^*
Following
the opinion of Colgan,^s the Rev.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
But, Bishop Maines^ of the Hy-
or " race of
prayedthegreatmastertoforgivehiskinsmen. Then,St. Patrickmodified the malediction, and Bishop Maine washed his master's feet, with tears, and wiped them with his hair. He also drove the horses into a meadow, and
Ailella,
Oilioll,"
33 and who was one of St. Patrick's
disciples,34
Interior of Boyle Abbey, County of Roscommon.
cleaned their in honour of Patrick. The *' There hoofs, holy Apostle said,
shall be weeping, and wailing, and mourning, among the inhabitants of that country ; nor shall there be neighbourship there, for ever and ever. " This pre- diction of the saint was exactly fulfilled. And Patrick also said, that a great part of that country should afterwards belong to him,3s which was fulfilled. This happened, in the case of Nodain,36 qj. Aidan, of Loch-Uama,37 which is said to have been a lake, near Cavestown, in the parish of Estersnow. s^
3° So is this tribe-name given, in the Irish identical with Geinten, Priest, of Tir-Gaire, Tripartite Life ; in the Latin version, we by Colgan.
find, "
" familia de Mick-erca. "
3' According to a note, in Miss Cusack's Life of St. Patrick," n. 9, p. 431.
35 This servant of God was consecrated
bishop, by Bron, according to some ac- counts. See Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib.
3^ He was venerated, on the 2nd of Sep- ii. , cap. XXXV. , p. 134. If so, however, it
tember, according to the Calendar of the
O'Clerys.
33 He was the son of Eochaidh Muigh-
medhoin, and of the seed of Heremon.
3* Bishop Maine is also of Patrick's Nuadat, Archbishop of Armagh, who died
people, and Geintine, in Echainech, in Hy- Ailella, we find added, in the Irish Tripar- tite Life. In the Latin version, he is called, *'
Gemthenno de Each-ainech, in regione de Tiroilella. " His feast has been assigned
to the 2nd of September, as having been
is difficult to believe, that he was among St. Patrick's followers, at that time. This in- cident is referred to about a. d. 440.
A. D. 811, and whose feast has been assigned
to the 1 9th of February.
37 Thus, is it laid down, in the Irish Tri-
partite Life. In the Latin version, we read instead, "in Aidano de Coch-uamach. " Colgan assigns his feast to the 1st of Ja-
3* Allusion seems to be made here to St.
622 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS,
[March 17.
Then, Blessed Patrick went into the territory of Callraidhe,39 or Cal-rigia/" now probably the parish of Calry, in the barony of Carbury, and county of Sligo. The territory itself even extended, into Leitrim County,t^ to Druim- dara. -J^ There,Druimlias^sisnow,representedbytheparishofDrumlease,'<4 about a mile east of the town, and in the barony of Dromahaire, and county of Leitrim. 4S That place was presented to Patrick for ever. ^^ It was then
and there, he baptized Mac Caerthinn. 47 Regarding this person, we have no further account. Patrick afterwards established himself, on the offering,
in Drui—m-dara. 48 There, too, the holy Apostle left his dalta,''^ or foster-son,5° Benen most likely the celebrated St. Benignus,^' his successor in the See of
Armagh. We are told, that at Drumlease, he presided over a monastery, for a continuation of twenty years. Yet, there are good reasons for doubting,
and
that,too,
Tripartite does indeed mention, elsewhere, another Benignus, as being a con-
temporary with St. Patrick. It makes him a brother of Cethecus. ss
He then journeyed into those romantic glens, which extended eastwards,^* and which surround the head of Lough Gill. ss It was called " Regio de
that he was left behind at
Druimlias,
for so a 5=^ The long period.
nuary, or to the 9th of October. The first-
named day does not seem to have been that
for his festival : at the last-mentioned, there
is a St. Aedhan, Mac Ua Chuinn. Colgan from the great St. Maccartin of Ciogher.
states, that about this period flourished St. Aidanus of Cluan-eochuille, of the race of
it is
with one near the River Buannad, towards
the south, and in the territory of Breffney.
3* The name of this is a
parish corruption
of Ath-disert-Nuadhain. It is in the barony of Boyle, and it is defined, on the "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Roscommon," Sheets 9, 10, 15.
39 So is it written, in the Irish Tripartite. There were several territories, named Calry,
in Westmeath, Breffney, and Sligo.
The Carten in Tirechan's list, in all proba-
bility, was the latter.
'•^ It is now known as Drumlease Ceme- identifies Loch-uamach, here mentioned, tery. The latter name it obtained, fi'om
the Hi-Fiachrach. He
" Ecclesiastical
belonged, thought, to the territory of Corann, through which St. Patrick then passed. Colgan
gan's
History
'•" ''"
It is thus named, in the Latin version.
Besides a part of Sligo, this district must have comprehended some part of the present county of Leitrim ; for, Dromahaire is said to have been situated in Calrigia.
See Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. ciii. , p. 143-
^^ It means, "the oak-ridge. "
'»•' See Dr. James M'Parian's " Statistical
Survey of the County of Sligo," chap, v. , p. 100.
'»'' A St. Colman was venerated 19th June.
on
built at
to after times, and not to the commencing period of the great man's mission. See ibid.
S3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. lii. , p. 136.
5* It may be observed, that Glenkeel, Glenanifif, Glenade and Glennauns, lie east and north-east from Drumlease, in the county of Leitrim.
55 "For several miles around the top of the lake, through the parishes of Drumlias, Cloonclare, Killargy, and Killenumery, the leading feature of the landscape is the glens
'•s Harris was mistaken, when placing
Druimlias, in Sligo. See Harris' Ware, vol. "
Antiquities of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 268. He has been followed, by Archdall.
"
See Monasticon Ilibernicum," p. 631. However, this latter writer has the same
Druimlias, in Leitrim. See ibid. , p. 408. Here, alone, it ought to be placed.
"i* The charter of its church lands to Armagh is written in the Book of Armagh. The See lands were formerly attached to the Archbishopric of Armagh ; but, they
ii. ,
here,
ciples
Druimlias, belonged probably
were passed to the See of Kilmore, and they were afterwards leased in perpetuity.
'^^ He was certainly a different person,
of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii,, n. 125, p. 257.
the number of houses and sheds, which St. Patrick and his disciples there erected.
"t^ It means a " " or "foster-child. "
pupil
s° See the Rev. Dr. Todd's
"
Life of St. Patrick," Introductoiy Dissertation, note 4,
p. 177.
5' Although occasionally employed here
and there, this Benignus was a rather constant companion of the saint. See Rev.
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii. , n. 126,
pp. 257, 258.
5^ Dr. Lanigan has no doubt, that this
Benignus was introduced, merely to answer some objection raised, against certain stories about the real Benignus, such as that of his havingbeenabbotofDruimlias. Ifever there was a person of that name, an abbot in said place, he must have lived at a later period . The multitude of chapels and reli- gious houses, which vSt. Patrick and his dis-
Dr. Lanigans
See Rev. Dr. Lani-
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 623
Glinne," owing to the numerous valleys there abounding. The place in
question is said to have had the denomination of Cenel-Muinremur,56 or
" when the Irish and Latin Lives of our saint Stirps Muinremar," Tripartite
were written. 57 His two nostrils bled on the way. Patrick's flag, known as Lec-Patrick,58 was near that place ; and, it was also called, it is said, Carrick
Phadruic, a spot corresponding with the site of Creevelea Abbey. Patrick's
hazel, or Coll-Patrick,S9 lay a little distance, to the west of the church. The
name is not now preserved, yet he put up there, for a time. Srath-Patrick,^° " ^^
or the meadow of Patrick, was its name, when the Tripartite Life of our saint had been written ; but, Domhnach Patrick was its former name, and
apparently owing to the circumstance, that he remained there one Sunday. ^^ This was the only one of St. Patrick's churches, known to have been erected, in that part of the country, or within the diocese of Achonry ; and, it has been conjectured, that it was built of wattles, or of some such frail and humble material, in the first instance. Probably, also, to eradicate Druidic rites and
that intersect the country. "—The Ven. and Rev. Archdeacon T. O'Rorke's "History, Antiquities,andpresentStateoftheParishes of Ballysadare and Kilvarnet, in the County
of Shgo," &c. , chap, ii. , sect, vii. , p. 91.
5^ A note in the Irish Tripartite asserts, that this was probably in that part of the
County Cavan, in which is situate Lough Ramor, anciently called Loch Muin-reamhair. See " The Annals of the Four Masters," at A. M. 2859. Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , n. (y), pp. 10, II. But, the introduction of this name seems to have been an oversight.
57 This, however, appears to have been a mistake of the writers, regarding the exact
formed by an arc of the River Uncion—a stream running from north to south being the chord. It adjoins the present town- land of Collooney. The character of the spot could not have been better hit off, than by the epithet Srah, which Irish word, like the Saxon, Holme, denotes a low tract of rich land, in the vicinity of a rivei". The fine alluvial soil there had been called
" Patrick's Pasture," by a man, who was one hundred years of age, when he related this to Archdeacon O'Rorke. "Midway between the stream mentioned and the river stands a fort or rath of one hundred and forty feet in diameter, and five or six feet in
locality of the Glenns, as Archdeacon height, though somewhat depressed and
O'Rorke has so sagaciously and critically proved, in his highly-interesting and admir-
able work, the "History, Antiquities, and present State of the Parishes of Ballysadare
and Kilvarnet, in the County of Sligo," &c. , chap, ii. , sect, vii. , pp. 87 to 97,
5^ There is a townland called Leckaun,
north of Drumlease, and in the same
parish.
59 "The name Col-Phadrnic does not
survive, but there are several Coills or Culleens near Dromahaire, one of which is, doubtless, that referred to in the text. Probably it is the spot in the parish of Killenumery, mentioned by the Four INIasters, under the year 1435, as Coille-att- anma—wood of the soul. "—Ven. Arch-
dilapidated in parts, and particularly at the edge, which was formerly faced with large stones, forming a cashel. On the centre of the fort rests a great stone, five feet five inches long, five feet two inches broad, and
two feet deep, which is called, by persons
deacon O'Rorke's "
History, Antiquities,
acquainted with the locality, the Druiifs Altar. In this stone there is a slit, about twenty inches long and three wide, which was probably made for the purpose of re- ceiving the blood of the victim sacrificed. Fifty feet to the south of the central stone there is a cluster of five others, all about the same size ; an average one measuring five feet six inches in height, two feet four inches in breadth, and ten inches in depth. These and a few other large stones lying about seem to be the remains of cromlechs, and to prove the place to have been a haunt of the Druids ; and looking at the spot, situated in the midst of a great solitude, fenced round by the deep and silent Uncion, and almost beyond the reach of human sight or sound, one feels that it would be hard to find a
and present State of the Parishes of Bally-
sadare and Kilvarnet," chap, ii. , sect, vii. ,
P-93-
^° There is Sraud, in the parish of Rossin-
ver, barony of Rossclogher, and county of
Leitrim, still further to the north ; yet, this
does not seem to have been the spot. scene more fitted for the —sombre and
^' "
The Venerable Archdeacon O'Rorke identifies this Pratuin —Srah Pha-
sanguinary rites of Druidism. " tlistory,
and State of the present
PatricH, druic, or Patrick's Pasture" long
Antiquities, Parishes of
"
and Kilvarnet," chap, ii. , sect, vii. , pp. 93 to 95.
since —locally disused yet preserved still by tradition
Ballysadare
with a spot, lying at the eastern extremity of a peninsula, called Cloonmacduff, and
The Irish Tripartite
haec est una ecclesia illius regionis. ''
:
et
^= Lifeadds "
624 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [March 17.
superstitions,theIrishApostlewishedtoestablishacongregationhere; and, it is right to state, that a church, or the ruins of a church, rested on " Patrick's
Pasture " three hundred years ago,^3 although, at present, no trace of such a structure is to be found.
^* Following the opinion of Colgan,^s the Rev. Dr. Lanigan and Rev. Dr. Reeves^^ think, there is one passage of the Tripartite
Life, which is evidently misplaced. After mentioning St. Patrick's being at Druimlias, in Leitrim, he is made to appear in the Glenns, which are sup- posed to have been in the north of Antrim ; then, immediately afterwards, wefindhimtravellingalongthecoastofSligo,fromSouthtoNorth. ^7 But, from what has been stated already, it may easily be seen, that the Glenns herementioned,werewithintheConnaughtprovince. Itseemsveryreason- able to suppose, that he did not go to Ulster, at all, on this occasion ; but, that he merely travelled through Calry, along the northern shore of Lough Gill, and that he afterwards moved about in a district, to the east and south- eastofthelake. Thence,hereturned,probablybythesouthernshore,pass- ing through Cloonmacduff, Coolerra, Sligo and Drumcliff, on to Magh-eni. ^^
We are informed, that Patrick went on his journey past Druim-Cliabh, from Caisel-Irra, and along the sea-shore, by the Rosses. ^9 Such was the ancient name of a land-point, lying between the Rivers of Sligo and of Drum-
eastwards,
7° in the of and of He went barony Carbury, county Sligo.
cliff,
along Magh-Eni, or Mag-ene, and he founded there Domhnach-mor,7' or the greatchurch,ofMagh-Eni. ThiswassometimescalledMagh-Cedne,andit is now known as Moy. 72 Then it was, that he approached the Dubh,73 which abounded with fish, and it is now known as the Duff, or Bunduff,74 as also the Drobhais, or Drobhaois River. This latter stream had been un- productive, to that time. However, when St. Patrick came to the Duff, where a great number of fish had just been taken, the holy bishop requested some fishermen, who drew in their full nets, to help him and his companions to some. But, the fishers, devoid of all charity, churlishly refused the faithful servant of our Lord any of their fish, in requital of his laboursandzealfortheirspiritualwelfare. Afterwards,hewenttotheDrob- haisRiver,wherehefoundsomeboysfishing; yet,onlywithaverymode-
rate share of success. Still, they joyfully saluted God's holy servant, and they offered him some fishes, from their scanty store. He was pleased to accept
^3 This is noted on a map, belonging to thelastyearsofQueenElizabeth'sreign.
more, lying in both counties. This district
wasformerlycalled, Ros-Cette,andnowit
7° The latter creek or river separates it from Machaire-Eabha. See Dr. O'Dono-
"
^* See Archdeacon O'Rorke's
Antiquities, and present State of the that place, so called, in the north-west of Parishes of Ballysadare and Kilvarnet," Donegal.
" in quodam loco Regionis Connactorum. "
"
*s See
ii. , cap. civ. , and nn. 152, 153, pp. 143, 180,
? ' It is in the parish of Inishmacsaint.
There, in the vicinity of Carricklake, are the ruins of an ancient church. It is often mentioned, in the "Annals of the Four
''*
See "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Masters. "
Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib.
"History,
; thus from differing
chap, ii. , sect, vii. , pp. 95 to 97. Probably,
this was the church formed of mud, because
no stone was there, as mentioned in the van's
Third Life of St. Patrick, chap. liv. It was A. M. 3790, vol. i. , n. (u), p. 49.
Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix
FF. , p. 323.
''See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii,, n. 127, p.
chap, ii. , sect, vii. , p. 91. '^ It means, "the foot of the Dubh '9 They gave name to the parish of Ross- River. "
258.
*^ "
See Archdeacon O'Rorke's History,
Antiquities, and present State of the It is about four miles, west south-west from Parishes of Ballysadare and Kilvarnet," Bundoran.
is known as the Rosses
Annals of the Four Masters," at
? » it forms a plain, lying between the Rivers Erne and Drowes, in the southern part of the County Donegal,
" it gives name toavillage, in the barony of Carbury, and county of Sligo, where the river empties itself into the bay of Donegal.
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 625
them. Yet, he pronounced, that for the future, the Dubh, formerly so abounding in fish, should not be productive in salmon, on account of that refusal, which the fishermen gave him. On the contrary, he blessed the Drobhais,73 which is still called the Drowes or Bundroes^^ River. Again, on account of the kindness, which the little boys who were fishing there did to
him; our holy Apostle declared, that, thenceforward, its sterility should cease, and its fecundity should be so great, that even little boys, with scarcely any labour, could catcla its fish. The salmon there taken were reputed to
beamongthebest,inIreland; while,itpassedintoaproverb,evenatthe waterfall of Assaroe, when large and fine fishes of that species were seen, that these must have been bred, in the River Drobhais. It also was a clearer stream, than any other to be found in Ireland. Hereby, the prudent reader may learn, adds Jocelyn, in his account of the transaction, how meet it is, to entertain with hospitality the true members of Christ, and the faithful servants of Almighty God, who so greatly commends charity.
It has been said, that thrice St. Patrick went across the Shannon, into the land of Connaught. 77 However this may be, the holy Apostle travelled much through that province, never ceasing from preaching and working miracles, until such time as he brought nearly all the people there, to embrace the faith of Christ. In many places, he built churches, while he appointed priests, and other ecclesiastical persons, to direct the frequenters of churches, inthewayofsalvation. Forsevenyears,heisstatedtohavelabouredthere, and considering all his great missionary proceedings and exertions, in the west, it is scarcely possible, he could have wrought God's work, within a shorter time. It has been supposed, that during this interval, he had been twice back and forward, in some different province. ? ^ However, the Tripartite, after having once brought the saint into Connaught, represents him as con- stantly employed there; nor does it make mention, in the series of recorded transactions, regarding any other excursion by him to any other province, until his departure for Ulster. 79 Fifty bells, and fifty altar chalices, and fifty altar cloths, he left in the land of Connaught, each of them in a church he had founded. He then bade adieu to the people of that province, and gave them a blessing, when he designed leaving them for the north. ^°
The priests, also, were taught to sing the divine office. In a pleasant and spacious plain, far distant from woods, and quarries, by a miracle, the saint built a fair church, which stood even to the time of Jocelyn. This building
was fashioned of mud, but handsome, it seemed, for this primitive age. Neither winds, hail, frost nor rain injured it, so that it wondrously resisted the
'5 It rises in Lough Melvin, and empties itself into the bay of Donegal, about a mile from Bundoran. A village, at its foot, takes name from it. This is in the parish of Rossinver, barony of Rossclogher, and county of Leitrim. See Miss Cusack's
" Life of St. Patrick," nn. 2, 3, 4, p. 432. 7^ It means " the foot of the Droes. "
77 The Tripartite Life gives this account :
"Tribus autem vicibus trajecto Sinnano flumine, venit in Comiaciam ; in eaque, iu
verbi Dei predicatione et in opere Evangelii operam continue dando, mansit annis sep-
"
Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib. ii. , cap. cviii. , p. 143, .
or twice, in some parts of Leitrim, to the East of the Shannon. Accordingly, he had to cross the river in a few cases for the
tern. " See
7** See "Sexta Vita S, Ixvi. , p. 79.
Patricii," cap.
partite
version, in Miss Cusack's "Life of
79
naught mission, St. Patrick had been once
St, Patrick," pp. 429 to 433, with accom-
panying notes,
*' See "Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. 2R
During those seven years of his Con-
purpose of getting into the heart of Con- "
naught. See Rev, Dr. Lanigan's Eccle- siastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap. v. , sect, xiii. , n. 127, pp. 258, 259. How- ever, Leitrim and Cavan originally formed a part of that province.
^° See " Tertia Vita S. Patricy," cap.
"
Septima Vita S. Patricii," pars, ii. , cap. xcviii. , xcix. , 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.
or " race of
prayedthegreatmastertoforgivehiskinsmen. Then,St. Patrickmodified the malediction, and Bishop Maine washed his master's feet, with tears, and wiped them with his hair. He also drove the horses into a meadow, and
Ailella,
Oilioll,"
33 and who was one of St. Patrick's
disciples,34
Interior of Boyle Abbey, County of Roscommon.
cleaned their in honour of Patrick. The *' There hoofs, holy Apostle said,
shall be weeping, and wailing, and mourning, among the inhabitants of that country ; nor shall there be neighbourship there, for ever and ever. " This pre- diction of the saint was exactly fulfilled. And Patrick also said, that a great part of that country should afterwards belong to him,3s which was fulfilled. This happened, in the case of Nodain,36 qj. Aidan, of Loch-Uama,37 which is said to have been a lake, near Cavestown, in the parish of Estersnow. s^
3° So is this tribe-name given, in the Irish identical with Geinten, Priest, of Tir-Gaire, Tripartite Life ; in the Latin version, we by Colgan.
find, "
" familia de Mick-erca. "
3' According to a note, in Miss Cusack's Life of St. Patrick," n. 9, p. 431.
35 This servant of God was consecrated
bishop, by Bron, according to some ac- counts. See Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib.
3^ He was venerated, on the 2nd of Sep- ii. , cap. XXXV. , p. 134. If so, however, it
tember, according to the Calendar of the
O'Clerys.
33 He was the son of Eochaidh Muigh-
medhoin, and of the seed of Heremon.
3* Bishop Maine is also of Patrick's Nuadat, Archbishop of Armagh, who died
people, and Geintine, in Echainech, in Hy- Ailella, we find added, in the Irish Tripar- tite Life. In the Latin version, he is called, *'
Gemthenno de Each-ainech, in regione de Tiroilella. " His feast has been assigned
to the 2nd of September, as having been
is difficult to believe, that he was among St. Patrick's followers, at that time. This in- cident is referred to about a. d. 440.
A. D. 811, and whose feast has been assigned
to the 1 9th of February.
37 Thus, is it laid down, in the Irish Tri-
partite Life. In the Latin version, we read instead, "in Aidano de Coch-uamach. " Colgan assigns his feast to the 1st of Ja-
3* Allusion seems to be made here to St.
622 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS,
[March 17.
Then, Blessed Patrick went into the territory of Callraidhe,39 or Cal-rigia/" now probably the parish of Calry, in the barony of Carbury, and county of Sligo. The territory itself even extended, into Leitrim County,t^ to Druim- dara. -J^ There,Druimlias^sisnow,representedbytheparishofDrumlease,'<4 about a mile east of the town, and in the barony of Dromahaire, and county of Leitrim. 4S That place was presented to Patrick for ever. ^^ It was then
and there, he baptized Mac Caerthinn. 47 Regarding this person, we have no further account. Patrick afterwards established himself, on the offering,
in Drui—m-dara. 48 There, too, the holy Apostle left his dalta,''^ or foster-son,5° Benen most likely the celebrated St. Benignus,^' his successor in the See of
Armagh. We are told, that at Drumlease, he presided over a monastery, for a continuation of twenty years. Yet, there are good reasons for doubting,
and
that,too,
Tripartite does indeed mention, elsewhere, another Benignus, as being a con-
temporary with St. Patrick. It makes him a brother of Cethecus. ss
He then journeyed into those romantic glens, which extended eastwards,^* and which surround the head of Lough Gill. ss It was called " Regio de
that he was left behind at
Druimlias,
for so a 5=^ The long period.
nuary, or to the 9th of October. The first-
named day does not seem to have been that
for his festival : at the last-mentioned, there
is a St. Aedhan, Mac Ua Chuinn. Colgan from the great St. Maccartin of Ciogher.
states, that about this period flourished St. Aidanus of Cluan-eochuille, of the race of
it is
with one near the River Buannad, towards
the south, and in the territory of Breffney.
3* The name of this is a
parish corruption
of Ath-disert-Nuadhain. It is in the barony of Boyle, and it is defined, on the "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Roscommon," Sheets 9, 10, 15.
39 So is it written, in the Irish Tripartite. There were several territories, named Calry,
in Westmeath, Breffney, and Sligo.
The Carten in Tirechan's list, in all proba-
bility, was the latter.
'•^ It is now known as Drumlease Ceme- identifies Loch-uamach, here mentioned, tery. The latter name it obtained, fi'om
the Hi-Fiachrach. He
" Ecclesiastical
belonged, thought, to the territory of Corann, through which St. Patrick then passed. Colgan
gan's
History
'•" ''"
It is thus named, in the Latin version.
Besides a part of Sligo, this district must have comprehended some part of the present county of Leitrim ; for, Dromahaire is said to have been situated in Calrigia.
See Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. ciii. , p. 143-
^^ It means, "the oak-ridge. "
'»•' See Dr. James M'Parian's " Statistical
Survey of the County of Sligo," chap, v. , p. 100.
'»'' A St. Colman was venerated 19th June.
on
built at
to after times, and not to the commencing period of the great man's mission. See ibid.
S3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. lii. , p. 136.
5* It may be observed, that Glenkeel, Glenanifif, Glenade and Glennauns, lie east and north-east from Drumlease, in the county of Leitrim.
55 "For several miles around the top of the lake, through the parishes of Drumlias, Cloonclare, Killargy, and Killenumery, the leading feature of the landscape is the glens
'•s Harris was mistaken, when placing
Druimlias, in Sligo. See Harris' Ware, vol. "
Antiquities of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 268. He has been followed, by Archdall.
"
See Monasticon Ilibernicum," p. 631. However, this latter writer has the same
Druimlias, in Leitrim. See ibid. , p. 408. Here, alone, it ought to be placed.
"i* The charter of its church lands to Armagh is written in the Book of Armagh. The See lands were formerly attached to the Archbishopric of Armagh ; but, they
ii. ,
here,
ciples
Druimlias, belonged probably
were passed to the See of Kilmore, and they were afterwards leased in perpetuity.
'^^ He was certainly a different person,
of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii,, n. 125, p. 257.
the number of houses and sheds, which St. Patrick and his disciples there erected.
"t^ It means a " " or "foster-child. "
pupil
s° See the Rev. Dr. Todd's
"
Life of St. Patrick," Introductoiy Dissertation, note 4,
p. 177.
5' Although occasionally employed here
and there, this Benignus was a rather constant companion of the saint. See Rev.
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii. , n. 126,
pp. 257, 258.
5^ Dr. Lanigan has no doubt, that this
Benignus was introduced, merely to answer some objection raised, against certain stories about the real Benignus, such as that of his havingbeenabbotofDruimlias. Ifever there was a person of that name, an abbot in said place, he must have lived at a later period . The multitude of chapels and reli- gious houses, which vSt. Patrick and his dis-
Dr. Lanigans
See Rev. Dr. Lani-
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 623
Glinne," owing to the numerous valleys there abounding. The place in
question is said to have had the denomination of Cenel-Muinremur,56 or
" when the Irish and Latin Lives of our saint Stirps Muinremar," Tripartite
were written. 57 His two nostrils bled on the way. Patrick's flag, known as Lec-Patrick,58 was near that place ; and, it was also called, it is said, Carrick
Phadruic, a spot corresponding with the site of Creevelea Abbey. Patrick's
hazel, or Coll-Patrick,S9 lay a little distance, to the west of the church. The
name is not now preserved, yet he put up there, for a time. Srath-Patrick,^° " ^^
or the meadow of Patrick, was its name, when the Tripartite Life of our saint had been written ; but, Domhnach Patrick was its former name, and
apparently owing to the circumstance, that he remained there one Sunday. ^^ This was the only one of St. Patrick's churches, known to have been erected, in that part of the country, or within the diocese of Achonry ; and, it has been conjectured, that it was built of wattles, or of some such frail and humble material, in the first instance. Probably, also, to eradicate Druidic rites and
that intersect the country. "—The Ven. and Rev. Archdeacon T. O'Rorke's "History, Antiquities,andpresentStateoftheParishes of Ballysadare and Kilvarnet, in the County
of Shgo," &c. , chap, ii. , sect, vii. , p. 91.
5^ A note in the Irish Tripartite asserts, that this was probably in that part of the
County Cavan, in which is situate Lough Ramor, anciently called Loch Muin-reamhair. See " The Annals of the Four Masters," at A. M. 2859. Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i. , n. (y), pp. 10, II. But, the introduction of this name seems to have been an oversight.
57 This, however, appears to have been a mistake of the writers, regarding the exact
formed by an arc of the River Uncion—a stream running from north to south being the chord. It adjoins the present town- land of Collooney. The character of the spot could not have been better hit off, than by the epithet Srah, which Irish word, like the Saxon, Holme, denotes a low tract of rich land, in the vicinity of a rivei". The fine alluvial soil there had been called
" Patrick's Pasture," by a man, who was one hundred years of age, when he related this to Archdeacon O'Rorke. "Midway between the stream mentioned and the river stands a fort or rath of one hundred and forty feet in diameter, and five or six feet in
locality of the Glenns, as Archdeacon height, though somewhat depressed and
O'Rorke has so sagaciously and critically proved, in his highly-interesting and admir-
able work, the "History, Antiquities, and present State of the Parishes of Ballysadare
and Kilvarnet, in the County of Sligo," &c. , chap, ii. , sect, vii. , pp. 87 to 97,
5^ There is a townland called Leckaun,
north of Drumlease, and in the same
parish.
59 "The name Col-Phadrnic does not
survive, but there are several Coills or Culleens near Dromahaire, one of which is, doubtless, that referred to in the text. Probably it is the spot in the parish of Killenumery, mentioned by the Four INIasters, under the year 1435, as Coille-att- anma—wood of the soul. "—Ven. Arch-
dilapidated in parts, and particularly at the edge, which was formerly faced with large stones, forming a cashel. On the centre of the fort rests a great stone, five feet five inches long, five feet two inches broad, and
two feet deep, which is called, by persons
deacon O'Rorke's "
History, Antiquities,
acquainted with the locality, the Druiifs Altar. In this stone there is a slit, about twenty inches long and three wide, which was probably made for the purpose of re- ceiving the blood of the victim sacrificed. Fifty feet to the south of the central stone there is a cluster of five others, all about the same size ; an average one measuring five feet six inches in height, two feet four inches in breadth, and ten inches in depth. These and a few other large stones lying about seem to be the remains of cromlechs, and to prove the place to have been a haunt of the Druids ; and looking at the spot, situated in the midst of a great solitude, fenced round by the deep and silent Uncion, and almost beyond the reach of human sight or sound, one feels that it would be hard to find a
and present State of the Parishes of Bally-
sadare and Kilvarnet," chap, ii. , sect, vii. ,
P-93-
^° There is Sraud, in the parish of Rossin-
ver, barony of Rossclogher, and county of
Leitrim, still further to the north ; yet, this
does not seem to have been the spot. scene more fitted for the —sombre and
^' "
The Venerable Archdeacon O'Rorke identifies this Pratuin —Srah Pha-
sanguinary rites of Druidism. " tlistory,
and State of the present
PatricH, druic, or Patrick's Pasture" long
Antiquities, Parishes of
"
and Kilvarnet," chap, ii. , sect, vii. , pp. 93 to 95.
since —locally disused yet preserved still by tradition
Ballysadare
with a spot, lying at the eastern extremity of a peninsula, called Cloonmacduff, and
The Irish Tripartite
haec est una ecclesia illius regionis. ''
:
et
^= Lifeadds "
624 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [March 17.
superstitions,theIrishApostlewishedtoestablishacongregationhere; and, it is right to state, that a church, or the ruins of a church, rested on " Patrick's
Pasture " three hundred years ago,^3 although, at present, no trace of such a structure is to be found.
^* Following the opinion of Colgan,^s the Rev. Dr. Lanigan and Rev. Dr. Reeves^^ think, there is one passage of the Tripartite
Life, which is evidently misplaced. After mentioning St. Patrick's being at Druimlias, in Leitrim, he is made to appear in the Glenns, which are sup- posed to have been in the north of Antrim ; then, immediately afterwards, wefindhimtravellingalongthecoastofSligo,fromSouthtoNorth. ^7 But, from what has been stated already, it may easily be seen, that the Glenns herementioned,werewithintheConnaughtprovince. Itseemsveryreason- able to suppose, that he did not go to Ulster, at all, on this occasion ; but, that he merely travelled through Calry, along the northern shore of Lough Gill, and that he afterwards moved about in a district, to the east and south- eastofthelake. Thence,hereturned,probablybythesouthernshore,pass- ing through Cloonmacduff, Coolerra, Sligo and Drumcliff, on to Magh-eni. ^^
We are informed, that Patrick went on his journey past Druim-Cliabh, from Caisel-Irra, and along the sea-shore, by the Rosses. ^9 Such was the ancient name of a land-point, lying between the Rivers of Sligo and of Drum-
eastwards,
7° in the of and of He went barony Carbury, county Sligo.
cliff,
along Magh-Eni, or Mag-ene, and he founded there Domhnach-mor,7' or the greatchurch,ofMagh-Eni. ThiswassometimescalledMagh-Cedne,andit is now known as Moy. 72 Then it was, that he approached the Dubh,73 which abounded with fish, and it is now known as the Duff, or Bunduff,74 as also the Drobhais, or Drobhaois River. This latter stream had been un- productive, to that time. However, when St. Patrick came to the Duff, where a great number of fish had just been taken, the holy bishop requested some fishermen, who drew in their full nets, to help him and his companions to some. But, the fishers, devoid of all charity, churlishly refused the faithful servant of our Lord any of their fish, in requital of his laboursandzealfortheirspiritualwelfare. Afterwards,hewenttotheDrob- haisRiver,wherehefoundsomeboysfishing; yet,onlywithaverymode-
rate share of success. Still, they joyfully saluted God's holy servant, and they offered him some fishes, from their scanty store. He was pleased to accept
^3 This is noted on a map, belonging to thelastyearsofQueenElizabeth'sreign.
more, lying in both counties. This district
wasformerlycalled, Ros-Cette,andnowit
7° The latter creek or river separates it from Machaire-Eabha. See Dr. O'Dono-
"
^* See Archdeacon O'Rorke's
Antiquities, and present State of the that place, so called, in the north-west of Parishes of Ballysadare and Kilvarnet," Donegal.
" in quodam loco Regionis Connactorum. "
"
*s See
ii. , cap. civ. , and nn. 152, 153, pp. 143, 180,
? ' It is in the parish of Inishmacsaint.
There, in the vicinity of Carricklake, are the ruins of an ancient church. It is often mentioned, in the "Annals of the Four
''*
See "Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Masters. "
Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib.
"History,
; thus from differing
chap, ii. , sect, vii. , pp. 95 to 97. Probably,
this was the church formed of mud, because
no stone was there, as mentioned in the van's
Third Life of St. Patrick, chap. liv. It was A. M. 3790, vol. i. , n. (u), p. 49.
Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix
FF. , p. 323.
''See "Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
land," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii,, n. 127, p.
chap, ii. , sect, vii. , p. 91. '^ It means, "the foot of the Dubh '9 They gave name to the parish of Ross- River. "
258.
*^ "
See Archdeacon O'Rorke's History,
Antiquities, and present State of the It is about four miles, west south-west from Parishes of Ballysadare and Kilvarnet," Bundoran.
is known as the Rosses
Annals of the Four Masters," at
? » it forms a plain, lying between the Rivers Erne and Drowes, in the southern part of the County Donegal,
" it gives name toavillage, in the barony of Carbury, and county of Sligo, where the river empties itself into the bay of Donegal.
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 625
them. Yet, he pronounced, that for the future, the Dubh, formerly so abounding in fish, should not be productive in salmon, on account of that refusal, which the fishermen gave him. On the contrary, he blessed the Drobhais,73 which is still called the Drowes or Bundroes^^ River. Again, on account of the kindness, which the little boys who were fishing there did to
him; our holy Apostle declared, that, thenceforward, its sterility should cease, and its fecundity should be so great, that even little boys, with scarcely any labour, could catcla its fish. The salmon there taken were reputed to
beamongthebest,inIreland; while,itpassedintoaproverb,evenatthe waterfall of Assaroe, when large and fine fishes of that species were seen, that these must have been bred, in the River Drobhais. It also was a clearer stream, than any other to be found in Ireland. Hereby, the prudent reader may learn, adds Jocelyn, in his account of the transaction, how meet it is, to entertain with hospitality the true members of Christ, and the faithful servants of Almighty God, who so greatly commends charity.
It has been said, that thrice St. Patrick went across the Shannon, into the land of Connaught. 77 However this may be, the holy Apostle travelled much through that province, never ceasing from preaching and working miracles, until such time as he brought nearly all the people there, to embrace the faith of Christ. In many places, he built churches, while he appointed priests, and other ecclesiastical persons, to direct the frequenters of churches, inthewayofsalvation. Forsevenyears,heisstatedtohavelabouredthere, and considering all his great missionary proceedings and exertions, in the west, it is scarcely possible, he could have wrought God's work, within a shorter time. It has been supposed, that during this interval, he had been twice back and forward, in some different province. ? ^ However, the Tripartite, after having once brought the saint into Connaught, represents him as con- stantly employed there; nor does it make mention, in the series of recorded transactions, regarding any other excursion by him to any other province, until his departure for Ulster. 79 Fifty bells, and fifty altar chalices, and fifty altar cloths, he left in the land of Connaught, each of them in a church he had founded. He then bade adieu to the people of that province, and gave them a blessing, when he designed leaving them for the north. ^°
The priests, also, were taught to sing the divine office. In a pleasant and spacious plain, far distant from woods, and quarries, by a miracle, the saint built a fair church, which stood even to the time of Jocelyn. This building
was fashioned of mud, but handsome, it seemed, for this primitive age. Neither winds, hail, frost nor rain injured it, so that it wondrously resisted the
'5 It rises in Lough Melvin, and empties itself into the bay of Donegal, about a mile from Bundoran. A village, at its foot, takes name from it. This is in the parish of Rossinver, barony of Rossclogher, and county of Leitrim. See Miss Cusack's
" Life of St. Patrick," nn. 2, 3, 4, p. 432. 7^ It means " the foot of the Droes. "
77 The Tripartite Life gives this account :
"Tribus autem vicibus trajecto Sinnano flumine, venit in Comiaciam ; in eaque, iu
verbi Dei predicatione et in opere Evangelii operam continue dando, mansit annis sep-
"
Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib. ii. , cap. cviii. , p. 143, .
or twice, in some parts of Leitrim, to the East of the Shannon. Accordingly, he had to cross the river in a few cases for the
tern. " See
7** See "Sexta Vita S, Ixvi. , p. 79.
Patricii," cap.
partite
version, in Miss Cusack's "Life of
79
naught mission, St. Patrick had been once
St, Patrick," pp. 429 to 433, with accom-
panying notes,
*' See "Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. 2R
During those seven years of his Con-
purpose of getting into the heart of Con- "
naught. See Rev, Dr. Lanigan's Eccle- siastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap. v. , sect, xiii. , n. 127, pp. 258, 259. How- ever, Leitrim and Cavan originally formed a part of that province.
^° See " Tertia Vita S. Patricy," cap.
"
Septima Vita S. Patricii," pars, ii. , cap. xcviii. , xcix. , 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.
