For some further notices of him and of his place, the reader is
referred
to the Fifth Volume of this work, at that date.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
, pp.
370 to
372. Duffy's edition.
43 Prince O'Donnell, who was well ac-
quainted with the habits of Irish bards, at a
" His ex officio incum- bebat Regum, Principum, et Heroum, res gestas, bella, et triumphos describere ; fami- liarum nobilium genealogias et prerogativas studiose observare —
Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. ii. , p. 430.
44 They are said to have exceeded, at this
time, the number of twelve hundred. See
Rev. Jeoffry Keating's "General History of Ireland, "part ii. , p. 372, Dermod O'Con-
poem
:
later period, states
:
" Twelve hundred men, with one con- sent, from Erin's utmost ends,
We sought the hills where ruled the Bards' hereditary friends,
Thysheltering, song-preservinghills, Ultonia, cess nor dues
Crayed we but sat and touched our ;
harps beside the Strand-End Yews. "
—"
Congal,"booki. , p. 5.
48 See Thomas D'Arcy McGee's " Popu- lar History of Ireland," vol. i. , book i. , chap, v. , p. 33.
49 See Professor " Lec- Eugene O'Curry's
tures on the Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish," vol. ii. , Lect. iii. , pp. 56, 57-
;
metas ac limites notare ac distinguere. '
regionum agrorumque
nor's translation.
45 See Thomas D'Arcy McGee's " Popu-
lar History of Ireland," vol. i. , book i. , chap, v. , p. 33.
Duffy's
edition.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 475
numbers the bards fled into Ulidia once more, where they again received a
temporary asylum. w
This contest with the bards does not seem to have been the most formi-
dable one, to which the Irish monarch had been exposed, about this period.
After Aidan's refusal to regard the threats of satire on the part of those poets,
and the consequences then supposed to follow from poetical incantations, he
happened to be involved in other important political disputes. In 574. 5° Aidan, the son of Gabhran, succeeded to the Lordship of Scotch Dalriada.
He applied to St. Columba for the religious ceremony of inauguration 51 and ;
according to Scottish tradition, his consecration as monarch took place on the
celebrated Stone of Destiny. 52 Such a proceeding sufficiently proves how excellent was his judgment, and how sound was his policy. The Scots were a well-known colony of Scotland in the fourth century ;53 and, at a still later period among the Sects were Dalriads in Ireland and in Argyle, while in each
of Dunstaffnage
it
was taken
"Trias cap. 135, p. 147.
lib. Also Jocelin's or Sexta
there was a called Dalriada. 5 * Both in Ireland and in Scot- territory
country
land, the Dalriads are said to have paid tribute to the Irish monarch, until the
sixth century. Soon after his elevation, Aidan aspired to the forming of an
independent kingdom, and to the renouncing of all subjection to the Irish monarch; nay,assomebelieve,hewentsoveryfar,astoclaimsomejurisdic- tion,overtheparentIrishDalriada. 55 Itisevenstated,56thatAidandesiredto assert his sovereignty over the Irish Dalriada, and he required, that it should be exempt from the rule of the reigning monarch, Aedh Mac Ainmire, King of Erinn. He possessed sufficient power and address, not only to secure the independence of his race, but to lay the foundation of a supremacy, which afterwards it acquired, even in Scotland. 5? When grown strong enough to throw off the yoke, the Scottish Dalriads determined to assert their indepen- dence. 58 Feeling the loss to his treasury, as well as to his prestige, arising from this policy, the Irish King Aedh resolved to fix irrevocably the law of subjectionuponthem. Wherefore,byvirtueofhisprerogative,helaidclaim to the tributes and military service of the Gaedhelic or Scotch Dalriada, as a colony, which was bound to acknowledge the supremacy of the mother country. The Irish King, Aidus,5? insisted on receiving tribute from the Albanian prince, as from the suzerain or governor of a subject province. According to
some accounts, Aedhan Mac Gabhrain's purpose was merely to determine the
50 See Chalmers' "Caledonia," vol. i. ,
book ii. , chap, vii. , pp. 322, 323.
51 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 9, 10, and nn. (c, d, g), pp. 35 to 37.
211 to 216.
55 When the Tripartite Life relates St.
Patrick's prophecy concerning the family of Fergus mac Ere, it adds, that the prophecy was afterwards completed in ^Edan, the son
" it was removed to the old castle manu violenta
52 Its reputed history is a singular one.
of Gabhran,
ex ejus semine procedente qui
From — Iona,
regnum
Albania
occupavit. "
afterwards,
to the Abbey of Scone, near Edinburgh,
thence it was carried by Edward I. , the
cruel conqueror of Scotland, to the Abbey of Westminster. Here it is to be seen under the coronation chair of the English monarchs, so that even at the present day, the lineal descendant of this Aidan Queen Victoria has been enthroned on it as sovereign of Eng- land, Ireland and Scotland. See Le Comte de Montalembert's "Moines d'Occident," tome iii. . liv. xi. , chap, iv. , p. 197.
53 They are mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus,abouttheyear360.
54 See on this subject, John Hill Burton's
Colgan's
Thaumaturga,"
ii. ,
" of History
Scotland,"
vol.
i. , chap, v. , pp.
Vita S. Patricii, cap. exxxvii. , p. 95.
s6 By Prince O'Donnell.
57 The solemn charge he received, not to
molest the subjects of the Irish King, are given, in Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 5, p. 200.
s8 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. ii. , p. 430.
S9 See on this subject, Keating's "His- toryofIreland,"bookii. ,p. 372. Duffy's edition.
^ " It was an of the same nature assembly
;
-
of the Albanian Dalriada
his ambition
to have
476 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 9.
jurisdiction
; but,
appears
reached farther, and as an international conflict was impending, the great
-influence of St. Columba was invoked—probably by both parties—to intervene
-in the interests of justice and of peace. The Irish monarch selected Druim-
meeting, patrimonial territory,
he was surrounded by friends and faithful clansmen, and where he was more secure, than he should be at any other place. Some maintained he desired to accommodate his Scotch friends, by selecting a locality convenient for them, but, there seems to be no foundation for this surmise. According to some accounts, Aedh invited over from Iona the great patron of his race, St. Columcille, to have the benefit of his wise counsels in the discussion, not
only concerning the special subjects for which the meeting was first intended,
61
However, it should rather seem more probable, the invitation to be present did not pro- ceed from that quarter, and it is pretty certain, that Columba came as a matterof choice, because important religious and international interests were to
Ceat for the 60 because it was within his where
but regarding many others of social and political importance.
be considered and decided. 62 a Being
he took
over, when about seventy years old, from his island home at I, or Iona. 6* No doubt, too, but he had heard regarding Scanlan's inhuman treatment, and his feelings of compassion had been awakened so far, as to resolve on earnestly interceding with the monarch Aedh to effect his release from prison. But, in the interests of peace, he desired chiefly to appease the Irish king and the people, while he endeavoured to act as an arbitrator between them and the representatives of his adopted country. From the sequel, it appears the holy Abbot of Iona viewed their disputes from a high standpoint, and he resolved to remove for ever those causes of quarrel, with the sagacity of a
and Usnach, with this difference, that the Bards, who were a constituent body ofthe
O'Connor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Sciipto- res," tomus iv. , p. 27.
63 See Professor " On Eugene O'Curry,
the Manners and Customs ofthe Ancient
assemblies,
were here on their trial, and
old
t—heir places filled by the Christian clergy. "
Sir Samuel " Ferguson's
:" A Irish,"vol. Lect. iii. ,
Congal Poem, in Five Books, Note 8, p. 167.
xxxi. , p. 245.
61 See Professor
the Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish," Lect. iv. , pp. 77, 78.
63 The Annals of Ulster altogether ante- date this great Convention of Dromcett, by
Eugene O'Curry,
" On
64 This circumstance was noted, and it has
been the Vcnera- satisfactorily explained, by
ble Bede.
6s See also Dermod O'Connor's Keating's
"General History of Ireland," book ii. , p! 574. Duffy s edition.
great patron
of
literature,
passage
wise statesman and with the instincts of a true churchman.
A great retinue of bishops, priests and deacons accompanied St. Columba on this occasion. From the description given of his entourage, we might naturally suppose, that as a considerable number set out from Scotland, so thatseveralvesselswereemployedforthepurposesoftheirvoyage. Asbe-
longing to the superior or highest grade of the priesthood, the bishops should naturally be expected to have precedence ; but, owing to the circumstance of St. Columba having first propagated Christanity among the Picts, and because he had established bishops in Scotland, deriving their jurisdiction from Iona, he was regarded as the foremost ecclesiastic, in that distinguished company. 6* No less than twenty bishops are said to have followed in the wake of the illustrious Abbot, with a docility and submission worthy of novices. 65 Forty priests, thirty deacons, and fifty clerics of lower grade, accompanied him. Besides these, Aidan, the monarch ofthe Dalriadian colony planted in Scotland, attended by some chiefs from that principality, deemed it his duty and interest to be present. Among the marvellous tales, relating to Columba, there is a remarkable description ofthe saint's voyage from Scot- landovertoIreland. 66 Whentheholyabbotandhiscompanionshadlefttheport
as the Comitia which used to be held at Tara placing it at A. n. 574. See Rev. Dr.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 477
of departure, we are told of a tempest, which had been excited by a ferocious and huge sea-monster. 6? This storm threatened to submerge the vessel and hercrew,whentheywerelaunchedoutintotheopensea. Thoseonboard,in terror and alarm, begged of the holy man to deliver them from this monster. However, the saint gave them to understand, the Almighty had reserved that honour, not for him, but for a St. Senachus,68 who dwelt in a distant place, and near the shore of Loch Erne. He lived at a place, known as Derrybrusk, andhefollowedthetradeofablacksmith. Justatthesamemoment,Sena- chus was engaged in his forge heating and hammering out iron. By Divine inspiration, he beheld the pressing danger in which the servants of God were placed. Snatching up his tongs, he seized upon a mass of iron, which was glowing at that moment in the fire. Rushing forth from his workshop, Senach flung the fiery missile aloft into the air. With a precision and a velocity truly wonderful, it was borne through space, from the woody shores of Doire Broscaidh, to the ocean, in which the lives of St. Columba and his com-
panions were exposed to such imminent danger. There, as the wonderful legend states, the mass fell direct into the gaping jaws of that furious mon-
ster, and, as might be expected, the fiery metal immediately killed it, before the eyes of all who were on the voyage. In order they might know, that it was to St. Senach,thosewhowereinthevesselowedtheirescape,Columbaprayed, that whatever shore of Ireland they might reach, there also must the carcase of the monster be driven. This prayer was granted ; for, when their barque touched the shores of Lough Foyle, there they found that wild beast's car- case rolled by the waters of the sea before them. Opening its jaws, they took out the mass of iron, which St. Columba sent back to its lawful owner,
he is said to have manufactured three 69 which bells,
St. Senachus. From
he bestowed upon three several churches. 7°
derry Journal of April 28th, 1876.
67 It is added, that he emerged fron a
whirlpool in the ocean, and that he followed
their bark not alone as if determined to ;
drown, but even to swallow them. This was probably a whale ; and, in the time of St. Columba, such monsters of the deep appear to have more generally frequented our seas. than they do at present.
68
His festival occurs, at the nth of May.
For some further notices of him and of his place, the reader is referred to the Fifth Volume of this work, at that date. See Art. vi.
69 One of these was called Glunan
Seanaigh; another was denominated Gerran
churaigh : the third he presented to St. Naal'schurch.
7° See Colgan's " Trias Thaumaturga,"
Fordun calls the place Insula Dorcete. " See " Scotichronicon," vol. i. , lib. iii. , cap. xli. , p. 148. Walter Brower's folio edi- tion.
? 2 The accompanying illustration, from a . photograph by Mr. Thomas Predy, Lima- vady, has been drawn on the wood, by William F. Wakeman, Esq. , and it has been engraved by Mrs. Millard. To the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. of Limavady, the writer is greatly indebted for procuring and presenting such a faithful picture of the scene.
it,
It may seem strange, that the site of so remarkable an event, as
the holding of this great assembly, should now be matter for conjec-
ture; but, such is the case, not only regarding this spot, but also re- garding other equally memorable places, in various parts of Ireland. It is stated, and most generally believed, that the convention of Drom-Ceata ? x was held at a spot, sometimes called Daisy-Hill. It is near Newtown Limavady, just over the southern bank of the River Roe. The Irish
which it still is the 2 The of Druma-
name,
65
See Rev. John Keys O'Dogherty'scon- tribution, "The Convention of Drumceat, a. d. 590," chap, v. , in the "The London-
generally bears,
Mullagh. 7 parish
Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. iii. , cap. iii. , pp. 430, 431.
? * In his ignorance of its topography, ""
73 See Rev. Dr. Reeves'
"
Acts of Arch-
Colton in his
Visitation
bishop
of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. , MCCCXCVil. , Additional Notes H, pp. 132, 133.
? 4Adamnanstylesit "ReguminDorso- cette condictum. "
Metropolitan
,
47& LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
chose 73 should thus be distinguished, as having been the scene of that cele-
70
the mouth of Loch Feabhail now known as Lough Foyle and he sailed
brated Parliament. 7'' Wood and water, mountain and
villas and lordly demesnes, fill up a picture at present of no common magnificence. In a foot-note to the Annals of the Four Masters, and under the year 575, Dr. O'Donovan speaks of this assembly, and he names the Mullagh, as the place where it was held. 73 I—n coming to Druimceat, St. Co—lumba entered
The Mullagh—supposed by some to have been the site for the Convention of Drumceat—over the River Roe.
along its entire course, until he came to that point where it is entered by the
River Roe. 77 because of a dearth of Although,
it is
ble ; still, owing to the Divine assistance, he was enabled to run up against
thestream. 78 Helandedata
afterwardsknownfromthatcircumstance
place,
Cabhan-an-Churaid, or Hill of the Currach, and this place was very near
Druimchett. 7^ Having rested there for a short time, the holy man with his
wentto the of so 80 andits site was on a place assembly called,
companions
beautiful hill of gentle ascent.
75 See vol. i. , n. (q), p. 208.
81
76 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columlxe, lib. iii. , cap. iii. , P- 431-
77 Thus Columba's course is described by O'Donnell : "is memoratum euripum qua longe patet emensus, navigii cursum dirigi fecit per Roam amnem in predictum euripum decurrentem," &c. See ibid.
78 Of this river, O'Donnell remarks
:
" quamquam aquarum inopia alias innavi- gabilem, navis sancti viri divina virtute per- Currit. ' See ibid.
water,
usually unnaviga-
glade, smiling
79 Prince O'Donnell adds " Locus autem in quo navicula subinde stetit, deinceps ab eventu Cabhan an Churaidh, id est, collis cymbae appellatus, Druimchettse pervicinus est. " See ibid.
80 O'Donnell then continues: "abeoque
iuxta S. Columbe pnsscriptum, qui locum
turn peculiariter benedixit, D—ruimchettensis peregrinatioestincohando. " Ibid.
81
It seems very probable, that the fore- going description of O'Donnell was drawn from the traditions current in his time, and moreover, that he was well acquainted with
:
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 479
The Mullagh is situated in the county of Londonderry, about the third of a statute mile from the River Roe, on the western side of it, and about a mile
8
while Prince O'Donnell has it written Druimchett, ^ while by the old author
Druimchett vocatum," &c. Ibid. , cap. v. 82 The foregoing information and what follows in the text aredrawn from a very criti- cal and learned paper furnished to the writer,
by the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. , of Limavady, February, 1888. In this he argues, that the site of ancient Drumceat should
than to
Mullagh
Enagh. On the 10th of February, 1888, the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna—learned a tradition from Mr. John Havlin a man of good me—-
Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. , of Limavady.
84 See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv. , An-
nates Ultonienses.
rather be ascribed to the
86 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
mory although in his ninety-first year
that St. Columkille came in a currach to the Mullagh, where he met the Kings of Ireland
and of Scotland on it, according to the "ancient talk "of the people there. It ridge. is also thought, that the name of Drumceat
into " "or "summit " merged Mullagh thetop
of anything, owing to the fact that an artifi- cial mound had crowned the hill. Again, the place has been called Cavenmore or Greater Cavan, probably, in the opinion of Rev. Father M'Kenna, to distinguish it from the Lesser Cavan or Cabhan an Chu- raidh, which O'Donnell says was very near to Drumceat. Columkille gave a special blessing to Boat Hill which is thought to be
8" It is opposite to Lancey's Holme or
82 It is contended, that Drum- although
on the mountain side of
ceat is now written without a third syllable ; yet, in former times, Adamnan writes it Dorsum Cette,83 the Annals of Ulster have it Dromma-Cheta,8*
ofSt. Dalian's
Life,
86 it is noticed as Drumcheda. This is to
Limavady.
" the
and aboveitrisestheHillof neighbourhood, right
interpreted
mean in
aDruimorRidgejoinedtoit, andstretchingtoShanreagh,inthedirection of the river for about a statute mile. 8 ? On the western bank of the Roe, and at Limavady, there is a place called " the Boat Hole "88 by the people of the
English
Ridge
flat-topped
hill. "
He thus concludes ' ' Cseterum
That
the
locality.
modica. eolocimoracontracta, virsanctus cum sua venerandacomitivacontenditad peramse-
yeomen
young girl.
:
of the
the has Mullagh
nurailiumcollum,leniter—acclivem,vulgo foregoingisrelatedontheauthorityofVery
close to ea—ch other and on opposite banks of the that the pilgrimage to Drumceat should Roe there is no elevation deserving the
the present Shonreagh Hill, and he directed
commence therefrom, according to O'Donnell. 83 About the time of Colgan or towards the middle of the seventeenth century, Drumceat was celebrated for the religious assemblies there held and in the charter
;
granted by Charles II. , to the Irish Society, "
name of a hill down to Lough Foyle. More- over, between those hdls and that place where the river first meets its bed of rocks, there is no elevation on its banks that can
be called a hill.
90 When Thomas P'egan had been engaged
he excepts Mullagh otherwise Cavenmore preparing the Ordnance Survey in 1838, he
with the chapel thereon erected. According to well-established local tradition, from the
base of the Mullagh was ploughed up a largequantityofhumanbones; sothatthe former existence of a chapel, and these rem- nants of mortality indicate a graveyard hav- ing been attached. Formerly a cross had been fixed on the Mullagh, and a woman, whose maiden name was Mary Doherty, told
her granddaughter, Mrs. Alexander Doherty of Limavady, that it had been burned by
found among the people legendary stories
"
regarding
precisely similar to those told by Keating and others regarding the Convention held at Drum-Ceat. Itmaybe,thatthesimilarity which Drumahitt bears to Drum-ceat has localized on the banks of the Shesk legends relating to the convention that is generally supposed to have been assembled on the
banks of the Roe. Formerly that similarity amounted to identity ; Mr. Fagan found the
Now,
Shanreagh.
when she was a
woman died about the year 1863, when she was one hundred and five years old. " The
85 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. iv. ,v. , P- 43i-
nise," xxix. Januarii, p. 203.
87 Dr. Joyce tells us that Ceide as the Irish
scholar O'Brien writes it, or Ceidagh as the Four Masters write it, according to the same O'Brien, is " a compact kind of hill, smooth and plain at the top. " This definition cer- tainly suits the Mullagh, which also has a
on the side of the river. opposite
Height,
89 On the opposite side of the river is
Rathbready-beg on which Limavady is built. It may have been the Hill of the Boat mentioned by O'Donnell, but it is not very near Enagh, and in that direction, its ridge merges into or is lost in a level plain. In fact, the spot where it meets this plain is half- a-mile from Enagh. Between the hills of
Shanreagh and Rathbready-beg—quite
fairly
8? Thisisabout
the Parliament of Drumahitt,"
480 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. a statute mile from the Mullagh, and it forms part of the continuous ridge
of O'Donnell, and it — description may
both uniting places.
It suits also the
have been " the Hill of the Boat, which was very near to Drumceat"
provided this ancient name can be merged in the modern one of Mullagh.
However, quite a different place has been conjecturally named, as having been the site, and this is known as the townland of Drumahitt, in the parish
of Culfeightrin, county of Antrim, and diocese of Connor. Here, too, there seem to have been popular legends, regarding the Long Parliament of Druma- hitt, which lasted thirteen months, and to which St. Columkille came from Scotland. 9°
within the
Here, too, some interesting antiquities have been discovered
1 —we are told, that between Port Brittas present century. 9 Again,
—
names which
nately, however, the former name of that curious natural pillar the Granny Rock—which is an object so conspicuous at the entrance to Port Brittas, is now not known. At—a short distance from—the harbour is Dun-a-Mallaght, popularly translated " fort of the curse " and a little farther on is Dun- rainey, which is popularly translated " fort of the queen. " Until the middle of the last century, the Shesk rivulet flowed on the —east side of Dunrainey ; but,thenameofthefordcrossingintoD—rumahaman thetownlandinterven- ing between Dunrainy and Drumahitt since the change in the river was effected, has dropped o—ut of popular recollection. 94 The locality wher—e this
95 celebrated convention known in Irish as the Mordail-Droma-Cett met
old people, in 1838, pronouncing the name arch of the Kinel-Connell race, adds Rev.
now the harbour of Ballycastle very closely correspond
and Drumahitt, there are places and
92
with the ancient — Unfortu- legends. 93
ofthetownlandDrumacuithandtheDown JamesO'Laverty,tosummonanationalCon-
Survey enters it Drumchet. "—Rev. James vention at Limavaddy, within the territory
"
Historical Account of the of the Kinel-Owen, has not yet been satisfac- Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and torily explained, while Drumahitt is within Modern," vol. iv. , p. 465. This volume the Dalriadan territory and near to Scotland.
O'Laverty's
treats exclusively of that part of Connor Diocese, which is in the ancient territory of Dal-Riada. This contention seems to be disposed of, however, owing to the facts as related, that Drumceat was situated, not in the county of Antrim, but in the diocese and county ofDerry, and at the River Roe.
91 Several old churches and cemeteries are
within the parish of Culfeightrin, and these are described, in Rev. William Reeves'
"
Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Con- nor and Dromore," Appendix Z, pp. 282 to 284.
99 It lies in a bay opposite Rathlin Island.
After _£i 50,000 had been expended on a pier at this place, the harbour is filled with sand, and its coal mines near are yet unwrought.
It still preserves a traditional memory of its long parliament that lasted thirteen months and was attended by St. Columkille and the
'
King of Ireland, and can show the fort of
the malediction,' and the 'fort of the queen,'
between Port Brittas and its own 'charming, "
See Alexander Keith Johnston's
"
Diction-
Account of the Diocese of Down and Con-
nor, Ancient and Modern," vol. iv. , p. 467,
and n. ibid.
95 In A. D. 1532, Manus O'Donnell, chiet
of Tyrconnell, compiled an Irish Life of St. Columb in the castle of Port-na-tri-namad, or "the Port of the three enemies," now called Lifford ; and into this Life he com- pressed every local tale and legend, accessi- ble at that period. Colgan, who translated a great part of this work from Irish into Latin, reproduces the original substantially inhis"TriasThaumaturga. " TotheTyr- connell
ary of Geography, Descriptive, Physical, Statistical and Historical," p. 107.
93 The queen of Aedh and her waiting
maid are said to have insulted St. — Columba,
he leaves whatever honours
him—
chieftain,
a Coir-Chleirech '"a de- accrued from the collection and
by calling
graded cleric
transformed into two
These are commonly called, in the north of
compilation
of the Columban and on them must legends,
we for the details of this con- chiefly depend
vention.
46 St. Canice was born a short distance
from Drum-ceat, though the exact spot can- not be pointed out. He was living during the time of this convention, and he died,
A. D. 598.
"
and in punishment they
—
Ireland, cranes. "Many people tell us,"
"
that this is the reason why there are two herons ever since constantly seen on the ford, near Druim-ceat. " "What special reason induced King Aedh a mon-
says Keating,
Coirr-iasg
are " herons.
372. Duffy's edition.
43 Prince O'Donnell, who was well ac-
quainted with the habits of Irish bards, at a
" His ex officio incum- bebat Regum, Principum, et Heroum, res gestas, bella, et triumphos describere ; fami- liarum nobilium genealogias et prerogativas studiose observare —
Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. ii. , p. 430.
44 They are said to have exceeded, at this
time, the number of twelve hundred. See
Rev. Jeoffry Keating's "General History of Ireland, "part ii. , p. 372, Dermod O'Con-
poem
:
later period, states
:
" Twelve hundred men, with one con- sent, from Erin's utmost ends,
We sought the hills where ruled the Bards' hereditary friends,
Thysheltering, song-preservinghills, Ultonia, cess nor dues
Crayed we but sat and touched our ;
harps beside the Strand-End Yews. "
—"
Congal,"booki. , p. 5.
48 See Thomas D'Arcy McGee's " Popu- lar History of Ireland," vol. i. , book i. , chap, v. , p. 33.
49 See Professor " Lec- Eugene O'Curry's
tures on the Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish," vol. ii. , Lect. iii. , pp. 56, 57-
;
metas ac limites notare ac distinguere. '
regionum agrorumque
nor's translation.
45 See Thomas D'Arcy McGee's " Popu-
lar History of Ireland," vol. i. , book i. , chap, v. , p. 33.
Duffy's
edition.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 475
numbers the bards fled into Ulidia once more, where they again received a
temporary asylum. w
This contest with the bards does not seem to have been the most formi-
dable one, to which the Irish monarch had been exposed, about this period.
After Aidan's refusal to regard the threats of satire on the part of those poets,
and the consequences then supposed to follow from poetical incantations, he
happened to be involved in other important political disputes. In 574. 5° Aidan, the son of Gabhran, succeeded to the Lordship of Scotch Dalriada.
He applied to St. Columba for the religious ceremony of inauguration 51 and ;
according to Scottish tradition, his consecration as monarch took place on the
celebrated Stone of Destiny. 52 Such a proceeding sufficiently proves how excellent was his judgment, and how sound was his policy. The Scots were a well-known colony of Scotland in the fourth century ;53 and, at a still later period among the Sects were Dalriads in Ireland and in Argyle, while in each
of Dunstaffnage
it
was taken
"Trias cap. 135, p. 147.
lib. Also Jocelin's or Sexta
there was a called Dalriada. 5 * Both in Ireland and in Scot- territory
country
land, the Dalriads are said to have paid tribute to the Irish monarch, until the
sixth century. Soon after his elevation, Aidan aspired to the forming of an
independent kingdom, and to the renouncing of all subjection to the Irish monarch; nay,assomebelieve,hewentsoveryfar,astoclaimsomejurisdic- tion,overtheparentIrishDalriada. 55 Itisevenstated,56thatAidandesiredto assert his sovereignty over the Irish Dalriada, and he required, that it should be exempt from the rule of the reigning monarch, Aedh Mac Ainmire, King of Erinn. He possessed sufficient power and address, not only to secure the independence of his race, but to lay the foundation of a supremacy, which afterwards it acquired, even in Scotland. 5? When grown strong enough to throw off the yoke, the Scottish Dalriads determined to assert their indepen- dence. 58 Feeling the loss to his treasury, as well as to his prestige, arising from this policy, the Irish King Aedh resolved to fix irrevocably the law of subjectionuponthem. Wherefore,byvirtueofhisprerogative,helaidclaim to the tributes and military service of the Gaedhelic or Scotch Dalriada, as a colony, which was bound to acknowledge the supremacy of the mother country. The Irish King, Aidus,5? insisted on receiving tribute from the Albanian prince, as from the suzerain or governor of a subject province. According to
some accounts, Aedhan Mac Gabhrain's purpose was merely to determine the
50 See Chalmers' "Caledonia," vol. i. ,
book ii. , chap, vii. , pp. 322, 323.
51 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
"Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 9, 10, and nn. (c, d, g), pp. 35 to 37.
211 to 216.
55 When the Tripartite Life relates St.
Patrick's prophecy concerning the family of Fergus mac Ere, it adds, that the prophecy was afterwards completed in ^Edan, the son
" it was removed to the old castle manu violenta
52 Its reputed history is a singular one.
of Gabhran,
ex ejus semine procedente qui
From — Iona,
regnum
Albania
occupavit. "
afterwards,
to the Abbey of Scone, near Edinburgh,
thence it was carried by Edward I. , the
cruel conqueror of Scotland, to the Abbey of Westminster. Here it is to be seen under the coronation chair of the English monarchs, so that even at the present day, the lineal descendant of this Aidan Queen Victoria has been enthroned on it as sovereign of Eng- land, Ireland and Scotland. See Le Comte de Montalembert's "Moines d'Occident," tome iii. . liv. xi. , chap, iv. , p. 197.
53 They are mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus,abouttheyear360.
54 See on this subject, John Hill Burton's
Colgan's
Thaumaturga,"
ii. ,
" of History
Scotland,"
vol.
i. , chap, v. , pp.
Vita S. Patricii, cap. exxxvii. , p. 95.
s6 By Prince O'Donnell.
57 The solemn charge he received, not to
molest the subjects of the Irish King, are given, in Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," lib. iii. , cap. 5, p. 200.
s8 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. ii. , p. 430.
S9 See on this subject, Keating's "His- toryofIreland,"bookii. ,p. 372. Duffy's edition.
^ " It was an of the same nature assembly
;
-
of the Albanian Dalriada
his ambition
to have
476 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 9.
jurisdiction
; but,
appears
reached farther, and as an international conflict was impending, the great
-influence of St. Columba was invoked—probably by both parties—to intervene
-in the interests of justice and of peace. The Irish monarch selected Druim-
meeting, patrimonial territory,
he was surrounded by friends and faithful clansmen, and where he was more secure, than he should be at any other place. Some maintained he desired to accommodate his Scotch friends, by selecting a locality convenient for them, but, there seems to be no foundation for this surmise. According to some accounts, Aedh invited over from Iona the great patron of his race, St. Columcille, to have the benefit of his wise counsels in the discussion, not
only concerning the special subjects for which the meeting was first intended,
61
However, it should rather seem more probable, the invitation to be present did not pro- ceed from that quarter, and it is pretty certain, that Columba came as a matterof choice, because important religious and international interests were to
Ceat for the 60 because it was within his where
but regarding many others of social and political importance.
be considered and decided. 62 a Being
he took
over, when about seventy years old, from his island home at I, or Iona. 6* No doubt, too, but he had heard regarding Scanlan's inhuman treatment, and his feelings of compassion had been awakened so far, as to resolve on earnestly interceding with the monarch Aedh to effect his release from prison. But, in the interests of peace, he desired chiefly to appease the Irish king and the people, while he endeavoured to act as an arbitrator between them and the representatives of his adopted country. From the sequel, it appears the holy Abbot of Iona viewed their disputes from a high standpoint, and he resolved to remove for ever those causes of quarrel, with the sagacity of a
and Usnach, with this difference, that the Bards, who were a constituent body ofthe
O'Connor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Sciipto- res," tomus iv. , p. 27.
63 See Professor " On Eugene O'Curry,
the Manners and Customs ofthe Ancient
assemblies,
were here on their trial, and
old
t—heir places filled by the Christian clergy. "
Sir Samuel " Ferguson's
:" A Irish,"vol. Lect. iii. ,
Congal Poem, in Five Books, Note 8, p. 167.
xxxi. , p. 245.
61 See Professor
the Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish," Lect. iv. , pp. 77, 78.
63 The Annals of Ulster altogether ante- date this great Convention of Dromcett, by
Eugene O'Curry,
" On
64 This circumstance was noted, and it has
been the Vcnera- satisfactorily explained, by
ble Bede.
6s See also Dermod O'Connor's Keating's
"General History of Ireland," book ii. , p! 574. Duffy s edition.
great patron
of
literature,
passage
wise statesman and with the instincts of a true churchman.
A great retinue of bishops, priests and deacons accompanied St. Columba on this occasion. From the description given of his entourage, we might naturally suppose, that as a considerable number set out from Scotland, so thatseveralvesselswereemployedforthepurposesoftheirvoyage. Asbe-
longing to the superior or highest grade of the priesthood, the bishops should naturally be expected to have precedence ; but, owing to the circumstance of St. Columba having first propagated Christanity among the Picts, and because he had established bishops in Scotland, deriving their jurisdiction from Iona, he was regarded as the foremost ecclesiastic, in that distinguished company. 6* No less than twenty bishops are said to have followed in the wake of the illustrious Abbot, with a docility and submission worthy of novices. 65 Forty priests, thirty deacons, and fifty clerics of lower grade, accompanied him. Besides these, Aidan, the monarch ofthe Dalriadian colony planted in Scotland, attended by some chiefs from that principality, deemed it his duty and interest to be present. Among the marvellous tales, relating to Columba, there is a remarkable description ofthe saint's voyage from Scot- landovertoIreland. 66 Whentheholyabbotandhiscompanionshadlefttheport
as the Comitia which used to be held at Tara placing it at A. n. 574. See Rev. Dr.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 477
of departure, we are told of a tempest, which had been excited by a ferocious and huge sea-monster. 6? This storm threatened to submerge the vessel and hercrew,whentheywerelaunchedoutintotheopensea. Thoseonboard,in terror and alarm, begged of the holy man to deliver them from this monster. However, the saint gave them to understand, the Almighty had reserved that honour, not for him, but for a St. Senachus,68 who dwelt in a distant place, and near the shore of Loch Erne. He lived at a place, known as Derrybrusk, andhefollowedthetradeofablacksmith. Justatthesamemoment,Sena- chus was engaged in his forge heating and hammering out iron. By Divine inspiration, he beheld the pressing danger in which the servants of God were placed. Snatching up his tongs, he seized upon a mass of iron, which was glowing at that moment in the fire. Rushing forth from his workshop, Senach flung the fiery missile aloft into the air. With a precision and a velocity truly wonderful, it was borne through space, from the woody shores of Doire Broscaidh, to the ocean, in which the lives of St. Columba and his com-
panions were exposed to such imminent danger. There, as the wonderful legend states, the mass fell direct into the gaping jaws of that furious mon-
ster, and, as might be expected, the fiery metal immediately killed it, before the eyes of all who were on the voyage. In order they might know, that it was to St. Senach,thosewhowereinthevesselowedtheirescape,Columbaprayed, that whatever shore of Ireland they might reach, there also must the carcase of the monster be driven. This prayer was granted ; for, when their barque touched the shores of Lough Foyle, there they found that wild beast's car- case rolled by the waters of the sea before them. Opening its jaws, they took out the mass of iron, which St. Columba sent back to its lawful owner,
he is said to have manufactured three 69 which bells,
St. Senachus. From
he bestowed upon three several churches. 7°
derry Journal of April 28th, 1876.
67 It is added, that he emerged fron a
whirlpool in the ocean, and that he followed
their bark not alone as if determined to ;
drown, but even to swallow them. This was probably a whale ; and, in the time of St. Columba, such monsters of the deep appear to have more generally frequented our seas. than they do at present.
68
His festival occurs, at the nth of May.
For some further notices of him and of his place, the reader is referred to the Fifth Volume of this work, at that date. See Art. vi.
69 One of these was called Glunan
Seanaigh; another was denominated Gerran
churaigh : the third he presented to St. Naal'schurch.
7° See Colgan's " Trias Thaumaturga,"
Fordun calls the place Insula Dorcete. " See " Scotichronicon," vol. i. , lib. iii. , cap. xli. , p. 148. Walter Brower's folio edi- tion.
? 2 The accompanying illustration, from a . photograph by Mr. Thomas Predy, Lima- vady, has been drawn on the wood, by William F. Wakeman, Esq. , and it has been engraved by Mrs. Millard. To the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. of Limavady, the writer is greatly indebted for procuring and presenting such a faithful picture of the scene.
it,
It may seem strange, that the site of so remarkable an event, as
the holding of this great assembly, should now be matter for conjec-
ture; but, such is the case, not only regarding this spot, but also re- garding other equally memorable places, in various parts of Ireland. It is stated, and most generally believed, that the convention of Drom-Ceata ? x was held at a spot, sometimes called Daisy-Hill. It is near Newtown Limavady, just over the southern bank of the River Roe. The Irish
which it still is the 2 The of Druma-
name,
65
See Rev. John Keys O'Dogherty'scon- tribution, "The Convention of Drumceat, a. d. 590," chap, v. , in the "The London-
generally bears,
Mullagh. 7 parish
Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. iii. , cap. iii. , pp. 430, 431.
? * In his ignorance of its topography, ""
73 See Rev. Dr. Reeves'
"
Acts of Arch-
Colton in his
Visitation
bishop
of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. , MCCCXCVil. , Additional Notes H, pp. 132, 133.
? 4Adamnanstylesit "ReguminDorso- cette condictum. "
Metropolitan
,
47& LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
chose 73 should thus be distinguished, as having been the scene of that cele-
70
the mouth of Loch Feabhail now known as Lough Foyle and he sailed
brated Parliament. 7'' Wood and water, mountain and
villas and lordly demesnes, fill up a picture at present of no common magnificence. In a foot-note to the Annals of the Four Masters, and under the year 575, Dr. O'Donovan speaks of this assembly, and he names the Mullagh, as the place where it was held. 73 I—n coming to Druimceat, St. Co—lumba entered
The Mullagh—supposed by some to have been the site for the Convention of Drumceat—over the River Roe.
along its entire course, until he came to that point where it is entered by the
River Roe. 77 because of a dearth of Although,
it is
ble ; still, owing to the Divine assistance, he was enabled to run up against
thestream. 78 Helandedata
afterwardsknownfromthatcircumstance
place,
Cabhan-an-Churaid, or Hill of the Currach, and this place was very near
Druimchett. 7^ Having rested there for a short time, the holy man with his
wentto the of so 80 andits site was on a place assembly called,
companions
beautiful hill of gentle ascent.
75 See vol. i. , n. (q), p. 208.
81
76 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columlxe, lib. iii. , cap. iii. , P- 431-
77 Thus Columba's course is described by O'Donnell : "is memoratum euripum qua longe patet emensus, navigii cursum dirigi fecit per Roam amnem in predictum euripum decurrentem," &c. See ibid.
78 Of this river, O'Donnell remarks
:
" quamquam aquarum inopia alias innavi- gabilem, navis sancti viri divina virtute per- Currit. ' See ibid.
water,
usually unnaviga-
glade, smiling
79 Prince O'Donnell adds " Locus autem in quo navicula subinde stetit, deinceps ab eventu Cabhan an Churaidh, id est, collis cymbae appellatus, Druimchettse pervicinus est. " See ibid.
80 O'Donnell then continues: "abeoque
iuxta S. Columbe pnsscriptum, qui locum
turn peculiariter benedixit, D—ruimchettensis peregrinatioestincohando. " Ibid.
81
It seems very probable, that the fore- going description of O'Donnell was drawn from the traditions current in his time, and moreover, that he was well acquainted with
:
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 479
The Mullagh is situated in the county of Londonderry, about the third of a statute mile from the River Roe, on the western side of it, and about a mile
8
while Prince O'Donnell has it written Druimchett, ^ while by the old author
Druimchett vocatum," &c. Ibid. , cap. v. 82 The foregoing information and what follows in the text aredrawn from a very criti- cal and learned paper furnished to the writer,
by the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. , of Limavady, February, 1888. In this he argues, that the site of ancient Drumceat should
than to
Mullagh
Enagh. On the 10th of February, 1888, the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna—learned a tradition from Mr. John Havlin a man of good me—-
Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. , of Limavady.
84 See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv. , An-
nates Ultonienses.
rather be ascribed to the
86 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
mory although in his ninety-first year
that St. Columkille came in a currach to the Mullagh, where he met the Kings of Ireland
and of Scotland on it, according to the "ancient talk "of the people there. It ridge. is also thought, that the name of Drumceat
into " "or "summit " merged Mullagh thetop
of anything, owing to the fact that an artifi- cial mound had crowned the hill. Again, the place has been called Cavenmore or Greater Cavan, probably, in the opinion of Rev. Father M'Kenna, to distinguish it from the Lesser Cavan or Cabhan an Chu- raidh, which O'Donnell says was very near to Drumceat. Columkille gave a special blessing to Boat Hill which is thought to be
8" It is opposite to Lancey's Holme or
82 It is contended, that Drum- although
on the mountain side of
ceat is now written without a third syllable ; yet, in former times, Adamnan writes it Dorsum Cette,83 the Annals of Ulster have it Dromma-Cheta,8*
ofSt. Dalian's
Life,
86 it is noticed as Drumcheda. This is to
Limavady.
" the
and aboveitrisestheHillof neighbourhood, right
interpreted
mean in
aDruimorRidgejoinedtoit, andstretchingtoShanreagh,inthedirection of the river for about a statute mile. 8 ? On the western bank of the Roe, and at Limavady, there is a place called " the Boat Hole "88 by the people of the
English
Ridge
flat-topped
hill. "
He thus concludes ' ' Cseterum
That
the
locality.
modica. eolocimoracontracta, virsanctus cum sua venerandacomitivacontenditad peramse-
yeomen
young girl.
:
of the
the has Mullagh
nurailiumcollum,leniter—acclivem,vulgo foregoingisrelatedontheauthorityofVery
close to ea—ch other and on opposite banks of the that the pilgrimage to Drumceat should Roe there is no elevation deserving the
the present Shonreagh Hill, and he directed
commence therefrom, according to O'Donnell. 83 About the time of Colgan or towards the middle of the seventeenth century, Drumceat was celebrated for the religious assemblies there held and in the charter
;
granted by Charles II. , to the Irish Society, "
name of a hill down to Lough Foyle. More- over, between those hdls and that place where the river first meets its bed of rocks, there is no elevation on its banks that can
be called a hill.
90 When Thomas P'egan had been engaged
he excepts Mullagh otherwise Cavenmore preparing the Ordnance Survey in 1838, he
with the chapel thereon erected. According to well-established local tradition, from the
base of the Mullagh was ploughed up a largequantityofhumanbones; sothatthe former existence of a chapel, and these rem- nants of mortality indicate a graveyard hav- ing been attached. Formerly a cross had been fixed on the Mullagh, and a woman, whose maiden name was Mary Doherty, told
her granddaughter, Mrs. Alexander Doherty of Limavady, that it had been burned by
found among the people legendary stories
"
regarding
precisely similar to those told by Keating and others regarding the Convention held at Drum-Ceat. Itmaybe,thatthesimilarity which Drumahitt bears to Drum-ceat has localized on the banks of the Shesk legends relating to the convention that is generally supposed to have been assembled on the
banks of the Roe. Formerly that similarity amounted to identity ; Mr. Fagan found the
Now,
Shanreagh.
when she was a
woman died about the year 1863, when she was one hundred and five years old. " The
85 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. iv. ,v. , P- 43i-
nise," xxix. Januarii, p. 203.
87 Dr. Joyce tells us that Ceide as the Irish
scholar O'Brien writes it, or Ceidagh as the Four Masters write it, according to the same O'Brien, is " a compact kind of hill, smooth and plain at the top. " This definition cer- tainly suits the Mullagh, which also has a
on the side of the river. opposite
Height,
89 On the opposite side of the river is
Rathbready-beg on which Limavady is built. It may have been the Hill of the Boat mentioned by O'Donnell, but it is not very near Enagh, and in that direction, its ridge merges into or is lost in a level plain. In fact, the spot where it meets this plain is half- a-mile from Enagh. Between the hills of
Shanreagh and Rathbready-beg—quite
fairly
8? Thisisabout
the Parliament of Drumahitt,"
480 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9. a statute mile from the Mullagh, and it forms part of the continuous ridge
of O'Donnell, and it — description may
both uniting places.
It suits also the
have been " the Hill of the Boat, which was very near to Drumceat"
provided this ancient name can be merged in the modern one of Mullagh.
However, quite a different place has been conjecturally named, as having been the site, and this is known as the townland of Drumahitt, in the parish
of Culfeightrin, county of Antrim, and diocese of Connor. Here, too, there seem to have been popular legends, regarding the Long Parliament of Druma- hitt, which lasted thirteen months, and to which St. Columkille came from Scotland. 9°
within the
Here, too, some interesting antiquities have been discovered
1 —we are told, that between Port Brittas present century. 9 Again,
—
names which
nately, however, the former name of that curious natural pillar the Granny Rock—which is an object so conspicuous at the entrance to Port Brittas, is now not known. At—a short distance from—the harbour is Dun-a-Mallaght, popularly translated " fort of the curse " and a little farther on is Dun- rainey, which is popularly translated " fort of the queen. " Until the middle of the last century, the Shesk rivulet flowed on the —east side of Dunrainey ; but,thenameofthefordcrossingintoD—rumahaman thetownlandinterven- ing between Dunrainy and Drumahitt since the change in the river was effected, has dropped o—ut of popular recollection. 94 The locality wher—e this
95 celebrated convention known in Irish as the Mordail-Droma-Cett met
old people, in 1838, pronouncing the name arch of the Kinel-Connell race, adds Rev.
now the harbour of Ballycastle very closely correspond
and Drumahitt, there are places and
92
with the ancient — Unfortu- legends. 93
ofthetownlandDrumacuithandtheDown JamesO'Laverty,tosummonanationalCon-
Survey enters it Drumchet. "—Rev. James vention at Limavaddy, within the territory
"
Historical Account of the of the Kinel-Owen, has not yet been satisfac- Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and torily explained, while Drumahitt is within Modern," vol. iv. , p. 465. This volume the Dalriadan territory and near to Scotland.
O'Laverty's
treats exclusively of that part of Connor Diocese, which is in the ancient territory of Dal-Riada. This contention seems to be disposed of, however, owing to the facts as related, that Drumceat was situated, not in the county of Antrim, but in the diocese and county ofDerry, and at the River Roe.
91 Several old churches and cemeteries are
within the parish of Culfeightrin, and these are described, in Rev. William Reeves'
"
Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Con- nor and Dromore," Appendix Z, pp. 282 to 284.
99 It lies in a bay opposite Rathlin Island.
After _£i 50,000 had been expended on a pier at this place, the harbour is filled with sand, and its coal mines near are yet unwrought.
It still preserves a traditional memory of its long parliament that lasted thirteen months and was attended by St. Columkille and the
'
King of Ireland, and can show the fort of
the malediction,' and the 'fort of the queen,'
between Port Brittas and its own 'charming, "
See Alexander Keith Johnston's
"
Diction-
Account of the Diocese of Down and Con-
nor, Ancient and Modern," vol. iv. , p. 467,
and n. ibid.
95 In A. D. 1532, Manus O'Donnell, chiet
of Tyrconnell, compiled an Irish Life of St. Columb in the castle of Port-na-tri-namad, or "the Port of the three enemies," now called Lifford ; and into this Life he com- pressed every local tale and legend, accessi- ble at that period. Colgan, who translated a great part of this work from Irish into Latin, reproduces the original substantially inhis"TriasThaumaturga. " TotheTyr- connell
ary of Geography, Descriptive, Physical, Statistical and Historical," p. 107.
93 The queen of Aedh and her waiting
maid are said to have insulted St. — Columba,
he leaves whatever honours
him—
chieftain,
a Coir-Chleirech '"a de- accrued from the collection and
by calling
graded cleric
transformed into two
These are commonly called, in the north of
compilation
of the Columban and on them must legends,
we for the details of this con- chiefly depend
vention.
46 St. Canice was born a short distance
from Drum-ceat, though the exact spot can- not be pointed out. He was living during the time of this convention, and he died,
A. D. 598.
"
and in punishment they
—
Ireland, cranes. "Many people tell us,"
"
that this is the reason why there are two herons ever since constantly seen on the ford, near Druim-ceat. " "What special reason induced King Aedh a mon-
says Keating,
Coirr-iasg
are " herons.
