Transactions
of the Royal Irish Academy," vol.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Or, perhaps, by Cnoc, which means
rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 449. In a document of 1509, the house of the Preben- dary of Plowth is described as situated, near
et
684 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
PassingthroughMeath,aswearetold,St. PatrickcameintoLeinster. Inall
places,hepreachedtheGospel,andtheKingdomofHeaven; and,insuitable places, or when convenience urged, he ordained bishops. It would be utterly impossible, to set down the stupendous miracles, which, as tradition has it, he wrought in the course of those journeys. Like another St. Peter, theveryshadowofhisbodyproducedmiraculouscures. Manyhereceivedto
baptism, knowing that their adversary would labour to entangle them in his snares,andheendeavouredtoprocureforthemconfirmationinfaith. Fearing their relapse into infidelity, the Apostle was anxious to gratify their instant and pious wishes. Popular traditions, as well as documentary accounts, seem to indicate, that St. Patrick took a course, nearly due south from Tara towards Naas, which was then the court of the northern Leinster kings. This is evidently the truth, as appears from the whole tenor of his history. s^
A suggestion has been ofifered,^? that Donnaghmore,^^ on the borders of ! Meath and Dublin, may have had some connexion, with this his southern journey. Again, not far from Straffan,59 and about three miles west from Celbridge,^° in the county of Kildare, there is a very curious stone-roofed cell, but of dubious antiquity. This is now called St. Patrick's house. On the exterior, it is about 24 feet long, by 14 feet in width. The entrance door is on the south side, near the western gable ; and, on this same side appears a small, narrow, mullioned window. This little church is built, almost entirely with flag-stones ; and, it seems, nevertheless, to be very ancient. There are remains of a belfry, over the western gable ; and, on the east end, the traces of a window appear, but the wall beneath has crumbled away, and the altar probably was under the eastern gable. The size and style of building resembles very much that old cell, called St. Kevin's Kitchen, at Glenda- lough. Near the old building, at the foot of an elevated ridge, called Ard- rass,^^ and on the roadside, is shown St. Patrick's well. ^^ In a grassy depression of the ground, but near the summit of the elevated mound mentioned, the country-people point out St. Patrick's bed, encircled with bushes, where it is said the holy man slept, without any shelter, for one night. From this spot, a fine view of the surrounding country is obtained. In the open pasture field, beneath, may be seen the old stone-roofed cell. ^3
We find it stated, that previous to the arrival of St. Patrick in Leinster,
Christianity had made some progress there, owing to the labours of Palla- dius,'^'* Isserninus^5 and other missionaries. These are supposed to have
a peculiar shape of a hill, or mound, Jocelyn the parish of Killadoon, barony of North may have understood that Cnoc, near Naas, Salt, and county of Kildare. See ibid. ,
on which the kings of Leinster are tradi- lionally said to have built a royal residence. 55 See "Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap.
Ixix. , Ixx. , Ixxi. , Ixxii. , pp. 90, 91.
5^ See John O'Donovan's " Leabhar na g-
Sheets lo, ii, 14.
^^
Pilgrims yet frequent it, and hang up many votive offerings of rags, on an old thorn-tree, overhanging the well.
*3 The stone roof was nearly perfect, when
visited by the writer, March, 1870; and, but for the Vandalism of persons, who
wantonly opened a hole through its centre, it might have long resisted the inroads of time. This was intended to afford egress for smoke, as the old church was used, for tlie purpose of kindling fires, in the interior ;
Ceart, or Book of Rights," n. (h), p. 227. 57 By Rev. John Francis Shearman, in
" Loca Patriciana," No. vii. , pp. 137, 138. 5^ A parish, in the barony of Ratoath,
county of Meath.
59 This is a parish, and townland, in the
barony of North Salt, shown on the " Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the but, at present, it is open on two sides, and,
County Kildare," Sheets 10, 14.
^ This is a town and townland, in the
parishes of Kildrought and Donaghcumper,
it affords shelter for cattle, so that its iii- terior is always left in a very filthy state,
'•* St. Prosper of Aquitaine records in his
" this man reached Chronicle," that holy
Ireland,in430,or431.
^^ He is said to have reached Leinster, in
m the baronies of North and Soutii
Salt,
countyofKildare. Seeibid. . Sheetli.
*»
This townland, Upper and Lower, is in
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 685
leavened the population, while it was still the privilege of our great Apostle, to
attack pagan superstition, in its high places. ^^ Again, it has been asserted, that St. Patrick's visitation to the more southern province did not take place, until he had previously held an interview with King Laoghaire Mac Neill, at theFeis,orConvention,ofTara. ^7 Totheyear438,^^hasbeenassignedthe saint's writing and purification of the Seanchus, or History, and of the Feine- chus, or Laws, of ancient Erinn f'i while, the writings and ancient books were collected and brought to one place, at the request of Patrick. The account runs, that three kings, Laoighaire,7° Core? ' and Daire ;72 three saints, Patrick,73 Benen74 and Cairnech ;75 with three antiquaries, Ross,7^ Dubhthach77 and Fearghus ;7^ or, a committee of these nine distinguished persons'9 undertook this work of recension and revision. ^° The Feis or Senate of Tara is said to have invested the persons, thus selected, with authority for thepurpose. ^^ Theirlaboursweredirected,torevisethepaganlawsofIreland, and to make them harmonize with Christianity. ^^ Having this object in view, they drew up a new Code, called the Seanchus-Mor,^3 or Great Antiquity.
438, with Auxilius and Secundinus, to assist
St. Patrick, in his Apostolic labours.
** See Rev. John Francis Shearman's
7^ Thought by some to have been Ros, the son of Trichem,
77 Supposed to have been Dubhtacli Mac " Loca Patriciana," No. vii. , p. ill. No. Ui Lugair, the chief man among the Irish
viii. , pp. 139, 140.
^^ In 1792, Lieutenant Daniel Grose
sketched the church and curious ruins, on
the Hill of Tara. Of these, he gives a N. W.
bards.
7^ He is otherwise called Fergus, the poet.
But, indeed, we may consider all this ac- count as a fiction, and many of those persons here named as apocryphal, in relation to the
work them. assigned
view. The engraving and description may
be
in Grose's " of Ire- Antiquities
seen,
land," vol. ii. , pp. 88, 89.
79 Thus, do we read, from a translation of
'^ See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 132 to 135.
'5 If this be the case, and if the Manu- script or a copy of it be extant, it should unite both the foregoing conditions of a his-
an old Irish Poem — :
torical and a
"
Laeghaire, Core, Dairi, the hardy;
Patrick, Benen, Cairnech, the just ; Rossa, Dubhthach, Ferghus, with
science
These were the nine pillars of the Sen-
chus Mor. "
—See " Introduction to Senchus Mor and
-AchjAbAiL, or Law of Distress," vol. i. Preface by W. Neilson Handcock, pp. v. to li. , and p. 17.
legal
Codex, answering
collection of Tracts.
;
a
tion does not seem to have been recovered.
7° This is intended for the supposed reign-
ing monarch, who died A. D. 458, according to the Four Masters.
7' Most probably intended for the grand- father of Aenghus Mac Nadfraich, the first Christian Kingof Munster. See O'Flaherty's the
Hitherto,
this
descrip-
"Ogygia," pars, iii. , cap. Ixxxi. , p. 385.
But, the former was not contemporaneous
with the period of Laoighaire's reign, nor with St. Patrick's mission.
T' We are not able to distinguish this in- dividual.
73 This saint is intended for the Irish Apostle himself.
? * This holy man is supposed to have
been the successor of St. Patrick, in the
Archiepiscopal See of Armagh, and whose feast has been assigned to the 9th of No- vember. Hisdeathisrecordedata. d. 467, by the Four Masters. According to our best authorities, Benignus could hardly have been an adult in 438.
75 The death of Cairnech has been gene- rally, fixed at A. D. 530, and it does not seem reasonable to suppose, that he could have assisted at a convention, attributed to nearly
a centuiy previous to that date.
paration, may examine the introduction and
body of this work, as lately edited by the
Brehon Law Commissioners, vol. i. , ii. , iii.
^' SeeDr. " of Jeoffrey Keating's History
Ireland," book ii. Likewise, Charles
^^
It is said, that after the pagan bardic verses had been sung, and the laws had been collected and laid before Patrick, he corrected these, according to the written law, which he brought, while alterations and additions were made. Many of the accounts remaining to us, in reference to this subject, are puerile in the extreme, and do not stand the tests of severe criticism.
"
call this the Chronicon Magnum. " There is a work, so called, in the British Museum. Again, there are fragments of a work, bear- ing a similar title, among the Manuscripts of
^ Whoever desires to read, concerning
"
Senchus Mor," and its mode of pre-
"
Ireland," Diss, i. , sect. 15, p. 197.
O'Conor's
Dissertations on the History of
*3 The "Annales Ultonienses "
686 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
This compilation^'' referred to the just duties and reHgious offices of eccle- siasticalandofsecularpersons. ^s Theyaresupposed^^tohavebeenthesame
as the Cajwin-Phadruic^^'J or the " Canones Patricii/'' mentioned by Jocelyn. ^^ We are not able to ascertain what became of the Seanchus I\Ior f'^ but, Keating derives from it the Psalter of Cashel, the Book of Armagh, with other valuable remains of antiquity. 9° To account for King Laoghaire engaging St. Patrick on such a work, Charles O'Conor states, that the monarch had become aChristian,yet,thatheagainapostatized; however,thisseemsunreliableand inconsistent with old accounts. Nor, is it at all likely, that St. Patrick could have been engaged on a work of the kind, known as the Seanchus Mor,^'^ apparently so inconsistent with his missionary avocations, and probably with the bent of his studies. Nor, is it reasonable to suppose, that St. Patrick, with St. Benignus, and St. Carnech, could have been thus employed, by a pagan king, and at a time when paganism so generally prevailed, among his councillors. 92 This account seems, however, to have been a mere bardic in- vention ; and, we may dismiss its further consideration, as extraneous to the real series of St. Patrick's actions.
Enveloped in many curious contradictions of statement or speculation arevariousnarratives,referringtooursaint. Dunlaing,thereigningKingof Leinster, about this time, lived at Naas, according to a very general opinion ; while another conjecture has it, that as there is no account of him, or of his
when Patrick arrived at this seat of the —
wife, Cuach,93 rule, probability is,
were not then
— aboutthe 95 living. 9+ Here, year 448
others have
that
it at a much later period 9^ missionary
they
Trinity College, Dublin ; one Codex classed H. 3. 17, and another H. 3. 18.
chics Mor does not date to St. Patrick's
time ; yet, he deems it highly probable,
that such a work had been soon compiled,
after the introduction of Christianity into
this country. It is even very probable, that assisted by some of the converted literati of Ireland, St. Patrick may have laid a founda- tion for the revision of the old pagan laws and usages, to render them conformable to the Gospel doctrines. Perhaps, such a work, compiled by the labours of his suc- cessors, may have been ascribed to him, to give it greater authority with the people.
"
History and Antiquities of Tara Hill," p. 56.
5^ See Rev. Dr. " Ecclesiasti- Lanigan's
cal History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vii. , sect. XV. , p. 371, and n. 162, p, 372.
93 She was daughter to Caolbadh, son of Colman, son to Bloit, of the Sil Elaigh, in Hy-Bairrche of I\Iagh Ailbhe. Besides their more celebrated sons, lUann and Oilill, another, called Eochaid, is remembered.
*'* It is in the distinctly stated,
Trinity College Manuscript, H. 3. 18, that the Seafic/it(S Mor was likewise calletl Cain
"
individual Brehon of the Gaeidhil has dared
to abrogate anything found in it.
^5 Hence, this volume seems not to have
been a collection of History and of Laws,
but relating to Laws solely. See Dr. Petrie's " History and Antiquities of Tara Hill," p. 56.
Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. xviii.
Fhadriiig, or
Patrick's Law," and that no
*°
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quarta Appendix ii. , p. 214.
ad Acta S.
Patricii,
pars.
^^ This was the name, which the Irish ap- plied to St. Patrick's copy of the Gospels, and now known as the " IBook of Armagh. " See "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (1), pp. 132 to 134.
^^
See Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. clxxxv. , p. 106.
^"^ See Bishop Nicholson's "Irish Histo-
Ii.
lost, or they are not yet recovered.
9" Although Dr. Petrie thinks the Scan-
See Rev, John Francis Shearman's
Patriciana," No. vii. , p. 116.
9-* The date of his death is not
''
Loca
rical
9° See Rev.
recorded, yet, we are told, he was buried in the ram-
Library," cha]5. ii. , p. Jeoffrey Keating's
" General History of Ireland," book ii. , at the reign of King Laogaire, where he gives a very particular account of the proceedings and care of the committee, appointed to revise the laws, and to preserve the poems, genea- logies and chronicles of the ancients. Many of the books he names, as existing over two hundred years ago, now seem to have been
jDarts of Maisden, in his armour, and as if prepared for battle.
95 See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesia- nim Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 431, and
"
Index Chronologicus," at A. D. ccccxlviii. , p. 518. Ibid.
9° As at A. D. 460. See Rev. John Francis
Shearman's "Loca Patriciana," No. vii. , p. 118.
the illustrious met
Illand,
or
Illann,97
See Dr. Petrie's
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 687
and Alild, or Ailell, sometimes called Oilill,9^ the sons of Dmilaing, and who succeeded their father, on the throne of Leinster, They received, with respect and attention, the message of salvation, conveyed to them, and both
were purified, in the waters of regeneration, having been baptized in a well,99
whichlaynorthofthetownofNaas. '°° ThesiteofSt. Patrick'stent'°^was
here shown, on the green of the fort, or great Dun, w-hich stands in the
centre of the town. While there, he also baptized AililFs two daughters,
Moghain and Feidelm. ^°^ Their father dedicated them to God and to St.
Patrick. They lived as consecrated virgins, afterwards, and St. Patrick is
said to have blessed the veil, which was placed on their heads. '°3 At this
place, too, one Foillen, an Oeconemus, or officer of the royal household, had
conceived a strong prejudice against the Christian Religion. Messengers went from the saint, who desired to hold a conference with this steward of the
Fort, at Naas. Then, Foillen ridiculed the holy man, against whom he had an
enmity,andherefusedtobeconverted. Hefeignedaprofoundsleep,when
the Apostle of Ireland approached him. '°+ The sleep of death, however,
came over this unhappy man ; and, his eyes never opened, afterwards, except to the horrors of perdition, in another life. This dreadful fate was long re-
membered, by the inhabitants of this place ; and, the worst imprecation they
that this imprecation was used, in his time. Jocelyn states, however, that quite a corresponding event occurred at Cnoc, thought to have been Castle- knock, just after Patrick had left Dublin. He calls that unfortunate man, who slept on to death, not by the name of Foillen, but by that of Murin. '°7
*'' The heroic prince lllann, who was a effected other works, before he set out for great warrior, died a. d. 506, according to Leinster. This system, however, cannot
"
the sleep of Foillen, in the Castle of Naas ! " '°5 We are told, by Colgan,'°^
could wish an enemy was conveyed in these words :
May his sleep be like
Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 164, 165.
9** His death is recorded, at A. D. 526.
See ibid. , pp. 174, 175. Many Kings of Leinster, as also the great St. Lorcan or Laurence O'Toole, descended from him. See
well be reconciled, with our received chro- nology, nor with the series of our saint's transactions, as given in the Tripartite Lives. The great objection, with regard to time, might indeed be got over, so far as concernsIllann. But,wecannotreasonably
*'
the author's Life of St. Laurence O'Toole," account for the baptism of Alild, at that
&c. , chap, i. , pp. II, 12, and note. early period, particularly as the Tripartite 59 It is Said to have been north of the adds, that his daughters, Mugania and
great Fort or Dun. Fethlimia, were also baptized by our saint, "''In the writer's "Life of St. David, and in the same fountain. Supposing Alild
Archbishop of Menevia, Chief Patron of Wales, and Titular Patron of Naas Church
and Parish, in Ireland," a special chapter
to have been then only twenty-four years of
age, we should be obliged to admit, that he
reached the term of over 100 years. See
Rev. Dr. " Ecclesiastical Lanigan's
has been devoted to the l2mo.
and his- tory of this ancient town. Dublin, 1869,
History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, v. , n. 38,
"'
to have been
pp. 274, 275.
'°'' to the Irish According
It is
ward of the road.
been at Naas.
east-
"' were They
Patrick was told, that the steward was
" said "I asleep. My debroth," Patrick,
should not be surprised, if it M'ere his last
sleep. " Plis people went to awaken him, and they found him dead, owing to the dis- obedience he showed to St. Patrick.
'°5 See the " Life of St. Patrick, Apostle ofIreland,&c. ATripleLeaf,"chap,iii. , pp. 66, 6"]. Hence, the imprecation, which, adds the Tripartite, a person wishing bad rest to another used to pronounce.
'"^ See his "Trias " Sexta '1 haumaturga,
Vita S. Patricii, n. 73, p. 112.
'°7 See ibid. , cap. Ixxii. , p. 91.
'°* This territory took its name from
Carchu, a descendant of Ugaine Mor, King
said,
placed,
Tripartite Life,
on the December, according to the Calendar of the O'Clerys. Jocelyn has omitted the whole of what is said about St. Patrick having
venerated,
9th
of
'"^ Ussher's Tripartite mentions, in general terms, that the sons of Dunking, who ruled in North Leinster, believed and were bap- tized. See "Primordia," cap. xvii. , p. 826. Now, Ussher assigns their baptism, to A. D. See his " Index
448. Chronologicus," ad annum ccccxLVlli. This epoch was
ruled, to harmonize with his calculations, according to which St. Patrick founded the See of Armagh, went to Great Britain, and
antiquities
6S8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
During this progress of St. Patrick through Leinster, he appears to have
visited Hy-Garchon territory^°^ once more, and Drichir, or Dricrin,'°9 the
princeofthecountry,inhospitablytreatedhim. "° Thischiefisreportedto have been a son-in-law to King Leoghaire. But, St. Patrick was consoled
for this bad reception, by meeting a very poor man, named Cillen, or KiUin,'" who slaughtered the only cow he possessed, in order to entertain the saint and his retinue. "^ He likewise gave to Patrick the quantity of flour, that he brought for his own support from the king's house. "3 Where- upon, St. Patrick prophesied, that Cilline's son, who is named Marcanus, or Marcan,"* should be a future king, over the Ui-Garchon.
From Hy-Garchon, St. Patrick is said to have travelled through that level and pleasing region, through which the River Liffey ran. "5 Here, he founded churches, and he also provided for their good government. This dis-
"
trict was called Magh-liffe, or the
Killuassuille,"^ so called from St. Auxilius, or Usaille,"? whom the saint left at this place, now known as Killashee,"^ or Killossy ;"9 as also, Kill-Cuilinn,'=° now known as Old KilcuUen,'^^ which belonged to St. Iserninus,"^ and to St. Mactail ;^^3 while other churches were established by him, of which a record
of Ireland. We learn from the Scholiast, on St. Patrick founded an abbey, and that it the Martyrology of Aengus tlie Ceile De, was not far from Kildare. He calls Auxi- that it was in one of the Fotharta of lius K nephew of St. Patrick. See " Mon- Leinster. See Dr. Todd's "St. Patrick,
Apostle of Ireland. " Introduction. Ap- pendix A. , Table v. , p. 253, and chap, i. , pp. 286, 290, 338.
'°5 Such is the name, as written in the Irish Tripartite. This king's name does not appear in the Annals, but he was perhaps a near connection of Nathi, who opposed St. Palladius and Patrick, in the same country. He was a person of considerable importance, being a member of the same family, as the kings of Leinster.
"° The Irish Tripartite Life states, that he refused Patrick, regarding his feast, at Rath-Inbhir, on Laeghaire's account.
"' He does not appear to have been
identified with any saint in our Calendars,
although his pedigree has been traced, in Dr.
Todd's "St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland. "
Introduction. Appendix A. , Tablev. , p. 253. ^" The Rev. Dr. Lanigan remarks, that
this is a proof, furnished by the Tripartite, that St. Patrick did not always abstain from
"
obscure.
"'* See the pedigree of the Ui-Garchon,
asticon Hibernicum," p. 332.
"7 According to the " Annals of the Four
flesh-meat. See
Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, v. , n. 42, p. 276.
rum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 449. In a document of 1509, the house of the Preben- dary of Plowth is described as situated, near
et
684 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
PassingthroughMeath,aswearetold,St. PatrickcameintoLeinster. Inall
places,hepreachedtheGospel,andtheKingdomofHeaven; and,insuitable places, or when convenience urged, he ordained bishops. It would be utterly impossible, to set down the stupendous miracles, which, as tradition has it, he wrought in the course of those journeys. Like another St. Peter, theveryshadowofhisbodyproducedmiraculouscures. Manyhereceivedto
baptism, knowing that their adversary would labour to entangle them in his snares,andheendeavouredtoprocureforthemconfirmationinfaith. Fearing their relapse into infidelity, the Apostle was anxious to gratify their instant and pious wishes. Popular traditions, as well as documentary accounts, seem to indicate, that St. Patrick took a course, nearly due south from Tara towards Naas, which was then the court of the northern Leinster kings. This is evidently the truth, as appears from the whole tenor of his history. s^
A suggestion has been ofifered,^? that Donnaghmore,^^ on the borders of ! Meath and Dublin, may have had some connexion, with this his southern journey. Again, not far from Straffan,59 and about three miles west from Celbridge,^° in the county of Kildare, there is a very curious stone-roofed cell, but of dubious antiquity. This is now called St. Patrick's house. On the exterior, it is about 24 feet long, by 14 feet in width. The entrance door is on the south side, near the western gable ; and, on this same side appears a small, narrow, mullioned window. This little church is built, almost entirely with flag-stones ; and, it seems, nevertheless, to be very ancient. There are remains of a belfry, over the western gable ; and, on the east end, the traces of a window appear, but the wall beneath has crumbled away, and the altar probably was under the eastern gable. The size and style of building resembles very much that old cell, called St. Kevin's Kitchen, at Glenda- lough. Near the old building, at the foot of an elevated ridge, called Ard- rass,^^ and on the roadside, is shown St. Patrick's well. ^^ In a grassy depression of the ground, but near the summit of the elevated mound mentioned, the country-people point out St. Patrick's bed, encircled with bushes, where it is said the holy man slept, without any shelter, for one night. From this spot, a fine view of the surrounding country is obtained. In the open pasture field, beneath, may be seen the old stone-roofed cell. ^3
We find it stated, that previous to the arrival of St. Patrick in Leinster,
Christianity had made some progress there, owing to the labours of Palla- dius,'^'* Isserninus^5 and other missionaries. These are supposed to have
a peculiar shape of a hill, or mound, Jocelyn the parish of Killadoon, barony of North may have understood that Cnoc, near Naas, Salt, and county of Kildare. See ibid. ,
on which the kings of Leinster are tradi- lionally said to have built a royal residence. 55 See "Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap.
Ixix. , Ixx. , Ixxi. , Ixxii. , pp. 90, 91.
5^ See John O'Donovan's " Leabhar na g-
Sheets lo, ii, 14.
^^
Pilgrims yet frequent it, and hang up many votive offerings of rags, on an old thorn-tree, overhanging the well.
*3 The stone roof was nearly perfect, when
visited by the writer, March, 1870; and, but for the Vandalism of persons, who
wantonly opened a hole through its centre, it might have long resisted the inroads of time. This was intended to afford egress for smoke, as the old church was used, for tlie purpose of kindling fires, in the interior ;
Ceart, or Book of Rights," n. (h), p. 227. 57 By Rev. John Francis Shearman, in
" Loca Patriciana," No. vii. , pp. 137, 138. 5^ A parish, in the barony of Ratoath,
county of Meath.
59 This is a parish, and townland, in the
barony of North Salt, shown on the " Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the but, at present, it is open on two sides, and,
County Kildare," Sheets 10, 14.
^ This is a town and townland, in the
parishes of Kildrought and Donaghcumper,
it affords shelter for cattle, so that its iii- terior is always left in a very filthy state,
'•* St. Prosper of Aquitaine records in his
" this man reached Chronicle," that holy
Ireland,in430,or431.
^^ He is said to have reached Leinster, in
m the baronies of North and Soutii
Salt,
countyofKildare. Seeibid. . Sheetli.
*»
This townland, Upper and Lower, is in
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 685
leavened the population, while it was still the privilege of our great Apostle, to
attack pagan superstition, in its high places. ^^ Again, it has been asserted, that St. Patrick's visitation to the more southern province did not take place, until he had previously held an interview with King Laoghaire Mac Neill, at theFeis,orConvention,ofTara. ^7 Totheyear438,^^hasbeenassignedthe saint's writing and purification of the Seanchus, or History, and of the Feine- chus, or Laws, of ancient Erinn f'i while, the writings and ancient books were collected and brought to one place, at the request of Patrick. The account runs, that three kings, Laoighaire,7° Core? ' and Daire ;72 three saints, Patrick,73 Benen74 and Cairnech ;75 with three antiquaries, Ross,7^ Dubhthach77 and Fearghus ;7^ or, a committee of these nine distinguished persons'9 undertook this work of recension and revision. ^° The Feis or Senate of Tara is said to have invested the persons, thus selected, with authority for thepurpose. ^^ Theirlaboursweredirected,torevisethepaganlawsofIreland, and to make them harmonize with Christianity. ^^ Having this object in view, they drew up a new Code, called the Seanchus-Mor,^3 or Great Antiquity.
438, with Auxilius and Secundinus, to assist
St. Patrick, in his Apostolic labours.
** See Rev. John Francis Shearman's
7^ Thought by some to have been Ros, the son of Trichem,
77 Supposed to have been Dubhtacli Mac " Loca Patriciana," No. vii. , p. ill. No. Ui Lugair, the chief man among the Irish
viii. , pp. 139, 140.
^^ In 1792, Lieutenant Daniel Grose
sketched the church and curious ruins, on
the Hill of Tara. Of these, he gives a N. W.
bards.
7^ He is otherwise called Fergus, the poet.
But, indeed, we may consider all this ac- count as a fiction, and many of those persons here named as apocryphal, in relation to the
work them. assigned
view. The engraving and description may
be
in Grose's " of Ire- Antiquities
seen,
land," vol. ii. , pp. 88, 89.
79 Thus, do we read, from a translation of
'^ See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 132 to 135.
'5 If this be the case, and if the Manu- script or a copy of it be extant, it should unite both the foregoing conditions of a his-
an old Irish Poem — :
torical and a
"
Laeghaire, Core, Dairi, the hardy;
Patrick, Benen, Cairnech, the just ; Rossa, Dubhthach, Ferghus, with
science
These were the nine pillars of the Sen-
chus Mor. "
—See " Introduction to Senchus Mor and
-AchjAbAiL, or Law of Distress," vol. i. Preface by W. Neilson Handcock, pp. v. to li. , and p. 17.
legal
Codex, answering
collection of Tracts.
;
a
tion does not seem to have been recovered.
7° This is intended for the supposed reign-
ing monarch, who died A. D. 458, according to the Four Masters.
7' Most probably intended for the grand- father of Aenghus Mac Nadfraich, the first Christian Kingof Munster. See O'Flaherty's the
Hitherto,
this
descrip-
"Ogygia," pars, iii. , cap. Ixxxi. , p. 385.
But, the former was not contemporaneous
with the period of Laoighaire's reign, nor with St. Patrick's mission.
T' We are not able to distinguish this in- dividual.
73 This saint is intended for the Irish Apostle himself.
? * This holy man is supposed to have
been the successor of St. Patrick, in the
Archiepiscopal See of Armagh, and whose feast has been assigned to the 9th of No- vember. Hisdeathisrecordedata. d. 467, by the Four Masters. According to our best authorities, Benignus could hardly have been an adult in 438.
75 The death of Cairnech has been gene- rally, fixed at A. D. 530, and it does not seem reasonable to suppose, that he could have assisted at a convention, attributed to nearly
a centuiy previous to that date.
paration, may examine the introduction and
body of this work, as lately edited by the
Brehon Law Commissioners, vol. i. , ii. , iii.
^' SeeDr. " of Jeoffrey Keating's History
Ireland," book ii. Likewise, Charles
^^
It is said, that after the pagan bardic verses had been sung, and the laws had been collected and laid before Patrick, he corrected these, according to the written law, which he brought, while alterations and additions were made. Many of the accounts remaining to us, in reference to this subject, are puerile in the extreme, and do not stand the tests of severe criticism.
"
call this the Chronicon Magnum. " There is a work, so called, in the British Museum. Again, there are fragments of a work, bear- ing a similar title, among the Manuscripts of
^ Whoever desires to read, concerning
"
Senchus Mor," and its mode of pre-
"
Ireland," Diss, i. , sect. 15, p. 197.
O'Conor's
Dissertations on the History of
*3 The "Annales Ultonienses "
686 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
This compilation^'' referred to the just duties and reHgious offices of eccle- siasticalandofsecularpersons. ^s Theyaresupposed^^tohavebeenthesame
as the Cajwin-Phadruic^^'J or the " Canones Patricii/'' mentioned by Jocelyn. ^^ We are not able to ascertain what became of the Seanchus I\Ior f'^ but, Keating derives from it the Psalter of Cashel, the Book of Armagh, with other valuable remains of antiquity. 9° To account for King Laoghaire engaging St. Patrick on such a work, Charles O'Conor states, that the monarch had become aChristian,yet,thatheagainapostatized; however,thisseemsunreliableand inconsistent with old accounts. Nor, is it at all likely, that St. Patrick could have been engaged on a work of the kind, known as the Seanchus Mor,^'^ apparently so inconsistent with his missionary avocations, and probably with the bent of his studies. Nor, is it reasonable to suppose, that St. Patrick, with St. Benignus, and St. Carnech, could have been thus employed, by a pagan king, and at a time when paganism so generally prevailed, among his councillors. 92 This account seems, however, to have been a mere bardic in- vention ; and, we may dismiss its further consideration, as extraneous to the real series of St. Patrick's actions.
Enveloped in many curious contradictions of statement or speculation arevariousnarratives,referringtooursaint. Dunlaing,thereigningKingof Leinster, about this time, lived at Naas, according to a very general opinion ; while another conjecture has it, that as there is no account of him, or of his
when Patrick arrived at this seat of the —
wife, Cuach,93 rule, probability is,
were not then
— aboutthe 95 living. 9+ Here, year 448
others have
that
it at a much later period 9^ missionary
they
Trinity College, Dublin ; one Codex classed H. 3. 17, and another H. 3. 18.
chics Mor does not date to St. Patrick's
time ; yet, he deems it highly probable,
that such a work had been soon compiled,
after the introduction of Christianity into
this country. It is even very probable, that assisted by some of the converted literati of Ireland, St. Patrick may have laid a founda- tion for the revision of the old pagan laws and usages, to render them conformable to the Gospel doctrines. Perhaps, such a work, compiled by the labours of his suc- cessors, may have been ascribed to him, to give it greater authority with the people.
"
History and Antiquities of Tara Hill," p. 56.
5^ See Rev. Dr. " Ecclesiasti- Lanigan's
cal History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vii. , sect. XV. , p. 371, and n. 162, p, 372.
93 She was daughter to Caolbadh, son of Colman, son to Bloit, of the Sil Elaigh, in Hy-Bairrche of I\Iagh Ailbhe. Besides their more celebrated sons, lUann and Oilill, another, called Eochaid, is remembered.
*'* It is in the distinctly stated,
Trinity College Manuscript, H. 3. 18, that the Seafic/it(S Mor was likewise calletl Cain
"
individual Brehon of the Gaeidhil has dared
to abrogate anything found in it.
^5 Hence, this volume seems not to have
been a collection of History and of Laws,
but relating to Laws solely. See Dr. Petrie's " History and Antiquities of Tara Hill," p. 56.
Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. xviii.
Fhadriiig, or
Patrick's Law," and that no
*°
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quarta Appendix ii. , p. 214.
ad Acta S.
Patricii,
pars.
^^ This was the name, which the Irish ap- plied to St. Patrick's copy of the Gospels, and now known as the " IBook of Armagh. " See "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (1), pp. 132 to 134.
^^
See Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. clxxxv. , p. 106.
^"^ See Bishop Nicholson's "Irish Histo-
Ii.
lost, or they are not yet recovered.
9" Although Dr. Petrie thinks the Scan-
See Rev, John Francis Shearman's
Patriciana," No. vii. , p. 116.
9-* The date of his death is not
''
Loca
rical
9° See Rev.
recorded, yet, we are told, he was buried in the ram-
Library," cha]5. ii. , p. Jeoffrey Keating's
" General History of Ireland," book ii. , at the reign of King Laogaire, where he gives a very particular account of the proceedings and care of the committee, appointed to revise the laws, and to preserve the poems, genea- logies and chronicles of the ancients. Many of the books he names, as existing over two hundred years ago, now seem to have been
jDarts of Maisden, in his armour, and as if prepared for battle.
95 See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesia- nim Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 431, and
"
Index Chronologicus," at A. D. ccccxlviii. , p. 518. Ibid.
9° As at A. D. 460. See Rev. John Francis
Shearman's "Loca Patriciana," No. vii. , p. 118.
the illustrious met
Illand,
or
Illann,97
See Dr. Petrie's
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 687
and Alild, or Ailell, sometimes called Oilill,9^ the sons of Dmilaing, and who succeeded their father, on the throne of Leinster, They received, with respect and attention, the message of salvation, conveyed to them, and both
were purified, in the waters of regeneration, having been baptized in a well,99
whichlaynorthofthetownofNaas. '°° ThesiteofSt. Patrick'stent'°^was
here shown, on the green of the fort, or great Dun, w-hich stands in the
centre of the town. While there, he also baptized AililFs two daughters,
Moghain and Feidelm. ^°^ Their father dedicated them to God and to St.
Patrick. They lived as consecrated virgins, afterwards, and St. Patrick is
said to have blessed the veil, which was placed on their heads. '°3 At this
place, too, one Foillen, an Oeconemus, or officer of the royal household, had
conceived a strong prejudice against the Christian Religion. Messengers went from the saint, who desired to hold a conference with this steward of the
Fort, at Naas. Then, Foillen ridiculed the holy man, against whom he had an
enmity,andherefusedtobeconverted. Hefeignedaprofoundsleep,when
the Apostle of Ireland approached him. '°+ The sleep of death, however,
came over this unhappy man ; and, his eyes never opened, afterwards, except to the horrors of perdition, in another life. This dreadful fate was long re-
membered, by the inhabitants of this place ; and, the worst imprecation they
that this imprecation was used, in his time. Jocelyn states, however, that quite a corresponding event occurred at Cnoc, thought to have been Castle- knock, just after Patrick had left Dublin. He calls that unfortunate man, who slept on to death, not by the name of Foillen, but by that of Murin. '°7
*'' The heroic prince lllann, who was a effected other works, before he set out for great warrior, died a. d. 506, according to Leinster. This system, however, cannot
"
the sleep of Foillen, in the Castle of Naas ! " '°5 We are told, by Colgan,'°^
could wish an enemy was conveyed in these words :
May his sleep be like
Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 164, 165.
9** His death is recorded, at A. D. 526.
See ibid. , pp. 174, 175. Many Kings of Leinster, as also the great St. Lorcan or Laurence O'Toole, descended from him. See
well be reconciled, with our received chro- nology, nor with the series of our saint's transactions, as given in the Tripartite Lives. The great objection, with regard to time, might indeed be got over, so far as concernsIllann. But,wecannotreasonably
*'
the author's Life of St. Laurence O'Toole," account for the baptism of Alild, at that
&c. , chap, i. , pp. II, 12, and note. early period, particularly as the Tripartite 59 It is Said to have been north of the adds, that his daughters, Mugania and
great Fort or Dun. Fethlimia, were also baptized by our saint, "''In the writer's "Life of St. David, and in the same fountain. Supposing Alild
Archbishop of Menevia, Chief Patron of Wales, and Titular Patron of Naas Church
and Parish, in Ireland," a special chapter
to have been then only twenty-four years of
age, we should be obliged to admit, that he
reached the term of over 100 years. See
Rev. Dr. " Ecclesiastical Lanigan's
has been devoted to the l2mo.
and his- tory of this ancient town. Dublin, 1869,
History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, v. , n. 38,
"'
to have been
pp. 274, 275.
'°'' to the Irish According
It is
ward of the road.
been at Naas.
east-
"' were They
Patrick was told, that the steward was
" said "I asleep. My debroth," Patrick,
should not be surprised, if it M'ere his last
sleep. " Plis people went to awaken him, and they found him dead, owing to the dis- obedience he showed to St. Patrick.
'°5 See the " Life of St. Patrick, Apostle ofIreland,&c. ATripleLeaf,"chap,iii. , pp. 66, 6"]. Hence, the imprecation, which, adds the Tripartite, a person wishing bad rest to another used to pronounce.
'"^ See his "Trias " Sexta '1 haumaturga,
Vita S. Patricii, n. 73, p. 112.
'°7 See ibid. , cap. Ixxii. , p. 91.
'°* This territory took its name from
Carchu, a descendant of Ugaine Mor, King
said,
placed,
Tripartite Life,
on the December, according to the Calendar of the O'Clerys. Jocelyn has omitted the whole of what is said about St. Patrick having
venerated,
9th
of
'"^ Ussher's Tripartite mentions, in general terms, that the sons of Dunking, who ruled in North Leinster, believed and were bap- tized. See "Primordia," cap. xvii. , p. 826. Now, Ussher assigns their baptism, to A. D. See his " Index
448. Chronologicus," ad annum ccccxLVlli. This epoch was
ruled, to harmonize with his calculations, according to which St. Patrick founded the See of Armagh, went to Great Britain, and
antiquities
6S8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
During this progress of St. Patrick through Leinster, he appears to have
visited Hy-Garchon territory^°^ once more, and Drichir, or Dricrin,'°9 the
princeofthecountry,inhospitablytreatedhim. "° Thischiefisreportedto have been a son-in-law to King Leoghaire. But, St. Patrick was consoled
for this bad reception, by meeting a very poor man, named Cillen, or KiUin,'" who slaughtered the only cow he possessed, in order to entertain the saint and his retinue. "^ He likewise gave to Patrick the quantity of flour, that he brought for his own support from the king's house. "3 Where- upon, St. Patrick prophesied, that Cilline's son, who is named Marcanus, or Marcan,"* should be a future king, over the Ui-Garchon.
From Hy-Garchon, St. Patrick is said to have travelled through that level and pleasing region, through which the River Liffey ran. "5 Here, he founded churches, and he also provided for their good government. This dis-
"
trict was called Magh-liffe, or the
Killuassuille,"^ so called from St. Auxilius, or Usaille,"? whom the saint left at this place, now known as Killashee,"^ or Killossy ;"9 as also, Kill-Cuilinn,'=° now known as Old KilcuUen,'^^ which belonged to St. Iserninus,"^ and to St. Mactail ;^^3 while other churches were established by him, of which a record
of Ireland. We learn from the Scholiast, on St. Patrick founded an abbey, and that it the Martyrology of Aengus tlie Ceile De, was not far from Kildare. He calls Auxi- that it was in one of the Fotharta of lius K nephew of St. Patrick. See " Mon- Leinster. See Dr. Todd's "St. Patrick,
Apostle of Ireland. " Introduction. Ap- pendix A. , Table v. , p. 253, and chap, i. , pp. 286, 290, 338.
'°5 Such is the name, as written in the Irish Tripartite. This king's name does not appear in the Annals, but he was perhaps a near connection of Nathi, who opposed St. Palladius and Patrick, in the same country. He was a person of considerable importance, being a member of the same family, as the kings of Leinster.
"° The Irish Tripartite Life states, that he refused Patrick, regarding his feast, at Rath-Inbhir, on Laeghaire's account.
"' He does not appear to have been
identified with any saint in our Calendars,
although his pedigree has been traced, in Dr.
Todd's "St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland. "
Introduction. Appendix A. , Tablev. , p. 253. ^" The Rev. Dr. Lanigan remarks, that
this is a proof, furnished by the Tripartite, that St. Patrick did not always abstain from
"
obscure.
"'* See the pedigree of the Ui-Garchon,
asticon Hibernicum," p. 332.
"7 According to the " Annals of the Four
flesh-meat. See
Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, v. , n. 42, p. 276.
