At this time, it is said,
Alphinus
was the king over Dublin.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
The town is on Sheet 25.
" In Tirechan's list of St. Patrick's dis-
ciples, there is a Justianus ; but, it is not possible to state, that he was identical with the present rectox'.
" "the of Crioch-Leoghaire, countiy
Leoghaire," or the Ui-Leoghaire, "the posterity of Leoghaire," was in Southern Meath, near the banks of the River Boyne, and it extended around Tara, according to
Colgan.
" Dr. O'Donovan, referring to a place,
called Druim Urchaille, renders this name, the " Ridge of the Greenwood. " He con- jectures, that it might be Cnoc-Urchoille,
or Spaniel Hill, in the county of Clare. See " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. At A. D. 837, these authorities record the death of Domhnall, son of Aedh, its abbot. See pp. 456, 457, and n. (q). To us, it seems more probable, that it was a place, identical with Domnach Urchaile, which was un- doubtedly in Meath, and perhaps, at a sub-
time to that of St. it sequent Patrick,
became the seat of a monastery.
'^ At the 27th day of November, his
festival was kept.
'•* He is otherwise Seachnall ]\Iac called,
Ua Baird. He was the nephew of St.
Patrick, and son of Darerca, according to
St. Patrick entered the plain of Bregh, by
passing over the mountain, called Ficoth ;
l)Ut, Colgau asserts, this is an error for
Fiioit, or Fiiaid, a mountain of Southern
Ulster, This range of Sliabh Fuaid is now
called the Fews JNIountains, nearly in the
centre of Armagh County. See O'Flaherty's
" ^
coole, in Ireland.
called in the Cool,
Ogyg'^j" pars, iii. , cap. iv. , p. 167. There are several places, named Rath-
Dr. O'Donovan's
"
Leabhar na g-Ceart, or
Perhaps, the place now
parish
of Kilmainham
Wood, was identical with this fort. It ad-
joins RIoybolgue : lies to the south-west, in
the barony of Lower Kells. Or it may have been Rathcoole, a townland in the parish of
Dromin, and barony of Ardee, described on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the County of Louth," Sheets 17, 18.
3 It was also called Feara-Cul-Breagh.
* See Dr. O'Donovau's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (p), p. 297.
5 This was its name, in pagan times. See
Book of Rights," n. (b), p. 151.
^ The Irish Life remarks, it was near the
community of Ard-Breccan ; but, this has
reference to the monastic institution here, at
a later period.
7 The Ui-Dortain or Tortain were the
descendants of Tortain, son of Fiach, son to Feidhlem, son of Fiachra, son to Colla da Crioch. These were seated, in that part of
known as in which was Aleath, Oirghialla,
the celebrated old tree, called Bile-Tortan. It stood near Ardbraccan.
* By Archdall, who has changed this
as he says, Bile-tortan. See " Monasticon sisters.
some accounts ; others say, he was the son church into a monastery, which was called, of Liamhain, another of St. Patrick's
answered, Truly,
678 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
most holy, had he not been endued with less fraternal charity, than behoved
him. " This coming to Patrick's hearing, through his disciples, the saint asked Secundinus, what moved him to utter such a personal censure. Secun-
din " Because answered,
not those means for and those living,
you accept
rich presents, that are offered to you, and with which you might maintain
With the Apostle's and Master's usual benignity, his disciple was easily re- assured and forgiven. '5 The return of Patrick, to the scenes of his earlier
labours in Meath, has been assigned, to the beginning of a. d. 443. '^ Then, too, he is thought to have founded many of his churches there, and to have
left Bishop Secundin, at Domnach-Sechnall,'7 at present known as^ Dun- shaughlin. This is said to have been a corruption of the former name ; but,
multitudes of men. " To whom St. Patrick "
holy replied, Charity
great
obliges me, not to accept of such great charity ; for, if I did accept of what would be given to me, I should leave not so much as a pasture for two horses, on behalf of those saints, who shall live after us. " Secundinus then repented, that he had spoken those words, and he asked St. Patrick's pardon.
" the fort of
for his residence. '^ The aforesaid Secundinus, being a man of great
learning and wisdom, signified to St. Patrick, that he desired to compose a hymn, in honour of a saint, who yet was living. But, because it was Patrick himselfthathemeant,Secundinconcealedthatsaint'sname. Theglorious bishop answered, " It is just and reasonable, that people display the virtues of the saints, and that the Church should declare their praises,'9 which yet is more securely done after their death, when all occasion for sinning is re- moved. Praise thou, therefore, the clearness of the day, but not until the evening cometh ; the courage of the soldier, but not until he has triumphed ; the fortune of the sailor, but not until he hath landed, for the Scripture saith, thou shalt praise no man in his lifetime. ^" Yet, if you will put in execution what you intend, do it quickly ; for, lo ! death is at the door. Of all the bishopsthatareinIreland,youarethefirstthatshalldepartthislife. " Secundi- nus composed the hymn,^^ in Latin, and within a few days afterwards, he died at Domnachseachluin, his episcopal city. He showed by frequent miracles, that he reigns with Christ. There was his body deposited, and he was the first of the Irish bishops, buried in Irish soil. *^ His hymn, too, many of the islanders were daily wont to sing,^3 and from its repetition they affirm, different and great wonders have happened. ^4 Among various other favours, it obtained protection for many persons, against the designs of their enemies. ^5
'3 See "Sextii Vita S. Patiicii," cap. 211, 212. This Hymn in praise of St.
Patrick, and beginning with " Audite omnes amantes," <kc. , is found in the Manu- script, classed 23, N. 15, at p. 79. This is in the Betham Collection of the Royal Irish
it rather be may
interpreted,
Seachnall,"
as been the site having
clxxvi. , p. 104.
'* *'
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect. iv. , p. 271. Other accounts place it, at an
earlier period. Academy. ^"^ "
the Doviinica, or church of Sechnall, it being called after this saint,
'^ See Ussher"^ " Primordia," cap. xvii. ,
"
'7 This designation has been interpreted as See
p. 826, and Ware's
Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib. iii. , cap. Ixxxix. , p. 165, and n. 115, p. 188. ^3 This testimony of Jocelyn gives us to understand, how very general was the knowledge of the Latin language, in Ire- land, during his time, and previous periods ; while, it indicates, moreover, how great was the devotion entertained for the great Irish
Opuscula S. Patricii," '9 Ecclesiasticus, xliv. 15.
p. 150.
*°
^' It has been published by Colgan, and
See Ecclesiasiicus, xi. 30.
a " Praefatio Veteris Ano-
Apostle.
'^^ It seems to have been a
to it is
prefixed,
nymi," giving substantially the legend or history of its composition, as found in tlie
recognised practice, among the most celebrated Irish saints, to recite this Hymn, wliich was a favourite and privileged devotion. This is
"
Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, pars, iii. , pp.
te\t. See
Trias Thaumaturga. " Tertia
mentioned, in the Life of St. Coemgen,
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 679
The year for the death of Secundin is said to have been 447, and the day fellonthe27thofNoveniber. ^^ Heisthought,bysome,tohavepresided, over the See of Armagh ; but, this idea seems inconsistent, with the recorded Acts of St. Patrick, and with what we can infer, from other accounts. Nor dowefind,thattheSeeofArmaghhadanyexistence,atthisearlytime; so that Seachnall must have been dead, before its foundation had been accom- plished, by the Irish Apostle. However, as Secundin has been called
Patrick's Vicar
and
Suffragan,
while the Irish
Apostle went on
a visit to Rome f this might ac- count for a re- ceived
opinion, that the disciple had replaced his master, at Ar- magh, during the time of his pre- sumed absence from Ireland. Yet, probably, the
real
is to be found, in the circumstance,
• that before de-
parting for the more southern
districts of Ire- land, St. Patrick had entrusted Sechnall with a
very
jurisdiction, in the northern districts, and among others, over that tract, which afterwards
belonged to the
""^
See of Armagh. About this period,
1ikewise the ,
explanation
extensive
Old Church Ruins at Finglas, County of Dublui.
Irish Apostle is said to have visited the country about Slane_, to inspect the state of the congregations there formed, at the opening of his mission.
chapters xxiii. and xlviii. , in the Life of St. Cohnan Ela, chapter xxv. , and in tlie Life of St. Cannech, chapter xliii.
°5 Jocelyn adds, that tliose lying in wait
for the protected were struck with tliat kind
of blindness, " quam Acrisiam nuncupant Phisici. " See " Sexta Vita S. Patricii,"
lib. iii. , cap. Ixxxix. , xc, xci. , pp. 165, 166. 2* See Dr. O' Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 134, 135, and n.
-7 Rev. Dr. Lanigan asserts, that St. Patrick did not go to that city, after he had really engaged on tlie work of the L'ish
cap. clxxvii. , p. 104. These accounts ap- mission. '^^
pear, in a more detailed form, in the Tripar- Such is the very ingenious supposition
tite Life. See " Vita S. Septima
Patricii,"
of Rev. Dr. Lanigan, in his " Ecclesiastical
68o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
No wonder that the great actions of St. Patrick should be greatly magnified and even exaggerated, by the people, on whom he conferred such inestimable blessings ; and, yet, it is to be lamented, that pure inventions shouldusurptheplaceofauthenticbiography,inreferencetohim. Thus, Jocelyn, probably alluding to a legend, current in his time, especially relates,
—ck came in his that St. Patri
journey,
from Meath, so far as
Finglas,^?
—where
was a stream to a hill, which is distant a mile from Dublin. At Finglas,
there was an ancient church, and an old cemetery. There, too, the learned and
distinguished ecclesiastical historian of Ireland, Rev. John Lanigan, D. D. ,
lies interred, under a graceful Celtic cross. 3° Wlien St. Patrick was there,
Dublin is said to have been but a little village. Jocelyn remarks, that in
after times, it underwent various changes of fortune, having been mainly in-
habited by Norwegians, and by people from the Islands,3' sometimes in
alliancewith,andsometimesopposedto,thekingsofIreland. Wearetold,
that when the glorious bishop, St. Patrick, came near to the famous city of
Dublin, he found it lying in the slough of paganism and idolatry. While
contemplating it, from the hill alluded to, he blessed the territory around it.
Dr. Lanigan remarks, parenthetically, but without attaching any credit to this account, that St. Patrick must be supposed, in such hypothesis, to have stood on that high ground, not far from the present Royal Canal. s^ "We are told, he) prophetically broke forth into these words: " That village, which now is very small, shall hereafter become very eminent. It shall be enlarged in riches and dignity. Neither shall it cease to grow, until such time as it will become the principal seat of all the kingdom. " 33 The inhabitants of Dublin, hearing what great miracles and signs God had wrought, through his faithful servant, Patrick, went forth with great joy to meet him. The king of that place, it is said, had an only son, who lay sick, and who was even near to his death. Being entreated by his father, and by all the assembly, St. Patrick went to the place, where this sick son was, andfellupon his knees. Throughprayer,herestoredthechildtoperfecthealth. Thepeople,onseeing this miracle, believed in the Author of Life, our Saviour Jesus, and they were baptized in his name.
At this time, it is said, Alphinus was the king over Dublin. He and all the citizens were in sorrow and anguish, for the death of twocherishedhopesofhisprincipality. Theking'sonlyson,calledEochadh,34 haddiedanaturaldeath,inhisbedroom. Theking'sdaughter,andasister to the young prince, had just been drowned, in the adjoining river, now known as the Liffey. Into its depths, she had ventured, for the purpose of bathing. Her name is stated to have been Dublinia, and from her Dublin is thought to have
deriveditsname. 35 Theyounglady'sbodywasdrawnoutofthewaters,after
History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect. iv. , and nn. 36, 37, pp. 271, 272.
*9 A monastic institution, and an ancient Bishop's See, seem to have distinguished Finglas, in the early part of the eighth cen- tury.
figured in the foreground of the accompany. 275.
ing engraving, as shown by the artist. On 33 See " Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. reverse panels, inscriptions in the Irish Ixix. , p. 90.
s^ See " Ecclesiastical History of Ire- George Petrie, LL. D. It is accurately land," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, v. , n. 39, p.
3° It was designed by his friend, the late
language and character, and also in the Latin tongue, are to be found. The sketch here presented was taken on the spot, in 1872, and it was engraved, by George A. Hanlon.
3+ Such was the name, borne by this son,
according to the Antwerp copy of Jocelyn, bat Cochadh, according to the Parisian one.
See Colgan, n. 70, p. 112.
35 This etymology of Jocelyn, for Dublin,
is denied by Colgan, who states, that it
3' Colgan has a long note, on this passage
of Jocelyn, in which he thinks certain liis- torical contradictions are to be found. He refers the commercial importance of Dublin, to as early a period as that of Conn of the Hundred Battles, whose reign began A. u. 123.
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 681
some considerable search, ^6 and laid by her brother's corpse, in order that their obsequiesmightbesolemnizedtogether. Accordingtothesuperstitionofthe
pagans, the tombs were prepared. In the meantime, news was spread over all the city, that St. Patrick, the potent reviver of many dead persons, had beenseeninthetown. For,he,whoburstasunderthegatesofdeathandof hell, smoothed the path for his servant. The king and the people, who
"
of thy ways," 37 were so cast down, saddened with weeping, and with
erewhile had said unto the Lord,
depart from us, we will not the knowledge
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
lamentation, that all memory of their wonted fierceness, all their barbarous rudeness, and all the pride of their idolatry, were utterly subdued. The king,
hearing of St. Patrick's arrival, greatly rejoiced, and caused him to come in, where his two children lay dead. He then promised, with all those present, if God restored his children to life, that he and the citizens would become Christians. Foreseeing such a gain of souls, in the sight of the king, his nobles, and all the commonalty, St. Patrick raised from death to life those princely children, whose corporal resurrection co-operated much towards the spiritual resurrection of their father, with the rest of his people. The king and all his subjects, being astonished at this great miracle, abjured the worship of idols, and they were baptized in St. Patrick's Well. At the time, this spring was close to the city. Near it, a church was afterwards built, and this became the resort of many pilgrims. ^^ The famed Saint Patrick's
''
comes from Dubh-linn, or the black
deeps. " Seen. 71, p. 112.
3* Jocelyn says, that some of the people
entered the river, to find the body, and with- out taking off their garments. Olhers with
incredible agility plunged into the deepest parts, while others searched near the sea,
lest the corpse might be carried out thither, by the tide. Olhers again, getting into a vessel, used a golden buckler, to help them in peer-
ing through the deep water ; where, at length, they found the royal maiden, lying among the sands, and seeming to be as if ia a sleep.
37 Job xxi. 14.
3^ Thus, Gregory, King of Scotland, is
said to have made a solemn pilgrimage to
this church, about the year 890. See Hector
Boethius' 220.
"
Scotorum Historia," lib. x. , fol.
682 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
Cathedral,39 at present forming one of the principal objects of architectural interest,'»° in Dublin, is said to have displaced the original structure/^ Jocelyn tells us, likewise, that St. Patrick built another mansion, near the church of the Holy Trinityj-^^ and in the city, ^Yest\vards from the Archbishop's
]->alace. 43 From that day forward, King Alphinus,''4 and all the citizens of Dublin, obliged themselves, as also their posterity, by a vow, to the service of Saint Patrick, and to that of the Primates of Armagh. Moreover, as a perpetual gage of their service, they ordained, that every company of tradesmen should pay a yearly annuity to its Primate. '*^ The king and the princes offered a talent of pure and refined gold to the saint, while the people gave what they could afford. Alloftheirliberalgifts,thetrueprofessorofpoverty,Patrick,bestowed upon the poor, reserving only a part, which he kept solely for the building of churches. '*^ Our glorious bishop, according to Jocelyn, gave his benediction to the people of Dublin. ^y He blessed them with the blessing of Jacob, the patriarch, and of IMoses, the servant of God, prophesying, and praying, if their deeds agreed with their words, that they might be unconquered and
fortunate,butweakandunhappy,ifevertheyfalsifiedtheirvows. ^^ Weare told, the saint washed Dublinia,49 or Dublin, with the pure waters of evangelical
39 A fine copper-plate engi-aving of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, with an en-
graved ground plan, drawn in 1790, by James Gandon, the celebrated architect, ap- pears in Grose's "Antiquities of Ireland,"
4* Neither Ath-Cliath, nor Dublin, nor King Alphin, are once mentioned in the Lives of St. Patrick —Jocelyn alone excepted —as Dr. Lanigan remarks, and he does not think the fables here recorded, to be worth the trouble of refutation.
^^ to merchant According Jocelyn, every
ship was required to furnish a good-sized cask of wine, or honey, a hook of iron, or a measure of salt ; from every tavern a vessel of mead or of ale, and from every shop a gift
of shoes, or gloves, or knives, or combs, with
referred to some of the foregoing legends.
with a history and description.
See vol. i. ,
I to
pp.
photograph of Frederick II. Mares, drawn
on the wood, by William F. \Yakeman, and
engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
"' A very complete account of it will be
in William Monck Mason's "
found, History
5.
'»° The accompanying engraving is from a
and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathe-
dral Church of St. Patrick," Dublin, 1819,
Roy. 4to, with interior and exterior illustra- See tions, taken before the late restorations.
"
Primordia," cap. xvii. et seq. Harris'
"
*^ In Walter Harris' posthumous work,
"The History and Antiquities of the City of Dublin, from the earliest accounts," we find an engraving of the north prospect of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in Dublin, as it stood in 1766, with a suc- ceeding historical sketch of this building. See Appendix, sect, i. , pp. 371 to 376. An engraving, by T. Ranson, presenting a south prospect, and from a drawing by George Petrie, with a much fuller account, will be
"
Historical Guide to Ancient and Modern Dublin," pp. 107 to 128. The late restorations have effaced many of those architectural features
presented .
43 It is certain, that in the time of Jocelyn,
chapel
Ware, vol. i. ,
p. 20. The Rev. Dr. Lanigan thinks those stories were fabricated at Armagh, and that Jocelyn may have been induced to insert them, in his Life of St. Patrick, as a compli- ment to his patron, the Archbishop Thomas, or that some other hand may have foisted them into his Manuscript.
^7 In the Book of Lecan, belonging to the Royal Irish Academy, there is an Irish poem, on the Benediction bestowed on Dublin, by St. Patrick, fol. 191, a. b. , line 40. In another Manuscript, belonging to the same collection, there is another poem, on St. Patrick's Visit to Dublin. This Manuscript is classified 23. E. 26. See p. 233-
*" As Jocelyn remarks, this plainly was proved, when the Dublin people, becoming proud and regardless of the blessing of the saint, neglected to pay their appointed tribute to Armagh.
the earliest accounts to the present time ;
containing its Annals, Antiquities, Eccle- siastical History, and Charters ; its present
extent, public buildings, schools, institu- tions, &c. , to which are added, Biographical
found in Rev. G. N. Wright's
the Archbishop's palace stood due west of the ancient Christ's Church Cathedral, and on the site of the present Protestant Synod Hall. There St. Laurence O'Toole lived, and his domestic
« A " of the of Dublin, from History City
of St. Michael, the Archangel, was the original of the subse- quent St. Michael's parochial church, which, with its surrounding graveyard and large piles of human remains, we have seen, in
our time, completely removed.
of a similar kind.
many gifts
4^ Ussher, at A. D. 448, and Harris, have
Archbishops of Armagh,"
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 683
doctrine. This he effected, with greater faciHty, by reason of a memorable event, that happened, while he was there preaching the Gospel.
At this time, the River Liffey, while the tide rushed up its current, afforded nothing but salt ^Yater, to the few people, then living in Dublin. When the tide happened to be out, then only, it is intimated, the waterw as sweet and drinkable. But, in that village, an honest matron, in whose house the saint lodged, complained to him, regarding this want of fresh water. The blessed bishop, taking pity on her, as also on the whole multitude, so lately regenerated, and that he might excite their thirst after the fountains of life, deemed it expedient, to manifest the Divine virtue and power. Next day, in the presence of many, he went to a commodious place. There, striking the earth with the end of the Staff of Jesus, and praying, he produced a fine well, which sparkled clearly from its source, full of sweet and pleasant water. s° It also served, in curing many diseases. This spring, in after times,
was called St. Patrick's Well. 5^ —It has been thought probable, that an old
"
church of St. Patrick, in insul
to the time. This Dublin, on the River Poddle s^ reached back Apostle's
public
History of the City of
cii," cap. Ixix. , p. 90.
5' Tradition still points to a remarkable 26,
spring of water, now covered over by St.
Patrick's Cathedral, in Dublin, as being identical with this miraculous well. Primate Ussher determines its site, to have been in the North Close, not far from the steeple,
—cedes inclusum "interjprivatas nuperrime
"
obstmctum. " Britannicarum Ecclesia-
—a," so called from its insular situation, in
was a parochial church, which had existence, in the twelfth century. 53 Taking his leave of Dublin, St. Patrick went to a town, called Cnoc,54 where he sent for one named Murinus, a man of Belial. He would not, in anywise, present himself before the saint, whose persuasive eloquence and holy influence, he deemed able to conquer the hardest heart. This man caused answer to be made, that the saint should suffer him to sleep, in his place of retirement. Knowing by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, that he " Let him sleep, let him sleep, andbeforethegeneraldayofjudgment,lethimnotawakenorarise. " After this, the saint hastened on his journey. The wicked wretch died, and it
proved a double death, both spiritually and corporally. ss
was a child of
perdition,
then said Patrick
:
Notices of Eminent Men, and copious Ap- pendices of its Population, Revenue, Com-
merce and Literature," has been publislied in London, A. D. 1818, in two large 4to volumes. If is illustrated, with numerous Plates, Plans and Maps. The most modern
"
private buildings, streets, and matters of general interest. In reference to the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, or Christ Church, the enquirer should consult vol. i. , chap, iii. , pp. 98 to
132.
5° See Jocelyn's or " Sexta Vita S. Patri-
cloister of the Archdeacon ot Glendalough
and opposite to the north transcept. There was another St. Patrick's well, situated
south of Nassau-street, in Dublin ; and, be- hind a house. No. 15, in that street, formerly called St. Patrick's Well Lane, was a spring, dried up about the year 1729, and supposed to have been the original well. See Rev.
"
John Francis Shearman's Loca Patri-
ciana," No. vii. , p. 137.
5^ The course of this stream, near rising
Drimnagh, is now under cover along the
Coombe, and to its junction with the Liffey. 53 It may have been a monastic church, at an earlier period, as Abbots and Bishops of Dublin are mentioned, before the Danish settlement. See John D'Alton's "Memoirs of the Archbishops of Dublin," pp. 16 to
5* It was anciently said to have been called
Cnuca, where a battle was fought, during the
bardic period, A. M.
" In Tirechan's list of St. Patrick's dis-
ciples, there is a Justianus ; but, it is not possible to state, that he was identical with the present rectox'.
" "the of Crioch-Leoghaire, countiy
Leoghaire," or the Ui-Leoghaire, "the posterity of Leoghaire," was in Southern Meath, near the banks of the River Boyne, and it extended around Tara, according to
Colgan.
" Dr. O'Donovan, referring to a place,
called Druim Urchaille, renders this name, the " Ridge of the Greenwood. " He con- jectures, that it might be Cnoc-Urchoille,
or Spaniel Hill, in the county of Clare. See " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. At A. D. 837, these authorities record the death of Domhnall, son of Aedh, its abbot. See pp. 456, 457, and n. (q). To us, it seems more probable, that it was a place, identical with Domnach Urchaile, which was un- doubtedly in Meath, and perhaps, at a sub-
time to that of St. it sequent Patrick,
became the seat of a monastery.
'^ At the 27th day of November, his
festival was kept.
'•* He is otherwise Seachnall ]\Iac called,
Ua Baird. He was the nephew of St.
Patrick, and son of Darerca, according to
St. Patrick entered the plain of Bregh, by
passing over the mountain, called Ficoth ;
l)Ut, Colgau asserts, this is an error for
Fiioit, or Fiiaid, a mountain of Southern
Ulster, This range of Sliabh Fuaid is now
called the Fews JNIountains, nearly in the
centre of Armagh County. See O'Flaherty's
" ^
coole, in Ireland.
called in the Cool,
Ogyg'^j" pars, iii. , cap. iv. , p. 167. There are several places, named Rath-
Dr. O'Donovan's
"
Leabhar na g-Ceart, or
Perhaps, the place now
parish
of Kilmainham
Wood, was identical with this fort. It ad-
joins RIoybolgue : lies to the south-west, in
the barony of Lower Kells. Or it may have been Rathcoole, a townland in the parish of
Dromin, and barony of Ardee, described on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the County of Louth," Sheets 17, 18.
3 It was also called Feara-Cul-Breagh.
* See Dr. O'Donovau's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (p), p. 297.
5 This was its name, in pagan times. See
Book of Rights," n. (b), p. 151.
^ The Irish Life remarks, it was near the
community of Ard-Breccan ; but, this has
reference to the monastic institution here, at
a later period.
7 The Ui-Dortain or Tortain were the
descendants of Tortain, son of Fiach, son to Feidhlem, son of Fiachra, son to Colla da Crioch. These were seated, in that part of
known as in which was Aleath, Oirghialla,
the celebrated old tree, called Bile-Tortan. It stood near Ardbraccan.
* By Archdall, who has changed this
as he says, Bile-tortan. See " Monasticon sisters.
some accounts ; others say, he was the son church into a monastery, which was called, of Liamhain, another of St. Patrick's
answered, Truly,
678 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
most holy, had he not been endued with less fraternal charity, than behoved
him. " This coming to Patrick's hearing, through his disciples, the saint asked Secundinus, what moved him to utter such a personal censure. Secun-
din " Because answered,
not those means for and those living,
you accept
rich presents, that are offered to you, and with which you might maintain
With the Apostle's and Master's usual benignity, his disciple was easily re- assured and forgiven. '5 The return of Patrick, to the scenes of his earlier
labours in Meath, has been assigned, to the beginning of a. d. 443. '^ Then, too, he is thought to have founded many of his churches there, and to have
left Bishop Secundin, at Domnach-Sechnall,'7 at present known as^ Dun- shaughlin. This is said to have been a corruption of the former name ; but,
multitudes of men. " To whom St. Patrick "
holy replied, Charity
great
obliges me, not to accept of such great charity ; for, if I did accept of what would be given to me, I should leave not so much as a pasture for two horses, on behalf of those saints, who shall live after us. " Secundinus then repented, that he had spoken those words, and he asked St. Patrick's pardon.
" the fort of
for his residence. '^ The aforesaid Secundinus, being a man of great
learning and wisdom, signified to St. Patrick, that he desired to compose a hymn, in honour of a saint, who yet was living. But, because it was Patrick himselfthathemeant,Secundinconcealedthatsaint'sname. Theglorious bishop answered, " It is just and reasonable, that people display the virtues of the saints, and that the Church should declare their praises,'9 which yet is more securely done after their death, when all occasion for sinning is re- moved. Praise thou, therefore, the clearness of the day, but not until the evening cometh ; the courage of the soldier, but not until he has triumphed ; the fortune of the sailor, but not until he hath landed, for the Scripture saith, thou shalt praise no man in his lifetime. ^" Yet, if you will put in execution what you intend, do it quickly ; for, lo ! death is at the door. Of all the bishopsthatareinIreland,youarethefirstthatshalldepartthislife. " Secundi- nus composed the hymn,^^ in Latin, and within a few days afterwards, he died at Domnachseachluin, his episcopal city. He showed by frequent miracles, that he reigns with Christ. There was his body deposited, and he was the first of the Irish bishops, buried in Irish soil. *^ His hymn, too, many of the islanders were daily wont to sing,^3 and from its repetition they affirm, different and great wonders have happened. ^4 Among various other favours, it obtained protection for many persons, against the designs of their enemies. ^5
'3 See "Sextii Vita S. Patiicii," cap. 211, 212. This Hymn in praise of St.
Patrick, and beginning with " Audite omnes amantes," <kc. , is found in the Manu- script, classed 23, N. 15, at p. 79. This is in the Betham Collection of the Royal Irish
it rather be may
interpreted,
Seachnall,"
as been the site having
clxxvi. , p. 104.
'* *'
See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect. iv. , p. 271. Other accounts place it, at an
earlier period. Academy. ^"^ "
the Doviinica, or church of Sechnall, it being called after this saint,
'^ See Ussher"^ " Primordia," cap. xvii. ,
"
'7 This designation has been interpreted as See
p. 826, and Ware's
Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib. iii. , cap. Ixxxix. , p. 165, and n. 115, p. 188. ^3 This testimony of Jocelyn gives us to understand, how very general was the knowledge of the Latin language, in Ire- land, during his time, and previous periods ; while, it indicates, moreover, how great was the devotion entertained for the great Irish
Opuscula S. Patricii," '9 Ecclesiasticus, xliv. 15.
p. 150.
*°
^' It has been published by Colgan, and
See Ecclesiasiicus, xi. 30.
a " Praefatio Veteris Ano-
Apostle.
'^^ It seems to have been a
to it is
prefixed,
nymi," giving substantially the legend or history of its composition, as found in tlie
recognised practice, among the most celebrated Irish saints, to recite this Hymn, wliich was a favourite and privileged devotion. This is
"
Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, pars, iii. , pp.
te\t. See
Trias Thaumaturga. " Tertia
mentioned, in the Life of St. Coemgen,
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 679
The year for the death of Secundin is said to have been 447, and the day fellonthe27thofNoveniber. ^^ Heisthought,bysome,tohavepresided, over the See of Armagh ; but, this idea seems inconsistent, with the recorded Acts of St. Patrick, and with what we can infer, from other accounts. Nor dowefind,thattheSeeofArmaghhadanyexistence,atthisearlytime; so that Seachnall must have been dead, before its foundation had been accom- plished, by the Irish Apostle. However, as Secundin has been called
Patrick's Vicar
and
Suffragan,
while the Irish
Apostle went on
a visit to Rome f this might ac- count for a re- ceived
opinion, that the disciple had replaced his master, at Ar- magh, during the time of his pre- sumed absence from Ireland. Yet, probably, the
real
is to be found, in the circumstance,
• that before de-
parting for the more southern
districts of Ire- land, St. Patrick had entrusted Sechnall with a
very
jurisdiction, in the northern districts, and among others, over that tract, which afterwards
belonged to the
""^
See of Armagh. About this period,
1ikewise the ,
explanation
extensive
Old Church Ruins at Finglas, County of Dublui.
Irish Apostle is said to have visited the country about Slane_, to inspect the state of the congregations there formed, at the opening of his mission.
chapters xxiii. and xlviii. , in the Life of St. Cohnan Ela, chapter xxv. , and in tlie Life of St. Cannech, chapter xliii.
°5 Jocelyn adds, that tliose lying in wait
for the protected were struck with tliat kind
of blindness, " quam Acrisiam nuncupant Phisici. " See " Sexta Vita S. Patricii,"
lib. iii. , cap. Ixxxix. , xc, xci. , pp. 165, 166. 2* See Dr. O' Donovan's " Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 134, 135, and n.
-7 Rev. Dr. Lanigan asserts, that St. Patrick did not go to that city, after he had really engaged on tlie work of the L'ish
cap. clxxvii. , p. 104. These accounts ap- mission. '^^
pear, in a more detailed form, in the Tripar- Such is the very ingenious supposition
tite Life. See " Vita S. Septima
Patricii,"
of Rev. Dr. Lanigan, in his " Ecclesiastical
68o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
No wonder that the great actions of St. Patrick should be greatly magnified and even exaggerated, by the people, on whom he conferred such inestimable blessings ; and, yet, it is to be lamented, that pure inventions shouldusurptheplaceofauthenticbiography,inreferencetohim. Thus, Jocelyn, probably alluding to a legend, current in his time, especially relates,
—ck came in his that St. Patri
journey,
from Meath, so far as
Finglas,^?
—where
was a stream to a hill, which is distant a mile from Dublin. At Finglas,
there was an ancient church, and an old cemetery. There, too, the learned and
distinguished ecclesiastical historian of Ireland, Rev. John Lanigan, D. D. ,
lies interred, under a graceful Celtic cross. 3° Wlien St. Patrick was there,
Dublin is said to have been but a little village. Jocelyn remarks, that in
after times, it underwent various changes of fortune, having been mainly in-
habited by Norwegians, and by people from the Islands,3' sometimes in
alliancewith,andsometimesopposedto,thekingsofIreland. Wearetold,
that when the glorious bishop, St. Patrick, came near to the famous city of
Dublin, he found it lying in the slough of paganism and idolatry. While
contemplating it, from the hill alluded to, he blessed the territory around it.
Dr. Lanigan remarks, parenthetically, but without attaching any credit to this account, that St. Patrick must be supposed, in such hypothesis, to have stood on that high ground, not far from the present Royal Canal. s^ "We are told, he) prophetically broke forth into these words: " That village, which now is very small, shall hereafter become very eminent. It shall be enlarged in riches and dignity. Neither shall it cease to grow, until such time as it will become the principal seat of all the kingdom. " 33 The inhabitants of Dublin, hearing what great miracles and signs God had wrought, through his faithful servant, Patrick, went forth with great joy to meet him. The king of that place, it is said, had an only son, who lay sick, and who was even near to his death. Being entreated by his father, and by all the assembly, St. Patrick went to the place, where this sick son was, andfellupon his knees. Throughprayer,herestoredthechildtoperfecthealth. Thepeople,onseeing this miracle, believed in the Author of Life, our Saviour Jesus, and they were baptized in his name.
At this time, it is said, Alphinus was the king over Dublin. He and all the citizens were in sorrow and anguish, for the death of twocherishedhopesofhisprincipality. Theking'sonlyson,calledEochadh,34 haddiedanaturaldeath,inhisbedroom. Theking'sdaughter,andasister to the young prince, had just been drowned, in the adjoining river, now known as the Liffey. Into its depths, she had ventured, for the purpose of bathing. Her name is stated to have been Dublinia, and from her Dublin is thought to have
deriveditsname. 35 Theyounglady'sbodywasdrawnoutofthewaters,after
History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect. iv. , and nn. 36, 37, pp. 271, 272.
*9 A monastic institution, and an ancient Bishop's See, seem to have distinguished Finglas, in the early part of the eighth cen- tury.
figured in the foreground of the accompany. 275.
ing engraving, as shown by the artist. On 33 See " Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. reverse panels, inscriptions in the Irish Ixix. , p. 90.
s^ See " Ecclesiastical History of Ire- George Petrie, LL. D. It is accurately land," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, v. , n. 39, p.
3° It was designed by his friend, the late
language and character, and also in the Latin tongue, are to be found. The sketch here presented was taken on the spot, in 1872, and it was engraved, by George A. Hanlon.
3+ Such was the name, borne by this son,
according to the Antwerp copy of Jocelyn, bat Cochadh, according to the Parisian one.
See Colgan, n. 70, p. 112.
35 This etymology of Jocelyn, for Dublin,
is denied by Colgan, who states, that it
3' Colgan has a long note, on this passage
of Jocelyn, in which he thinks certain liis- torical contradictions are to be found. He refers the commercial importance of Dublin, to as early a period as that of Conn of the Hundred Battles, whose reign began A. u. 123.
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 681
some considerable search, ^6 and laid by her brother's corpse, in order that their obsequiesmightbesolemnizedtogether. Accordingtothesuperstitionofthe
pagans, the tombs were prepared. In the meantime, news was spread over all the city, that St. Patrick, the potent reviver of many dead persons, had beenseeninthetown. For,he,whoburstasunderthegatesofdeathandof hell, smoothed the path for his servant. The king and the people, who
"
of thy ways," 37 were so cast down, saddened with weeping, and with
erewhile had said unto the Lord,
depart from us, we will not the knowledge
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
lamentation, that all memory of their wonted fierceness, all their barbarous rudeness, and all the pride of their idolatry, were utterly subdued. The king,
hearing of St. Patrick's arrival, greatly rejoiced, and caused him to come in, where his two children lay dead. He then promised, with all those present, if God restored his children to life, that he and the citizens would become Christians. Foreseeing such a gain of souls, in the sight of the king, his nobles, and all the commonalty, St. Patrick raised from death to life those princely children, whose corporal resurrection co-operated much towards the spiritual resurrection of their father, with the rest of his people. The king and all his subjects, being astonished at this great miracle, abjured the worship of idols, and they were baptized in St. Patrick's Well. At the time, this spring was close to the city. Near it, a church was afterwards built, and this became the resort of many pilgrims. ^^ The famed Saint Patrick's
''
comes from Dubh-linn, or the black
deeps. " Seen. 71, p. 112.
3* Jocelyn says, that some of the people
entered the river, to find the body, and with- out taking off their garments. Olhers with
incredible agility plunged into the deepest parts, while others searched near the sea,
lest the corpse might be carried out thither, by the tide. Olhers again, getting into a vessel, used a golden buckler, to help them in peer-
ing through the deep water ; where, at length, they found the royal maiden, lying among the sands, and seeming to be as if ia a sleep.
37 Job xxi. 14.
3^ Thus, Gregory, King of Scotland, is
said to have made a solemn pilgrimage to
this church, about the year 890. See Hector
Boethius' 220.
"
Scotorum Historia," lib. x. , fol.
682 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
Cathedral,39 at present forming one of the principal objects of architectural interest,'»° in Dublin, is said to have displaced the original structure/^ Jocelyn tells us, likewise, that St. Patrick built another mansion, near the church of the Holy Trinityj-^^ and in the city, ^Yest\vards from the Archbishop's
]->alace. 43 From that day forward, King Alphinus,''4 and all the citizens of Dublin, obliged themselves, as also their posterity, by a vow, to the service of Saint Patrick, and to that of the Primates of Armagh. Moreover, as a perpetual gage of their service, they ordained, that every company of tradesmen should pay a yearly annuity to its Primate. '*^ The king and the princes offered a talent of pure and refined gold to the saint, while the people gave what they could afford. Alloftheirliberalgifts,thetrueprofessorofpoverty,Patrick,bestowed upon the poor, reserving only a part, which he kept solely for the building of churches. '*^ Our glorious bishop, according to Jocelyn, gave his benediction to the people of Dublin. ^y He blessed them with the blessing of Jacob, the patriarch, and of IMoses, the servant of God, prophesying, and praying, if their deeds agreed with their words, that they might be unconquered and
fortunate,butweakandunhappy,ifevertheyfalsifiedtheirvows. ^^ Weare told, the saint washed Dublinia,49 or Dublin, with the pure waters of evangelical
39 A fine copper-plate engi-aving of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, with an en-
graved ground plan, drawn in 1790, by James Gandon, the celebrated architect, ap- pears in Grose's "Antiquities of Ireland,"
4* Neither Ath-Cliath, nor Dublin, nor King Alphin, are once mentioned in the Lives of St. Patrick —Jocelyn alone excepted —as Dr. Lanigan remarks, and he does not think the fables here recorded, to be worth the trouble of refutation.
^^ to merchant According Jocelyn, every
ship was required to furnish a good-sized cask of wine, or honey, a hook of iron, or a measure of salt ; from every tavern a vessel of mead or of ale, and from every shop a gift
of shoes, or gloves, or knives, or combs, with
referred to some of the foregoing legends.
with a history and description.
See vol. i. ,
I to
pp.
photograph of Frederick II. Mares, drawn
on the wood, by William F. \Yakeman, and
engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
"' A very complete account of it will be
in William Monck Mason's "
found, History
5.
'»° The accompanying engraving is from a
and Antiquities of the Collegiate and Cathe-
dral Church of St. Patrick," Dublin, 1819,
Roy. 4to, with interior and exterior illustra- See tions, taken before the late restorations.
"
Primordia," cap. xvii. et seq. Harris'
"
*^ In Walter Harris' posthumous work,
"The History and Antiquities of the City of Dublin, from the earliest accounts," we find an engraving of the north prospect of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in Dublin, as it stood in 1766, with a suc- ceeding historical sketch of this building. See Appendix, sect, i. , pp. 371 to 376. An engraving, by T. Ranson, presenting a south prospect, and from a drawing by George Petrie, with a much fuller account, will be
"
Historical Guide to Ancient and Modern Dublin," pp. 107 to 128. The late restorations have effaced many of those architectural features
presented .
43 It is certain, that in the time of Jocelyn,
chapel
Ware, vol. i. ,
p. 20. The Rev. Dr. Lanigan thinks those stories were fabricated at Armagh, and that Jocelyn may have been induced to insert them, in his Life of St. Patrick, as a compli- ment to his patron, the Archbishop Thomas, or that some other hand may have foisted them into his Manuscript.
^7 In the Book of Lecan, belonging to the Royal Irish Academy, there is an Irish poem, on the Benediction bestowed on Dublin, by St. Patrick, fol. 191, a. b. , line 40. In another Manuscript, belonging to the same collection, there is another poem, on St. Patrick's Visit to Dublin. This Manuscript is classified 23. E. 26. See p. 233-
*" As Jocelyn remarks, this plainly was proved, when the Dublin people, becoming proud and regardless of the blessing of the saint, neglected to pay their appointed tribute to Armagh.
the earliest accounts to the present time ;
containing its Annals, Antiquities, Eccle- siastical History, and Charters ; its present
extent, public buildings, schools, institu- tions, &c. , to which are added, Biographical
found in Rev. G. N. Wright's
the Archbishop's palace stood due west of the ancient Christ's Church Cathedral, and on the site of the present Protestant Synod Hall. There St. Laurence O'Toole lived, and his domestic
« A " of the of Dublin, from History City
of St. Michael, the Archangel, was the original of the subse- quent St. Michael's parochial church, which, with its surrounding graveyard and large piles of human remains, we have seen, in
our time, completely removed.
of a similar kind.
many gifts
4^ Ussher, at A. D. 448, and Harris, have
Archbishops of Armagh,"
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 683
doctrine. This he effected, with greater faciHty, by reason of a memorable event, that happened, while he was there preaching the Gospel.
At this time, the River Liffey, while the tide rushed up its current, afforded nothing but salt ^Yater, to the few people, then living in Dublin. When the tide happened to be out, then only, it is intimated, the waterw as sweet and drinkable. But, in that village, an honest matron, in whose house the saint lodged, complained to him, regarding this want of fresh water. The blessed bishop, taking pity on her, as also on the whole multitude, so lately regenerated, and that he might excite their thirst after the fountains of life, deemed it expedient, to manifest the Divine virtue and power. Next day, in the presence of many, he went to a commodious place. There, striking the earth with the end of the Staff of Jesus, and praying, he produced a fine well, which sparkled clearly from its source, full of sweet and pleasant water. s° It also served, in curing many diseases. This spring, in after times,
was called St. Patrick's Well. 5^ —It has been thought probable, that an old
"
church of St. Patrick, in insul
to the time. This Dublin, on the River Poddle s^ reached back Apostle's
public
History of the City of
cii," cap. Ixix. , p. 90.
5' Tradition still points to a remarkable 26,
spring of water, now covered over by St.
Patrick's Cathedral, in Dublin, as being identical with this miraculous well. Primate Ussher determines its site, to have been in the North Close, not far from the steeple,
—cedes inclusum "interjprivatas nuperrime
"
obstmctum. " Britannicarum Ecclesia-
—a," so called from its insular situation, in
was a parochial church, which had existence, in the twelfth century. 53 Taking his leave of Dublin, St. Patrick went to a town, called Cnoc,54 where he sent for one named Murinus, a man of Belial. He would not, in anywise, present himself before the saint, whose persuasive eloquence and holy influence, he deemed able to conquer the hardest heart. This man caused answer to be made, that the saint should suffer him to sleep, in his place of retirement. Knowing by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, that he " Let him sleep, let him sleep, andbeforethegeneraldayofjudgment,lethimnotawakenorarise. " After this, the saint hastened on his journey. The wicked wretch died, and it
proved a double death, both spiritually and corporally. ss
was a child of
perdition,
then said Patrick
:
Notices of Eminent Men, and copious Ap- pendices of its Population, Revenue, Com-
merce and Literature," has been publislied in London, A. D. 1818, in two large 4to volumes. If is illustrated, with numerous Plates, Plans and Maps. The most modern
"
private buildings, streets, and matters of general interest. In reference to the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, or Christ Church, the enquirer should consult vol. i. , chap, iii. , pp. 98 to
132.
5° See Jocelyn's or " Sexta Vita S. Patri-
cloister of the Archdeacon ot Glendalough
and opposite to the north transcept. There was another St. Patrick's well, situated
south of Nassau-street, in Dublin ; and, be- hind a house. No. 15, in that street, formerly called St. Patrick's Well Lane, was a spring, dried up about the year 1729, and supposed to have been the original well. See Rev.
"
John Francis Shearman's Loca Patri-
ciana," No. vii. , p. 137.
5^ The course of this stream, near rising
Drimnagh, is now under cover along the
Coombe, and to its junction with the Liffey. 53 It may have been a monastic church, at an earlier period, as Abbots and Bishops of Dublin are mentioned, before the Danish settlement. See John D'Alton's "Memoirs of the Archbishops of Dublin," pp. 16 to
5* It was anciently said to have been called
Cnuca, where a battle was fought, during the
bardic period, A. M.
