=^9
Saint Patrick left the children of darkness, and he repaired to where
Conall lived, at the place, now known as Donough-Patrick.
Saint Patrick left the children of darkness, and he repaired to where
Conall lived, at the place, now known as Donough-Patrick.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
The Tripartite County of Meath," Sheets 2, 3, 5, 6.
goes even further, and it mentions an agree-
ripens, according to Keogh, Threllceld and other botanists. See "Dublin Penny
Journal," vol. i. , No. 2, p. lo.
^3 i^ Mrs. Ellen Fitz-Simon's sonnet,
:
Probus and others
that after his interview with Leogaire, the energetic missionary preached freely through
"
the country. See
566 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
preaching the Gospel, in a public manner. Our Lord worked withal, and dai^y confirmed his doctrine, with sundry miracles. ^ He went boldly forward, 3 to seek the kings and chiefs, in their respective territories ; for, he knew that their conversion must have an encouraging effect on their subject clansmen, and that it could hardly fail to secure a great accession to the fold. Every- where, from that time forward, he seems to have obtained a remarkable degree of toleration, in the working out of his ministry,*
With great caution and doubt must we receive some of the popular traditions, relating to St. Patrick's acts, as given by the biographers. While
the soldier of Christ was absent at Tara, it is said,
his — Loman,5 disciple,^ having
waited more than forty days7 in his vessel, at the mouth of the River Boyne
—during which time, he suffered many hardships from barbarians and unbelievers, then Luman set sail for, and landed at Athtrym, now Trim. In this town, he is said to have been the first bishop. ^ To make this voyage still more marvellous, Jocelyn? subjoins, that, sails being hoisted, Luman's vessel went upwards, without the assistance of oars,^° notwithstanding furious blasts of wind,cominginthatdirection,oppositetoitscourse. " But,Ussherhasre- marked," about the channel of the Boyne being so unfit for navigation, that it must have been impossible for a boat, to proceed so far as Trim, even were both the current and the winds favourable. At this town, Loman converted to the faith of Christ, first, Forkernus, the son of a certain great man, who there
ment, entered into between St. Patrick and distinct yet an imperfect biography, and that it "
the monarch. See Septima Vita S. Pa- received additions from scribes. The Second tricii," lib. ii. , cap. viii. , p. 130. According and Third Books, I believe to have been
to this, the saint pledged himself, not to eject Leogaire from his kingdom, while the king promised, not to make any other attempt upon Patrick's life.
*
only continuations of the First, and com-
piled, probably, by several different persons, at a much more recent period. These have
added little, that is historically aiuthentic ; So state the Fourth Life, cap. i. , pp. and, for the most part, their narratives 41, 42 ; the Fifth Life, lib. i. , cap. xlvii. , savour merely of popular and romantic
p. 51 ; the Sixth Life, cap. xlix. , p. 76. legends,
See, also, Preefacio to the Tripartite Life, 5 His feast occurs on the 17th of Feb- lib. ii. , pp. 128, 129. ruary, as also on the nth of October. See
3 Tara and the adjacent districts must " Circle of the Seasons," p. 48.
'
naturally have been then considered, as Some accounts have it, that he was
chiefly important to opening this mission. nephew to our great Apostle. His leputed For, whatever becomes prevalent in a metro- relatives, in Ireland, have been already
polis is thereby more speedily and easily diffused, through the more distant districts
of any country.
< Probus and Jocelyn seem to observe
little chronological order, in relating St. Patrick's miracles and actions. The order
and arrangement of St. P. itrick's journeys and excursions, as laid down in the Tripar- tite Life, are much more natural and con- sistent. It is difficult, however, to connect incidents related, with the time and course of St. Patrick's various travels in the west.
alluded to.
? St. Lumanus added forty days more to
those forty days, which St. Patrick had
commanded him to wait expecting his owii
return, according to Jocelyn,
* In the other Lives of our Apostle, there
is no mention of Loman, or concerning his
liaving been placed at Trim. Yet, Jocelyn makeshimabishop. Theantiquityofthat church, however, is known to have been
very great.
9 See " Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. Ii. ,
Treating of adventures, that might have p. 76-
'"
occurred in such places, as the writer states The Latin Tripartite only says, that St.
our saint to have visited, the Tripartite Life Loman directed his course against the frequently inserts transactions, and the current ; while, the Irish Tripartite states,
names of persons, belonging to a much later period. However, it observes a rational
and regular system, with regard to St. Patrick's movements, from one place to another. The First Book, after relating his mission at Tara, breaks off abruptly, by announcing his happy death. I am inclined to believe, this First Book was originally a
that he rowed his vessel to Trim.
" As quoted by Ussher, Tirechan has a
part of this story, set down in the Tripartite. However, instead of calling Loman a nephew of St. Patrick, Tirechan makes him
only a disciple.
" See " Primordia," cap. xvii. , p. S53. '3 He is said to have been Fedhlimid, the
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 567
ruled. ^3 Afterwards, the saint baptized his mother,^'* a Briton by nation ; and, lastly, his father, Fethleminus,'5 or Fedhlimid. In a fountain, which by prayer Loman produced out of the earth, even before their eyes, did he
baptize them, and many others. These things being done, the holy prelate, in the twenty-fifth year before the foundation of Armagh, there built a
church. '^ He resigned its government, to his disciple, named Forkern, or Fortchern,'7 when about to leave this world. After presiding over it for three days, Fortchern is said to have committed it to the charge of a Briton, who is named Cathalad or Cathlad. "^^ Fortchern would not sell the rights of the church, nor his parental heritage. It is said, the revenues of Trim, '9 by the consent of princes, were transferred to St. Patrick, and to his successors, and that they were given perpetually to the church of Armagh. ^° However, there can hardly be a doubt, that Loman lived at a much later period, than the time of St. Patrick,^' and that some writers have incorrectly made him the disciple of our great Irish Apostle.
Immediately after the occurrences at Tara, St. Patrick visited Tailten,^^ or
Teltown,^3 where grand public games were an institution, and which, from time immemorial, had been annually celebrated, in or near that old settlement. His arrival there was on Easter Monday, if we credit the account left lis, in the Tripartite Life. ^4 We are informed, that Tailtean, or Teltown,^5 had its origin from Tailte, the foster-mother of Lugh Lamhfhada, King of Ireland, who established a fair, at the place so named, in commemoration of her. This fair was held annually, upon the first of August, so that v/hen St. Patrick
arrived there, no extraordinary assemblage seems to have greeted him. Shows and rude theatrical exhibitions, marriage ceremonials and engage-
ments, sports and pastimes, were the order of proceedings, at the ancient fair of Teltown. Thither repaired the princes and chieftains of the land, to wit-
ness and to join in various manly exercises, such as boxing, wrestling, run-
son of Laeghaire Mac Neill, who had a a^w;? , at this place.
She is called Scotha, a daughter to the King of Britain.
different from that bishop so named, and classed, by Ussher, in the third order of Iiish
"
'''
'5 He is said to have been the local
Saints. See
Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
prietor of Trim.
'* Tirechan says, it was founded twenty-
two years beiore that of Armagh. Its foundation, notwithstanding, could not have
pro-
land, "vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, iv. , n. 35, p. 222. ^'^ It is also called Taltenam or Tailte.
See Miss Cusack's "Life of St. Patrick,*
p. 396, and n. 9.
'^ its situation, on the northern bank of
the River Blackwater, is about midday be- been prior to A. D. 433. This is thought tween Kells and Navan. Here, loo, are
most generally to have been the year, when St. Patrick first preached in Meath.
^^ His feast occurs on the 17th of Feb- ruary, and on the nth of October. Colgan considers him. to have been the grandson of
large and curious forts. A very interesting description of the place, its history, its
ancient games, legends and customs, will be found in Sir William R. Wilde's "Beauties of the Boyne, and its Tributary, the Black- water," chap, vi. , pp. 149 to 154.
** It "Prima autem feria venit Pa- has,
King Laoighaire.
n.
See
no.
"
Sexta Vita S.
Patricii,"
'^ "
55, p.
Colgan cannot find his name, in any ot tricius ad Talteniam. See "Septima Vita
the Irish Calendars. See ibid. , n. 59, pp. S. Patricii," lib. ii. , cap. iv. , p. 129. That
no. III. Yet, it is not necessary, in all cases where names occur in our saint's Acts, to find them recorded in the Martyrologies.
this was Easter Monday seems clear from a
passage, in which, after an account is given, regarding the saint's transactions with
•9 See Rev. Richard Butler's "Some Carbre and Conall, it runs thus : Notices of the Church of St. Patrick, Trim,
collected from various Authorities," pp. 4,
5, and notes. Trim, 1837, i2mo.
^° Compare the foregoing with the account as given in " Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. Iv. , p. 125, and lib. ii. , cap. i. , ii. ,
iii. , p. 129.
*'
Rev. Dr. Lanigan thinks, Loman is not
"
Paschae quoque clausula finita, prima feria exiit ad vadem duarum furcai-um. " See cap. vi. , p. 130. These two passages seem to be quo- tations, from some old Latin work. There- fore, they appear entitled to some degree of
credit,
*s This is now the head of a parish, in the
barony of Upper Kells, and it is figured on
568 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
ning, jumping, fencing, with other military movements. Like the Olympic games of ancient Greece, those were held for the purpose of promoting bodily health, mental accomplishments, and public or national amusements. Horse
and chariot races were prominent, among those popular enjoyments. King
Leogarius had two brothers ; and, the eldest of these, named Cairbre,^^ was
likehimselfinwickednessandinfidelity. Theotherandyoungerbrother,who
was called Conall,^7 took no more of his brother's nature, than the fish par-
takeofthesaltsea,northantherosebudofitscompanionthorn. Thechild
of perdition, Cairbre, lived at Tailtin, and St. Patrick went there, hoping to
convert him. But, Cairbre would not listen to the saint's doctrine. He even
threatened death, and he whipped the servants of the holy Apostle, in the
middle of an adjoining stream, which is called the Sele. ^^ The holy man,
perceiving him to be obstinate in this infidelity, said to him, by way of
prophecy "Inregard,thatthouhastcastoffthesweetyokeofChrist,none :
of thy posterity shall enjoy thy kingdom, but it shall be transferred to thy younger brother, Conall. " This prediction afterwards fell out to be most true.
:
To confirm more his prophecy, St. Patrick added these words " And this
shall be to thee a sign, that the Lord will fulfil the word, which he has spoken through my mouth ; the river near thy mansion, where thou hast so cruelly oppressed my servants, and which with the abundance of its fish is wont to feed thee and thine household, from henceforward, even for ever, shall pro- duce no fishes. " The word of this man of God prevailed ; for, all Cairbre's posterity became subject to the posterity of his brother Conall, and they cametothethroneofhiskingdom; while,thatriver,whichwascalledSele, even to the time of Jocelyn, in the twelfth century, bore no fishes.
=^9
Saint Patrick left the children of darkness, and he repaired to where
Conall lived, at the place, now known as Donough-Patrick. 3° This prince receivedthesaint,withgreatjoyandexultation. Openinghisearsandheart to the doctrine of life, he was incorporated with Christ, by the laver of re- generation. 3* Conall, this child of grace, is said to have bestowed his court, with all the adjoining territory,3^ upon the saint, whom he besought most earnestly, that for better enlarging the Christian Religion, he should build a
cityforhimself,andforhisholycompany,inthatplace. 33 Thenitwas,that Conall measured a church for God and Patrick, sixty feet in extent, and
Patrick said
:
" Whosoever of your race diminishes this church shall not have
a long reign, and he shall not be prosperous. " Conall stated, also, that he should seek out an adjoining spot, to build a suitable house for himself. The
saint accepted this proposal, and congratulating much the charity of Conall, he yielded to that loving request, and built the city, which was afterwards
called Domnach that " Saint Patrick's adds
the River Boyne, in Meath.
='9 See the foregoing account, in
"
Sexta
Phadruig,34 is,
City,"35
the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Meath," Sheets ii, 17. The townland proper is on Sheet 17.
'* He is called the son of Neill, viz. , Niall of the Nine Hostages.
*7 This was Conall Crimthan.
=^ Now the River Blackwater, which joins
Jocelyn.
land Maps for the County of Meath," Sheets 17, 18, 24, 25. The townland itself is on Sheets 17, 18.
31 The Irish Tripartite adds, that Patrick confirmed his royal seat for ever.
32 Xhe Fourth Life, however, only re- presents it, as a spot of ground. See cap. lii. , p. 42.
33 The Irish Tripartite Life tells us, that Patrick said to him : "Thy brother's seed shallservethyseedforever; andstriveto exercise charity towards my successors after me, and the sons of thy sons, that they may be perpetual subjects to my sons of faith. "
Vita S. Patricii," cap. liii. , pp. 76, 77.
30 Donagh- Patrick still retains the name. It is a parish, about four miles east of Kells, and lyuig on the banks of the River Black-
water, partly in the barony of Upper Kells, and partly in that of Lower Navan. It is
34 Colgan refers to a Domnach mor described, on the " Ordnance Survey Town- muighe siuil, or Donagh-Patrick, in the
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 569
Not far off, the saint appointed a place, marking it with his staff, to build there a new palace for Conall, as this prince himself desired. In the twelfth century, this spot was denominated, Rathyrtair, or Rathairthir. s^ Then giving his
:
benediction by way of prophecy, the saint said " Happy and fortunate shall
his palace be, and many shall live happily in it ; God's blessing shall bless thee, and it will establish thy throne ; he shall enlarge thy dominion ; while, thy brethren's offspring shall serve thy posterity for ever. Only the blood of one man shall be shed in it. " 37 The saint's prediction was fulfilled, in due course of time y^ and, the saint, being prepared for his journey to a more distant part of the country, blessed Conallus. As a memorial of himself, he
left in the afore-mentioned
his altar-stone. 4° The Irish Life Tripartite
—from Domhnach Patrick, east- going away
states,
ward
city,39 that when St. Patrick was
and on his to for had formed a friend- Tara, way Laeghaire they
—s to
ship he blessed Conall, the son of Niall, and then threw his iec or flagstone —more correctly, altar-stone—behind him, eastwards into the hill. ^^
diocese of Tuam. See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xxix. Martii. Vita S. Fularti, n. 2, p. 788. Archdall quotes this reference,
son of Fidgal, in the time of Dunchadh, or Donat, King of Ireland, with his host, con-
tended against his opposing foes, in this very plain. Yet, none fell in the battle, nor were
any grievously wounded. Colgan thinks, this affair happened, in the earlier part of the
tenth century. See idid. , n. 19.
3^ See idid. , cap. liv. , p. 77.
39 In Colgan's time, this place, not far
and absurdly refers the place to Donagh- "
Patrick, in Meath. See Monasticon Hi-
bernicum," p. 529, and n. (u).
Ibid.
35 See Rev, A. Cogan's Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , for
near the road, and on the left side, as the church is approached. See " Beauties of the Boyne, and its Tributary, the Blackwater," chap, vi. , p. 155.
37 The exception to this immunity is thus explained : Early on a Sunday morning, Cinaid and Dubhdaleithe, the two sons of Carbhall—or Fergall according to the Latin
Life, lib. it. , cap. i. , ii. , iii. , iv. , v. , pp. 129, 130.
"
an interesting history of this place, chap,
xxii. , pp. 131 to 133. It has been stated, from the aforesaid church of Donough- that all of St. Patrick's foundations, having patrick, near Tailten, in the diocese of the word Domnach attached, were laid on a
Sunday.
3* Sir William R. Wilde thought this
place to have been identical with Oristown,
not far from the little ruined church of Cill-
Taillean, near a broad curve of the Black-
water. Rath-Airthir, or "the eastern fort,"
formed a great central circular mound, with
circumvallations, of immense size, but now Hi. , Hu. , liv. , Iv. , pp. 76, 77 ; the Seventh obscured by trees and much underwood. It is
Tripartite son of Maelodhra, descended salutem languentibus conferendam, signo-
from Aedh-Slaine, went to Rath-Airthir,
where they saw a young man lying down,
i. e. , the son of Bressal. One of them plunged
a sword into him, and then throttled him.
The murderer then went past Tailten, upon
his straight road, and the other went to
Domnach-Patrick, as being a place of Chaldaeam transvectus est Habacuc Pro- refuge. Aedh Slaine, King of Ii eland, thus
mentioned, died a. d. 600. Kinaeth and
Dubdaleith are said to have flourished, after
the middle of the ninth century. Colgan, sanctum lapidem. Respiciens Antistes
who has an idea of the great antiquity of the
original Tripartite Life, thinks the substance of this note to its text, to have been a later
Sanctus, altare modo tam miraculoso post se
gestari, exultabat in Domino, reversusque coUocavit illud in loco idoneo. Ab illo ergo
interpolation. See "Trias Thaumaturga,"
nn. 16, 17, 18, p. 173. Again, by way of
showing the efficacy of St. Patrick's pro-
phecy, it is told, that one Cobdenach, the tite has the curious statement, that the
Meath, was ruined, and scarcely any vestiges "
remained. See Sexta Vita S. Patricii,"
nn. 61, 62, p. III.
*° See " Obits and Martyrology of
Christ's Church," edited by Rev. Dr. Todd, Introduction, p. xxii. See the Third Life, cap. xliii. , xliv. , p. 25 ; the Fourth Life, cap. li. , Hi. , p. 42 ; the Sixth Life, cap. 1. , li. ,
*' Here, a folio of the original MS. is missing from the Irish Tripartite. How- ever, t—he legend—not given in the Latin
is
version probably the following, found in
the text of Jocelyn :
"
et in sui memoriam
in civitate praescripta, quasi quoddam pignus sanctitatis suae, altare suum lapideum, ad
rum effectiuum reliquit. Cumque iter arri-
peret. altare illud sequens ilium egrediebatur, nee alicujus hominis occulis perceptibile fuic
a quo portabatur ; sed (ut reor) ejus poten- tia et virtute, lapis ille post S. Patriciam
portabatur in via, cujus nutu de Judaea in
pheta. Ut enim lapis ille angularis, Jesus Christus, cunctis ostenderet Patricii sanctita- tem absque humana manu ferri fecit ilium
die usque in prassens fixum perstitit, sed mi- raculis corruscare non destitit, ac si virtus Patricii mansisset in eo. " The Latin Tripar-
,
570 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i;
To this memorable Easter week, Dr. Lanigan assigns the origin of St. Patrick's first solemn baptism^^ in Ireland, and a feast instituted to honour it. This remarkable ceremonial was held, as is generally believed, on Wed nesday, the 5th of April. 43 The learned Ussher seems to have been un- acquainted, notwithstanding, in regard to our Calendars' and Martyrologies' entries of an event, that explains, what was meant, by the festival of "St Patrick's baptism. " This writer thought it might have meant, the baptizing
"
of St. Patrick himself. It is well known, however, that
St. Patrick's bap-
tism," so celebrated in Ireland, was intended to commemorate that sacra-
mental rite, as first solemnly administered by him, in this country. ** For,
not only Easter Eve, or Holy Saturday, had been considered a suitable day,
for the public and solemn administration of baptism ; but, in many ancient
churches, during the whole of Easter week, and even many days following, that practice was allowed. ^s
The Pasch being finished, on the next day, St. Patrick took leave of his dear friend Conall, and then he came to Vadiim duarum furcariivi. '-^ Some writers—such as Ussher-t^—bring our saint immediately to Connaught, after he left the house of Conall. The Tripartite Life,'*^ however, makes St, Patrick found a church at the place mentioned, and in which he left the three brothers, with their sister, viz. , Cathaceus, and Cathurus and Cathneus. *? Of a pure and meek disposition was Catnea, their sister, who used to milk thedeer. Theseabanjdonedtheirnaturaltimidity,underherhands. Patrick went, afterwards, to Druim Corcortri,5° and he founded a church there, over which he left Diarmaid,^' the son of Restitutus. s^
"
portable altar followed St. Patrick to a
place, where afterwards a cross stood, near
the mill, and beside the river. The church
of Domnach Padruic, where that altar-stone
was kept, became an asylum, which none is as follows " Three Wednesdays of
dared to violate with impunity. When Patiick, birth, baptism, death. " See'"Pri-
Kenactus, the son of Irgalach, King of Tara, attempted to drag a refugee, from this place, and to put him to death, it is re- lated, that three streams of blood did not cease to flow from that stone, until Kinac- tus, the son of Congalach, in order to ex-
piate this sacrilege, presented three villages,
with their farms and
adjoining possessions,
to God and to St. Patrick. These farms were called Huacthar-nessa Hy Midgna, and Tir-mic Conning. Then, two of the streams ceased flowing. But, the third stream continued, until Kinactus himself fell in battle, at Druim-corcain (Corcain's ridge), having been killed by Flalhbertach, the son of Longsech, A. D. 722.
"
^' Already he had baptized some of his converts, such as Dichuo and otheis, in a
private manner.
*3 According to Dr. Lanigan's computa-
tion, such a coincidence of day and date
fell in A. D. 433, and api^arently during the Easter week. This writer adds, that ac-
and Dr. O'Donovan's
Masters,'' vol. i. , pp. 320 to 323, as also n. (s. )
See n. 25, p. 173, Annals of the Four
and Reeves' edition, p. 324.
^^ Having taken Jocelyn for his guide, that learned calculator passed over the
saint's proceedings in Meaih, Westmeath, and other places, after what had passed be- tween him anti Conall.
** The Latin Tripartite Life becomes our chief authority for the narrative, which im- mediately follows.
"" These holy brothers and their sister, Colgan could not find, in our Irish Martyr- ologies, under the inserted forms of name.
He says, that Cathneus may possibly be Cathaneus (? Caihcan), whose feast occurs, at the 20th of March. He says, likewise, that Cathnea may not be distinct from Cola or Cotana, venerated at the 4th of Feb-
cording to the Paschal cycle of 84 years,
and the method of applying it practised in
Gaul, which St. Patrick introduced into Ire- ruary. See nn. 22, 23, p. 173, "tTrias
land, Easter Sunday seems to have fallen Thaumaturga. " '
during that year, on the 2nd of April.
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. ,
chap, v. , sect, vi. , p. 233.
+ From the Book of Sligo, Ussher has a
passage in Irish, which literally translated :
mordia," chap, xvii. , p. 882.
ripens, according to Keogh, Threllceld and other botanists. See "Dublin Penny
Journal," vol. i. , No. 2, p. lo.
^3 i^ Mrs. Ellen Fitz-Simon's sonnet,
:
Probus and others
that after his interview with Leogaire, the energetic missionary preached freely through
"
the country. See
566 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
preaching the Gospel, in a public manner. Our Lord worked withal, and dai^y confirmed his doctrine, with sundry miracles. ^ He went boldly forward, 3 to seek the kings and chiefs, in their respective territories ; for, he knew that their conversion must have an encouraging effect on their subject clansmen, and that it could hardly fail to secure a great accession to the fold. Every- where, from that time forward, he seems to have obtained a remarkable degree of toleration, in the working out of his ministry,*
With great caution and doubt must we receive some of the popular traditions, relating to St. Patrick's acts, as given by the biographers. While
the soldier of Christ was absent at Tara, it is said,
his — Loman,5 disciple,^ having
waited more than forty days7 in his vessel, at the mouth of the River Boyne
—during which time, he suffered many hardships from barbarians and unbelievers, then Luman set sail for, and landed at Athtrym, now Trim. In this town, he is said to have been the first bishop. ^ To make this voyage still more marvellous, Jocelyn? subjoins, that, sails being hoisted, Luman's vessel went upwards, without the assistance of oars,^° notwithstanding furious blasts of wind,cominginthatdirection,oppositetoitscourse. " But,Ussherhasre- marked," about the channel of the Boyne being so unfit for navigation, that it must have been impossible for a boat, to proceed so far as Trim, even were both the current and the winds favourable. At this town, Loman converted to the faith of Christ, first, Forkernus, the son of a certain great man, who there
ment, entered into between St. Patrick and distinct yet an imperfect biography, and that it "
the monarch. See Septima Vita S. Pa- received additions from scribes. The Second tricii," lib. ii. , cap. viii. , p. 130. According and Third Books, I believe to have been
to this, the saint pledged himself, not to eject Leogaire from his kingdom, while the king promised, not to make any other attempt upon Patrick's life.
*
only continuations of the First, and com-
piled, probably, by several different persons, at a much more recent period. These have
added little, that is historically aiuthentic ; So state the Fourth Life, cap. i. , pp. and, for the most part, their narratives 41, 42 ; the Fifth Life, lib. i. , cap. xlvii. , savour merely of popular and romantic
p. 51 ; the Sixth Life, cap. xlix. , p. 76. legends,
See, also, Preefacio to the Tripartite Life, 5 His feast occurs on the 17th of Feb- lib. ii. , pp. 128, 129. ruary, as also on the nth of October. See
3 Tara and the adjacent districts must " Circle of the Seasons," p. 48.
'
naturally have been then considered, as Some accounts have it, that he was
chiefly important to opening this mission. nephew to our great Apostle. His leputed For, whatever becomes prevalent in a metro- relatives, in Ireland, have been already
polis is thereby more speedily and easily diffused, through the more distant districts
of any country.
< Probus and Jocelyn seem to observe
little chronological order, in relating St. Patrick's miracles and actions. The order
and arrangement of St. P. itrick's journeys and excursions, as laid down in the Tripar- tite Life, are much more natural and con- sistent. It is difficult, however, to connect incidents related, with the time and course of St. Patrick's various travels in the west.
alluded to.
? St. Lumanus added forty days more to
those forty days, which St. Patrick had
commanded him to wait expecting his owii
return, according to Jocelyn,
* In the other Lives of our Apostle, there
is no mention of Loman, or concerning his
liaving been placed at Trim. Yet, Jocelyn makeshimabishop. Theantiquityofthat church, however, is known to have been
very great.
9 See " Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. Ii. ,
Treating of adventures, that might have p. 76-
'"
occurred in such places, as the writer states The Latin Tripartite only says, that St.
our saint to have visited, the Tripartite Life Loman directed his course against the frequently inserts transactions, and the current ; while, the Irish Tripartite states,
names of persons, belonging to a much later period. However, it observes a rational
and regular system, with regard to St. Patrick's movements, from one place to another. The First Book, after relating his mission at Tara, breaks off abruptly, by announcing his happy death. I am inclined to believe, this First Book was originally a
that he rowed his vessel to Trim.
" As quoted by Ussher, Tirechan has a
part of this story, set down in the Tripartite. However, instead of calling Loman a nephew of St. Patrick, Tirechan makes him
only a disciple.
" See " Primordia," cap. xvii. , p. S53. '3 He is said to have been Fedhlimid, the
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 567
ruled. ^3 Afterwards, the saint baptized his mother,^'* a Briton by nation ; and, lastly, his father, Fethleminus,'5 or Fedhlimid. In a fountain, which by prayer Loman produced out of the earth, even before their eyes, did he
baptize them, and many others. These things being done, the holy prelate, in the twenty-fifth year before the foundation of Armagh, there built a
church. '^ He resigned its government, to his disciple, named Forkern, or Fortchern,'7 when about to leave this world. After presiding over it for three days, Fortchern is said to have committed it to the charge of a Briton, who is named Cathalad or Cathlad. "^^ Fortchern would not sell the rights of the church, nor his parental heritage. It is said, the revenues of Trim, '9 by the consent of princes, were transferred to St. Patrick, and to his successors, and that they were given perpetually to the church of Armagh. ^° However, there can hardly be a doubt, that Loman lived at a much later period, than the time of St. Patrick,^' and that some writers have incorrectly made him the disciple of our great Irish Apostle.
Immediately after the occurrences at Tara, St. Patrick visited Tailten,^^ or
Teltown,^3 where grand public games were an institution, and which, from time immemorial, had been annually celebrated, in or near that old settlement. His arrival there was on Easter Monday, if we credit the account left lis, in the Tripartite Life. ^4 We are informed, that Tailtean, or Teltown,^5 had its origin from Tailte, the foster-mother of Lugh Lamhfhada, King of Ireland, who established a fair, at the place so named, in commemoration of her. This fair was held annually, upon the first of August, so that v/hen St. Patrick
arrived there, no extraordinary assemblage seems to have greeted him. Shows and rude theatrical exhibitions, marriage ceremonials and engage-
ments, sports and pastimes, were the order of proceedings, at the ancient fair of Teltown. Thither repaired the princes and chieftains of the land, to wit-
ness and to join in various manly exercises, such as boxing, wrestling, run-
son of Laeghaire Mac Neill, who had a a^w;? , at this place.
She is called Scotha, a daughter to the King of Britain.
different from that bishop so named, and classed, by Ussher, in the third order of Iiish
"
'''
'5 He is said to have been the local
Saints. See
Ecclesiastical History of Ire-
prietor of Trim.
'* Tirechan says, it was founded twenty-
two years beiore that of Armagh. Its foundation, notwithstanding, could not have
pro-
land, "vol. i. , chap, v. , sect, iv. , n. 35, p. 222. ^'^ It is also called Taltenam or Tailte.
See Miss Cusack's "Life of St. Patrick,*
p. 396, and n. 9.
'^ its situation, on the northern bank of
the River Blackwater, is about midday be- been prior to A. D. 433. This is thought tween Kells and Navan. Here, loo, are
most generally to have been the year, when St. Patrick first preached in Meath.
^^ His feast occurs on the 17th of Feb- ruary, and on the nth of October. Colgan considers him. to have been the grandson of
large and curious forts. A very interesting description of the place, its history, its
ancient games, legends and customs, will be found in Sir William R. Wilde's "Beauties of the Boyne, and its Tributary, the Black- water," chap, vi. , pp. 149 to 154.
** It "Prima autem feria venit Pa- has,
King Laoighaire.
n.
See
no.
"
Sexta Vita S.
Patricii,"
'^ "
55, p.
Colgan cannot find his name, in any ot tricius ad Talteniam. See "Septima Vita
the Irish Calendars. See ibid. , n. 59, pp. S. Patricii," lib. ii. , cap. iv. , p. 129. That
no. III. Yet, it is not necessary, in all cases where names occur in our saint's Acts, to find them recorded in the Martyrologies.
this was Easter Monday seems clear from a
passage, in which, after an account is given, regarding the saint's transactions with
•9 See Rev. Richard Butler's "Some Carbre and Conall, it runs thus : Notices of the Church of St. Patrick, Trim,
collected from various Authorities," pp. 4,
5, and notes. Trim, 1837, i2mo.
^° Compare the foregoing with the account as given in " Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. Iv. , p. 125, and lib. ii. , cap. i. , ii. ,
iii. , p. 129.
*'
Rev. Dr. Lanigan thinks, Loman is not
"
Paschae quoque clausula finita, prima feria exiit ad vadem duarum furcai-um. " See cap. vi. , p. 130. These two passages seem to be quo- tations, from some old Latin work. There- fore, they appear entitled to some degree of
credit,
*s This is now the head of a parish, in the
barony of Upper Kells, and it is figured on
568 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
ning, jumping, fencing, with other military movements. Like the Olympic games of ancient Greece, those were held for the purpose of promoting bodily health, mental accomplishments, and public or national amusements. Horse
and chariot races were prominent, among those popular enjoyments. King
Leogarius had two brothers ; and, the eldest of these, named Cairbre,^^ was
likehimselfinwickednessandinfidelity. Theotherandyoungerbrother,who
was called Conall,^7 took no more of his brother's nature, than the fish par-
takeofthesaltsea,northantherosebudofitscompanionthorn. Thechild
of perdition, Cairbre, lived at Tailtin, and St. Patrick went there, hoping to
convert him. But, Cairbre would not listen to the saint's doctrine. He even
threatened death, and he whipped the servants of the holy Apostle, in the
middle of an adjoining stream, which is called the Sele. ^^ The holy man,
perceiving him to be obstinate in this infidelity, said to him, by way of
prophecy "Inregard,thatthouhastcastoffthesweetyokeofChrist,none :
of thy posterity shall enjoy thy kingdom, but it shall be transferred to thy younger brother, Conall. " This prediction afterwards fell out to be most true.
:
To confirm more his prophecy, St. Patrick added these words " And this
shall be to thee a sign, that the Lord will fulfil the word, which he has spoken through my mouth ; the river near thy mansion, where thou hast so cruelly oppressed my servants, and which with the abundance of its fish is wont to feed thee and thine household, from henceforward, even for ever, shall pro- duce no fishes. " The word of this man of God prevailed ; for, all Cairbre's posterity became subject to the posterity of his brother Conall, and they cametothethroneofhiskingdom; while,thatriver,whichwascalledSele, even to the time of Jocelyn, in the twelfth century, bore no fishes.
=^9
Saint Patrick left the children of darkness, and he repaired to where
Conall lived, at the place, now known as Donough-Patrick. 3° This prince receivedthesaint,withgreatjoyandexultation. Openinghisearsandheart to the doctrine of life, he was incorporated with Christ, by the laver of re- generation. 3* Conall, this child of grace, is said to have bestowed his court, with all the adjoining territory,3^ upon the saint, whom he besought most earnestly, that for better enlarging the Christian Religion, he should build a
cityforhimself,andforhisholycompany,inthatplace. 33 Thenitwas,that Conall measured a church for God and Patrick, sixty feet in extent, and
Patrick said
:
" Whosoever of your race diminishes this church shall not have
a long reign, and he shall not be prosperous. " Conall stated, also, that he should seek out an adjoining spot, to build a suitable house for himself. The
saint accepted this proposal, and congratulating much the charity of Conall, he yielded to that loving request, and built the city, which was afterwards
called Domnach that " Saint Patrick's adds
the River Boyne, in Meath.
='9 See the foregoing account, in
"
Sexta
Phadruig,34 is,
City,"35
the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Meath," Sheets ii, 17. The townland proper is on Sheet 17.
'* He is called the son of Neill, viz. , Niall of the Nine Hostages.
*7 This was Conall Crimthan.
=^ Now the River Blackwater, which joins
Jocelyn.
land Maps for the County of Meath," Sheets 17, 18, 24, 25. The townland itself is on Sheets 17, 18.
31 The Irish Tripartite adds, that Patrick confirmed his royal seat for ever.
32 Xhe Fourth Life, however, only re- presents it, as a spot of ground. See cap. lii. , p. 42.
33 The Irish Tripartite Life tells us, that Patrick said to him : "Thy brother's seed shallservethyseedforever; andstriveto exercise charity towards my successors after me, and the sons of thy sons, that they may be perpetual subjects to my sons of faith. "
Vita S. Patricii," cap. liii. , pp. 76, 77.
30 Donagh- Patrick still retains the name. It is a parish, about four miles east of Kells, and lyuig on the banks of the River Black-
water, partly in the barony of Upper Kells, and partly in that of Lower Navan. It is
34 Colgan refers to a Domnach mor described, on the " Ordnance Survey Town- muighe siuil, or Donagh-Patrick, in the
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 569
Not far off, the saint appointed a place, marking it with his staff, to build there a new palace for Conall, as this prince himself desired. In the twelfth century, this spot was denominated, Rathyrtair, or Rathairthir. s^ Then giving his
:
benediction by way of prophecy, the saint said " Happy and fortunate shall
his palace be, and many shall live happily in it ; God's blessing shall bless thee, and it will establish thy throne ; he shall enlarge thy dominion ; while, thy brethren's offspring shall serve thy posterity for ever. Only the blood of one man shall be shed in it. " 37 The saint's prediction was fulfilled, in due course of time y^ and, the saint, being prepared for his journey to a more distant part of the country, blessed Conallus. As a memorial of himself, he
left in the afore-mentioned
his altar-stone. 4° The Irish Life Tripartite
—from Domhnach Patrick, east- going away
states,
ward
city,39 that when St. Patrick was
and on his to for had formed a friend- Tara, way Laeghaire they
—s to
ship he blessed Conall, the son of Niall, and then threw his iec or flagstone —more correctly, altar-stone—behind him, eastwards into the hill. ^^
diocese of Tuam. See " Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xxix. Martii. Vita S. Fularti, n. 2, p. 788. Archdall quotes this reference,
son of Fidgal, in the time of Dunchadh, or Donat, King of Ireland, with his host, con-
tended against his opposing foes, in this very plain. Yet, none fell in the battle, nor were
any grievously wounded. Colgan thinks, this affair happened, in the earlier part of the
tenth century. See idid. , n. 19.
3^ See idid. , cap. liv. , p. 77.
39 In Colgan's time, this place, not far
and absurdly refers the place to Donagh- "
Patrick, in Meath. See Monasticon Hi-
bernicum," p. 529, and n. (u).
Ibid.
35 See Rev, A. Cogan's Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. i. , for
near the road, and on the left side, as the church is approached. See " Beauties of the Boyne, and its Tributary, the Blackwater," chap, vi. , p. 155.
37 The exception to this immunity is thus explained : Early on a Sunday morning, Cinaid and Dubhdaleithe, the two sons of Carbhall—or Fergall according to the Latin
Life, lib. it. , cap. i. , ii. , iii. , iv. , v. , pp. 129, 130.
"
an interesting history of this place, chap,
xxii. , pp. 131 to 133. It has been stated, from the aforesaid church of Donough- that all of St. Patrick's foundations, having patrick, near Tailten, in the diocese of the word Domnach attached, were laid on a
Sunday.
3* Sir William R. Wilde thought this
place to have been identical with Oristown,
not far from the little ruined church of Cill-
Taillean, near a broad curve of the Black-
water. Rath-Airthir, or "the eastern fort,"
formed a great central circular mound, with
circumvallations, of immense size, but now Hi. , Hu. , liv. , Iv. , pp. 76, 77 ; the Seventh obscured by trees and much underwood. It is
Tripartite son of Maelodhra, descended salutem languentibus conferendam, signo-
from Aedh-Slaine, went to Rath-Airthir,
where they saw a young man lying down,
i. e. , the son of Bressal. One of them plunged
a sword into him, and then throttled him.
The murderer then went past Tailten, upon
his straight road, and the other went to
Domnach-Patrick, as being a place of Chaldaeam transvectus est Habacuc Pro- refuge. Aedh Slaine, King of Ii eland, thus
mentioned, died a. d. 600. Kinaeth and
Dubdaleith are said to have flourished, after
the middle of the ninth century. Colgan, sanctum lapidem. Respiciens Antistes
who has an idea of the great antiquity of the
original Tripartite Life, thinks the substance of this note to its text, to have been a later
Sanctus, altare modo tam miraculoso post se
gestari, exultabat in Domino, reversusque coUocavit illud in loco idoneo. Ab illo ergo
interpolation. See "Trias Thaumaturga,"
nn. 16, 17, 18, p. 173. Again, by way of
showing the efficacy of St. Patrick's pro-
phecy, it is told, that one Cobdenach, the tite has the curious statement, that the
Meath, was ruined, and scarcely any vestiges "
remained. See Sexta Vita S. Patricii,"
nn. 61, 62, p. III.
*° See " Obits and Martyrology of
Christ's Church," edited by Rev. Dr. Todd, Introduction, p. xxii. See the Third Life, cap. xliii. , xliv. , p. 25 ; the Fourth Life, cap. li. , Hi. , p. 42 ; the Sixth Life, cap. 1. , li. ,
*' Here, a folio of the original MS. is missing from the Irish Tripartite. How- ever, t—he legend—not given in the Latin
is
version probably the following, found in
the text of Jocelyn :
"
et in sui memoriam
in civitate praescripta, quasi quoddam pignus sanctitatis suae, altare suum lapideum, ad
rum effectiuum reliquit. Cumque iter arri-
peret. altare illud sequens ilium egrediebatur, nee alicujus hominis occulis perceptibile fuic
a quo portabatur ; sed (ut reor) ejus poten- tia et virtute, lapis ille post S. Patriciam
portabatur in via, cujus nutu de Judaea in
pheta. Ut enim lapis ille angularis, Jesus Christus, cunctis ostenderet Patricii sanctita- tem absque humana manu ferri fecit ilium
die usque in prassens fixum perstitit, sed mi- raculis corruscare non destitit, ac si virtus Patricii mansisset in eo. " The Latin Tripar-
,
570 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i;
To this memorable Easter week, Dr. Lanigan assigns the origin of St. Patrick's first solemn baptism^^ in Ireland, and a feast instituted to honour it. This remarkable ceremonial was held, as is generally believed, on Wed nesday, the 5th of April. 43 The learned Ussher seems to have been un- acquainted, notwithstanding, in regard to our Calendars' and Martyrologies' entries of an event, that explains, what was meant, by the festival of "St Patrick's baptism. " This writer thought it might have meant, the baptizing
"
of St. Patrick himself. It is well known, however, that
St. Patrick's bap-
tism," so celebrated in Ireland, was intended to commemorate that sacra-
mental rite, as first solemnly administered by him, in this country. ** For,
not only Easter Eve, or Holy Saturday, had been considered a suitable day,
for the public and solemn administration of baptism ; but, in many ancient
churches, during the whole of Easter week, and even many days following, that practice was allowed. ^s
The Pasch being finished, on the next day, St. Patrick took leave of his dear friend Conall, and then he came to Vadiim duarum furcariivi. '-^ Some writers—such as Ussher-t^—bring our saint immediately to Connaught, after he left the house of Conall. The Tripartite Life,'*^ however, makes St, Patrick found a church at the place mentioned, and in which he left the three brothers, with their sister, viz. , Cathaceus, and Cathurus and Cathneus. *? Of a pure and meek disposition was Catnea, their sister, who used to milk thedeer. Theseabanjdonedtheirnaturaltimidity,underherhands. Patrick went, afterwards, to Druim Corcortri,5° and he founded a church there, over which he left Diarmaid,^' the son of Restitutus. s^
"
portable altar followed St. Patrick to a
place, where afterwards a cross stood, near
the mill, and beside the river. The church
of Domnach Padruic, where that altar-stone
was kept, became an asylum, which none is as follows " Three Wednesdays of
dared to violate with impunity. When Patiick, birth, baptism, death. " See'"Pri-
Kenactus, the son of Irgalach, King of Tara, attempted to drag a refugee, from this place, and to put him to death, it is re- lated, that three streams of blood did not cease to flow from that stone, until Kinac- tus, the son of Congalach, in order to ex-
piate this sacrilege, presented three villages,
with their farms and
adjoining possessions,
to God and to St. Patrick. These farms were called Huacthar-nessa Hy Midgna, and Tir-mic Conning. Then, two of the streams ceased flowing. But, the third stream continued, until Kinactus himself fell in battle, at Druim-corcain (Corcain's ridge), having been killed by Flalhbertach, the son of Longsech, A. D. 722.
"
^' Already he had baptized some of his converts, such as Dichuo and otheis, in a
private manner.
*3 According to Dr. Lanigan's computa-
tion, such a coincidence of day and date
fell in A. D. 433, and api^arently during the Easter week. This writer adds, that ac-
and Dr. O'Donovan's
Masters,'' vol. i. , pp. 320 to 323, as also n. (s. )
See n. 25, p. 173, Annals of the Four
and Reeves' edition, p. 324.
^^ Having taken Jocelyn for his guide, that learned calculator passed over the
saint's proceedings in Meaih, Westmeath, and other places, after what had passed be- tween him anti Conall.
** The Latin Tripartite Life becomes our chief authority for the narrative, which im- mediately follows.
"" These holy brothers and their sister, Colgan could not find, in our Irish Martyr- ologies, under the inserted forms of name.
He says, that Cathneus may possibly be Cathaneus (? Caihcan), whose feast occurs, at the 20th of March. He says, likewise, that Cathnea may not be distinct from Cola or Cotana, venerated at the 4th of Feb-
cording to the Paschal cycle of 84 years,
and the method of applying it practised in
Gaul, which St. Patrick introduced into Ire- ruary. See nn. 22, 23, p. 173, "tTrias
land, Easter Sunday seems to have fallen Thaumaturga. " '
during that year, on the 2nd of April.
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. ,
chap, v. , sect, vi. , p. 233.
+ From the Book of Sligo, Ussher has a
passage in Irish, which literally translated :
mordia," chap, xvii. , p. 882.
