whom the Four in the Masters,
Vita *' Thus, it appears to have—been called,
from St.
Vita *' Thus, it appears to have—been called,
from St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
xxxii.
, p.
39,
the district of the is the first re- Hregeuses
ferred to, when relating St. Patrick's course towards the north.
"
p. 125.
Dublin Penny Journal," vol. ii. . No. 68,
"
5'
ostium fluminis Inbher Domnonn, et inde
In via autem primo declinavit ad ad quamdam parvulam insulam, quns ex ejus
nomine /«? > Padruic. " See " postea
Sep- tima Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xliv. , p. 124. Alluding to this voyage, Aubrey De
In hollow glens, and smelt the balmy breath
Of gorse on golden hillsides ; till at evcj The Imber Domnand reached, on silver
sands
Grated their keel. "
—
This is asserted, in the Irish vetsion of
The Disbelief of Milcho, p. 5. *°
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 541
between Dublin and Drogheda,^^ or according to Connell Mageoghegan, from Howth northwards, along the coast of Dublin to Louth. Our saint stoppedforawhile,atHolmpatrick,^? nownearSkerriesharbour. ^^ Here,he touched at a small island, some miles north of Dublin City. This was called
"
the island of Patrick. " ^9 There he landed. ^** and tradition fondly points out the trace of St. Patrick's foot, on a hard rock,
off the main shore, and at the entrance to Skerries harbour. 7'
Still Patrick sailed northwards,? ^ towards Inbher Nainge, where nothing was found to eat. This is now known as the Nanny Water,73 On this river, he is said, also, to have pronounced a malediction ; and, afterwards, it was found to be unproductive. 7-^ Here, he first met with St. Benignus,75 or Benen, regarding whom a beautiful legend is told. Patrick went to the house of a certain noble, called Seschenus, who, with his wife and family, embraced the Christian Faith, as preached by the Apostle. Among the neophytes was a boy of tender years, but remarkable for his good morals and benign disposi- tion. 7^ After the child's baptism, St. Patrick lay down to rest, and soon was
hesleeping. Benignus,whohadreceivedaname,expressiveofhischaracter, drew near, and the child spread sweet-smelling flowers and herbs, near the Apostle,whosefeetheimpressedwithkisses. Theattendantsforbadetheboy to do so, lest he should awaken Patrick ; but, the latter, knowing what had
after him, Inis Phadruig, or
" He shall be the heir of my kingdom," thus meaning, that Benignus should succeed him, in the primatial See of Armagh. 7? The event was fully verified ; for, Benignus left his parents, and attached himself to a spiritual father, from whom he could not be separated afterwards, and fromwhomhelearnedallheavenlywisdom. Heafterwardsbecamedistin- guished for sanctity, learning and miracles, so that all persons agreed, he was worthy to succeed his master, as bishop of Armagh. This office, for many years, he happily exercised. 7^ Leaving Inbher Nainge, St. Patrick went to Inbher-Boindi, or to the mouth of the Boyne River, where he procured fish, and he blessed that place. There, he had been kindly received, by the in- habitants, and, after his blessing, their river constantly abounded with fish. However, a wicked Magus, or wizard, in that place, had dared to offer insult totheImmaculateVirginMotherofGod. Thisblasphemywaspunished,in an exemplary manner; for, the earth opened, and it swallowed him alive. 79
occurred, cried out
:
** The " fines Bre- Tripartite says, juxta
gensium ad sinistram flectens, dirigit in Ul- toniam. "
the Irish version in Miss Cusack's "Life of St. Patrick," p. 381.
7° jocelyn states, that he remained there, for some days,
'i This curious hollowed rock-formation, the writer has been shown, and it presents a fanciful impress, like that of a human foot-
print,
7= See the Second Life of St. Patrick,
cap. xxxiii. , p. 14. Also, the Third Life, cap. xxi. , p. 23, the Fourth Life, cap. xxxii. ,
's Since the occupation of all the upper coast of Dublin County, by the Danes, or Fingals, it is no wonder, that almost all its old names have been changed, and that the original denominations, in ancient Irish, have been forgotten.
^ See the Trias Thaumaturga, Index To- pographicus, at BregcB and Bregii, p. 706.
"
rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 440, and
and the Sixth Life,
73 it runs past Duleek, county of Meath,
and into the Irish Sea, at the parish empties
of Julianstown, otherwise called the parish of Nanny, in Ussher's " Return of Meath,"
*' See Ussher's
Britannicarura Ecclesia-
p. 39,
cap.
xxxi. , 71. p.
Harris' vol. Ware,
i. ,
" of Archbishops
Armagh," p. 12.
** The accompanying view of it was
drawn from the main shore, by William F. Wakeman, who transferred it to the wood, and it has been engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
^ See " Secunda Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxviii. , p. 14; "Quarta Vita S. Patricii,"
''
A. D. 1622. See Miss Cusack's
"
Life of St.
Sexta Vita S. Patricii,"
cap. XXI. , p. 71 ; "Septima Vita S. Pa- a later stage of St. Patrick's career. See tricii," lib. i,, cap. xliy. , p. 124. See, also, Sixth Life, cap. xxxix. , pp. 73, 74.
cap. xxxii. , p. 39 ;
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 381, n. 6. 74 gee ibid.
7S His feast is observed, on the 9th of
November.
'S By Jocelyn, this account is deferred to
542 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
Next, St. Patrick sailed past the eastern coast of Conaille Muirthemhne—ex- tending from the River Boyne, to the Cuailgne, or Cooly, Mountains. ^"
Northward still he went, to the extreme shores of Ultonia,^' and the Moume mountains soon reared their lofty peaks, on the larboard side. ^^ Passing along that part, formerly known as Ulidia, and inhabited by the Ultones, he arrived at a port, in the barony of Lecale, as seems most probable. This Frith was called, Brennese, or Brenasse,^3 while, it is also designated, Inbher-Brena. ^^ That part of the sea, near where he landed, is
called a freluvi, or streight. This place of arrival is represented, as having been very near to Sabhall Padniic. The latter locality is now called, Saul}^ There he, and his companions, left the ship, hoping to rest their wearied limbs,
77 Benignus is placed third on the list of CAriATo cec \AX,m cech riATochi, •00 flig its bishops. See Sir James Ware, " De AingeL fosniA-o.
Scriptoribus Hibernia? ," lib. i. , cap. i. , pp. 3. 4-
It is thus rendered into English ;
—
78 See "
cap. xlv. , p. 124.
Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. ,
Septima
"
79 See ibid. , cap. xlvi. , p. 124.
«°See Miss Cusack's "Life of St.
In Slan, in the territory of Benna-Bairche, hunger or thirst possessed him not.
Each night he sang a hundred psalms, to adore the Kingjjf Angels. "
Patrick," p. 381.
*' "
Jocelyn poetically says : Sic profecto recedentc Aquilone Auster perflans adveni-
—
"Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iv. , "
ret, et in lateribus Aquilonis hortum, Do—- mini aromata perflueiitem plantaret,"
" Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxxi. , p. 7 1. See, also, the Seventh Life, lib. i. , cap. xlvii. , p. 124.
*^ Their Irish denomination, Beann a Bairche, means " the peaks of Bairche. " It was a former name for the entire range of Moume Mountains. The barony of that name was so called, from Boirche, the shepherd of Ros, King of Ulster, in the third century. He is said to have herded the king's cattle, on these mountains. See the " Book of Rights," edited by John O'Donovan, pp. 38, 165.
*^ Colgan says in a note 45, to the Fourth Life, it is called the Frith of Brenasse, and, in our days, it is universally called, Loch-
Cuan, unless it may appear to be the frith, or bay, of that sea, which lies between Dun- drom and Lecale. See " Secunda Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxix. , p. 14, and n. 45, p. 19.
^^ According to the Irish Tripartite Life
pp. 288, 289. See, also, Prima Vita S. Patricii," strophe 15, p. 2. In the Com- mentator's note, its proper name is stated to have been Tiprad Innse, but it is said to
^^ There,too,hedrewonshore,ata
and
called Slan,^7 Inbher Slainge,^^ or Inberslan,^9 Latinized Ostium Slain, or the
by
alittle
quiet
sleep.
place, variously
of St. Patrick. p. 382.
See Miss Cusack's edition,
^5
Lecale, is marked on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Down," Sheets 31, 38. Saul, and Saul Quarter, in Upper Lecale, are shown on those same Sheets.
**' The Tripartite Life adds, " in loca pos-
tur^|a,"n.
This parish, in the barony of Lower
tea Sabhall Fadrjiic. " See "
S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xlvii. , p. 124.
whom the Four in the Masters,
Vita *' Thus, it appears to have—been called,
from St. Fiach's Irish Hymn
1 St^n cuAicli 'berinA b^ipche mx gAibeo
called
that is, the mountain of St. Donard, we
read of being called by the ancient writers Slieb-Slaittge. Wherefore,theaforesaidport
:
commonly
Slieve-Domhan-Gairt,
Septima
concerning
year of the world 3,267, write
loftiest mountain of Ulster, which now is
have got the name of Slan, meaning "health," because all sick persons, who made pilgrimages to it, were restored to health, through St. Patrick's merits. " Alii dicunt quodjuxta Sabhalhim sit, vel in Dal- aradia : sed Ulidii repleverunt," &c. At the word, Slan, we find a comment, differ- ing from that in Colgan. This gloss is
added in one MS. :—"SiAn . 1. i<\]\ pii x>\ bA I'lAn [•oAt\ A hep] in Lobo]\ 'oa]\ a cege
[in cui'pce] ocu]" ic ]\Abubl aca
pepbeuei\unc uILait) [ilbum] py\opcei\nio-
te^ciAm cu]\ [bA|\um] exeunciutn At>
"
iLUini. "
whom its [water] was put was cured by it, and at Sabull (Saul) it is . . . . re- pleverunt Ulaidi [the people of Ulidia] ilium propter molestiam tur [barum] exeuntium ad ilium. " The words in brackets are very ob- scure in the MS. See also "Trias Thauma-
Slainge. "
5/««, i. e. because the leper upon
19t. , p. 5.
The Tripartite Life thus states this
whole matter, by saying that St. Patrick, leaving the extreme coasts of Ultonia on the left side, —was wafted "in portu de Inbher
Parti. , cap. xlvii. It seems to have taken that name, it is thought, from the
first King of Ireland, Slainge, by name
—For that
March 17. J LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 543
" mouth of the Slain River. " Various opinions have been given, regarding
itsexactsituation. Thus,thereareseveralwriterswhoidentifyitwithsome
port in the present Bay of Dundrum ;9° and, among these may be enume-
rated. Sir James Ware,9i Harris, his continuator,92 and Patrick Lynch. 93 The
people, living along the coast, fondly cherish such a tradition. e* Others,95
again, claim this distinction, for Strangford Lough,96 ^nd their conclusions
seemtobefullyestablished,owingtorecentinvestigations. Onthissubject,
a learned and concise Tract has been already published. It conveys some
very researchful observations,^? and, we believe, it serves most satisfactorily to
solve the point in dispute. Its author arrives at the conclusion, there are no
traditions, nor any evidence, that the strand or river, at Dundrum Bay, had ever been called Brenasse. Neither was the Blackstaff or Drumca River
designated the Slaine, nor does any part of the adjoining coast bear any name, sounding like Brene, or Brenasse. The Fretum Brennesse was
evidently an ancient name for the mouth of Strangford Lough, in the county of Down ; because, at a. m. 2,546, the Four Masters write, that an inundation of the sea over the land took place at Brena, while it was the seventh lake eruption, that occurred in the time of Partholan. This is also named Loch Cuan, which is still the Irish name for Strangford Lough. 9^ The evidence adduced seems to establish beyond question, the identity of Strangford River,
and bay of the sea, lie beneath this moun- tain, towards the north, between it and the
Maginnis's country, now called Lecale, in which Patrick then landed. Hence,
Patrick's arrival. Near it, the ruins of the little church of Killyglinnie still remain, and alongside these is a holy well, called after
Colgan is of opinion, that the port, or land Maps for the County of Down," Sheet ostium, derived its name, from the same 40. In favour of this tradition, it has been
king, and that his name had been extended,
also, to include the Bay of Dundrum. See
ibid. , n. 46, p. 19.
^See "Tertia Vita S. Patricii," cap.
xxxi. , p. 23.
urged, that the streight, or river, connecting the bay, with the strand, is the "fretum brenasse," and that either the Blackstaff or Drumca River, entering the north end of the strand, is the River Slainge. The inhabi- tants, also, give it as a tradition, that the parish derived its name, owing to the fact of the saint having first kindled, on the Kinle,
9° It is also a singular circumstance, that "
Dundrum Bay itself is designated Holy
Bay," in a very ancient unpublished map,
belonging to the manuscript library of hills, which traverse it, the light of the
Trinity College, thus, apparently showing, that some peculiar sanctity was attached to
the place.
9' See " De Prassulibus Hibernise Com-
mentarius. "
9^ In his annotations, Harris writes, that
or the Mouth of the River Slaing, is now called the Bay of Dnn- drum, in the county of Down. The River Slaing, or Slain, riseth in the barony of Castle-reagh, and county of Down, and, takingasoutherlycourse,fallsintot—he
north end of the Bay of Dundruvi. "
Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
magh," p. 12, note. here be found.
93 See " The Life of St. Patrick, Apostle
of Ireland," chap, xi. , p. 127, note.
9^ North of the outer bay, a narrow
streight or river runs from the bulls of the
to the town of Dundrum,— it bar, connecting
with the strand, or inner bay a large sheet of water at high tide. The inhabitants of Ballykinlar parish, which is situate to the east side of this strand, point out a nook, in Middle Ballykinlar, as the place of St.
Gospel. The place has its name, Baile- Caindlera, signifying the "town of the candlestick," because it furnished lights for Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.
95 Among these may be named Rev. Dr. "
the ' ' Inkber
Slaing,
Ireland," vol. i. , sect, chap, v. ,
ii. ,
n.
16,
"
But, nosxich river can
ing the barony of Ards, states : —"After- wards the said barony of Ards is bounded on thesouthsidebyanarmeofthesea,called Loghcoyn, which (from Newtowne) extends to Portaferry Towne in the Ards, and Strangford Towne in the barony of Lecale, betwixt which two townes the sea, comeing in by a strong current and a narrow passage, makes Lochcoyn aforesaid, and that narrow entry of the sea is called Strangford, because of tiie swift and rapid entry which the sea
is
Archbishops of Ar-
the saint. See
"
Ordnance Survey Town-
Lanigan. See Ecclesiastical History of
pp. 213, 214.
9* The Down survey of 1650, in describ-
there makes. " The
" word, "ford,"
or fiordr," itself Danish, signifying a frith, or streight. This is precisely the character of Strangford River, and the Danish of
"strong" is "streng," thus showing the nametobeofDanishorigin.
544 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
with " Brennasse. " Yet, there is additional proof, which confirms this view.
For, a townland, near Strangford Lough, and now named Ballintougher. w was formerly called Ballybrene, in the Taxation of Pope Nicholas. '°° No reasonable doubt can exist, that the name, Brenasse, is the Latinized form of " brena," entering into the composition of the name Balibren. Nor, can there be a question, that the land of Brena, stated to have been overflowed, and that Balibren, mentioned in the Taxation, were identical. Such forms naturally imparted a name to the " Fretum Brenasse. " On the southern shore of Lough Strangford, a small river—formerly called the Slaney"'— empties itself between Saul's and Gore's Islands ; nor can there be any doubt, owing to its name, and to the fact, that immediately near its exit are the Slaney Rocks,'°^ it was the Slainge, where St. Patrick and his companions disembarked. '°3 It was formerly a tidal river, for upwards of a mile, and nigh to the little village of Raholp. '°* In past times, it had been of importance, as a government port. Latterly, a battery and floodgate have been erected, near its mouth, for the purpose of keeping out the tide, and of reclaiming the broad expanse of land, at the embouchure.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE IRISH apostle's ARRIVAL AT SAUL—SOOTHSAYERS' PREDICTIONS REGARDING HIS COMING—KING LAOGHAIRE'S INSTRUCTIONS—OPPOSITION AND CONVERSION OF DICHUO OR DICHU—ST. PATRICK ERECTS A CHURCH AT SAUL—PUNISH- MENT OF A MAGICIAN—ST. PATRICK VISITS HIS FORMER MASTER, MILCHO, BUT FAILS IN EFFECTING HIS CONVERSION—TERRITORIAL POSITION OF THE CRUITHNI AND DALARADIANS—ST. PATRICK RETURNS TO DICHU—HE RECEIVES ROSS, OR RUS, INTO THE CHURCH—HE INSTRUCTS AND BAPTIZES MOCHOE, AFTERWARDS BISHOP OF ISLAND MAHEE—ST. PATRICK RELEASES THE SONS OF DICHU FROM CAPTIVITY.
As Saint Patrick and his companions approached the shore, they desired some respite from their labours. ' At the end of the Brene Strait, and at the mouth of the Slaney River, their bark^ was concealed, in some creek, when
97 See " An Inquiry into the true Land- ing-place of St. Patrick in Ulster," pub- lisliedatDownpatrick,June,1858,byJ. W. Hanna, pp. 12.
5^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 6, 7, and n. (w. ) 99 This is to be seen, in the parish of Saul,
"
on the Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the of Sheet County Down," 31.
two miles to the south. See " Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Down,"Sheet38. Itismoreplainlymarked, on Kennedy's Map of the County Down, pub- lished in 1767, and on Williamson's, pub- lished in 1814, than on the Ordnance Maps. The two former show it, as being then con- siderably broad at the mouth,
'°^ On a is these, diiiUas^, seaweed,
gathered by the neighbouring iniiabitants.
'"^ See W. Hanna's J.
"'°
bren,
with Ballintougher, on the authority of an Inquisition, 3 Edward VI. See Rev. \Villiani Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Antiqui-
ties of Down, Connor and Dromore," p. 40, n. (k. )
'°'
This was related to Mr. Hanna, by all
pp. 7 to 10.
'"^ This is in the parish of Ballyculter, barony of Lower Lecale, and it is shown, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Down," Sheet 31.
Chapter viii • See " Vita S. Quarta
Patricii," cap. xxxiii. , p. 39.
^ That vessel, in which the saint had
sailed, was a hooker or wherry, and not a ship. It is recorded, that on reaching land,
thevoyagershidit, nearsomesequestered part of the coast. This could not have been
In A. D. 1306. The old church of Bali-
here has been identified mentioned,
into the
the old near the the residents, place; but,
name had fallen into disuse, in 185S, since the
stream had been previously embanked. The
opening or estuary lies, between the town-
lands of Ballintougher, andRingbane or Rin- ban, " the white Promontory. " The little
River Slaney rises in Loughmoney, about
"Inquiry
true Landing-place of St. Patrick in Ulster,"
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 545
the missionaries travelled a little distance into the country,3 perhaps, to re-
connoitre its position, and to obtain some necessary intelligence, for their holy-
objects. They seem to have travelled westwards, towards Saul, which was
about two miles distant ; and, from it, the high hills of Ballintougher must
have intercepted a view of their vessel, lying in the Slaney River. * Mean-
time, the Magicians, and Soothsayers of that region,s had long before
prophesied, regarding St. Patrick's approach, and in the manner following :
"
There shall come a man, vvith his crown shaved, and in his hand a crooked staff; his table shall be set in the east of his house, and his people shall stand behind him; from his table he shall sing blasphemies, and all his family will answer, Amen, Amen. When this man shall come, he will destroy our Gods, throw down our altars, and temples ; he shall seduce the people and bring them after him ; he shall subdue, or take away our kings, who will resist him. His doctrines, too, shall reign for ever. " Somewhat different in terms, although agreeing in substance, are the magical prophecies, attributed to the Druids, in the Tripartite Life. ^ At this time, the reigning Monarch of Ireland, Laeghaire Mac Neill,7 a fierce and cruel pagan, had many Magi or Haruspices,^ who are said to have predicted what should happen, in the future ; and, among these, the chief ones were Lochra or Lochru, and Lo- chadh Mael or Luchat Calvus. 9 A certain Conn, or Constantine,'° is said, also, to have had this foreknowledge of the Irish Apostle, probably three
done, had it been a ship. It was, therefore,
a sort of large boat, which St. Patrick liad
either purchased or hired. See Rev. Dr. Lani- "
See the Second Life, cap. xxix. , p. 14. * This situation answers well to the de-
scription given, in the Book oi Armagh, re- garding the Slain, which runs at the end of the Brene.
sjocelyn gives it the Irish title Vlagh, and the Latin rendering Vlidia. At first, that province was called by ancient Irish writers, Ulta and Ulaidh, and by Latin writers Ul- tonia, Ulidia, or more correctly, Uladia,
Thus it to all rendered, applied Ulster,
ever, while he makes Theodosius the sixtieth
Emperor after Augustus, the Latin Tripar- tite Life deems Theodosius to have been the
sixty-fifth, while the Irish Tripartite sets him down as the forty- fifth— probably a—n
3
—The Galasius quoted in the Tripartite was unknown to Colgan. He does not seem to have been Pope St. Galacius L. , who died A. D. 496,
nor Galasius, Archbishop of Armagh, who succeeded St. Malachy O'Morgair, and who flourished A. D. 1150, unless some interpo- lator inserted such a chronological addition to the Tripartite text.
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
gan's
vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, iii. , n. 22, p. 217.
excepting the county of Cavan. Besides, it and included Louth. But, when the Dalfiatach,
in the second century of the Christian era, and afterwards the race of CoUa, and the sons of Niall, invaded it, the original rulers and
guish them, as only two distinct persons, Probus, on the contrary, notes them as three, whom he calls Locri, Eglid and Mel. See " Vita S. lib.
were driven into a more confined
people
space, now represented by the County of Down, where the were
Quinta xxvi. , p. 49.
people specially called Ulidiaiis, in the time of Jocelyn. The annals and customs of Uladh are set forth, in Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Anti- quities of Down, Connor and Dromore,"
thought
him identical, with
Appendix 1. 1. , pp.
the district of the is the first re- Hregeuses
ferred to, when relating St. Patrick's course towards the north.
"
p. 125.
Dublin Penny Journal," vol. ii. . No. 68,
"
5'
ostium fluminis Inbher Domnonn, et inde
In via autem primo declinavit ad ad quamdam parvulam insulam, quns ex ejus
nomine /«? > Padruic. " See " postea
Sep- tima Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xliv. , p. 124. Alluding to this voyage, Aubrey De
In hollow glens, and smelt the balmy breath
Of gorse on golden hillsides ; till at evcj The Imber Domnand reached, on silver
sands
Grated their keel. "
—
This is asserted, in the Irish vetsion of
The Disbelief of Milcho, p. 5. *°
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 541
between Dublin and Drogheda,^^ or according to Connell Mageoghegan, from Howth northwards, along the coast of Dublin to Louth. Our saint stoppedforawhile,atHolmpatrick,^? nownearSkerriesharbour. ^^ Here,he touched at a small island, some miles north of Dublin City. This was called
"
the island of Patrick. " ^9 There he landed. ^** and tradition fondly points out the trace of St. Patrick's foot, on a hard rock,
off the main shore, and at the entrance to Skerries harbour. 7'
Still Patrick sailed northwards,? ^ towards Inbher Nainge, where nothing was found to eat. This is now known as the Nanny Water,73 On this river, he is said, also, to have pronounced a malediction ; and, afterwards, it was found to be unproductive. 7-^ Here, he first met with St. Benignus,75 or Benen, regarding whom a beautiful legend is told. Patrick went to the house of a certain noble, called Seschenus, who, with his wife and family, embraced the Christian Faith, as preached by the Apostle. Among the neophytes was a boy of tender years, but remarkable for his good morals and benign disposi- tion. 7^ After the child's baptism, St. Patrick lay down to rest, and soon was
hesleeping. Benignus,whohadreceivedaname,expressiveofhischaracter, drew near, and the child spread sweet-smelling flowers and herbs, near the Apostle,whosefeetheimpressedwithkisses. Theattendantsforbadetheboy to do so, lest he should awaken Patrick ; but, the latter, knowing what had
after him, Inis Phadruig, or
" He shall be the heir of my kingdom," thus meaning, that Benignus should succeed him, in the primatial See of Armagh. 7? The event was fully verified ; for, Benignus left his parents, and attached himself to a spiritual father, from whom he could not be separated afterwards, and fromwhomhelearnedallheavenlywisdom. Heafterwardsbecamedistin- guished for sanctity, learning and miracles, so that all persons agreed, he was worthy to succeed his master, as bishop of Armagh. This office, for many years, he happily exercised. 7^ Leaving Inbher Nainge, St. Patrick went to Inbher-Boindi, or to the mouth of the Boyne River, where he procured fish, and he blessed that place. There, he had been kindly received, by the in- habitants, and, after his blessing, their river constantly abounded with fish. However, a wicked Magus, or wizard, in that place, had dared to offer insult totheImmaculateVirginMotherofGod. Thisblasphemywaspunished,in an exemplary manner; for, the earth opened, and it swallowed him alive. 79
occurred, cried out
:
** The " fines Bre- Tripartite says, juxta
gensium ad sinistram flectens, dirigit in Ul- toniam. "
the Irish version in Miss Cusack's "Life of St. Patrick," p. 381.
7° jocelyn states, that he remained there, for some days,
'i This curious hollowed rock-formation, the writer has been shown, and it presents a fanciful impress, like that of a human foot-
print,
7= See the Second Life of St. Patrick,
cap. xxxiii. , p. 14. Also, the Third Life, cap. xxi. , p. 23, the Fourth Life, cap. xxxii. ,
's Since the occupation of all the upper coast of Dublin County, by the Danes, or Fingals, it is no wonder, that almost all its old names have been changed, and that the original denominations, in ancient Irish, have been forgotten.
^ See the Trias Thaumaturga, Index To- pographicus, at BregcB and Bregii, p. 706.
"
rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 440, and
and the Sixth Life,
73 it runs past Duleek, county of Meath,
and into the Irish Sea, at the parish empties
of Julianstown, otherwise called the parish of Nanny, in Ussher's " Return of Meath,"
*' See Ussher's
Britannicarura Ecclesia-
p. 39,
cap.
xxxi. , 71. p.
Harris' vol. Ware,
i. ,
" of Archbishops
Armagh," p. 12.
** The accompanying view of it was
drawn from the main shore, by William F. Wakeman, who transferred it to the wood, and it has been engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
^ See " Secunda Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxviii. , p. 14; "Quarta Vita S. Patricii,"
''
A. D. 1622. See Miss Cusack's
"
Life of St.
Sexta Vita S. Patricii,"
cap. XXI. , p. 71 ; "Septima Vita S. Pa- a later stage of St. Patrick's career. See tricii," lib. i,, cap. xliy. , p. 124. See, also, Sixth Life, cap. xxxix. , pp. 73, 74.
cap. xxxii. , p. 39 ;
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 381, n. 6. 74 gee ibid.
7S His feast is observed, on the 9th of
November.
'S By Jocelyn, this account is deferred to
542 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
Next, St. Patrick sailed past the eastern coast of Conaille Muirthemhne—ex- tending from the River Boyne, to the Cuailgne, or Cooly, Mountains. ^"
Northward still he went, to the extreme shores of Ultonia,^' and the Moume mountains soon reared their lofty peaks, on the larboard side. ^^ Passing along that part, formerly known as Ulidia, and inhabited by the Ultones, he arrived at a port, in the barony of Lecale, as seems most probable. This Frith was called, Brennese, or Brenasse,^3 while, it is also designated, Inbher-Brena. ^^ That part of the sea, near where he landed, is
called a freluvi, or streight. This place of arrival is represented, as having been very near to Sabhall Padniic. The latter locality is now called, Saul}^ There he, and his companions, left the ship, hoping to rest their wearied limbs,
77 Benignus is placed third on the list of CAriATo cec \AX,m cech riATochi, •00 flig its bishops. See Sir James Ware, " De AingeL fosniA-o.
Scriptoribus Hibernia? ," lib. i. , cap. i. , pp. 3. 4-
It is thus rendered into English ;
—
78 See "
cap. xlv. , p. 124.
Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. ,
Septima
"
79 See ibid. , cap. xlvi. , p. 124.
«°See Miss Cusack's "Life of St.
In Slan, in the territory of Benna-Bairche, hunger or thirst possessed him not.
Each night he sang a hundred psalms, to adore the Kingjjf Angels. "
Patrick," p. 381.
*' "
Jocelyn poetically says : Sic profecto recedentc Aquilone Auster perflans adveni-
—
"Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iv. , "
ret, et in lateribus Aquilonis hortum, Do—- mini aromata perflueiitem plantaret,"
" Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxxi. , p. 7 1. See, also, the Seventh Life, lib. i. , cap. xlvii. , p. 124.
*^ Their Irish denomination, Beann a Bairche, means " the peaks of Bairche. " It was a former name for the entire range of Moume Mountains. The barony of that name was so called, from Boirche, the shepherd of Ros, King of Ulster, in the third century. He is said to have herded the king's cattle, on these mountains. See the " Book of Rights," edited by John O'Donovan, pp. 38, 165.
*^ Colgan says in a note 45, to the Fourth Life, it is called the Frith of Brenasse, and, in our days, it is universally called, Loch-
Cuan, unless it may appear to be the frith, or bay, of that sea, which lies between Dun- drom and Lecale. See " Secunda Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxix. , p. 14, and n. 45, p. 19.
^^ According to the Irish Tripartite Life
pp. 288, 289. See, also, Prima Vita S. Patricii," strophe 15, p. 2. In the Com- mentator's note, its proper name is stated to have been Tiprad Innse, but it is said to
^^ There,too,hedrewonshore,ata
and
called Slan,^7 Inbher Slainge,^^ or Inberslan,^9 Latinized Ostium Slain, or the
by
alittle
quiet
sleep.
place, variously
of St. Patrick. p. 382.
See Miss Cusack's edition,
^5
Lecale, is marked on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Down," Sheets 31, 38. Saul, and Saul Quarter, in Upper Lecale, are shown on those same Sheets.
**' The Tripartite Life adds, " in loca pos-
tur^|a,"n.
This parish, in the barony of Lower
tea Sabhall Fadrjiic. " See "
S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xlvii. , p. 124.
whom the Four in the Masters,
Vita *' Thus, it appears to have—been called,
from St. Fiach's Irish Hymn
1 St^n cuAicli 'berinA b^ipche mx gAibeo
called
that is, the mountain of St. Donard, we
read of being called by the ancient writers Slieb-Slaittge. Wherefore,theaforesaidport
:
commonly
Slieve-Domhan-Gairt,
Septima
concerning
year of the world 3,267, write
loftiest mountain of Ulster, which now is
have got the name of Slan, meaning "health," because all sick persons, who made pilgrimages to it, were restored to health, through St. Patrick's merits. " Alii dicunt quodjuxta Sabhalhim sit, vel in Dal- aradia : sed Ulidii repleverunt," &c. At the word, Slan, we find a comment, differ- ing from that in Colgan. This gloss is
added in one MS. :—"SiAn . 1. i<\]\ pii x>\ bA I'lAn [•oAt\ A hep] in Lobo]\ 'oa]\ a cege
[in cui'pce] ocu]" ic ]\Abubl aca
pepbeuei\unc uILait) [ilbum] py\opcei\nio-
te^ciAm cu]\ [bA|\um] exeunciutn At>
"
iLUini. "
whom its [water] was put was cured by it, and at Sabull (Saul) it is . . . . re- pleverunt Ulaidi [the people of Ulidia] ilium propter molestiam tur [barum] exeuntium ad ilium. " The words in brackets are very ob- scure in the MS. See also "Trias Thauma-
Slainge. "
5/««, i. e. because the leper upon
19t. , p. 5.
The Tripartite Life thus states this
whole matter, by saying that St. Patrick, leaving the extreme coasts of Ultonia on the left side, —was wafted "in portu de Inbher
Parti. , cap. xlvii. It seems to have taken that name, it is thought, from the
first King of Ireland, Slainge, by name
—For that
March 17. J LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 543
" mouth of the Slain River. " Various opinions have been given, regarding
itsexactsituation. Thus,thereareseveralwriterswhoidentifyitwithsome
port in the present Bay of Dundrum ;9° and, among these may be enume-
rated. Sir James Ware,9i Harris, his continuator,92 and Patrick Lynch. 93 The
people, living along the coast, fondly cherish such a tradition. e* Others,95
again, claim this distinction, for Strangford Lough,96 ^nd their conclusions
seemtobefullyestablished,owingtorecentinvestigations. Onthissubject,
a learned and concise Tract has been already published. It conveys some
very researchful observations,^? and, we believe, it serves most satisfactorily to
solve the point in dispute. Its author arrives at the conclusion, there are no
traditions, nor any evidence, that the strand or river, at Dundrum Bay, had ever been called Brenasse. Neither was the Blackstaff or Drumca River
designated the Slaine, nor does any part of the adjoining coast bear any name, sounding like Brene, or Brenasse. The Fretum Brennesse was
evidently an ancient name for the mouth of Strangford Lough, in the county of Down ; because, at a. m. 2,546, the Four Masters write, that an inundation of the sea over the land took place at Brena, while it was the seventh lake eruption, that occurred in the time of Partholan. This is also named Loch Cuan, which is still the Irish name for Strangford Lough. 9^ The evidence adduced seems to establish beyond question, the identity of Strangford River,
and bay of the sea, lie beneath this moun- tain, towards the north, between it and the
Maginnis's country, now called Lecale, in which Patrick then landed. Hence,
Patrick's arrival. Near it, the ruins of the little church of Killyglinnie still remain, and alongside these is a holy well, called after
Colgan is of opinion, that the port, or land Maps for the County of Down," Sheet ostium, derived its name, from the same 40. In favour of this tradition, it has been
king, and that his name had been extended,
also, to include the Bay of Dundrum. See
ibid. , n. 46, p. 19.
^See "Tertia Vita S. Patricii," cap.
xxxi. , p. 23.
urged, that the streight, or river, connecting the bay, with the strand, is the "fretum brenasse," and that either the Blackstaff or Drumca River, entering the north end of the strand, is the River Slainge. The inhabi- tants, also, give it as a tradition, that the parish derived its name, owing to the fact of the saint having first kindled, on the Kinle,
9° It is also a singular circumstance, that "
Dundrum Bay itself is designated Holy
Bay," in a very ancient unpublished map,
belonging to the manuscript library of hills, which traverse it, the light of the
Trinity College, thus, apparently showing, that some peculiar sanctity was attached to
the place.
9' See " De Prassulibus Hibernise Com-
mentarius. "
9^ In his annotations, Harris writes, that
or the Mouth of the River Slaing, is now called the Bay of Dnn- drum, in the county of Down. The River Slaing, or Slain, riseth in the barony of Castle-reagh, and county of Down, and, takingasoutherlycourse,fallsintot—he
north end of the Bay of Dundruvi. "
Harris' Ware, vol. i. ,
magh," p. 12, note. here be found.
93 See " The Life of St. Patrick, Apostle
of Ireland," chap, xi. , p. 127, note.
9^ North of the outer bay, a narrow
streight or river runs from the bulls of the
to the town of Dundrum,— it bar, connecting
with the strand, or inner bay a large sheet of water at high tide. The inhabitants of Ballykinlar parish, which is situate to the east side of this strand, point out a nook, in Middle Ballykinlar, as the place of St.
Gospel. The place has its name, Baile- Caindlera, signifying the "town of the candlestick," because it furnished lights for Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.
95 Among these may be named Rev. Dr. "
the ' ' Inkber
Slaing,
Ireland," vol. i. , sect, chap, v. ,
ii. ,
n.
16,
"
But, nosxich river can
ing the barony of Ards, states : —"After- wards the said barony of Ards is bounded on thesouthsidebyanarmeofthesea,called Loghcoyn, which (from Newtowne) extends to Portaferry Towne in the Ards, and Strangford Towne in the barony of Lecale, betwixt which two townes the sea, comeing in by a strong current and a narrow passage, makes Lochcoyn aforesaid, and that narrow entry of the sea is called Strangford, because of tiie swift and rapid entry which the sea
is
Archbishops of Ar-
the saint. See
"
Ordnance Survey Town-
Lanigan. See Ecclesiastical History of
pp. 213, 214.
9* The Down survey of 1650, in describ-
there makes. " The
" word, "ford,"
or fiordr," itself Danish, signifying a frith, or streight. This is precisely the character of Strangford River, and the Danish of
"strong" is "streng," thus showing the nametobeofDanishorigin.
544 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
with " Brennasse. " Yet, there is additional proof, which confirms this view.
For, a townland, near Strangford Lough, and now named Ballintougher. w was formerly called Ballybrene, in the Taxation of Pope Nicholas. '°° No reasonable doubt can exist, that the name, Brenasse, is the Latinized form of " brena," entering into the composition of the name Balibren. Nor, can there be a question, that the land of Brena, stated to have been overflowed, and that Balibren, mentioned in the Taxation, were identical. Such forms naturally imparted a name to the " Fretum Brenasse. " On the southern shore of Lough Strangford, a small river—formerly called the Slaney"'— empties itself between Saul's and Gore's Islands ; nor can there be any doubt, owing to its name, and to the fact, that immediately near its exit are the Slaney Rocks,'°^ it was the Slainge, where St. Patrick and his companions disembarked. '°3 It was formerly a tidal river, for upwards of a mile, and nigh to the little village of Raholp. '°* In past times, it had been of importance, as a government port. Latterly, a battery and floodgate have been erected, near its mouth, for the purpose of keeping out the tide, and of reclaiming the broad expanse of land, at the embouchure.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE IRISH apostle's ARRIVAL AT SAUL—SOOTHSAYERS' PREDICTIONS REGARDING HIS COMING—KING LAOGHAIRE'S INSTRUCTIONS—OPPOSITION AND CONVERSION OF DICHUO OR DICHU—ST. PATRICK ERECTS A CHURCH AT SAUL—PUNISH- MENT OF A MAGICIAN—ST. PATRICK VISITS HIS FORMER MASTER, MILCHO, BUT FAILS IN EFFECTING HIS CONVERSION—TERRITORIAL POSITION OF THE CRUITHNI AND DALARADIANS—ST. PATRICK RETURNS TO DICHU—HE RECEIVES ROSS, OR RUS, INTO THE CHURCH—HE INSTRUCTS AND BAPTIZES MOCHOE, AFTERWARDS BISHOP OF ISLAND MAHEE—ST. PATRICK RELEASES THE SONS OF DICHU FROM CAPTIVITY.
As Saint Patrick and his companions approached the shore, they desired some respite from their labours. ' At the end of the Brene Strait, and at the mouth of the Slaney River, their bark^ was concealed, in some creek, when
97 See " An Inquiry into the true Land- ing-place of St. Patrick in Ulster," pub- lisliedatDownpatrick,June,1858,byJ. W. Hanna, pp. 12.
5^ See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 6, 7, and n. (w. ) 99 This is to be seen, in the parish of Saul,
"
on the Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the of Sheet County Down," 31.
two miles to the south. See " Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Down,"Sheet38. Itismoreplainlymarked, on Kennedy's Map of the County Down, pub- lished in 1767, and on Williamson's, pub- lished in 1814, than on the Ordnance Maps. The two former show it, as being then con- siderably broad at the mouth,
'°^ On a is these, diiiUas^, seaweed,
gathered by the neighbouring iniiabitants.
'"^ See W. Hanna's J.
"'°
bren,
with Ballintougher, on the authority of an Inquisition, 3 Edward VI. See Rev. \Villiani Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Antiqui-
ties of Down, Connor and Dromore," p. 40, n. (k. )
'°'
This was related to Mr. Hanna, by all
pp. 7 to 10.
'"^ This is in the parish of Ballyculter, barony of Lower Lecale, and it is shown, on the "Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Down," Sheet 31.
Chapter viii • See " Vita S. Quarta
Patricii," cap. xxxiii. , p. 39.
^ That vessel, in which the saint had
sailed, was a hooker or wherry, and not a ship. It is recorded, that on reaching land,
thevoyagershidit, nearsomesequestered part of the coast. This could not have been
In A. D. 1306. The old church of Bali-
here has been identified mentioned,
into the
the old near the the residents, place; but,
name had fallen into disuse, in 185S, since the
stream had been previously embanked. The
opening or estuary lies, between the town-
lands of Ballintougher, andRingbane or Rin- ban, " the white Promontory. " The little
River Slaney rises in Loughmoney, about
"Inquiry
true Landing-place of St. Patrick in Ulster,"
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 545
the missionaries travelled a little distance into the country,3 perhaps, to re-
connoitre its position, and to obtain some necessary intelligence, for their holy-
objects. They seem to have travelled westwards, towards Saul, which was
about two miles distant ; and, from it, the high hills of Ballintougher must
have intercepted a view of their vessel, lying in the Slaney River. * Mean-
time, the Magicians, and Soothsayers of that region,s had long before
prophesied, regarding St. Patrick's approach, and in the manner following :
"
There shall come a man, vvith his crown shaved, and in his hand a crooked staff; his table shall be set in the east of his house, and his people shall stand behind him; from his table he shall sing blasphemies, and all his family will answer, Amen, Amen. When this man shall come, he will destroy our Gods, throw down our altars, and temples ; he shall seduce the people and bring them after him ; he shall subdue, or take away our kings, who will resist him. His doctrines, too, shall reign for ever. " Somewhat different in terms, although agreeing in substance, are the magical prophecies, attributed to the Druids, in the Tripartite Life. ^ At this time, the reigning Monarch of Ireland, Laeghaire Mac Neill,7 a fierce and cruel pagan, had many Magi or Haruspices,^ who are said to have predicted what should happen, in the future ; and, among these, the chief ones were Lochra or Lochru, and Lo- chadh Mael or Luchat Calvus. 9 A certain Conn, or Constantine,'° is said, also, to have had this foreknowledge of the Irish Apostle, probably three
done, had it been a ship. It was, therefore,
a sort of large boat, which St. Patrick liad
either purchased or hired. See Rev. Dr. Lani- "
See the Second Life, cap. xxix. , p. 14. * This situation answers well to the de-
scription given, in the Book oi Armagh, re- garding the Slain, which runs at the end of the Brene.
sjocelyn gives it the Irish title Vlagh, and the Latin rendering Vlidia. At first, that province was called by ancient Irish writers, Ulta and Ulaidh, and by Latin writers Ul- tonia, Ulidia, or more correctly, Uladia,
Thus it to all rendered, applied Ulster,
ever, while he makes Theodosius the sixtieth
Emperor after Augustus, the Latin Tripar- tite Life deems Theodosius to have been the
sixty-fifth, while the Irish Tripartite sets him down as the forty- fifth— probably a—n
3
—The Galasius quoted in the Tripartite was unknown to Colgan. He does not seem to have been Pope St. Galacius L. , who died A. D. 496,
nor Galasius, Archbishop of Armagh, who succeeded St. Malachy O'Morgair, and who flourished A. D. 1150, unless some interpo- lator inserted such a chronological addition to the Tripartite text.
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
gan's
vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, iii. , n. 22, p. 217.
excepting the county of Cavan. Besides, it and included Louth. But, when the Dalfiatach,
in the second century of the Christian era, and afterwards the race of CoUa, and the sons of Niall, invaded it, the original rulers and
guish them, as only two distinct persons, Probus, on the contrary, notes them as three, whom he calls Locri, Eglid and Mel. See " Vita S. lib.
were driven into a more confined
people
space, now represented by the County of Down, where the were
Quinta xxvi. , p. 49.
people specially called Ulidiaiis, in the time of Jocelyn. The annals and customs of Uladh are set forth, in Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Anti- quities of Down, Connor and Dromore,"
thought
him identical, with
Appendix 1. 1. , pp.
