonderry, 450.
Telach-na-cloch, in i;oscommon,41 !-,.
Telltuwn, in Meath, 272, 391').
Tethbha, partly iu Longford and Westmeath, 399, n.
Timolin, ancient

Sangnl, well of, 333.

now the Blackwater in
273, 396.

Meath,

Sele,

Senchell-Dnmaighe, church in county

Roscommon, 403.
Senchill, county Roscommon, 412.
Senchua, in Ui-Ailclla, now Shancoe,
county

Sligo, 401.

Sen-Domnach, a church in Roscommon, 40G.

Singland, county Limerick, 334.
Slan, well of, 231.
Slane, ancient name of, 243 ; hill of,
254, 384.
Sletty, 44, 47, 49, 6G.
Sliabh-Liag, in Tir-Boghainc, a mountain in county Donegal, 402.
Slieve-Mis (Slemish), place of St. Pa-

mountain

324.

of,

Ui-Cremhthainne,

county Meath,

in

391.

Ui-Dorthain, in Meath, 395.

Ui-Meith-Tire, in Monaghan, 455.
Ui-MeitU-Mara, bordering on Longford, 455.

Uisneach,

hill of, in

Westineath, 253,

464.

trick's captivity, 129, 131.

Sliabh-Slainge, a
418.

name

Tirawley, in county Mayo, 285, n.

Tir-Eoghan, hermitage at, 31 1
Tirglass, now Terryglass, 332,471.
Tobar-Finumaighe, Mayo, 418.
Tobar-Mucno, county Mayo, 412.
Tobar-Patrick, a well at Tara, 422.
Tobar-Stringle, county Mayo, 413.
Traig-Eothaili, in county Sligo, 404.
Tuberuacool holy well, 132.

in

Down,

Slievemargy, Queen's county, 49.

Sligech, ancient name of the river that

Uladh, territory

of,

235

the eastern

part of Down, 3S3, n.

Uinhall, county Mayo, 413.
Uran-Garad, well of, 407.
Usail, in county Eildare, 4G0.

flows through Sligo, 429.

Suamh-da-en, ford on the Shannon,
county Roscommon, 290, 400.

Vartry River, ancient name

Srath-Patrick, in Leitrim, 432.

Strangford Lough, probable site of St.
Patrick's landing, 230, 3S2.

Wexford Harbor, 408.

White Plain, the, 301.

>

DY P.ALI.ANTYNE

AND COMPANY

EDINBURGH AND LONDON

of,

377-

BW5326.P3C98
The

life

of Saint Patrick, apostle of

Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library

1012 00035 3385