^^ magnificent Abbey=3
a filial
establishment to that of MeUifont in ii6i,^'t and it was dedicated to the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
a filial
establishment to that of MeUifont in ii6i,^'t and it was dedicated to the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
The
''
Patrick and
Hespake,andwithhiscrozierpointed
'Graved on the broad shield's brazen old church measures fifty-nine feet, by
boss
(That hour baptized, confirmed, anointed StoodErin'schivalry)theCross.
eighteen feet two inches ; two of its old bells were discovered some years ago, and soldinDublin, SeeRev. AnthonyCogan's
;
but,
support thy valour,
"
the county of Sligo. See John O'Donovan's
•'
Leabhar na g-Ceart, or Book of Rights,"
n.
108.
*3^ At the 8th of " June,
(t), p.
holy
6i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
or Conrigh, in the barony of Rathconrath, and county of Westmeatli—came to him ; and, there, too, he wrote an alphabet for them. ^'*° In this region,
the holy Patrick baptized the seven sons of Draighen f''^ who, it is stated, resided in a locality, now called Drynaghan's, namely Drinaghanbeg and Drinaghanmore. ^42 Amongthese,heselectedMacErca,^43subsequentlythe patron of Cillroe-mor,^'! * now Kilroe,^''^ a very ancient church,^-*^ in ruins,^''^ on a rocky eminence, and situated within Hy-Amalgaidh territory. '^^s Patrick gave him, after his baptism,^'*^ to Bishop Bron, to be fostered ; for, it would' not be easy to take him far away, in consequence of the love his father bore him. Then, St. Patrick marked out the site of Caisel-Irra fso and. Bishop Bron founded that place. Our holy Apostle prophesied, afterwards, that it should be deserted, by the Gentiles f^^ and, as he had predicted, so did events transpire.
CHAPTER XIII.
The holy man visits sligeach and calraighe—he meets with opposition, but overcomes it—he proceeds towards the boyle river—his successive mis- sions about druimdaire, glinne, druim-cliabh and magh-ene—he spends seven years in preaching, and in administering church affairs, within the connaught province.
Along the northern shore of Sligo County, St. Patrick proceeded, until he had arrived at the SHgeach River—now the Gitley^—and which flows through
""
Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern,"
vol. ii. , chap, xviii. , p. 424.
^33 According to a note 4, affixed to Miss
"
Cusack's Life of St. Patrick," p. 428.
Yet, this does not seem to us a reliable iden- tification.
^39 Now a parish, defined on the " Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Westmeath," Sheets 24, 25, 31. ^^° The Irish Tripartite writer adds to the
Macerca. See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's Eccle- siastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii. , n. 122, p. 257.
^•s It is situated, in a townland of the same name, in the parish of Killala.
^"•^ It is built of very large stones, in the
primitive Irish style, being twenty-four feet inlength,byeighteenfeetinbreadth. See
John O'Donovan's "Genealogies, Tribes
and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach," n. (n), p. foregoing account, as if quoting a more 470.
=*7 See M'Parian's " Statistical Survey of the County of Mayo," p. 147.
^•^John O'Donovan, in "Genealogies, Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiachi-ach," p.
469, note, calls the place here mentioned, Forrach mac n-Amhalgaidh. See p. 469, n. (m). This, he says, was Mullaghfarry,
""•"^ Immediately after the baptism of Mac Erca, the Book of Armagh records the
singularly wrong, by saying, that it was
erected, either by St. Fechin, or by St.
Patrick. Colgan, whom he quotes, for that infant in her womb, with the water of purpose, has no such statement, nor does he baptism, ipsa est aqua cominunio viulkris ; mention any patron saint of Kilroe, except and they buried her in at the head of the
ancient author ; and, I have heard from
another, that in the said place, he gave a tooth from his jaw to Bishop Bron, for he was dear to Patrick.
^^^ So is he called, in the Irish Tripartite
Life ; in the Latin vei'sion, his name is
rendered Drogenius.
^''^ Tliese are two townlands in the
and there the church was
parish of Kilglass, and barony of Tireragh, to the
Killala,
built,
"
vey Townland Maps for the County of
north-east of Ballina. See
Ordnance Sur-
Sligo," Sheets 16, 17,
^'*3 It seems he possible, may
have had a
"And two came girls
festival, at the 15th of April, where the sons of Draighen of Cill-Ro are noted, in the
O'Clerys' Calendar.
^** Arciidall is right, when placing it in
"
Mayo. See Monasticon Hibernicum," p.
504. He is wrong, however, by converting it into an abbey ; and, he is still more
at
Ros filiorum Caitni, and not Catriu, as in Betham.
incidents
to Patrick, and took the veil at his hand, and he blessed for them the place of the wood of Fochloth. And behold, Patrick went up to the land, which is called Foirr- gea, of the sons of Amolngid, to divide it among the sons of Amolngid, and he built there a church of moist earth squared, be- cause wood was not at hand ; and they brought to him a sick woman, having an
following
:
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 619
the present town of Sligo, to which it has given name. ^ At that river, he
desired the to set their nets for him. said to " A sahnon fishermen, They him,
is not taken at this period of the winter ; but, as you desire it, however, we willdoasyoudirect. " Theyplacedtheirnets,andcaughtlargesalmon,and they gave them to Patrick ; and, he blessed the river, so that the Sligech was
deemed, afterwards, the most productive river of Erinn, and to such a degree, that fish is caught in it, during every quarter of the year. St. Patrick left Bishop Rodan,3 the herd, in Murrisk,^ and at a place, called after him, Cill-
Next, St. Patrick went to the Callraighe? of Cull Cernadhan,'° or Calregia de Culechernadan," otherwise, the territory of Calry. '^ The latter denomi- nation is still retained as the name of a parish, in the barony of Carbury, and
county of Sligo. '3 in this district, Coolcarney''* was situated. Here, the people at first opposed him, and they assembled with arms, in a secret place.
When St. Patrick and his disciples passed by, the intending waylayers brought their spears close to their shields, to assault the travellers. But, in his usual frank and agreeable manner, St. Patrick induced them to yield,
of
church ; and upon the grave is the seat of the saint, in the church, even to the present day ; and he built a certain church at Ross,
among the family of Caitrue, on an island of a bay of the sea. "
*so That flag, on which Patrick's tooth
fell, is in the middle of the lis, adds the
"
My debroth,"
" what did you
Life,
xxiii. , xxix. , xxx. , xxxi. , xxxii. , pp. 58 to 60 ; the Sixth Life, cap. lix. , Ix. , Ixi. , Ixiii. , Ixiv. , Ixvii. , Ixxvi. , Ixxxi,, cxii. , cxxiv. , cxxv. , cxxvi. , cxxxi. , cxxxviii. , cxlv. , clvi. , clvii. , clxix. , clxx. , clxxi. , clxxii. , clxxiii. , clxxiv. , clxxxiv. , pp. 78, 79, 82, 83, 84, 90, 92, 9S» 96, 97, 99, 105 ; the Seventh Life, pars, ii. , cap. liii. to xcvii. , pp. 137 to 142, and nn. 113 to 145, pp. 178 to 180. Also,
Maps for the County of Sligo," Sheets 12, 18.
sponding notes. — Chapter XIII.
ii. , cap. xviii. , xix. , xx. , xxi. ,
"
' Thus is it written, in the Irish Tripar- tite Life. Jocelyn calls this place Callria.
'° A note to Miss Cusack's version of the Iiish Tripartite Life identifies it, as Cool- carney, a district in the barony of Gallen, and county of Mayo. This comprises the
parishes of Altymas and Kilgarvan. How- ever, this does not seem to have been the place, to which allusion is made,
" Thus is the place called, in the Latin
Tripartite Life.
"See "The Topographical Poems of
John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," edited by John O'Donovan, LL. D. , n. 269, p. xxxvii.
'3 See "Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the County of Sligo," Sheets 8, 9 , 14, 15.
Miss Cusack's
of Ireland," pp. 408 to 429, with the cone-
Life of St. Patrick, Apostle
'It is a corruption of Gilly, which empties, from the beautiful
Lough Gill, and passes into Sligo Bay.
^
See John O'Donovan's "Genealogies, 3 The Calendar of the O'Clerys has a
Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach,"
Addenda, P, n. (p), p. 470.
known as Muirsce, or the " ^ sea-plain,"
Rodain. s That
extended from the River Easkey, eastwards, to a stream, which flows into the sea, between the present townlands of Ballyecskeen, in the parish of Templeboy,7 and Dunnacoy. ® His calves would only do what Rodan counselled, because he was remarkable for obedience, towards his own master, St. Patrick. Wherefore, the harpers and musicians had a proverb, the nature of which is not recorded.
Easpuig
district,
to his
is not good. Every battle and every conflict which you wage, and your children after you, shall be gained over you. " They forthwith knelt to Patrick, and asked his pardon, for their obstinacy and resistance, excepting
owing
powers
persuasion.
he,
Irish Tripartite Life. 471.
^5' See the Third s it would from the that Life, cap. xlix. , I. , li. , appear, above,
the name, Muirisk, most likely preceded that of Cill-Espuig-Rodain.
lii. , liii. , liv. , Ivi. , Ixii. , Ixvii. , Ixix. , Ixxvii. , Ixxxv. , pp. 25 to 28 ; the Fourth Life, cap. lix. , Ix. , Ixi. , Ixii. , Ixiii. , Ixiv. , Ixv. , Ixvi. , Ixvii. , Ixviii,, Ixix. , Ixx,, pp. 43, 44; the Fifth lib.
^
Se&ibid. , n. (b), p. 257.
said
Bishop Rodan, at the 24th of August, but without naming any place,
* In Colgan's Latin copy, it is incorrectly called Muireschaigle ; and, thus, John O'Donovan was misled, by such a statement. See "Genealogies, Tribes and Customs of
Hy-Fiachrach," Addenda P. , n. (q),- p.
7 And barony of Tireragh.
^ See " Ordnance Townland Survey
^20
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
" In
shall fall. " And, so it had been observed, that for the future, his prophecy
was verified in every instance. One time, desiring to visit the territory of
Magh Luirg,^s after he had travelled through Bernas-Ui-Cilella, now known
as a remarkable pass in the barony of Tirerrill, and county of Sligo, the illustrious man fell into the water, in a river, which flows from Loch-Techet. '^
Athcarpait, or Ath-carbuid,'7 which was a ford on Boyle river, to the east of Assyhn, is said to have been the place,^^ and it was near to Ess-mic-Eirc,'9 or " the cataract of the son of Eire. " ^° It was on the Buill or Boyle River, in the county of Roscommon, The parish is called Assylin,^^ —otherwise
five
Patrick then
that
may
be won
any battle,
though all Connaught may be after you, no greater number than five of you
only,
said,
against you,
Here was founded a— Cistercian
Boyle.
^^ magnificent Abbey=3
a filial
establishment to that of MeUifont in ii6i,^'t and it was dedicated to the
Blessed Virgin Mary. ^s Even yet, its ruins are in a good state of preservation,
and they present, in connexion with a fine site, features of great picturesque
beauty,=^^ Irish romanesque arches prevail in the older parts of the building,
Patrick there said, that the eastern half of the water should not produce
much fish f^ and, from the ford downwards, not much was ever taken thence-
"" And, that half from the ford westwards, why do you spare it ?
forward, asked his
'* This denomination is not found, on the the religious house in this place. That
people, Patrick,
He alluded to
" A son of life shall who will set there
come,
" who will desire fruitful water at his
up hereafter,"
said
Colum Cille,^^ the son of Fedhlimidh, who should build a monastery at Ess- Mic-Eirc. From the ford upwards to the lake,''^ the best fishing in Erinn was found by all, who tried the experiment. The glorious missionary, to arrange ecclesiastical affairs in Connaught, went afterwards into the territory of Magh-Luirg, where his horses and those of his companions were carried off, by the Cenel-Mic-Erca,3° The tribe and territory, so distinguished, were
Ordnance Maps,
'5 This plain and territory, of which the
M'Dermotts were chiefs, is comprised in
the barony of Boyle, and county of Ros- common. See an admirable Memoir on this
family, and on their possessions, in John
comarb died A. d. 1209, See Dr. O'Dono- van's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iii. , pp. 160, 161.
^^ The early name of Boyle was ^c da La<xi\5.
^3 According to Sir James Ware, a prior foundation, in 1148, was effected there, but, at a place called Grellechdim. See " Casno- bia Cisterciensia Hibernite," p. 64.
"
*'
History of Ireland and Annals
D'Alton's
of Boyle," vol. i. , pp. 138 to 151.
'' Now Lough Gara, in the county of Sligo. "
="* See
'? It is translated, vadum quadrigae," or land, and Annals of Boyle," vol. ii. , pp.
" currus," according to the Latin Tripartite. •^ The "Annals of the Four Masters," at
'9 Here there was an old church, about Irish Penny Magazine," vol. i. . No. 26, pp. one mile westwards from the town of 201 to 204.
A. D, 748, state, that when they wrote, it
was called Eas-Ui-Fhloinn, now Assylin,
about a mile west from the town of Boyle.
See vol. i. , n. (q), pp. 350, 351, Dr. terior, with historical notices by Mr. O'Donovan's edition. D'Alton, the reader is refered to "The
Boyle, according to John O'Donovan's Ordnance Memoir Letters on Roscommon,
Letter written at Boyle, July 23rd, 1837.
=° In other words, St. Dachonua, son of
whom St. Columba placed over a church, in this place. St. Dachonna or Mochonna was venerated, on the 8th of March.
=' The change of name to Assylin appears to have been taken from Flaherty O'Flynn, who was comarb of Dachonna, first abbot of
^*
The accompanying interior view was sketched on the spot, by William F. Wake- man, and by him transferred to the Avood- block, engraved by Mrs. Millard.
Eire,
^^ Lough Key lies north-east of
and its waters are drained eastwards into the Shannon.
''^
His feast occurs, at the 9th of June.
^'^ Lough Gara, and the upper sources, must here be meant, inasmuch as they lie
westwards from Eas Mac Eire.
John
D'Alton's
History
of Ire-
place. "
248, 249. A very beautiful illustration of the interior is there to be found, while an exterior view illustrates the title-page of this volume,
^5 For illustrations of its exterior and in-
Boyle,
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 621
in the north of the present county of Roscommon. 3' The horses were con- cealedandtiedinaremotehiding-place. ThenPatrickpronouncedamale- diction, on the people of that country. But, Bishop Maines^ of the Hy-
or " race of
prayedthegreatmastertoforgivehiskinsmen. Then,St. Patrickmodified the malediction, and Bishop Maine washed his master's feet, with tears, and wiped them with his hair. He also drove the horses into a meadow, and
Ailella,
Oilioll,"
33 and who was one of St. Patrick's
disciples,34
Interior of Boyle Abbey, County of Roscommon.
cleaned their in honour of Patrick. The *' There hoofs, holy Apostle said,
shall be weeping, and wailing, and mourning, among the inhabitants of that country ; nor shall there be neighbourship there, for ever and ever. " This pre- diction of the saint was exactly fulfilled. And Patrick also said, that a great part of that country should afterwards belong to him,3s which was fulfilled. This happened, in the case of Nodain,36 qj. Aidan, of Loch-Uama,37 which is said to have been a lake, near Cavestown, in the parish of Estersnow. s^
3° So is this tribe-name given, in the Irish identical with Geinten, Priest, of Tir-Gaire, Tripartite Life ; in the Latin version, we by Colgan.
find, "
" familia de Mick-erca. "
3' According to a note, in Miss Cusack's Life of St. Patrick," n. 9, p. 431.
35 This servant of God was consecrated
bishop, by Bron, according to some ac- counts. See Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib.
3^ He was venerated, on the 2nd of Sep- ii. , cap. XXXV. , p. 134. If so, however, it
tember, according to the Calendar of the
O'Clerys.
33 He was the son of Eochaidh Muigh-
medhoin, and of the seed of Heremon.
3* Bishop Maine is also of Patrick's Nuadat, Archbishop of Armagh, who died
people, and Geintine, in Echainech, in Hy- Ailella, we find added, in the Irish Tripar- tite Life. In the Latin version, he is called, *'
Gemthenno de Each-ainech, in regione de Tiroilella. " His feast has been assigned
to the 2nd of September, as having been
is difficult to believe, that he was among St. Patrick's followers, at that time. This in- cident is referred to about a. d. 440.
A. D. 811, and whose feast has been assigned
to the 1 9th of February.
37 Thus, is it laid down, in the Irish Tri-
partite Life. In the Latin version, we read instead, "in Aidano de Coch-uamach. " Colgan assigns his feast to the 1st of Ja-
3* Allusion seems to be made here to St.
622 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS,
[March 17.
Then, Blessed Patrick went into the territory of Callraidhe,39 or Cal-rigia/" now probably the parish of Calry, in the barony of Carbury, and county of Sligo. The territory itself even extended, into Leitrim County,t^ to Druim- dara. -J^ There,Druimlias^sisnow,representedbytheparishofDrumlease,'<4 about a mile east of the town, and in the barony of Dromahaire, and county of Leitrim. 4S That place was presented to Patrick for ever. ^^ It was then
and there, he baptized Mac Caerthinn. 47 Regarding this person, we have no further account. Patrick afterwards established himself, on the offering,
in Drui—m-dara. 48 There, too, the holy Apostle left his dalta,''^ or foster-son,5° Benen most likely the celebrated St. Benignus,^' his successor in the See of
Armagh. We are told, that at Drumlease, he presided over a monastery, for a continuation of twenty years. Yet, there are good reasons for doubting,
and
that,too,
Tripartite does indeed mention, elsewhere, another Benignus, as being a con-
temporary with St. Patrick. It makes him a brother of Cethecus. ss
He then journeyed into those romantic glens, which extended eastwards,^* and which surround the head of Lough Gill. ss It was called " Regio de
that he was left behind at
Druimlias,
for so a 5=^ The long period.
nuary, or to the 9th of October. The first-
named day does not seem to have been that
for his festival : at the last-mentioned, there
is a St. Aedhan, Mac Ua Chuinn. Colgan from the great St. Maccartin of Ciogher.
states, that about this period flourished St. Aidanus of Cluan-eochuille, of the race of
it is
with one near the River Buannad, towards
the south, and in the territory of Breffney.
3* The name of this is a
parish corruption
of Ath-disert-Nuadhain. It is in the barony of Boyle, and it is defined, on the "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Roscommon," Sheets 9, 10, 15.
39 So is it written, in the Irish Tripartite. There were several territories, named Calry,
in Westmeath, Breffney, and Sligo.
The Carten in Tirechan's list, in all proba-
bility, was the latter.
'•^ It is now known as Drumlease Ceme- identifies Loch-uamach, here mentioned, tery. The latter name it obtained, fi'om
the Hi-Fiachrach. He
" Ecclesiastical
belonged, thought, to the territory of Corann, through which St. Patrick then passed. Colgan
gan's
History
'•" ''"
It is thus named, in the Latin version.
Besides a part of Sligo, this district must have comprehended some part of the present county of Leitrim ; for, Dromahaire is said to have been situated in Calrigia.
See Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. ciii. , p. 143-
^^ It means, "the oak-ridge. "
'»•' See Dr. James M'Parian's " Statistical
Survey of the County of Sligo," chap, v. , p. 100.
'»'' A St. Colman was venerated 19th June.
on
built at
to after times, and not to the commencing period of the great man's mission. See ibid.
S3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. lii. , p. 136.
5* It may be observed, that Glenkeel, Glenanifif, Glenade and Glennauns, lie east and north-east from Drumlease, in the county of Leitrim.
55 "For several miles around the top of the lake, through the parishes of Drumlias, Cloonclare, Killargy, and Killenumery, the leading feature of the landscape is the glens
'•s Harris was mistaken, when placing
Druimlias, in Sligo. See Harris' Ware, vol. "
Antiquities of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 268. He has been followed, by Archdall.
"
See Monasticon Ilibernicum," p. 631. However, this latter writer has the same
Druimlias, in Leitrim. See ibid. , p. 408. Here, alone, it ought to be placed.
"i* The charter of its church lands to Armagh is written in the Book of Armagh. The See lands were formerly attached to the Archbishopric of Armagh ; but, they
ii. ,
here,
ciples
Druimlias, belonged probably
were passed to the See of Kilmore, and they were afterwards leased in perpetuity.
'^^ He was certainly a different person,
of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii,, n. 125, p. 257.
the number of houses and sheds, which St. Patrick and his disciples there erected.
"t^ It means a " " or "foster-child. "
pupil
s° See the Rev. Dr. Todd's
"
Life of St. Patrick," Introductoiy Dissertation, note 4,
p. 177.
5' Although occasionally employed here
and there, this Benignus was a rather constant companion of the saint. See Rev.
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii. , n. 126,
pp. 257, 258.
5^ Dr. Lanigan has no doubt, that this
Benignus was introduced, merely to answer some objection raised, against certain stories about the real Benignus, such as that of his havingbeenabbotofDruimlias. Ifever there was a person of that name, an abbot in said place, he must have lived at a later period . The multitude of chapels and reli- gious houses, which vSt.
''
Patrick and
Hespake,andwithhiscrozierpointed
'Graved on the broad shield's brazen old church measures fifty-nine feet, by
boss
(That hour baptized, confirmed, anointed StoodErin'schivalry)theCross.
eighteen feet two inches ; two of its old bells were discovered some years ago, and soldinDublin, SeeRev. AnthonyCogan's
;
but,
support thy valour,
"
the county of Sligo. See John O'Donovan's
•'
Leabhar na g-Ceart, or Book of Rights,"
n.
108.
*3^ At the 8th of " June,
(t), p.
holy
6i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
or Conrigh, in the barony of Rathconrath, and county of Westmeatli—came to him ; and, there, too, he wrote an alphabet for them. ^'*° In this region,
the holy Patrick baptized the seven sons of Draighen f''^ who, it is stated, resided in a locality, now called Drynaghan's, namely Drinaghanbeg and Drinaghanmore. ^42 Amongthese,heselectedMacErca,^43subsequentlythe patron of Cillroe-mor,^'! * now Kilroe,^''^ a very ancient church,^-*^ in ruins,^''^ on a rocky eminence, and situated within Hy-Amalgaidh territory. '^^s Patrick gave him, after his baptism,^'*^ to Bishop Bron, to be fostered ; for, it would' not be easy to take him far away, in consequence of the love his father bore him. Then, St. Patrick marked out the site of Caisel-Irra fso and. Bishop Bron founded that place. Our holy Apostle prophesied, afterwards, that it should be deserted, by the Gentiles f^^ and, as he had predicted, so did events transpire.
CHAPTER XIII.
The holy man visits sligeach and calraighe—he meets with opposition, but overcomes it—he proceeds towards the boyle river—his successive mis- sions about druimdaire, glinne, druim-cliabh and magh-ene—he spends seven years in preaching, and in administering church affairs, within the connaught province.
Along the northern shore of Sligo County, St. Patrick proceeded, until he had arrived at the SHgeach River—now the Gitley^—and which flows through
""
Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern,"
vol. ii. , chap, xviii. , p. 424.
^33 According to a note 4, affixed to Miss
"
Cusack's Life of St. Patrick," p. 428.
Yet, this does not seem to us a reliable iden- tification.
^39 Now a parish, defined on the " Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Westmeath," Sheets 24, 25, 31. ^^° The Irish Tripartite writer adds to the
Macerca. See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's Eccle- siastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii. , n. 122, p. 257.
^•s It is situated, in a townland of the same name, in the parish of Killala.
^"•^ It is built of very large stones, in the
primitive Irish style, being twenty-four feet inlength,byeighteenfeetinbreadth. See
John O'Donovan's "Genealogies, Tribes
and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach," n. (n), p. foregoing account, as if quoting a more 470.
=*7 See M'Parian's " Statistical Survey of the County of Mayo," p. 147.
^•^John O'Donovan, in "Genealogies, Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiachi-ach," p.
469, note, calls the place here mentioned, Forrach mac n-Amhalgaidh. See p. 469, n. (m). This, he says, was Mullaghfarry,
""•"^ Immediately after the baptism of Mac Erca, the Book of Armagh records the
singularly wrong, by saying, that it was
erected, either by St. Fechin, or by St.
Patrick. Colgan, whom he quotes, for that infant in her womb, with the water of purpose, has no such statement, nor does he baptism, ipsa est aqua cominunio viulkris ; mention any patron saint of Kilroe, except and they buried her in at the head of the
ancient author ; and, I have heard from
another, that in the said place, he gave a tooth from his jaw to Bishop Bron, for he was dear to Patrick.
^^^ So is he called, in the Irish Tripartite
Life ; in the Latin vei'sion, his name is
rendered Drogenius.
^''^ Tliese are two townlands in the
and there the church was
parish of Kilglass, and barony of Tireragh, to the
Killala,
built,
"
vey Townland Maps for the County of
north-east of Ballina. See
Ordnance Sur-
Sligo," Sheets 16, 17,
^'*3 It seems he possible, may
have had a
"And two came girls
festival, at the 15th of April, where the sons of Draighen of Cill-Ro are noted, in the
O'Clerys' Calendar.
^** Arciidall is right, when placing it in
"
Mayo. See Monasticon Hibernicum," p.
504. He is wrong, however, by converting it into an abbey ; and, he is still more
at
Ros filiorum Caitni, and not Catriu, as in Betham.
incidents
to Patrick, and took the veil at his hand, and he blessed for them the place of the wood of Fochloth. And behold, Patrick went up to the land, which is called Foirr- gea, of the sons of Amolngid, to divide it among the sons of Amolngid, and he built there a church of moist earth squared, be- cause wood was not at hand ; and they brought to him a sick woman, having an
following
:
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 619
the present town of Sligo, to which it has given name. ^ At that river, he
desired the to set their nets for him. said to " A sahnon fishermen, They him,
is not taken at this period of the winter ; but, as you desire it, however, we willdoasyoudirect. " Theyplacedtheirnets,andcaughtlargesalmon,and they gave them to Patrick ; and, he blessed the river, so that the Sligech was
deemed, afterwards, the most productive river of Erinn, and to such a degree, that fish is caught in it, during every quarter of the year. St. Patrick left Bishop Rodan,3 the herd, in Murrisk,^ and at a place, called after him, Cill-
Next, St. Patrick went to the Callraighe? of Cull Cernadhan,'° or Calregia de Culechernadan," otherwise, the territory of Calry. '^ The latter denomi- nation is still retained as the name of a parish, in the barony of Carbury, and
county of Sligo. '3 in this district, Coolcarney''* was situated. Here, the people at first opposed him, and they assembled with arms, in a secret place.
When St. Patrick and his disciples passed by, the intending waylayers brought their spears close to their shields, to assault the travellers. But, in his usual frank and agreeable manner, St. Patrick induced them to yield,
of
church ; and upon the grave is the seat of the saint, in the church, even to the present day ; and he built a certain church at Ross,
among the family of Caitrue, on an island of a bay of the sea. "
*so That flag, on which Patrick's tooth
fell, is in the middle of the lis, adds the
"
My debroth,"
" what did you
Life,
xxiii. , xxix. , xxx. , xxxi. , xxxii. , pp. 58 to 60 ; the Sixth Life, cap. lix. , Ix. , Ixi. , Ixiii. , Ixiv. , Ixvii. , Ixxvi. , Ixxxi,, cxii. , cxxiv. , cxxv. , cxxvi. , cxxxi. , cxxxviii. , cxlv. , clvi. , clvii. , clxix. , clxx. , clxxi. , clxxii. , clxxiii. , clxxiv. , clxxxiv. , pp. 78, 79, 82, 83, 84, 90, 92, 9S» 96, 97, 99, 105 ; the Seventh Life, pars, ii. , cap. liii. to xcvii. , pp. 137 to 142, and nn. 113 to 145, pp. 178 to 180. Also,
Maps for the County of Sligo," Sheets 12, 18.
sponding notes. — Chapter XIII.
ii. , cap. xviii. , xix. , xx. , xxi. ,
"
' Thus is it written, in the Irish Tripar- tite Life. Jocelyn calls this place Callria.
'° A note to Miss Cusack's version of the Iiish Tripartite Life identifies it, as Cool- carney, a district in the barony of Gallen, and county of Mayo. This comprises the
parishes of Altymas and Kilgarvan. How- ever, this does not seem to have been the place, to which allusion is made,
" Thus is the place called, in the Latin
Tripartite Life.
"See "The Topographical Poems of
John O'Dubhagain and Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," edited by John O'Donovan, LL. D. , n. 269, p. xxxvii.
'3 See "Ordnance Survey Townland
Maps for the County of Sligo," Sheets 8, 9 , 14, 15.
Miss Cusack's
of Ireland," pp. 408 to 429, with the cone-
Life of St. Patrick, Apostle
'It is a corruption of Gilly, which empties, from the beautiful
Lough Gill, and passes into Sligo Bay.
^
See John O'Donovan's "Genealogies, 3 The Calendar of the O'Clerys has a
Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach,"
Addenda, P, n. (p), p. 470.
known as Muirsce, or the " ^ sea-plain,"
Rodain. s That
extended from the River Easkey, eastwards, to a stream, which flows into the sea, between the present townlands of Ballyecskeen, in the parish of Templeboy,7 and Dunnacoy. ® His calves would only do what Rodan counselled, because he was remarkable for obedience, towards his own master, St. Patrick. Wherefore, the harpers and musicians had a proverb, the nature of which is not recorded.
Easpuig
district,
to his
is not good. Every battle and every conflict which you wage, and your children after you, shall be gained over you. " They forthwith knelt to Patrick, and asked his pardon, for their obstinacy and resistance, excepting
owing
powers
persuasion.
he,
Irish Tripartite Life. 471.
^5' See the Third s it would from the that Life, cap. xlix. , I. , li. , appear, above,
the name, Muirisk, most likely preceded that of Cill-Espuig-Rodain.
lii. , liii. , liv. , Ivi. , Ixii. , Ixvii. , Ixix. , Ixxvii. , Ixxxv. , pp. 25 to 28 ; the Fourth Life, cap. lix. , Ix. , Ixi. , Ixii. , Ixiii. , Ixiv. , Ixv. , Ixvi. , Ixvii. , Ixviii,, Ixix. , Ixx,, pp. 43, 44; the Fifth lib.
^
Se&ibid. , n. (b), p. 257.
said
Bishop Rodan, at the 24th of August, but without naming any place,
* In Colgan's Latin copy, it is incorrectly called Muireschaigle ; and, thus, John O'Donovan was misled, by such a statement. See "Genealogies, Tribes and Customs of
Hy-Fiachrach," Addenda P. , n. (q),- p.
7 And barony of Tireragh.
^ See " Ordnance Townland Survey
^20
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
" In
shall fall. " And, so it had been observed, that for the future, his prophecy
was verified in every instance. One time, desiring to visit the territory of
Magh Luirg,^s after he had travelled through Bernas-Ui-Cilella, now known
as a remarkable pass in the barony of Tirerrill, and county of Sligo, the illustrious man fell into the water, in a river, which flows from Loch-Techet. '^
Athcarpait, or Ath-carbuid,'7 which was a ford on Boyle river, to the east of Assyhn, is said to have been the place,^^ and it was near to Ess-mic-Eirc,'9 or " the cataract of the son of Eire. " ^° It was on the Buill or Boyle River, in the county of Roscommon, The parish is called Assylin,^^ —otherwise
five
Patrick then
that
may
be won
any battle,
though all Connaught may be after you, no greater number than five of you
only,
said,
against you,
Here was founded a— Cistercian
Boyle.
^^ magnificent Abbey=3
a filial
establishment to that of MeUifont in ii6i,^'t and it was dedicated to the
Blessed Virgin Mary. ^s Even yet, its ruins are in a good state of preservation,
and they present, in connexion with a fine site, features of great picturesque
beauty,=^^ Irish romanesque arches prevail in the older parts of the building,
Patrick there said, that the eastern half of the water should not produce
much fish f^ and, from the ford downwards, not much was ever taken thence-
"" And, that half from the ford westwards, why do you spare it ?
forward, asked his
'* This denomination is not found, on the the religious house in this place. That
people, Patrick,
He alluded to
" A son of life shall who will set there
come,
" who will desire fruitful water at his
up hereafter,"
said
Colum Cille,^^ the son of Fedhlimidh, who should build a monastery at Ess- Mic-Eirc. From the ford upwards to the lake,''^ the best fishing in Erinn was found by all, who tried the experiment. The glorious missionary, to arrange ecclesiastical affairs in Connaught, went afterwards into the territory of Magh-Luirg, where his horses and those of his companions were carried off, by the Cenel-Mic-Erca,3° The tribe and territory, so distinguished, were
Ordnance Maps,
'5 This plain and territory, of which the
M'Dermotts were chiefs, is comprised in
the barony of Boyle, and county of Ros- common. See an admirable Memoir on this
family, and on their possessions, in John
comarb died A. d. 1209, See Dr. O'Dono- van's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. iii. , pp. 160, 161.
^^ The early name of Boyle was ^c da La<xi\5.
^3 According to Sir James Ware, a prior foundation, in 1148, was effected there, but, at a place called Grellechdim. See " Casno- bia Cisterciensia Hibernite," p. 64.
"
*'
History of Ireland and Annals
D'Alton's
of Boyle," vol. i. , pp. 138 to 151.
'' Now Lough Gara, in the county of Sligo. "
="* See
'? It is translated, vadum quadrigae," or land, and Annals of Boyle," vol. ii. , pp.
" currus," according to the Latin Tripartite. •^ The "Annals of the Four Masters," at
'9 Here there was an old church, about Irish Penny Magazine," vol. i. . No. 26, pp. one mile westwards from the town of 201 to 204.
A. D, 748, state, that when they wrote, it
was called Eas-Ui-Fhloinn, now Assylin,
about a mile west from the town of Boyle.
See vol. i. , n. (q), pp. 350, 351, Dr. terior, with historical notices by Mr. O'Donovan's edition. D'Alton, the reader is refered to "The
Boyle, according to John O'Donovan's Ordnance Memoir Letters on Roscommon,
Letter written at Boyle, July 23rd, 1837.
=° In other words, St. Dachonua, son of
whom St. Columba placed over a church, in this place. St. Dachonna or Mochonna was venerated, on the 8th of March.
=' The change of name to Assylin appears to have been taken from Flaherty O'Flynn, who was comarb of Dachonna, first abbot of
^*
The accompanying interior view was sketched on the spot, by William F. Wake- man, and by him transferred to the Avood- block, engraved by Mrs. Millard.
Eire,
^^ Lough Key lies north-east of
and its waters are drained eastwards into the Shannon.
''^
His feast occurs, at the 9th of June.
^'^ Lough Gara, and the upper sources, must here be meant, inasmuch as they lie
westwards from Eas Mac Eire.
John
D'Alton's
History
of Ire-
place. "
248, 249. A very beautiful illustration of the interior is there to be found, while an exterior view illustrates the title-page of this volume,
^5 For illustrations of its exterior and in-
Boyle,
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 621
in the north of the present county of Roscommon. 3' The horses were con- cealedandtiedinaremotehiding-place. ThenPatrickpronouncedamale- diction, on the people of that country. But, Bishop Maines^ of the Hy-
or " race of
prayedthegreatmastertoforgivehiskinsmen. Then,St. Patrickmodified the malediction, and Bishop Maine washed his master's feet, with tears, and wiped them with his hair. He also drove the horses into a meadow, and
Ailella,
Oilioll,"
33 and who was one of St. Patrick's
disciples,34
Interior of Boyle Abbey, County of Roscommon.
cleaned their in honour of Patrick. The *' There hoofs, holy Apostle said,
shall be weeping, and wailing, and mourning, among the inhabitants of that country ; nor shall there be neighbourship there, for ever and ever. " This pre- diction of the saint was exactly fulfilled. And Patrick also said, that a great part of that country should afterwards belong to him,3s which was fulfilled. This happened, in the case of Nodain,36 qj. Aidan, of Loch-Uama,37 which is said to have been a lake, near Cavestown, in the parish of Estersnow. s^
3° So is this tribe-name given, in the Irish identical with Geinten, Priest, of Tir-Gaire, Tripartite Life ; in the Latin version, we by Colgan.
find, "
" familia de Mick-erca. "
3' According to a note, in Miss Cusack's Life of St. Patrick," n. 9, p. 431.
35 This servant of God was consecrated
bishop, by Bron, according to some ac- counts. See Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib.
3^ He was venerated, on the 2nd of Sep- ii. , cap. XXXV. , p. 134. If so, however, it
tember, according to the Calendar of the
O'Clerys.
33 He was the son of Eochaidh Muigh-
medhoin, and of the seed of Heremon.
3* Bishop Maine is also of Patrick's Nuadat, Archbishop of Armagh, who died
people, and Geintine, in Echainech, in Hy- Ailella, we find added, in the Irish Tripar- tite Life. In the Latin version, he is called, *'
Gemthenno de Each-ainech, in regione de Tiroilella. " His feast has been assigned
to the 2nd of September, as having been
is difficult to believe, that he was among St. Patrick's followers, at that time. This in- cident is referred to about a. d. 440.
A. D. 811, and whose feast has been assigned
to the 1 9th of February.
37 Thus, is it laid down, in the Irish Tri-
partite Life. In the Latin version, we read instead, "in Aidano de Coch-uamach. " Colgan assigns his feast to the 1st of Ja-
3* Allusion seems to be made here to St.
622 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS,
[March 17.
Then, Blessed Patrick went into the territory of Callraidhe,39 or Cal-rigia/" now probably the parish of Calry, in the barony of Carbury, and county of Sligo. The territory itself even extended, into Leitrim County,t^ to Druim- dara. -J^ There,Druimlias^sisnow,representedbytheparishofDrumlease,'<4 about a mile east of the town, and in the barony of Dromahaire, and county of Leitrim. 4S That place was presented to Patrick for ever. ^^ It was then
and there, he baptized Mac Caerthinn. 47 Regarding this person, we have no further account. Patrick afterwards established himself, on the offering,
in Drui—m-dara. 48 There, too, the holy Apostle left his dalta,''^ or foster-son,5° Benen most likely the celebrated St. Benignus,^' his successor in the See of
Armagh. We are told, that at Drumlease, he presided over a monastery, for a continuation of twenty years. Yet, there are good reasons for doubting,
and
that,too,
Tripartite does indeed mention, elsewhere, another Benignus, as being a con-
temporary with St. Patrick. It makes him a brother of Cethecus. ss
He then journeyed into those romantic glens, which extended eastwards,^* and which surround the head of Lough Gill. ss It was called " Regio de
that he was left behind at
Druimlias,
for so a 5=^ The long period.
nuary, or to the 9th of October. The first-
named day does not seem to have been that
for his festival : at the last-mentioned, there
is a St. Aedhan, Mac Ua Chuinn. Colgan from the great St. Maccartin of Ciogher.
states, that about this period flourished St. Aidanus of Cluan-eochuille, of the race of
it is
with one near the River Buannad, towards
the south, and in the territory of Breffney.
3* The name of this is a
parish corruption
of Ath-disert-Nuadhain. It is in the barony of Boyle, and it is defined, on the "Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Roscommon," Sheets 9, 10, 15.
39 So is it written, in the Irish Tripartite. There were several territories, named Calry,
in Westmeath, Breffney, and Sligo.
The Carten in Tirechan's list, in all proba-
bility, was the latter.
'•^ It is now known as Drumlease Ceme- identifies Loch-uamach, here mentioned, tery. The latter name it obtained, fi'om
the Hi-Fiachrach. He
" Ecclesiastical
belonged, thought, to the territory of Corann, through which St. Patrick then passed. Colgan
gan's
History
'•" ''"
It is thus named, in the Latin version.
Besides a part of Sligo, this district must have comprehended some part of the present county of Leitrim ; for, Dromahaire is said to have been situated in Calrigia.
See Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. ciii. , p. 143-
^^ It means, "the oak-ridge. "
'»•' See Dr. James M'Parian's " Statistical
Survey of the County of Sligo," chap, v. , p. 100.
'»'' A St. Colman was venerated 19th June.
on
built at
to after times, and not to the commencing period of the great man's mission. See ibid.
S3 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. lii. , p. 136.
5* It may be observed, that Glenkeel, Glenanifif, Glenade and Glennauns, lie east and north-east from Drumlease, in the county of Leitrim.
55 "For several miles around the top of the lake, through the parishes of Drumlias, Cloonclare, Killargy, and Killenumery, the leading feature of the landscape is the glens
'•s Harris was mistaken, when placing
Druimlias, in Sligo. See Harris' Ware, vol. "
Antiquities of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 268. He has been followed, by Archdall.
"
See Monasticon Ilibernicum," p. 631. However, this latter writer has the same
Druimlias, in Leitrim. See ibid. , p. 408. Here, alone, it ought to be placed.
"i* The charter of its church lands to Armagh is written in the Book of Armagh. The See lands were formerly attached to the Archbishopric of Armagh ; but, they
ii. ,
here,
ciples
Druimlias, belonged probably
were passed to the See of Kilmore, and they were afterwards leased in perpetuity.
'^^ He was certainly a different person,
of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii,, n. 125, p. 257.
the number of houses and sheds, which St. Patrick and his disciples there erected.
"t^ It means a " " or "foster-child. "
pupil
s° See the Rev. Dr. Todd's
"
Life of St. Patrick," Introductoiy Dissertation, note 4,
p. 177.
5' Although occasionally employed here
and there, this Benignus was a rather constant companion of the saint. See Rev.
"
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, xiii. , n. 126,
pp. 257, 258.
5^ Dr. Lanigan has no doubt, that this
Benignus was introduced, merely to answer some objection raised, against certain stories about the real Benignus, such as that of his havingbeenabbotofDruimlias. Ifever there was a person of that name, an abbot in said place, he must have lived at a later period . The multitude of chapels and reli- gious houses, which vSt.
