No More Learning

Odran. "Be it so," replied Patrick. Foilge died at once, and went to hell, it is stated.
ment seems inconsistent with the
in the Irish
narrative, where Failge Ros is made to be a
contemporary of St. Patrick. Perhaps,
however, a distinction is to be drawn regard- ing the former and the latter.
^
Upon the tree of Bridam," said
Tripartite
told, "Myanathema,"cried
9 Although it was the site of several ing the Tripartite Life, only one Failge, or battles, recorded in Dr. O'Donovan's Foilge, is mentioned. Jocelyn calls him " Annals of the Four Masters," as at A. M.
''
Foylge Rufus. "
3 In the Third Life, he is called Foilge,
3501, audat A. D. 596, vol; i. , pp. 28, 29, and n. (a), and pp. 222, 223, n. (o), yet the place has not been clearly identified.
" This denomination " the hill of signifies
the oxen. "
" The extent of both is the same, and
In the other Acts of St. Patrick, except-
and there, a miraculous circumstance, in re-
ference to is introduced. Ber- him, Foilge
rad's name occurs not, in the right line of
the O'Conor Faly pedigree ; but, he is "
mentioned, in Dr. O'Donovan's Annals shown, on the "Ordnance Survey Town-
oftheFourMasters,"vohi. , pp. 162,163, at A. D. 501, as having slain Fiacha, son of
land Maps for the King's County," Sheets 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, 32, 33.
'-
The writer of a note, in Miss Cusack's "Life of St. Patrick," &c. , incorrectly has Wattstown, parish of Portlenon, and County the barony of Geashil, in the Queen's
Niall, at the battle of Freamhain, thought to be the hill of Fi-ewin, in the townland of
Westmeath. See ibid. , p. 89, n. (w. )
4 From him were descended, it is said, the great families of O'Conor Faly,
O'Dempsey of Clanmalier, and O'Dunne of
Hi or See O'Dono- Regan, Iregan. John
County.
'3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibemias," xix.
van's
''
Leabhar na g-Ceart, or Book of
5 His festival was held, according to some Martyrologies, on the 19th of Februaiy.
As if all Hy-Failge were in the parti-
Februarii.
P- 371- 'See his
that year.
De S. Odrano Martyre, cap. v. ,
" "Index Chronologicus, at
Tripar-
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 715
blessed him, and his children were in the district, at that time, when the Irish Tripartite Life was written.
Again, St. Patrick seems to have returned towards Lecale, in Ulster, although the exact course he took, through Leinster, cannot well be ascer- tained, from any of his biographers. However, we are informed, that he passed along the public highway, known as Midh-Luachra. ^^ In Mudornia,''
he found a company of carpenters, cutting down great oak or yew trees. '^ But, their axes were edgeless, and those poor men were quite wearied and out of breath, while the skin and flesh were torn from their hands, even to the very sinews and bones. Those wretched persons were slaves, belonging to Trian,'^9 son of Fiac, son to Amalgad. -° Those men are related, to have borne, in subjection and afiiiction, the rule of their cruel task-master ; so much so, that they were not allowed whetstones, to sharpen their axes or irons, in order that their work might become the heavier and more difficult.
The saint, compassionating their distress, gave them his blessing ; whereupon they recovered strength, their hands were healed, and their hatchets became
so sharply edged, that they cut the solid trees, with as little difficulty, as if these had been tender twigs. This prodigious effect of the saint's blessing continuedwiththem,untilsuchtimeasheprocuredtheirrelease. Toeffect this object, he went to their cruel lord ; but, Trian would not admit the saint's intercession, on behalf of those serfs. Before the doors of that chief's castle, and at a place known afterwards as Rath-Trena, Patrick sought by watching, prayer, and fasting, to soften his obdurate heart. According to a curious custom'^* of our ancestors, our holy Apostle is said to have fasted, at or before Trian's fort ; but, without having his petition granted, ere he de- parted. The saint, after three days' fast and prayer, came again, with great submission, ta procure their exemption from bondage. But, he found this cruel chief to be like another Pharaoh. Presently Trian got up into his chariot, and with a design to aggravate still more the yoke of affliction. St.
'S With this computation, the Rev. Dr.
^° This seems to be a mistranscript for
Imchadh, as found in the pedigrees,
*' Some illustrations of this are practice
explained, in the Irish Laws of Plaintiff or
Creditor, and of those relating to Defendant
Lanigan seems to agree.
cal of History
"
See Ecclesiasti-
Ireland," sect, xi. , n. 114, p. 305.
vol.
i. , chap, vi. ,
**
According to the Tripartite Lives of
our saint. This is said to be the Moyry or Debtor, in the case of distraint. If the
Pass—also called Slighe-Midluachair—and Defendant or Debtor were a person of chief-
it lies between Dundalk and Newry. See tain grade, it was necessary, not only to give
""
the Ulster Journal of Archeology," in an article, on the Kilnasagart stone, which is near that pass. It was one of the principal roads, leading from Tara, into the north of Ireland. Its exact position has not been ascertained ; but, it is thought, to have ex- tended into the county of Down. See
O'Flaherty's "Ogygia," pars, iii. , cap. Ix. , p. 314. Also, Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 102 to 105, and nn. (1, n). Also, vol. ii. , pp. 968, 969, and n. (x. ) See, likewise, John O'Donovan's " Leabhar na g-Ceart, or Book of Rights," Introduction, p. lix.
'? So is the district denominated, by
Jocelyn. Most likely, it was Crich-Mughdorn, or Cremorne, in the county of Monaghan.
'^
While the Irish Tripartite Life states, these trees to have been of yew, the Latin Tripartite calls them oak trees.
- '9 He is said to have been brother to St. Patrick's first Ulster convert, Trichem.
notice, but also to fast upon him. " This
fasting upon him consisted, in going to his residence, and in waiting there for a certain time without food. If the Plaintiff" did not, within a certain time, receive satisfaction for his claim, or a pledge for it ; forthwith, accompanied by a law-agent, witnesses, and others, he seized his distress. This equiva- lent, when seized, in certain cases was liable to a "stay," (rt«a<//4), which was a period, varying according to fixed rules, and during which the Debtor received back the distress, and retained it in his own keeping, the Creditor ttill having a lien upon it. The further proceedings up to and in case of for-
feiture are also fully explained in an
"
Intro- duction to the Brehon Laws of Ireland,"
vol. i. , p. xiv.
^^ The Latin Tiipartite Life thus records
" Quod videns vir Beatus prae-
this event
monendo, quam possit tyranno inferre vin- dictam, sputum ejecit, cujus pars cecidit in
:
7i6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
Patrick even wrought a miracle, to effect his purpose. "^ God, however, avenged the contempt, offered to his new Moses; for lo ! Trian's horses precipi-
tated themselves, and with great violence, into a stagnant pool of water, where the man of Belial was drowned. Then his captives, or slaves, were re-
stored to their long-expected liberty. In memory of this remarkable judg- ment, the pool or lake thenceforth received the denomination, Loch-Trena. =^3 He will not arise out of that lake, adds the Irish Tripartite, until the vespers of judgment, and, even then, it will not be to happiness.
Moved by this example, the wife of that king followed Patrick, in sighs and tears. She performed penance, and knelt before the holy man, so that she and her offspring might not suffer. Patrick blessed her and the beings she then carried in her womb. One of these was Setna,^-* or Sedna, otherwise called Sedonius,"5 and larlaid,^^ or Hiarlath,^^ was the other; and both were sons of Trian, being distinguished for their future sanctity. Sechnall^^ bap- tized Setna, and it was Patrick that baptized larlaid. The holy Apostle said, that the latter should be his successor afterwards, in the See of Armagh.
There was a man, who lived, about this period, in the country of Uladh,^9 and at a place called Magh-Inis,3° or " the Insular plain. " He is said to have been impious, and a son of death. s'' His name was ]\Iac Cuill,3^ Latinized, Machaldus, or ]Maccaldus,33 and he Avas leader of a robber band,34 who were plundering and killing the people, belonging to this region. On a certain occasion, the Blessed Patrick and his companions passed by ; and,
Maccaldus, from an eminence, perceived their approach. Full of malice, this tyrant3S desired to kill the holy missionary. 3"^ Mac-Cuill said to his
followers
:
" Behold the tailcenn'^^ and celebrated preacher of false doctrine,
that prophet, who is deceiving everyone, wishing to destroy the tenets and idols of our fathers ; teaching about a new and an unknown God ; let us arise, and make an attack on him, and then we shall see if his God can assisthim. " Thenitwasresolved,tolayasnareforthesaint. Therobbers brought one of their people, called Garbanus, or Garban, on a bier, as if he were
jacentem coram eis petram : qua tacta illico in tres partes coram oculis praesentium
divisa concrepuit ; una vero pars impetu subitaneo perlata est in locum valde remo-
It was also called Leth-cathuil. See Dr.
O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters,"
vol. i. , n. (w), p. 36.
3' In the Third Life, he is called Maguil.
See Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxiii. , p. the Irish Tripartite Life, Two-thirds of 27. Probus calls him Mac-fail. See
tum. " Tlien, Patrick said, according to "
the fast on the rock, another third on the fort and king, and on the district. There shall not be a king nor roydamhna of the children of Trian. He shall die prematu- rely, and he shall go down to a bitter hell. "
"
'^ Anglicised
"< According to the Irish Tripartite Life. '^ So is the name written, in the Latin
Quinta Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. ix. , x. , PP- 52, 53-
3^ Colgan refers his Acts and festival, to the 25th of April. Jocelyn calls \\\m Maguil. He is noted, in the Irish Tripar- tite Life, as in the text.
33 Thus is he noticed, in the Latin Tri-
partite Life.
3-» has his name et Jocelyn "Maguil, qui
Machaldus. " See cap. cli. , p. 98.
35 The Fourth Life of our saint calls him
See cap. Ixxxi. , p. 45.
the lake of Trian.
Life. He is said to have been venerated, on the i6th of June.
'^ According to the Irish Tripartite Life. ^7 According to the Latin Tripartite Life.
Tripartite
** The
a Cyclops. 3=' We are
saint of the county of Meath.
Dunshaughlin,
in
this man placed, on his own head and on the heads of his companions, certain diabolical signs,
which are called Diberc, so that all might behold, how devoted was their brotherhood to the service of S. itan.
37 This term, as addressed to our saint, is
*9
•
In Uladh, near Magh Inis, lived a chief,
Fierce man and fell. "
patron
told, by Jocelyn,
Thus commences one of Aubrey de Vere's
poems, headed, "St. Patrick and the Im-
postor ; or ]\Iac Kyle of Man. " See only in the Irish Tripartite Life.
"
3° Now Lecale, in the county of Down. coiTectly interprets its meaning in Latin,
Legends
of St. Patrick,"
pp.
86 to
93.
3** The author of the Fifth thus in- Life,
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 717
dead,andtobepretentiouslyresuscitatedbySt. Patrick. Thus,theythoughtto
deceive our Apostle. The robbers threw a cover over the face and body of
""
their comrade. Cure for us," said they to Patrick, our companion, and
beseech your God to awake him from death. " " My debroth" 3^ replied the saint, "I should not wonder, if he were really dead. '' He also added : "the covering of Garban shall be the covering of a dead body ; but, I tell you even more, for it is Garban Avho shall lie under it. " His friends removed the covering from Garban's face, and they found it to be so. 39
became with fear and astonishment mute,
cried "
out, Truly
then
this is a man of God. " They were all moved to repentance, for their impious
act, and they believed at once, receiving baptism, and promising a change of
Mac Cuill professed the Faith, also, and he resolved on doing heroic
life.
acts of penance.
He went to the sea, and embarked in a cot, formed out of one hide, obeying the command of Blessed Patrick. Garban was awakened from death, however, through tlie prayers of our Apostle. To satisfy more fully for his crimes, Mac Cuill made his confession, and he was told, to leave his native country and friends, to give all he possessed to the poor, and afterwards to live an austere life. That very day, he resolved to make a perpetual sacrifice of the world and of its goods. His right hand was kept, during the sea-course, towards Magh-Inis, and God's holy providence, guiding his bark over the waves, at last he reached Manann,t° or Eubonia,-'' now called theIsleofMan,intheIrishsea. ^^ Hefoundtheretwovenerablepersons,who had landed before him, on that island,''^ and who are called, Coninnri,''-* or Con- derius,'^5 and Romael*^ or Romailus. ''? These preached the word of God, and established the faith, in Manann ; and, through their teaching, the people ot that island were baptized, and they believed in Christ. '*^ Those missionaries were very exemplary, in their conduct and conversation. When they saw
"quod laboratis, non proderit vobis. " Col- gan renders it correctly, as "Deus mens
judicii," or, "judicem. "
39 Thus were verified the words of St.
Peter Chrysologus : "Qui jocari voluerit
that now bears his name. Released from
his perilous situation, he retired to the mountains. He there consecrated his life
to religion. Becoming exemplary for piety, at length he was elected bisliop over Man, by the wishes of the clergy and people. It is said, St. Brigid from Ireland visited him, owing to his reputation for sanctity. She is even said to have received the veil from his hands. See "The Illustrated Guide and Visitor's Companion through the Isle of Man," By a Resident, pp. 22, 23. How- ever, in tlie latter particular, Maughold has been confounded with St. Maccalle.
*3 The conversion of the Robber Chief, Machaldus, is told in Patrick Kennedy's "Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts,"
pp. 327, 328.
^* He is thus designated, in the Irish Tri-
cum diab—olo, non poterit gaudere cum "
Christo. " Breviarium Romanum," iv. Dec. Noct. ii. , Lect. v.
*°Camdenhasit Menania,in"Britan-
nica," col. 1439. But, Orosius added the
letter M, as a prefix to the original Evania, and thus made the name, Mevania. See
Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibernipe,"
xiii. Januarii. De S. Connano Episcop. Mannise, n. 4, p. 60. From the latter
designation came Mannia, now iNIan.
•' Ard-Ebnanensis is also a name given to the Isle of Man. This denomination, Ard- ebnanensis, is considered to have been de-
rived, from Ard-Ebnana, the "hill of partite Life. In the Fourth Life, he is
Evania," or Man. The Irish called the
island, Eumhonia, i. e. Eubonia, as Gildas and others have it. They termed it, also,
called Conindrius, and his feast is referred, by Colgan, to the 17th of November,
^^ He is thus named, in the Latin Tripar-
*
Eumhania, or Exivania, whence came tite.
Evania. ^* So is he called, in the Irish Tripartite
*^ The Manx have a legend, that St. Life. He is named Romulus, in the Fourth, Maughold, a leader of banditti in Ireland— Fifth and Sixth Lives, while Colgan refers
either as a punishment, or according to
his festival, to the l8th of November,
other accounts, a
by voluntary
'•'' Heisthusnamed,intheLatin tite Life.
act of After- wai-ds he was driven ashore, in a small boat, and on the north part of the island,
Tripar-
penance—was bound hand and foot.
; and,
they
*^ See Rev. J. R. Cumming's "Isle of INIan, its History, Physical, Ecclesiastical,
They afterwards
7i8 LIVES 01' THE IRISH SAINTS. [March ^^
Mac Cuill, in his hide-bound cot, they took him off the stormy sea, and they received him kindly. Afterwards, he learned letters and Divine knowledge from them. 'tg He spent, also, his whole time with them, until he became a bishop, in the place, after their death. s°
One Sunday, St. Patrick slept on a rising ground, over the sea, at Drombo, which means " the ox-ridge. " According to some authorities, the place is to
Drumbo Round Tower, County of Down.
be regarded as Drumboe, a parish near Lisburn, in the county of Down, where a Round TowerS' may now be seen, and near the site of an ancient church. 52 'Pl^g River Lagan traces the western boundary ;53 and, it is thought, in ancient times, there had been a small fortified town, on the hill of Drumboe. Others state, however, that a hill, between Saul and Quoile, or Coyle Castle, where fragments of masonry and human remains were found, must more correctly indicate the position of Colliim bovis, the Latin desig- nation for Drumbo. The latter hill overhangs Coyle River, and it is con- jectured to be near the strait, called Colliim bovis,^^ There, our saint heard a noise, made by Gentiles, who were engaged digging a rath, on the Sabbath. He called them, and told them to cease. But, they heeded him not, and
"
began to mock him. Whereupon, Patrick said,
My dcbroth, your labour
Civil and Legendary. " Van Voorst, 1843, 8vo. *9 This is Mac Cuill, or Machaldus, of Mann, or of Ard-ebanensis, as St. Patrick's Tripartite Lives remark, a famous bishop
and abbot. his favour assist us, May holy
is the devout concluding prayer.
s° According to the " Annales Ulto-
nienses," Maccaldus departed this life, A. D. 488.
5' This is about 35 feet high, and 47 in circumference. The accompanying illustra- tion presents it, from a drawing of William
F. Wakeman, on the wood, engraved by Mrs. Millard.
5' The church ruins were 45 feet in length,
by 20 broad, according to the " Ancient and Present State of the County Down," by Walter Harris, published in Dublin, A. D. 1744.
53 See "The Gazetteer of Parliamentary
Ireland," vol. ii. , p. 81.
5* See Miss Cusack's '* Life of St. Patrick,
Apostle of Ireland," p. 345, and n. 6, ibid. The Rev. David B. Mulcahy is of opinion, that this place should be at Ardbo, in the county of Tyrone, and west of Lough Neagh. Letter, dated Ballinafoy, Belfast, 2ist Oct. , 1878.
55 Three Catalogues of the Ultonian kings, and written by different persons, were in
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 719
shall not profit you. " On the following night, a great tempest arose, and destroyed their work. This happened, according to the word of the holy man, and as a punishment for their impiety.
About this time, Euchadius, or Eochaidh, son of Muredac, happened to be king in Ultonia. ^s He was descended, from an illustrious family, on whom, however, he conferred httle honour. He was not only an unbeliever himself, but he prosecuted, in a tyrannical manner, those who became Christians. Two maidens, who had offered their virginity to the Lord, he bound and sent on the waves, to be drowned, as they refused to adore idols and to marry. When the Apostle heard this, he besought the king regarding them, but in vain. Then, Patrick said to Eochaidh, that there should never be a king from him, nor enough of his race to constitute an assembly or army, in Ultonia, but that his tribe should be scattered, that his own life must be short, and that he should meet a tragic fate. " Your brother, Cairell,^^ shall
have an advantage over thee, since he favourably granted me a request," said
Patrick,
" and
you
have lost
it, through your
disobedience. Cairell Hence,
shall reign as a king, and there shall be kings and chiefs of his race, over
your children, and over all Ulster. " Wherefore, from him proceeded the
race of kings, and his son Deman57 succeeded, according to the words of Patrick. The wife of Eochaidh cast herself, at the feet of the holy Apostle. According to some accounts, we should infer, that her name was Derinilla. s^ He baptized her, and blessed the child in her womb, afterwards the excellent and illustrious son, Domangart,59 or Donard, son of Eochaidh, and from whom Slieve Donard, in the county of Down, is named. ^° Regarding this holy man, a strange tradition prevailed. He it was, whom Patrick left in his body,^^ according to the popular legend, and that he should be there for ever is not the least remarkable phase of the popular behef.
Then, our saint turned back to the territory, which bore the denomination of Crioch-Rois, or Feara-Rois. ^^ Within its bounds was Druim-Mor,^3 over Cluain-Cain. ^'^ Here, he had desired to remain permanently, and to build a church. Having selected a most beautiful and convenient site, St. Patrick intended to erect an episcopal See, in a place, called Ludha,^s ©r Lughmagh,
Colgan's possession. Those records agreed with the statements, contained in the text.
s* He reigned over Uladh, and died A. D. 526. He was succeeded, by another Eocli- aidh, of the Clanna Rury, from whom descended St. Fergus, Bishop of Down, who died on the 30th March, 583.
57 He reigned fourteen years, having been slain, A. D. 565, by the shepherds or herds- men of Bon-inn. After death, his brother Baodan succeeded. He reigned twenty years, and he died, a. d. 585. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' " Ecclesiastical Antiquities of
Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix I. , p. 202, andn. (y). Also, IL, p. 353, and nn. (f, g).
and over which he was bishop.
^'
Colgan characterizes this as a fable, im- worthy of attention.
*^ It is said to have embraced a portion ot the barony of Farney, in the county ot Monaghan, with some adjoining districts, in the counties of Meatli and Louth. See Dr. O'Donovan's " Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (o), p. 59, and n. (1), p. 122.
*3 It was also called probably Druim- Charadh, being situated in the diocese of Armagh and county of Louth, according to Colgan. See " Trias Thaumaturga," nn. 96, 97, p. 187. The Four Masters, at A. D. 868, call this Druim-Caradh of Ard-Cian- achta, which O'Donovan, in his notes, writes, is now Drumcar, a townland, in a parish of liie same name, in the barony of Ferrard, and county of Louth,
5^ Thus, our records state, that St. Donard's mother was Derinilla. According
to St. . (Engus the Culdee, she was also mother to St. Mura of Fahan, in Inishowen **
; Anglicised, to St. Mochumma of Druimbo ; and, be-
sides others, to St. Cillen of Achadhcail, in Lecale, beside the estuary of Dundrum.
59 His feast occurs, at the 24th of March.
^ He had a church there, as also at Rath-
Murbhuilg, now Maghera, between New- castle and Castlewellan, county of Down,
"the beautiful meadow. " Colgan thinks the place to have been iden- tical with Louth, although in his day there was a chapel, at a spot, known as Cluain,
in the county of Louth.
^5 it would appear, from the Tripartite Life, that Druim Mor was another name, for this place.
^20 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
now Louth. ^'5 Here, too, the people had a tradition, that the great Apostle of Ireland lived, for some time. ^7 But, an angel desired him to desist from that work ; because a St. Moctheus, who came out of England, on a pilgrim-
should build in that " It is not here have been place. you
" Where shall I go ? " asked Patrick.
into
destined to stay," said the Angel.
age,
" Pass on to
Macha, northwards," replied
the " The chiain below is Angel.
Ireland,
Louth Abbey, County of Louth.
fairer,"answeredPatrick. "Beitsname,therefore,Cluain-Cain,"theAngel said. " A pilgrim of the Britons shall come, and he shall occupy it, and, after-
" ^^
wards, it shall be yours. " At the word, Deo gratias ago," replied Patrick.
Then, obeying such a Divine admonition, the holy man went to a place, east- wards, and there he proposed to erect a temple, which long afterwards was destined to bear his name. Here he lived, for a time, pending the arrival of a dis- tinguishedBriton. ThatplaceisnowknownasArdpatrick,''^or"thehillof Patrick," Many—if not most—of St. Patrick's foundations occupied elevated sites, as may be seen by those, who desire to visit his churches. In fine, the illustrious pilgrim, Mochtius? "—locally designated Moutee—came to that place,wherehebuiltanoratory,withothersuitableoffices. Thefertilefields
** Archdall gives an interesting account of
this' place, in his " Monasticon Hibernicum,"
pp. 469 to 479. The accompanying view of the ruined abbey, at this place, was drawn
on the spot, by the writer, in June, 1879. It was transferred to the wood, by William
F. Wakeman, and it was engraved, by Mrs. Millard.