Archdall
has stated, that St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
, c, ci.
, cii.
, ciii.
, civ,, cv.
, cvi.
, cvii.
, pp.
142, 143, and nn.
146, 147, 148, 149.
15°.
IS^.
152, 153, 154, p, 180.
Also, the Irish Tri-
liv. , Iv. , Ivii. , p. 25. Also,
626 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March i).
change of seasons, and for many centuries. Near this church, a pulpit was shown , and, from this, St. Patrick was wont to preach. Moreover, many rau-acles were said to have been wrought there, in honour of the great founder. ^'
CHAPTER XIV.
ST, PATRICK LEAVES CONNAUGHT AND PROCEEDS TOWARDS DONEGAL—HIS MISSION IN TIR-AODHA—FAVOURABLY RECEIVED THERE BY THE DYNAST CONALL GULBAN— LOUGH DEARG AND ITS PILGRIMAGE—ST. PATRICK LEAVES FOR TIR-EOGHAIN— HONOURABLY TREATED BY THE DYNAST EUGENIUS—HE NEXT VISITS AILECH— CHURCHES FOUNDED IN INISHOWEN, AND NEAR DERRY—THE TWO MAC-CARTHINNS —ST. PATRICK ADVANCES TOWARDS THE RIVER BANN, AFTERWARDS SO REMARK- ABLE FOR ITS ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
The ill—ustrious Apostle of Ireland entered the Ulster province, by Eas- Ruaidh' acelebratedcataractontheRiverErne,nightoBallyshannon,^^in the present county of Donegal. 3 This waterfall is now called Assaroe. '* Here,hedesiredtobuildachurch;5 and,accordingtooneaccount,hecom- menced its erection, and also a congbail,^ in the place, subsequently called Disert-Patrick, or " the desert of St. Patrick. " St. Brigid^ is said to have accompanied him. ^ The local name, if it ever existed at Ballyshannon, seems now to have became obsolete. However, in Disert-Patrick, there was afterwards a stone, called after him, Lec-Patrick, or Leac Phadruic. This was shown by the people, at one time, although it is not known, at present. Yet, possibly, it corresponded, a few centuries ago, with the Ballyboe9 of Cashill, alias Lack,'° now the townland of Cashel,"adjoiningBallyshannon. Itisremarkable,thatwithinashortdis- tance of a cave, near the sea shore, at Assaroe Abbey," there is a holy well, which is chiefly visited on Lady Day, although called " St. Patrick's Well. "'^
Ixv. , Ixvi. , p. 79, cap. xc, p. 86, cap. xcvi. ,
founded Emania—had been drowned in this
cataract, and thenceforward it was called
after him, Eas-Ruaidh, or Eas-Aedha- "
p. 87, cap. cxviii. , p. 92, cap. cxlii. , p. 96. '
liberty of fishing for salmon, in the Erne river.
Chapter XIV. — The Book of Leinster
and other ancient authorities state, that pounded of con, 'together,' and bAile, 'a Aedh-Ruadh—the father of Macha, who house,' and is found as the name of a parish
Ruaidh, Aedh-Ruadh's waterfall," now a. d. mcccxcvil," &c. Edited by the Rev. shortened to Assaroe. See Dr. P. W. William Reeves, D. D. , M,R. I. A. , n. (t),
"
of Places," part ii. , chap, v. , p. 176.
Joyce's
p. 79.
^ Her festival occurs, at the tst of Feb-
ruary.
^ to the " Leabhar Breac. " According
" By an Inquisition, taken in the thirty* first year of Queen Elizabeth, to inquire into the lands of Assaroe abbey, this Ballyboe was found to have been seized, among its
'
Origin and History of Irish Names
This town, so finely situated, lies partly
within the bounds of and Kilbarron, partly
— within those of Inishmacsaint parishes
9 It contains over acres, 687
in the barony of Tirhugh—and, it is shown, on
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the
the County of Donegal," Sheet 107.
3 The Rev, Dr. Lanigan is of opinion,
that St. Patrick left Connaught, for his other possessions.
Ulster journey, about the beginning of the
''
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii. , p.
257.
* St. Conan of Eas-Ruaidh was venerated,
on the 8th of March.
SA celebrated abbey was afterwards
founded, near the town, and it crowns a curious limestone rock. The abbot had the
" This townland lies within the parish of
Kilbarron, in the barony of Tirhugh, and it is noted on the " Ordnance Survey Town-
land Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 103, 107. Also, there is a town, with townlands, called Laghy, in the parish of Drumhome, and barony of Tirhugh. See ihid. . Sheet 100.
" The accompanying view, drawn on the
year 442. See
^''CongbAit, 'a habitation,' is com-
in in the Conwall,
of "— Donegal. '
County
" Acts of Archbishop Colton in his Metro- pohtan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry,
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 62'j
By its side are two indentations, popularly believed to be prints, left by the saint's knees. Round the well'* are seven small ieachis, or penitential stations,
formed of pebbles or small stones, '5 where pilgrims are wont to pray. '^ Here, Cairbre,'7 a son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, opposed him, and he sent two of his people, whose names were Carbacc,'^ or Corbhach,'? and Cuan-
Ruins of Abbey Assaroe, with Bay of Donegal, in the Distance.
giis,2° or Congus,=' to seize his hands. The Apostle desired to mollify the tyrant, by deprecatory and mild words. " What you do is not good," said
to found a it should become place here,
Patrick " if I were ; for,
permitted
another Rome of Letha, with its Tiber running through it. This should be
myestablishment,withitsEas-Ruaidhrunningthroughit; and,yourdescen- dants should be comarbs in it. " " Thereupon, Cairbre,=3 or his henchman,
spot, and transferred to the wood, by
William F. Wakeman, has been engraved by Mrs. Millard.
'3 The basin, which contains the water, is a small natural formation in the limestone rock, at the opening of a little glen.
' A venerable thorn
votive offerings, still remains in the vicinity of this well,
'5
These frail monuments, though washed by spring tides, are constantly renewed.
'^ The Catholic clergy of Ballyshannon do
all in their to the
power, discourage holding
of stations, at this ancient font. See William
Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon and Bundoran," &c.
Third excursion, p. 96.
'' He was brother 10 Eoghan, ancestor of
the Cinel Enna ; to Conall Gulban, ancestor of the Cinel Conaill ; to Laoghaire, King of Ireland, from 428 to 463 ; to Conall Grim- thann; toFiac; andtoMaine.
'*
So is he called, in the Irish Tripartite Life.
'9 His name is thiis written, in the Latin Tripartite.
F. Wakeman's "
here, of Italy. "
tree,
covered with
^' This form of his name is
found,
in the
="> He is called Life.
so,
in the Irish
Tripartite
Latin Tripartite.
" The extract from the " Leabhar Breac,"
" What
you have done is not good," said Patrick;
"if you would permit me to erect a cong-
bknil —it would become a second Rome
"
Rev. William Reeves' Acts of
fol. 15 (J. a. , thus reports his words :
Visi- tation of Derry, A. D. Mcccxcvil. ," n. (t),
P- 79-
=3 From Cairbre descended the Cinel-
Cairbre of Carbury, county of Sligo, and of Gaura, or North Taffia, county of Longford. Tuathal Maolgarbh, his grandson, was King ofIreland,from533to544.
Colton in his
Archbishop Metropolitan
628 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
Corbhach, incited a dog to attack Patrick. But wishing to save him from this danger, Cuangus struck the dog, and drove it away with a rod. Then Patrick said to him, who had urged on the dog to seize him, that his race shouldnotexceedasmallband; and,thatthepalmoflaicsorclericsshould not be from him. This prophecy was duly fulfilled. But, as to Cuangus, since he agreed only to seize Patrick's hands, on behalf of Cairbre, the holy man predicted, that his race should not be more numerous than a small company, yet, that illustrious men should proceed from them. This prophecy was also fulfilled. Cairbre promised to Cuangus, for seizing Patrick's hands, so far as he could see to the north of Sliabh-Cise,^+ or Kisse, now probably BreesyHill,=sintheparishofKilbarron. ^^ WhenCuangusturnedtotake a view about this place, however, a dark cloud closed around him, so that he only saw to the sea westwards, and to the little River Unseann^? eastwards.
Crich-Conaill belonged to Cairbre, at that time, so far as Rath-Cunga,^^ now called Racoon; and, the northern half of the river, next to Cinel-
Conaill, commensurate with the present county of Donegal, was his part.
" This which God river,
" share of it your
said
shall not be fruitful as regards fish. " St. Patrick predicted, likewise, thatConall's
share, which was the southern half, should be fruitful. This in reality
happened, until Murghins,^9 or Murgesius, son of Maelduin, son of Scannal, an illustrious king of Cairbre's race, presented the unfruitful part to Colum- Cille. Afterwards, it abounded with fish, and, it was found to be a source of profit,- for those who sought them in its waters.
Then, St. Patrick went between Es Ruaidh and the 'sea, into Crich- Conaill, to Rath Chunga. 3° He fixed a stake there, and said it should be an abode and establishment, for seven bishops. There Bite,3' a brother's son to Aisicus,32 Bishop of Elphin, rested from his labours. On his way, having
•'• Kisse was the name of a mountain, as Tirhugh, and county of Donegal. In after also of a river, in Tirhugh, county of days, this was the regal abode of King
Donegal. It was ndar the River Erne. See
Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," n. 155, p. 180.
^^ It is on the east border, and the highest ground, of the parish. It has an altitude of 852 feet. See " The Parliamentary Gazet- teer of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 361.
*^ The parish, in the barony of Tirhugh, is defined on tlie "Ordnance Sui-vey Town-
land Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 89, 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, no. A
little beyond the sandy beach of Bally- shannon Harbour, and rising high over the
Domhnall, about the time of Columkille. See
gave you, Cairbre,"
Patrick,
beetling cliffs, on the sea-shore, stood the logies, Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiach-
picturesquely-situated Castle of Kilbarron,
the former residence of the celebrated
who were a of Irish his- O'Clerys, family
torians. A picture of the ruins, with an in- teresting account of these hereditary
rach," n. (h), p. 278.
3° In the Latin Tripartite Life of St.
cap. cxi. , p. 144.
^' This man is said to have been holy
identical with St. Beoadh, Bishop of Ard- carne, in the county of Roscommon. His feast occurs, at the 8th of March.
3- It is said, he was also buried in Rath-
will be chroniclers, found,
in the
"
Irish
Patrick,
cius per Tirconalliani, itinere inter Eas- Ruaid et Oceanum suscepto, venit ad locum cui vocabulum : —a funda-
Penny Journal," for 1840. Dr. George Petrie was the writer of the article, in
question.
'' So do we read, in the Latin Tripartite
I-ife ; but, in the English translation of the Irish version, we find this rendered "the ash eastwards. "
Rath-amga ibique
mentis Ecclesiam excitavit," &c. Lib. ii. ,
'^^ It is said to have been
as Ard-Foihadh, in the townland of Bally- magrorty, parish of Drumhome, barony of
cunga.
formerly
known
His feast was held, on the 27tli of April. He was also known, by the name of Assan.
Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"
Life of St.
Columba," lib. i. , cap. 10, n. (e), pp. 37, 38.
Archdall has stated, that St. Patrick
founded an abbey here. See
"
Monasticon
Hibernicum," p. 104. The Tripartite only says, however, that he founded a church.
-9 He was lord of the Cinel-Cairbre, who
were seated in the barony of Carbury,
county of Sligo, and he died, according to the "Annals of the Four Masters," in 696. See Dr. John O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. ,
"
pp. 298, 299. See, also, The Genea-
we find: " Patri- Pergens postea
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 629
fixed a pole in Ard-fothaidh,33 Patrick began to build a church, on this height, which is now said to be known as Ardpattan,34 a small town near Bally-
shannon, and contiguous to Ballymagroarty, in which was Rathcunga. 35 This practice seems to have indicated the preparatory intention, and a rite then adopted,beforeahousehadbeendedicatedtoGod. Onthemorrow,how- ever, the pole was found to be bent. It seems probable, that St. Patrick was in the habit of consecrating churches and altars, according to the Roman rite, which Pope Sylvester 1. 3^ had first instituted, when, under the reign of the Emperor Constantine, the Christian Religion enjoyed a respite, from those severe persecutions of previous ages. 37 After what he had seen, as we are told in the Irish Tripartite, Patrick said, that the place should be the seat of a king, as he regarded the sign to be declaratory of his abandonment, in regard to making it serve for ecclesiastical purposes. He foresaw, that Domhnall,3S the grandson of Ainmire,39 and who was subsequently so cele- brated in Irish history, should there establish his residence, at a future period.
Afterwards, Patrick left the place, and he returned to that beautiful hill, called Sith-Aedha, which arose over the margin of the Erne River, and near to Assaroe. Even yet, the place is named Mullaghshee,'t° and it lies a little to the north of Ballyshannon town. There Conall,*^ the son of Niall of the
Nine Hostages, and brother to King Laoighaire, was engaged holding a public assembly. These local conventions seem to have been of frequent
occurrence in Ireland, at this time, as during subsequent periodical occasions. They were held for legislative, judicial and consultative purposes, while they
served to regulate public and private rights and interests, according to that freedom of restricted jurisdiction, among the chieftains and their clans, as recognised by the ancient national constitution and tribal laws, which governed our ancestors. The Apostle bestowed his blessing on Conall, and his son Ferguss-*^ most earnestly desired the like favour. Then Patrick
and his hands on the and " A
solemnly placed
boy's head,^3 said,
slowly
33 This was the royal residence, in the time of St. Columba. Dr. James M'Parlan makesSt. Patrickfoundanabbeyhere. See " Statistical Survey for the County of Donegal," p. 118.
10639. See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of
the Fom- Masters," vol. i. , pp. 246 to 257, 39HewasthefirstcousinofSt. Columkille. ^° It means, the hill of the sidh or fairy-
palace. On it a modern church is now
built. See Dr. P. \V. " and Joyce's Origin
History of Irish Names of Places," part ii. ,
chap, v. , p. 176.
*' Known as Conall Gulban, and he was
^^ It is within the of
parish Kilbarron,
and
barony of Tirhugh. Its extent is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the County of Donegal," Sheets 103, 107.
35 The Latin
in the vicinity of each other. "In coUe territory described in the Book Fenagh, vicino Ard-fothadh appellato, ccepit etiam fol. 47, a. a. —extended from the River
were
jacere fundamenta Ecclesias. Sed die sequenti, inchoata f—abrica ccepit corruere, et
— of all the Cineal Conaill. Their progenitor
of
pene tota corruit. "
Lib.
to the stream of Dobhar, which flows from the rugged mountains. Sliabh Liag was in this territory. The country of the Cineal Conaill was called Tir-Boghaine, and it was included in the present barony of
Tripartite, states, they
144.
3° This saint governed the church over 21
years, and he died at the close of the year 334. See Berti's " Ecclesiasticse Historire
Breviarium," iv. ssec, cap. i. , p. 112. Ac- cording to another account, he died on the
31st of December, the day of his feast, A. D. 335. See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of
the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol, xii. December xxxi.
"
37 See Breviarium Romanum Pars
Autumnalis, Officium Dedicationis Basilicae Salvatoris. " Noct. ii. , lect. iv. , v. , vi.
Banagh, county of Donegal. See John "
38 He was King of Ireland, from A. D, 624
'
^^ Afterwards, he married Erca, the daughter of Loarn Mor, King of Scotland, by whom he became father to Felim, who was the father of St, Columba. Ere had been previously married to Muredach, his cousin, and son of Eoghan, son to Niall of
the Nine Hostages.
ii. , cap. cxii,, p.
Donegal,
Eidhneach or Eany, falling into the harbour of Inbhear Naile, or Inver, the bay of
O'Donovah's Leabhar na g-Ceart, or Book of Rights," n. (w), pp. 130, 131.
630 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
child of benediction shall spring from thee, and who shall be enriched with treasures of science and wisdom. He shall be a Prophet of the Most High, a burning and a shining light, and never shall a deliberate falsehood proceed from his mouth. " '» Then Patrick blessed the Cenel-Conaill, and he left a blessing Hkevvise, on their forts, and rivers, and churches. It has been generally supposed, that St. Patrick,<5 a nephew to the Irish Apostle, gave name to St. Patrick's Purgatory,*^ on an island, at Lough Derg. However, the prevailing popular tradition, in that district, the accounts of some writers, and certain reasons advanced for our holy Patriarch's possible visit to the Lough, after hehadcrossedtheErne,atAssaroe,areworthyofconsideration. 47 It certainly seems not inconsistent with probability, that the Irish Apostle visited this wild region ; for, his recorded journey to the north brought it indirectly on his route, as recorded in the Tripartite Lives. This lake is in the parish of Templecarn, barony of Tirhugh, and county of Donegal. The islands and lake, with the surrounding territories, for many miles, constituted at one time the patrimonyattachedtothisholyplaceofpilgrimage. Ithasbeenstated,thatSt. Patrick entered a cave in the island of the Lough, in order to pray more de- voutly to God, being removed from the abstractions of this world, in the gloomy retreat of Derg. He is related, to have traced the path to the InfinitCj^^ for explorers of the invisible world, and there Dante has followed, with inspiring song. WhilehismindwasearnestlydirectedtotheDivinity,Patrickprayed, that the pains of Purgatory might be shown to him. His request was granted, and lo ! before his heaven-touched fancy, the region of purgatory sprang into existence, and he saw the souls of millions, undergoing the process of purification, each placed in such a crucible, as was fitted to soften
and remove the terrestrial dross, that stained the ethereal essence of the
spirit ; some marked with a deep hue, which much destroyed their heavenly radiance, but which blackened them not wholly ; others half dimmed, half
bright, and in the rapid progress of becoming spirits of light, from the action of the purifying element of fire; some becoming effulgent, by slow and
almost imperceptible degrees, as having no friends to pray for them ; while others glowed in the furnace, and cast off the foul crust, with amazing rapidity, by the force of those prayers and alms, which their friends offered for them on earth. Some he saw escaping from the flames, and winging their
<3 The Irish Tripartite Life avers, that Conal—l wondered at this thing, when Patrick
^s Others say, that it was called St. Patrick's Purgatory, from a prior, nanaed
said
:
" A youth (i. e. Colum Cille) shall be bom of his tribe,
Who will be a sage, a prophet and poet, A glorious, bright, clear light,
Who will not utter falsehood. "
4* The Rev. Dr. Lanigan, however,
questions the accuracy of this Tripartite statement. He thinks, if Adamnan had known, that St. Patrick himself delivered such a prophecy, he would certainly have recoideii it, in his Life ot St. Columba, where there is no mention of such a
Patrick, 850.
who ruled the about monastery
predic- Ecclesiabtical History of Ire-
^7 See this subject clearly treated, in that admirable, interesting, and learned work of Rev. Daniel O'Connor, " Lough Derg and its Pilgiimages," with Map and lUustra- tions, chap, vi. , pp. 32 to 35. Dublin, 1879, cr. 8vo.
*^ "1\ visita, assurait-on, les lieux d'ex-
piation, et, plus justement, qu'a Virgile, le
chantre de I'Enfer, du — et du Pa- Purgatoire
radis aurait pu lui dire I :
'" Tu duca, tu signore, e tu maestro. '
105, 106.
49 Such is the] account we find, in an in-
"
*5 He died and was buried, at Glaston-
—Le Hersart de la Vicomte,
tion. See
land," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, ii. , n. 8, p. 263.
Villemarque's "La Legende Celtique et la Poesie des Cloilres en Irlande, en Cambric et en Bre- tagne. " Premiere Partie, sect. XVII. , pp.
" Britannica-Hibernica," pp. 578, 581.
bury. See Bishop Tanner's
Bibliotheca-
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 631
course to heaven ; others were almost bright enough, to attempt the same effort. 49 It has been thought, that St. Patrick, under the influence of such a vision, estabhshed this island as a terrestrial purgatory, for those, who were to succeed him in the place ; and, St. Daveog,5° his reputed disciple, is said to have built a church and monastery here, and besides, to have carried out the details of the penitential retreat, of which he had received the outlines from his great master. The religious establishment, originally known as Patrick's Purgatory, was first fixed on what is now called the " Saint's Island," and from this, there was a bridge to the mainland, which gave easy access to the public. 5' During the early times of the Irish Church, and even during the middle ages, as at the present day, this Purgatory continued in high repute,
bothathomeandabroad. Wefindinourrecords,severalsafeconducts,
granted by the kings of England, to foreigners, who were desirous of visiting it as pilgrims. After the Reformation in England, this very remote spot was deemed to be a safe retreat for priests and people, during the penal days, until in 1632, Sir James Balfour and Sir William Stewart were ordered by the State, to seize upon the religious house, at St. Patrick's Purgatory, and to disperse the community there established. Sir William afterwards informed the Privy Council, that he ordered halls, works, foundations, and vaults, &c. , to be rooted up. He ordered the place, called St. Patrick's bed, and the stoneonwhichheknelt,tobethrownintotheLough. Furthermore,those Commissioners reported, that they found on the island an abbot and forty friars, and that there was a daily resort of 450 pilgrims to it. s^ After this, the station was changed from the Saint's Island, to another island much smaller, and removed about half a mile from the shore. A boat is in waiting, during the station-time, to ferry passengers across to the churches and houses, where the pilgrims resort, on this island. It is separated, far from the thronged haunts of men, and from the bustle of the crowded city, and there are no ex- ternal objects to distract the minds of devout pilgrims, except the screaming of wild fowl, as they fly over the silent waters of this extensive lake. 53
There is a very curious Breton legend extant,54 and, it states, that our Divine Saviour gave the following promise to the glorious St. Patrick, at his
"
grotto on the Lough Dearg island :
Whosoever shall enter this cave,
having confessed and repented of his sins, and well established in faith, he shall
purge away all offences, in one day and one night ; while he shall see, likewise,
the torments of the wicked, and the joys of the blessed. " It is said, that
each year, at the beginning of Lent, St. Patrick was accustomed to take a
boat, which he steered, and he was absent for forty days. During this time,
he had been engaged, making his Purgatory, as the legend goes j and, he always chose a distant and desert island, for the place of his retreat. 55
teresting little book, intituled the " Mirror
of Penance," which was published in London.
50 Three festivals were held yearly in his
honour, on the 1st January, 24th July, and 1 6th December.
s' See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 102.
^' Sir William Stewart obliged James
Magrath, the owner of this island, to enter
into a recognizance, "not to allow Jesuits, friars, nuns, or any other superstitious order of Popery to enter thereon. "
S3 See a communication to the London-
derry Journal oi June 12th, 1878, and headed, " Historical Notes on the Parishes
of Ardstraw, Umey, and Termonaghan, Diocese of Deny," by Hy-Fiachre. Part xvii. Loughderg.
S'* This is taken from a Manuscript, in the National Library, Paris, fr. 1544, fol. 105, Cf. , according to F. Denis, " Le Monde en- chante," et Marie de France, tome ii. , p. 423.
53 The celebrated Spanish poet, Don
Pedro Calderon de la Barca, among his
numerous dramas, has made this the subject
"
Purgatorio de san Patricio. " The Dramatis fersona are St. Patrick, Angels, a king of Ireland, his daughter, and various other minor characters. This romantic Drama has been rendered into elegant Eng- lish verse, by Denis Florence M'Carthy, and
of one,
632 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [March 17.
Certain fishermen saw him disembark one day on an islet, which no person durst approach, and there he went to the bottom of a cave, where the Magi celebrated mysterious rites. There were two subterranean routes in it ; one of these led to the abyss of eternal pains, and the other to the land of joy and of youth. Whoever went in there could only issue from it, by the aid of magic words. As St. Patrick did not appear again to their gaze, the fishers supposed he had passed away for ever, and they said, that those evil spirits, he chased away from every other part of Ireland, had taken refuge in this subterranean cavern, and that they kept him there a prisoner, within the
four walls of a dungeon, dark, cold, moist, miry and filled with venemous
reptiles, under a chilling and penetrating rain, which drop by drop fell on his shoulders, and penetrated even to the marrow of his bones. On the eve of
Easter, he reappeared to his monks, thin, pale and attenuated, like to a phantom. The year following, St. Patrick was observed anew to enter the same cave. His monks believed he remained there, so near the abyss of sorrows and the land of joy, that he witnessed whatever passed in both. Thus, by a strange concourse of events, the magic cavern was changed into the penitents' cell, and the old barbaric rites and pagan superstitions yielded to the great Christian truths, and to the sublime meditations of St. Patrick on Hell and Paradise. ^^
5**
Sanctorum Hi- hernias, secundum diversa tempora. " This covers a series of years, from a. d. 433 to
In the year 439, it is stated, that St.
liv. , Iv. , Ivii. , p. 25. Also,
626 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March i).
change of seasons, and for many centuries. Near this church, a pulpit was shown , and, from this, St. Patrick was wont to preach. Moreover, many rau-acles were said to have been wrought there, in honour of the great founder. ^'
CHAPTER XIV.
ST, PATRICK LEAVES CONNAUGHT AND PROCEEDS TOWARDS DONEGAL—HIS MISSION IN TIR-AODHA—FAVOURABLY RECEIVED THERE BY THE DYNAST CONALL GULBAN— LOUGH DEARG AND ITS PILGRIMAGE—ST. PATRICK LEAVES FOR TIR-EOGHAIN— HONOURABLY TREATED BY THE DYNAST EUGENIUS—HE NEXT VISITS AILECH— CHURCHES FOUNDED IN INISHOWEN, AND NEAR DERRY—THE TWO MAC-CARTHINNS —ST. PATRICK ADVANCES TOWARDS THE RIVER BANN, AFTERWARDS SO REMARK- ABLE FOR ITS ABUNDANCE OF FISH.
The ill—ustrious Apostle of Ireland entered the Ulster province, by Eas- Ruaidh' acelebratedcataractontheRiverErne,nightoBallyshannon,^^in the present county of Donegal. 3 This waterfall is now called Assaroe. '* Here,hedesiredtobuildachurch;5 and,accordingtooneaccount,hecom- menced its erection, and also a congbail,^ in the place, subsequently called Disert-Patrick, or " the desert of St. Patrick. " St. Brigid^ is said to have accompanied him. ^ The local name, if it ever existed at Ballyshannon, seems now to have became obsolete. However, in Disert-Patrick, there was afterwards a stone, called after him, Lec-Patrick, or Leac Phadruic. This was shown by the people, at one time, although it is not known, at present. Yet, possibly, it corresponded, a few centuries ago, with the Ballyboe9 of Cashill, alias Lack,'° now the townland of Cashel,"adjoiningBallyshannon. Itisremarkable,thatwithinashortdis- tance of a cave, near the sea shore, at Assaroe Abbey," there is a holy well, which is chiefly visited on Lady Day, although called " St. Patrick's Well. "'^
Ixv. , Ixvi. , p. 79, cap. xc, p. 86, cap. xcvi. ,
founded Emania—had been drowned in this
cataract, and thenceforward it was called
after him, Eas-Ruaidh, or Eas-Aedha- "
p. 87, cap. cxviii. , p. 92, cap. cxlii. , p. 96. '
liberty of fishing for salmon, in the Erne river.
Chapter XIV. — The Book of Leinster
and other ancient authorities state, that pounded of con, 'together,' and bAile, 'a Aedh-Ruadh—the father of Macha, who house,' and is found as the name of a parish
Ruaidh, Aedh-Ruadh's waterfall," now a. d. mcccxcvil," &c. Edited by the Rev. shortened to Assaroe. See Dr. P. W. William Reeves, D. D. , M,R. I. A. , n. (t),
"
of Places," part ii. , chap, v. , p. 176.
Joyce's
p. 79.
^ Her festival occurs, at the tst of Feb-
ruary.
^ to the " Leabhar Breac. " According
" By an Inquisition, taken in the thirty* first year of Queen Elizabeth, to inquire into the lands of Assaroe abbey, this Ballyboe was found to have been seized, among its
'
Origin and History of Irish Names
This town, so finely situated, lies partly
within the bounds of and Kilbarron, partly
— within those of Inishmacsaint parishes
9 It contains over acres, 687
in the barony of Tirhugh—and, it is shown, on
"
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the
the County of Donegal," Sheet 107.
3 The Rev, Dr. Lanigan is of opinion,
that St. Patrick left Connaught, for his other possessions.
Ulster journey, about the beginning of the
''
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii. , p.
257.
* St. Conan of Eas-Ruaidh was venerated,
on the 8th of March.
SA celebrated abbey was afterwards
founded, near the town, and it crowns a curious limestone rock. The abbot had the
" This townland lies within the parish of
Kilbarron, in the barony of Tirhugh, and it is noted on the " Ordnance Survey Town-
land Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 103, 107. Also, there is a town, with townlands, called Laghy, in the parish of Drumhome, and barony of Tirhugh. See ihid. . Sheet 100.
" The accompanying view, drawn on the
year 442. See
^''CongbAit, 'a habitation,' is com-
in in the Conwall,
of "— Donegal. '
County
" Acts of Archbishop Colton in his Metro- pohtan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry,
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 62'j
By its side are two indentations, popularly believed to be prints, left by the saint's knees. Round the well'* are seven small ieachis, or penitential stations,
formed of pebbles or small stones, '5 where pilgrims are wont to pray. '^ Here, Cairbre,'7 a son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, opposed him, and he sent two of his people, whose names were Carbacc,'^ or Corbhach,'? and Cuan-
Ruins of Abbey Assaroe, with Bay of Donegal, in the Distance.
giis,2° or Congus,=' to seize his hands. The Apostle desired to mollify the tyrant, by deprecatory and mild words. " What you do is not good," said
to found a it should become place here,
Patrick " if I were ; for,
permitted
another Rome of Letha, with its Tiber running through it. This should be
myestablishment,withitsEas-Ruaidhrunningthroughit; and,yourdescen- dants should be comarbs in it. " " Thereupon, Cairbre,=3 or his henchman,
spot, and transferred to the wood, by
William F. Wakeman, has been engraved by Mrs. Millard.
'3 The basin, which contains the water, is a small natural formation in the limestone rock, at the opening of a little glen.
' A venerable thorn
votive offerings, still remains in the vicinity of this well,
'5
These frail monuments, though washed by spring tides, are constantly renewed.
'^ The Catholic clergy of Ballyshannon do
all in their to the
power, discourage holding
of stations, at this ancient font. See William
Lough Erne, Enniskillen, Belleek, Ballyshannon and Bundoran," &c.
Third excursion, p. 96.
'' He was brother 10 Eoghan, ancestor of
the Cinel Enna ; to Conall Gulban, ancestor of the Cinel Conaill ; to Laoghaire, King of Ireland, from 428 to 463 ; to Conall Grim- thann; toFiac; andtoMaine.
'*
So is he called, in the Irish Tripartite Life.
'9 His name is thiis written, in the Latin Tripartite.
F. Wakeman's "
here, of Italy. "
tree,
covered with
^' This form of his name is
found,
in the
="> He is called Life.
so,
in the Irish
Tripartite
Latin Tripartite.
" The extract from the " Leabhar Breac,"
" What
you have done is not good," said Patrick;
"if you would permit me to erect a cong-
bknil —it would become a second Rome
"
Rev. William Reeves' Acts of
fol. 15 (J. a. , thus reports his words :
Visi- tation of Derry, A. D. Mcccxcvil. ," n. (t),
P- 79-
=3 From Cairbre descended the Cinel-
Cairbre of Carbury, county of Sligo, and of Gaura, or North Taffia, county of Longford. Tuathal Maolgarbh, his grandson, was King ofIreland,from533to544.
Colton in his
Archbishop Metropolitan
628 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
Corbhach, incited a dog to attack Patrick. But wishing to save him from this danger, Cuangus struck the dog, and drove it away with a rod. Then Patrick said to him, who had urged on the dog to seize him, that his race shouldnotexceedasmallband; and,thatthepalmoflaicsorclericsshould not be from him. This prophecy was duly fulfilled. But, as to Cuangus, since he agreed only to seize Patrick's hands, on behalf of Cairbre, the holy man predicted, that his race should not be more numerous than a small company, yet, that illustrious men should proceed from them. This prophecy was also fulfilled. Cairbre promised to Cuangus, for seizing Patrick's hands, so far as he could see to the north of Sliabh-Cise,^+ or Kisse, now probably BreesyHill,=sintheparishofKilbarron. ^^ WhenCuangusturnedtotake a view about this place, however, a dark cloud closed around him, so that he only saw to the sea westwards, and to the little River Unseann^? eastwards.
Crich-Conaill belonged to Cairbre, at that time, so far as Rath-Cunga,^^ now called Racoon; and, the northern half of the river, next to Cinel-
Conaill, commensurate with the present county of Donegal, was his part.
" This which God river,
" share of it your
said
shall not be fruitful as regards fish. " St. Patrick predicted, likewise, thatConall's
share, which was the southern half, should be fruitful. This in reality
happened, until Murghins,^9 or Murgesius, son of Maelduin, son of Scannal, an illustrious king of Cairbre's race, presented the unfruitful part to Colum- Cille. Afterwards, it abounded with fish, and, it was found to be a source of profit,- for those who sought them in its waters.
Then, St. Patrick went between Es Ruaidh and the 'sea, into Crich- Conaill, to Rath Chunga. 3° He fixed a stake there, and said it should be an abode and establishment, for seven bishops. There Bite,3' a brother's son to Aisicus,32 Bishop of Elphin, rested from his labours. On his way, having
•'• Kisse was the name of a mountain, as Tirhugh, and county of Donegal. In after also of a river, in Tirhugh, county of days, this was the regal abode of King
Donegal. It was ndar the River Erne. See
Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," n. 155, p. 180.
^^ It is on the east border, and the highest ground, of the parish. It has an altitude of 852 feet. See " The Parliamentary Gazet- teer of Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 361.
*^ The parish, in the barony of Tirhugh, is defined on tlie "Ordnance Sui-vey Town-
land Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 89, 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, no. A
little beyond the sandy beach of Bally- shannon Harbour, and rising high over the
Domhnall, about the time of Columkille. See
gave you, Cairbre,"
Patrick,
beetling cliffs, on the sea-shore, stood the logies, Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiach-
picturesquely-situated Castle of Kilbarron,
the former residence of the celebrated
who were a of Irish his- O'Clerys, family
torians. A picture of the ruins, with an in- teresting account of these hereditary
rach," n. (h), p. 278.
3° In the Latin Tripartite Life of St.
cap. cxi. , p. 144.
^' This man is said to have been holy
identical with St. Beoadh, Bishop of Ard- carne, in the county of Roscommon. His feast occurs, at the 8th of March.
3- It is said, he was also buried in Rath-
will be chroniclers, found,
in the
"
Irish
Patrick,
cius per Tirconalliani, itinere inter Eas- Ruaid et Oceanum suscepto, venit ad locum cui vocabulum : —a funda-
Penny Journal," for 1840. Dr. George Petrie was the writer of the article, in
question.
'' So do we read, in the Latin Tripartite
I-ife ; but, in the English translation of the Irish version, we find this rendered "the ash eastwards. "
Rath-amga ibique
mentis Ecclesiam excitavit," &c. Lib. ii. ,
'^^ It is said to have been
as Ard-Foihadh, in the townland of Bally- magrorty, parish of Drumhome, barony of
cunga.
formerly
known
His feast was held, on the 27tli of April. He was also known, by the name of Assan.
Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"
Life of St.
Columba," lib. i. , cap. 10, n. (e), pp. 37, 38.
Archdall has stated, that St. Patrick
founded an abbey here. See
"
Monasticon
Hibernicum," p. 104. The Tripartite only says, however, that he founded a church.
-9 He was lord of the Cinel-Cairbre, who
were seated in the barony of Carbury,
county of Sligo, and he died, according to the "Annals of the Four Masters," in 696. See Dr. John O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. ,
"
pp. 298, 299. See, also, The Genea-
we find: " Patri- Pergens postea
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 629
fixed a pole in Ard-fothaidh,33 Patrick began to build a church, on this height, which is now said to be known as Ardpattan,34 a small town near Bally-
shannon, and contiguous to Ballymagroarty, in which was Rathcunga. 35 This practice seems to have indicated the preparatory intention, and a rite then adopted,beforeahousehadbeendedicatedtoGod. Onthemorrow,how- ever, the pole was found to be bent. It seems probable, that St. Patrick was in the habit of consecrating churches and altars, according to the Roman rite, which Pope Sylvester 1. 3^ had first instituted, when, under the reign of the Emperor Constantine, the Christian Religion enjoyed a respite, from those severe persecutions of previous ages. 37 After what he had seen, as we are told in the Irish Tripartite, Patrick said, that the place should be the seat of a king, as he regarded the sign to be declaratory of his abandonment, in regard to making it serve for ecclesiastical purposes. He foresaw, that Domhnall,3S the grandson of Ainmire,39 and who was subsequently so cele- brated in Irish history, should there establish his residence, at a future period.
Afterwards, Patrick left the place, and he returned to that beautiful hill, called Sith-Aedha, which arose over the margin of the Erne River, and near to Assaroe. Even yet, the place is named Mullaghshee,'t° and it lies a little to the north of Ballyshannon town. There Conall,*^ the son of Niall of the
Nine Hostages, and brother to King Laoighaire, was engaged holding a public assembly. These local conventions seem to have been of frequent
occurrence in Ireland, at this time, as during subsequent periodical occasions. They were held for legislative, judicial and consultative purposes, while they
served to regulate public and private rights and interests, according to that freedom of restricted jurisdiction, among the chieftains and their clans, as recognised by the ancient national constitution and tribal laws, which governed our ancestors. The Apostle bestowed his blessing on Conall, and his son Ferguss-*^ most earnestly desired the like favour. Then Patrick
and his hands on the and " A
solemnly placed
boy's head,^3 said,
slowly
33 This was the royal residence, in the time of St. Columba. Dr. James M'Parlan makesSt. Patrickfoundanabbeyhere. See " Statistical Survey for the County of Donegal," p. 118.
10639. See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of
the Fom- Masters," vol. i. , pp. 246 to 257, 39HewasthefirstcousinofSt. Columkille. ^° It means, the hill of the sidh or fairy-
palace. On it a modern church is now
built. See Dr. P. \V. " and Joyce's Origin
History of Irish Names of Places," part ii. ,
chap, v. , p. 176.
*' Known as Conall Gulban, and he was
^^ It is within the of
parish Kilbarron,
and
barony of Tirhugh. Its extent is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the County of Donegal," Sheets 103, 107.
35 The Latin
in the vicinity of each other. "In coUe territory described in the Book Fenagh, vicino Ard-fothadh appellato, ccepit etiam fol. 47, a. a. —extended from the River
were
jacere fundamenta Ecclesias. Sed die sequenti, inchoata f—abrica ccepit corruere, et
— of all the Cineal Conaill. Their progenitor
of
pene tota corruit. "
Lib.
to the stream of Dobhar, which flows from the rugged mountains. Sliabh Liag was in this territory. The country of the Cineal Conaill was called Tir-Boghaine, and it was included in the present barony of
Tripartite, states, they
144.
3° This saint governed the church over 21
years, and he died at the close of the year 334. See Berti's " Ecclesiasticse Historire
Breviarium," iv. ssec, cap. i. , p. 112. Ac- cording to another account, he died on the
31st of December, the day of his feast, A. D. 335. See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of
the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol, xii. December xxxi.
"
37 See Breviarium Romanum Pars
Autumnalis, Officium Dedicationis Basilicae Salvatoris. " Noct. ii. , lect. iv. , v. , vi.
Banagh, county of Donegal. See John "
38 He was King of Ireland, from A. D, 624
'
^^ Afterwards, he married Erca, the daughter of Loarn Mor, King of Scotland, by whom he became father to Felim, who was the father of St, Columba. Ere had been previously married to Muredach, his cousin, and son of Eoghan, son to Niall of
the Nine Hostages.
ii. , cap. cxii,, p.
Donegal,
Eidhneach or Eany, falling into the harbour of Inbhear Naile, or Inver, the bay of
O'Donovah's Leabhar na g-Ceart, or Book of Rights," n. (w), pp. 130, 131.
630 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
child of benediction shall spring from thee, and who shall be enriched with treasures of science and wisdom. He shall be a Prophet of the Most High, a burning and a shining light, and never shall a deliberate falsehood proceed from his mouth. " '» Then Patrick blessed the Cenel-Conaill, and he left a blessing Hkevvise, on their forts, and rivers, and churches. It has been generally supposed, that St. Patrick,<5 a nephew to the Irish Apostle, gave name to St. Patrick's Purgatory,*^ on an island, at Lough Derg. However, the prevailing popular tradition, in that district, the accounts of some writers, and certain reasons advanced for our holy Patriarch's possible visit to the Lough, after hehadcrossedtheErne,atAssaroe,areworthyofconsideration. 47 It certainly seems not inconsistent with probability, that the Irish Apostle visited this wild region ; for, his recorded journey to the north brought it indirectly on his route, as recorded in the Tripartite Lives. This lake is in the parish of Templecarn, barony of Tirhugh, and county of Donegal. The islands and lake, with the surrounding territories, for many miles, constituted at one time the patrimonyattachedtothisholyplaceofpilgrimage. Ithasbeenstated,thatSt. Patrick entered a cave in the island of the Lough, in order to pray more de- voutly to God, being removed from the abstractions of this world, in the gloomy retreat of Derg. He is related, to have traced the path to the InfinitCj^^ for explorers of the invisible world, and there Dante has followed, with inspiring song. WhilehismindwasearnestlydirectedtotheDivinity,Patrickprayed, that the pains of Purgatory might be shown to him. His request was granted, and lo ! before his heaven-touched fancy, the region of purgatory sprang into existence, and he saw the souls of millions, undergoing the process of purification, each placed in such a crucible, as was fitted to soften
and remove the terrestrial dross, that stained the ethereal essence of the
spirit ; some marked with a deep hue, which much destroyed their heavenly radiance, but which blackened them not wholly ; others half dimmed, half
bright, and in the rapid progress of becoming spirits of light, from the action of the purifying element of fire; some becoming effulgent, by slow and
almost imperceptible degrees, as having no friends to pray for them ; while others glowed in the furnace, and cast off the foul crust, with amazing rapidity, by the force of those prayers and alms, which their friends offered for them on earth. Some he saw escaping from the flames, and winging their
<3 The Irish Tripartite Life avers, that Conal—l wondered at this thing, when Patrick
^s Others say, that it was called St. Patrick's Purgatory, from a prior, nanaed
said
:
" A youth (i. e. Colum Cille) shall be bom of his tribe,
Who will be a sage, a prophet and poet, A glorious, bright, clear light,
Who will not utter falsehood. "
4* The Rev. Dr. Lanigan, however,
questions the accuracy of this Tripartite statement. He thinks, if Adamnan had known, that St. Patrick himself delivered such a prophecy, he would certainly have recoideii it, in his Life ot St. Columba, where there is no mention of such a
Patrick, 850.
who ruled the about monastery
predic- Ecclesiabtical History of Ire-
^7 See this subject clearly treated, in that admirable, interesting, and learned work of Rev. Daniel O'Connor, " Lough Derg and its Pilgiimages," with Map and lUustra- tions, chap, vi. , pp. 32 to 35. Dublin, 1879, cr. 8vo.
*^ "1\ visita, assurait-on, les lieux d'ex-
piation, et, plus justement, qu'a Virgile, le
chantre de I'Enfer, du — et du Pa- Purgatoire
radis aurait pu lui dire I :
'" Tu duca, tu signore, e tu maestro. '
105, 106.
49 Such is the] account we find, in an in-
"
*5 He died and was buried, at Glaston-
—Le Hersart de la Vicomte,
tion. See
land," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, ii. , n. 8, p. 263.
Villemarque's "La Legende Celtique et la Poesie des Cloilres en Irlande, en Cambric et en Bre- tagne. " Premiere Partie, sect. XVII. , pp.
" Britannica-Hibernica," pp. 578, 581.
bury. See Bishop Tanner's
Bibliotheca-
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 631
course to heaven ; others were almost bright enough, to attempt the same effort. 49 It has been thought, that St. Patrick, under the influence of such a vision, estabhshed this island as a terrestrial purgatory, for those, who were to succeed him in the place ; and, St. Daveog,5° his reputed disciple, is said to have built a church and monastery here, and besides, to have carried out the details of the penitential retreat, of which he had received the outlines from his great master. The religious establishment, originally known as Patrick's Purgatory, was first fixed on what is now called the " Saint's Island," and from this, there was a bridge to the mainland, which gave easy access to the public. 5' During the early times of the Irish Church, and even during the middle ages, as at the present day, this Purgatory continued in high repute,
bothathomeandabroad. Wefindinourrecords,severalsafeconducts,
granted by the kings of England, to foreigners, who were desirous of visiting it as pilgrims. After the Reformation in England, this very remote spot was deemed to be a safe retreat for priests and people, during the penal days, until in 1632, Sir James Balfour and Sir William Stewart were ordered by the State, to seize upon the religious house, at St. Patrick's Purgatory, and to disperse the community there established. Sir William afterwards informed the Privy Council, that he ordered halls, works, foundations, and vaults, &c. , to be rooted up. He ordered the place, called St. Patrick's bed, and the stoneonwhichheknelt,tobethrownintotheLough. Furthermore,those Commissioners reported, that they found on the island an abbot and forty friars, and that there was a daily resort of 450 pilgrims to it. s^ After this, the station was changed from the Saint's Island, to another island much smaller, and removed about half a mile from the shore. A boat is in waiting, during the station-time, to ferry passengers across to the churches and houses, where the pilgrims resort, on this island. It is separated, far from the thronged haunts of men, and from the bustle of the crowded city, and there are no ex- ternal objects to distract the minds of devout pilgrims, except the screaming of wild fowl, as they fly over the silent waters of this extensive lake. 53
There is a very curious Breton legend extant,54 and, it states, that our Divine Saviour gave the following promise to the glorious St. Patrick, at his
"
grotto on the Lough Dearg island :
Whosoever shall enter this cave,
having confessed and repented of his sins, and well established in faith, he shall
purge away all offences, in one day and one night ; while he shall see, likewise,
the torments of the wicked, and the joys of the blessed. " It is said, that
each year, at the beginning of Lent, St. Patrick was accustomed to take a
boat, which he steered, and he was absent for forty days. During this time,
he had been engaged, making his Purgatory, as the legend goes j and, he always chose a distant and desert island, for the place of his retreat. 55
teresting little book, intituled the " Mirror
of Penance," which was published in London.
50 Three festivals were held yearly in his
honour, on the 1st January, 24th July, and 1 6th December.
s' See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 102.
^' Sir William Stewart obliged James
Magrath, the owner of this island, to enter
into a recognizance, "not to allow Jesuits, friars, nuns, or any other superstitious order of Popery to enter thereon. "
S3 See a communication to the London-
derry Journal oi June 12th, 1878, and headed, " Historical Notes on the Parishes
of Ardstraw, Umey, and Termonaghan, Diocese of Deny," by Hy-Fiachre. Part xvii. Loughderg.
S'* This is taken from a Manuscript, in the National Library, Paris, fr. 1544, fol. 105, Cf. , according to F. Denis, " Le Monde en- chante," et Marie de France, tome ii. , p. 423.
53 The celebrated Spanish poet, Don
Pedro Calderon de la Barca, among his
numerous dramas, has made this the subject
"
Purgatorio de san Patricio. " The Dramatis fersona are St. Patrick, Angels, a king of Ireland, his daughter, and various other minor characters. This romantic Drama has been rendered into elegant Eng- lish verse, by Denis Florence M'Carthy, and
of one,
632 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [March 17.
Certain fishermen saw him disembark one day on an islet, which no person durst approach, and there he went to the bottom of a cave, where the Magi celebrated mysterious rites. There were two subterranean routes in it ; one of these led to the abyss of eternal pains, and the other to the land of joy and of youth. Whoever went in there could only issue from it, by the aid of magic words. As St. Patrick did not appear again to their gaze, the fishers supposed he had passed away for ever, and they said, that those evil spirits, he chased away from every other part of Ireland, had taken refuge in this subterranean cavern, and that they kept him there a prisoner, within the
four walls of a dungeon, dark, cold, moist, miry and filled with venemous
reptiles, under a chilling and penetrating rain, which drop by drop fell on his shoulders, and penetrated even to the marrow of his bones. On the eve of
Easter, he reappeared to his monks, thin, pale and attenuated, like to a phantom. The year following, St. Patrick was observed anew to enter the same cave. His monks believed he remained there, so near the abyss of sorrows and the land of joy, that he witnessed whatever passed in both. Thus, by a strange concourse of events, the magic cavern was changed into the penitents' cell, and the old barbaric rites and pagan superstitions yielded to the great Christian truths, and to the sublime meditations of St. Patrick on Hell and Paradise. ^^
5**
Sanctorum Hi- hernias, secundum diversa tempora. " This covers a series of years, from a. d. 433 to
In the year 439, it is stated, that St.
