Addey, Master of
Drawing in the Londonderry School of Art.
Drawing in the Londonderry School of Art.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Sir William afterwards informed the Privy Council, that he ordered halls, works, foundations, and vaults, &c.
, to be rooted up.
He ordered the place, called St.
Patrick's bed, and the stoneonwhichheknelt,tobethrownintotheLough.
Furthermore,those Commissioners reported, that they found on the island an abbot and forty friars, and that there was a daily resort of 450 pilgrims to it.
s^ After this, the station was changed from the Saint's Island, to another island much smaller, and removed about half a mile from the shore.
A boat is in waiting, during the station-time, to ferry passengers across to the churches and houses, where the pilgrims resort, on this island.
It is separated, far from the thronged haunts of men, and from the bustle of the crowded city, and there are no ex- ternal objects to distract the minds of devout pilgrims, except the screaming of wild fowl, as they fly over the silent waters of this extensive lake.
53
There is a very curious Breton legend extant,54 and, it states, that our Divine Saviour gave the following promise to the glorious St. Patrick, at his
"
grotto on the Lough Dearg island :
Whosoever shall enter this cave,
having confessed and repented of his sins, and well established in faith, he shall
purge away all offences, in one day and one night ; while he shall see, likewise,
the torments of the wicked, and the joys of the blessed. " It is said, that
each year, at the beginning of Lent, St. Patrick was accustomed to take a
boat, which he steered, and he was absent for forty days. During this time,
he had been engaged, making his Purgatory, as the legend goes j and, he always chose a distant and desert island, for the place of his retreat. 55
teresting little book, intituled the " Mirror
of Penance," which was published in London.
50 Three festivals were held yearly in his
honour, on the 1st January, 24th July, and 1 6th December.
s' See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 102.
^' Sir William Stewart obliged James
Magrath, the owner of this island, to enter
into a recognizance, "not to allow Jesuits, friars, nuns, or any other superstitious order of Popery to enter thereon. "
S3 See a communication to the London-
derry Journal oi June 12th, 1878, and headed, " Historical Notes on the Parishes
of Ardstraw, Umey, and Termonaghan, Diocese of Deny," by Hy-Fiachre. Part xvii. Loughderg.
S'* This is taken from a Manuscript, in the National Library, Paris, fr. 1544, fol. 105, Cf. , according to F. Denis, " Le Monde en- chante," et Marie de France, tome ii. , p. 423.
53 The celebrated Spanish poet, Don
Pedro Calderon de la Barca, among his
numerous dramas, has made this the subject
"
Purgatorio de san Patricio. " The Dramatis fersona are St. Patrick, Angels, a king of Ireland, his daughter, and various other minor characters. This romantic Drama has been rendered into elegant Eng- lish verse, by Denis Florence M'Carthy, and
of one,
632 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [March 17.
Certain fishermen saw him disembark one day on an islet, which no person durst approach, and there he went to the bottom of a cave, where the Magi celebrated mysterious rites. There were two subterranean routes in it ; one of these led to the abyss of eternal pains, and the other to the land of joy and of youth. Whoever went in there could only issue from it, by the aid of magic words. As St. Patrick did not appear again to their gaze, the fishers supposed he had passed away for ever, and they said, that those evil spirits, he chased away from every other part of Ireland, had taken refuge in this subterranean cavern, and that they kept him there a prisoner, within the
four walls of a dungeon, dark, cold, moist, miry and filled with venemous
reptiles, under a chilling and penetrating rain, which drop by drop fell on his shoulders, and penetrated even to the marrow of his bones. On the eve of
Easter, he reappeared to his monks, thin, pale and attenuated, like to a phantom. The year following, St. Patrick was observed anew to enter the same cave. His monks believed he remained there, so near the abyss of sorrows and the land of joy, that he witnessed whatever passed in both. Thus, by a strange concourse of events, the magic cavern was changed into the penitents' cell, and the old barbaric rites and pagan superstitions yielded to the great Christian truths, and to the sublime meditations of St. Patrick on Hell and Paradise. ^^
5**
Sanctorum Hi- hernias, secundum diversa tempora. " This covers a series of years, from a. d. 433 to
In the year 439, it is stated, that St. Patrick received three assistant bishops,
— ——
St. Secundinus sometimes called Sechnall^^ St. Isserninus sometimes
called Serenuss^ and St. Auxilius,59 or Ussaille, to aid him in his missionary
labours. ^" Bywhomthoseprelatesweresent,however,doesnotappear. By some writers, Auxilius and Secundin are called nephews of St. Patrick, by his sister Darerca, but this is an unreliable account. Our first bishops in Ireland, after St. Patrick, arc said, indeed, to have been Secundinus, Auxilius, and Isser- ninus. These were undoubtedly foreigners, and, it would seem, they came from Gaul. Although little is authentically known regarding him, yet Isserninus is always spoken of as coming from abroad. After his consecration, that bishop lived constantly in Ireland, until his death, which happened, about the year 469. With their assistance, St. Patrick probably consecrated other bishops, during the course of his mission. According to a very ancient document,^^ three hundred and fifty prelates, all illustrious and filled with the graces of the Holy Spirit, as also the founders of churches, lived about this period. ^^ The first order called the most holy, flourished during four distinct reigns of Irish kings, viz. : in the time of Laogarius, of Aila Muilt, of Lugada, son to Laogarius, and of Tuathail. These all followed the early discipline and rites, which seem to
with an interesting introduction, it has been pubHshed in successive Nos. of Duffy's
de Bretagne," p. 76. His festival occurs, at the 6th of March, as likewise, on the 7th of May, and on the 19th of September,
*'
Irish Catholic Magazine," vol. i. , pp. 25
to 27, 45 to 50, 73 to 75, loi to 107, 164 to
170.
s* See Le Vicomte Hersart de la Ville-
59 His feast occurs, at the 27th of August.
" La et la Poesie Legende Celtique
marque's
des Cloitres en Irlande, en Cambrie et en
Bretagne," Premiere Partie, sect, xvii. , pp. 106 to 108.
57 His festival is held, on the 27th of No- vember.
''The text of this, in Latin, has been 1
1
some between that Perceiving affinity
"
headed, Incipit Catalogus
name and Sezinus, Colgan gave himself the
useless trouble of striving to identify two
quite different persons. Lobineau, in his 664. See Britanicarum Lcelesiarum An- work, mentions St. Sezni, while adding,
is known about him, except his name. See " Histoire des Saints
'* The document—
that
scarcely anything
from what source drawn we are not told—says regarding
^ See Ussher's "Index
A. D. ccccxxxix. The Annals of Innis- fallen have: "Secundinus et Auxiliarius (Auxilius) et Esserninus mittunlur in auxi- lium Patricii ; nee tamen tenuerunt aposto- latum, nisi Patricius solus. "
'published, by Archbishop Ussher, and it is
"
tiquitates," cap. xvii. , pp. 473, 474.
Chronologicus,"
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 633
havebeenintroduced,byourgloriousApostle. Inthatorderofholybishops, who were in St. Patrick's time, these first mentioned are Romans, and Franks, thatis,nativesofGaul; whiletheBritonsandScotsarerankedafterthem. ^3
The benign missionary greatly desired the conversion of Eugenius, another son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, and he resolved on visiting the fortress of that dynast, to announce the Faith of Christ. Accordingly, the holy man took his course, through that deep, wild and romantic pass, known as Bearnas-mor of Tir-Aodha,^-* and which still bears the name of Barnes- more,^5 in the northern part of Tirhugh barony. Thence, he emerged into Magh-Itha,^^ or Hithe, which was an extensive plain, in the present barony
them " Unum caput Christum, et unum celebrated the Resurrection, on the four- ;
ducem Patricium habebant : unam Missam, teenth moon, or on the sixteenth, with unam celebrationem, unam tonsuram (ab rigorous intentions. Those lived through aure usque ad auiem) sufferebant. Unum four reigns ; that is, ^da Allain (who
Pascha, XIV. Luna post sequinoctium vemale, celebrabant : et quod excommu- nicatum asset ab una Ecclesia omnes ex- communicabant. Mulierum administrationem et consortia non respuebant : quia super petram Christum fundati, ventum tentation- is non timebant. "
^3 As if it were intended to draw a distinc-
reigned only three years, on account of his evil thought), and Domnail, and the joint rule of the sons, Mailcobus and ^da Slaine, and they continued until the great mortality. These are their names : Bishop Petranus,
Bishop Ultan, Bishop Colman, Bishop Mur- geus, Bishop ^danus. Bishop Loman, Bishop Senach. These are Bishops, and many others. The following, indeed, were Presbyters : Fechin Presbyter, Airendanus, Failanus, Coman, Commianus, Colmanus, Ernanus, Cronan, and many other Presby- ters.
tion, between these contemporaries of St.
Patrick, and saints, who flourished in Ire-
land, at a later period, the ancient document
proceeds to give the following account,
which (with parenthetical explanations) we
thus present in a literal English translation :
"The second Order of Catholic Presbyters.
For in this Order, few were Bishops, and
many were Presbyters, in number three second like the Aloon, the third as the
hundred. They bad one head, our Lord, they celebrated different Masses and different
Rules, one Pasch (they observed) the four- teenth moon after the Equinox, one tonsure
from ear to ear, they rejected female service, separating them (women) from Monasteries. This Order lasted, also, during four reigns ; that is to say, from the
Stars. "
Archbishop Ussher had two copies of this
document, and from these, he gives different
readings, inserted as marginal notes. The
more recent copy was somewhat longer than
the more ancient one, and he distinguishes
it, by the Greek word, dvaKe<pa\aiu(ns,
''
a recapitulation. " Then follow these sentences, as the addition: " Nota quod primus ordo erat Sanctissimus, secun- two grandsons (Donihnall and Fearghus) of cius Sanctus sanctorum, tertius Sanctus. Muredaig, and of yEdus, son to Ainmerech. Primus sicut Sol in fervore claritatis calescit, They received (their) Mass (rites) from secundus sicut Luna pallescit, tertius sicut
last (years) of Tuathail, and through the whole reign of King Diarmata, and of the
Bishop David, and Gilla, and Docus, Aurora splendescit. Hos tres ordines B. Britons : their names are, the two Finians, Patricius superno oraculo edoctus intellexit ; the two Brendans, the Tuam Jairlaithea, cinn in visione ilia prophetica vidit totam Comgall, Coemgen, Ciaran, Columba, Hibernian! flamma ignis repletam, deinde Cainecus, Eogenius mac Laisreus, Lugeus, montes tantiim ardere, postea lucernas
Ludeus, Modiieus, Cormacus, Colmanus, Nesanus, Laisreanus, ]jarrindeus, Coeman, Ceran, Coman [Endeus, . 'Edeus Byrchinus], and many others.
ardere in vallibus conspexit. "
°-* Now commensurate with the
of
"5 At present, the mailcoach load, from Sligo to Derry, runs through it, for about There were holy Presbyters, and a few three miles in length. It is said, that Mon.
" The third Order of Saints was this.
:
Pe Thoyras Rapin
French
* these
—one of the
Bishops, in number one hundred
dwelt in desert places, and lived upon herbs,
water, and alms [of the faitiilul], they III. to Ireland
avoided property, and had different Rules toire d'Angleterre," resided in a small and Masses, and diverse tonsures, [for some castle, at the western end of this gap. It is had the coronal, (Roman), and others the now in ruins. See James Eraser's " Hand caesarien, (old Irish), and they held a Book for Travellers in Ireland," No. 104 differing Paschal solemnity. For some p. 574-
"The first Order was most holy, the second Order was holier, the third Order holy. The first glowed as the Sun, the
meaning
barony Tirhugh, in the county of Donegal.
Huguenots who—accompanied King William
while
composing
his "
His-
634 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
ofRaphoe. There,hefoundedachurch,knownasDonaghmore,^'nearthe town of Castlefinn,^^ where he left one of his disciples, Dudubae^s or Dub- dubanus,7° son to Corcan. It is now a rectory,7* and it is near the River Finn. 7* Eugenius remained at Fidh-more, now said to be Veagh,73 in the parish of Raymochy,74 anciently called Rath-Maiglie-h-Aenaigh. 7S There is an old graveyard, and a ruined church, in the townland and parish of Leck- Patrick,? ^inthecountyofTyrone. ItliesbetweenStrabane? ? andLondon- derry. Unless we suppose an involution78 in the order of narrative, it does notappeartobetheplacealreadyreferredto; yet,itisremarkable,thatthe
«'
denominations of Desert, and a place called Cloghcor,79
the upright stone,"
are near the townland of Leckpatrick. Not far from these localities is
Whitefort,^° a very remarkable and large rath, on a commanding site, and
from which the celebrated Grianan of Ailech may be seen. ^^ This circular caherwasregardedastheregalfortressoftheO'Neills,inUlster. Theword,
GrtanaJi, was generally used to signify a palace, or a distinguished residence, in a beautiful or sunny situation. ^^ The word, Aileach, is stated, to mean a
stone house ; and, the name, Tir-Aileach, was applied to the surrounding country. ^3 Tradition holds, that this remarkable stronghold was occupied
'*
It was so called, from Ith, uncle of
the County of Donegal," p. 118,
7" This parish, in the barony of Lower
"
Milesius, who, according to bardic tradition, was buried there.
Strabane, is shown, on the
the diocese of Derry. See Rev. William land proper is described, on Sheets 2, 5.
Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of rule of St. Columba, and it is annexed to Tyrone," Sheets 2, 5, 6, 10. The town-
^7 This church subsequently adopted the
*'
Reeves'
Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. Mcccxcvil. ," n. (v), p. 60. The Latin form is " Dominica magna. " It
77 The town of Strabane is in the three
distinct parishes of Camus, Leckpatrick and Urney, in the barony of Lower Strabane. It is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Tyrone,"
Acts of Archbishop Colton in his
need scarcely be observed, says Dr. Lani-
gan, that Domnach-mor or Donaghmore Sheet 5.
means"agreatchurch. " Thisetymology, however, may be questioned,
7^This,however,isfrequentlydetected,in St. Patrick's Tripartite Life, as, also, in his Life by Jocelyn.
'*
This town and townland are in the
parish of Donaghmore, and barony of 79 In the parish of Leckpatrick. See
" Raphoe. They are shown, on the Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheet 79. The ex-
tensive parish of Donaghmore itself, con- taining 46,738 acres, is described, on Sheets 69, 70, 77, 78, 79, 86, 87, 88, 95, ibid.
*^ Thus is he named, in the Irish Tripar- tite Life.
7° According to the Latin Tripartite. Col- gan identifies him, as the Dubanus, who is venerated, at the I Ith of November.
Tyrone Ordnance Maps, Sheet 2.
*°
Seeanaccountofit, andofotherinte- resting objects of antiquity, about its neigh- bourhood, in a paper, read April nth, 1870,
"
Observations on some Sepulchral Urns and Burial Monu- ments in the County of Tyrone, with re- marks on the true site of the Battle of Knockavoe. "—"Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. i. , series 11. , pp. 14 to
19. 8«
7' See Seward's "Topographical Dic- ""
tionary of Ireland, at the name.
"
7* See Colgan's 163, p. 181.
Trias Thaumaturga," n.
73 Such is the statement, found in a note Grianan of Aileach," by Dr. Walter
"
to Miss Cusack's
I know not on what authority. Veagh lies cians in Ireland, &c. , with Plates xvii. and between the church of Donaghmore of xviii. , indicating ground plans and lateral
by Dr. George Sigerson,
See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. i. , series ii. , for a paper, read on the 12th of August, 1878, "Ex- ploration and Restoration of the Ruin of the
Life of St. Patrick," but Bernard, Fellow of the College of Physi-
Magh-Ith, and the royal palace of Ailech.
sections, pp. 415 to 423.
*^ The illustration of its ex- accompanying
terior, as seen at present, was drawn on the spot, by Mr. Joseph P.
Addey, Master of
Drawing in the Londonderry School of Art. This drawing has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it was engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
*3 The most complete topographical and
T- This is in the of
parish barony Raphoe,
and it is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 46, 53, 54, 61, 62. The townland of Veagh is found on Sheet 54. Ibid.
'5 Here St. Brugach, a bishop| was vene- rated, on the 1st of November. See Dr. James M'Parian's "Statistical Survey for
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
635
from remote pagan times, as the chief residence of the northern kings. No
doubt, too, they had many outlying forts. Formerly a great wood extended
around Whitefort, and along the east banks of the Foyle. This may serve
to throw some light, on a royal residence of Eugene, and on his place, Fidh-
"
mor, or
the great wood," the exact locality for it not having been determined.
The Grianan of Aileach, as lately restored, County of Donegal
The holy missionary was approaching Eoghan,^-* who was ancestor of the Cinel Eoghain, and his territory was near. ^s The families, descended from him, were seated in the present counties of Tyrone and Londonderry, as also in the baronies of Raphoe and Inishowen, in the county of Donegal. ^^ Patrick had said to his " Take care that
you
"""
suade your father to believe. " What reward ? asked he. The sove-
reignty of thy tribe should for ever belong to thy heirs," said Sechnall. To this
people :
lion, Eoghan, the son of Niall. " Resolving to compliment the illustrious stranger on his way, and as a mark of high-bred courtesy, Eoghan sent a guard of honour to meet his' expected guest, and Muiredhach, his son, was appointed to its command. He was in front of the youths, when he met on the way, Sech- nall,orSecundinus,whowasintherere,andamongahostofclerics. Sechnall said to Muiredhach, " You should have a reward from me, if you could per-
historical account of this locality will be found, in the " Memoir of the City and North-Western Liberties of Londonderry," part ii. , sect. 2. pp. 217 to 234. Various engravings of the fort-site, and of parts of the Grianan, accompany this notice.
** According to Roderick O'Flaherty's "Ogygia," at least he had five sons, viz. : (l) Muireadhach, father of Muircheartach Mac Erca, King of Ireland, the ancestor of the O'Neils, and whose posterity gave six- teen monarchs to Ireland ; {2) Fergus,
ancestor to the O'Conors of Moyith ; (3) Oilill, from whom the Muintir Kelly ; (4) Fedhlim, ancestor to the O'Duibhdhiorma of the Bredach, in Inishowen ; and, (5) Eochy Binne, from whom the Cinel Binney, near the Foyle, are descended. See pars, iii. , cap. Ix. Kxv. , p. 402.
^= From him, it took the name of Tir- Eoghain, or Tir-Owen.
^ See John O' Donovan's " Leabhar na
g-Ceart, oi" Book of Rights," n. (s), p. 34. ^7 This dramatic form of narrative is
meet not with the
636 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
arrangement, Muiredhach assented. When the holy Apostle had preached, in the presence of the king, Eoghan embraced the Faith of Christ. St. Patrick had his first interview with him, at Fidh-mor, where a leac or flag
was set
up.
" If
would receive the doctrines of Christ in salutary
" the
ever," answeredthe
"
fromhim," the Dignity replied
^'^
request,
that his stature should grow to equal
presents
Colgan says,
you Patrick,
your
king. ""
of the Gaedhil should come to ^7 you. "
said
Personal comeliness and a fine presentable figure were deemed to be great recommendations, at that time, in Ireland ; while the kings and chiefs felt greatly desirous, to boast of such distinctions. " I am not good-looking," said " brother me on account of " What
country,"
hostages
myugliness. "
" The form of that young man, who He alluded to St. Rioc^^ of Inis-bo- finde, then said to have been so engaged. Immediately, Patrick covered them over with the same garment, the hands of each being clasped round the
other. They slept thus, and afterwards awoke, having a like form, and with "
Eoghan, my precedes form do you desire ? " asked Patrick.
is bearing your satchel," said Eugene.
the sole difference of the tonsure. I do not like my height," said Eoghan.
""
What size do you desire to be ? then enquired Patrick.
was of small stature, reached up his hand with his sword. ^9
'•'
Eoghan, who I should like
this height," said he. Then we are told, he immediately grew to the height
desired, and that he so continued, for the rest of his life. Patrick afterwards
blessed Eoghan, with his sons. " Which of your sons is dearest to you ? " ""
asked Patrick. Muiredhach," said the dynast. Sovereignty from him,9°
for
said the saint.
"
Fergus," man. "And
holy
" And next to him ? " asked Patrick.
after him ? then enquired Patrick. Eocha Bindech," replied Eoghan.
"Warriors from him," said Patrick. "And after him? " then asked our
""
saint. They are all alike to me," answered Eoghan. Therefore, they
shall have united love," said Patrick.
Patrick next went to Ailech of the Kings,9^ and which is now known as
Greenan-Ely, on a most elevated, commanding position, at the head of Loughs Foyle and Swilly. s^ Three concentric ramparts,93 of an irregular circular outline, but now greatly dilapidated, ascend above each other in successive terraces, to the crowning cashel, or keep of the old fortress. s* From
adopted, from the Irish Tripartite. In addition to the foregoing sentence, the Latin
Tripartite has, "sed quia extra patriam, earn amplexus, non ahos obtinebis obsides, quam quas manu forti et gladio evendica- bis. "
that St. Rioc was the nephew of St. Patrick, and a son of his
sister Darerca.
^5 Such is the account, in the Irish Tri-
partite Life. In the Latin version, it is stated, he held up a spear, and obtained the
Inishowen, See it shown, on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Donegal," Sheet 47. On Sheet 55, to the south, we might probably trace tiie low lands, where a channel once con-
jiected Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly.
93 Within the outermost enclosure, on the
circularapexofthehill, 5Jacresarecon- I
;
»* The Ordnance Survey Memoir
its length.
9° This means, that the right of sove-
reignty was to be attached to his race.
views of its ground plan, and the galleries
within its ruined walls, as found in 1837,
with some sectional views, and admeasure-
9" Irish Ordnance " Me- ments. These measurements have been
See the Survey
moir of the City and North- Western Liber-
ties of Londonderry—," part ii. Ancient,
already made. A square-headed work appeared in 1 837, in royal 4to, with doorway enters the Cashel, as now restored,
This
fme local ground plans and engravings.
9' The Greenan stands on an elevation of S02 feet, and its whole ambit lay, within the
townlands of Carrowreagh, Speenoge and Toulett, in the parish of Burt, and barony of
has been
sect. 2. Antiquities Pagan, p. 217.
within the second, 4 acres ;
tained
the third, about I acre is found ; while, within the Cashel, there is about ^ acre of surface.
more accurately set forth, and in detail, by Dr. Bernard, in the paper, to which allusion
and three distinct platforms, ascended by means of side stone steps, are within the circle, which reaches interiorly, 77 feet 6
inches, in diameter, from wall to wall, as measured by Mr. Joseph P. Addey, who
within
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
637
the height it occupies, one of the most magnificent and extensive views in Ireland may be obtained. For many ages past, this fortress had been deserted,95andaheapofscatteredstonesonlymarkedthesite; but,oflate years, these have been collected, and have been placed,^^ so as to re-build
Interior view of Aileach Fort.
the great cahcr, on the lines of its original foundation, and according to a
style and an arrangement, supposed to be very closely resembling the early structure. Here, too, is pointed out a stone, called by the name of St. Columkille. i^7 It is thought to have been the former coronation stone of Aileach, and to have been that which St. Patrick blessed, when he accom- panied Prince Eoghan to his palace, over Lough Foyle. ? ^
At the period of our Apostle's visit, referred to about a. d. 442, it has
been stated, that E^oghan—Anglicised Owen—had lived about forty-seven years, in the old Castle of Aileach. 59 Then, St. Patrick blessed the fort, and
left his flag'°° there ; and, he prophesied, that kingship and pre-eminence
kindly furnished a liorizontal plan, and lateral sections. The illustration in the text
has been drawn, on the spot, also, by the same gentleman ; it has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it was engraved by Mrs. Millard. At the highest part, the wall at present is about 17 feet 3 inches, in height, on an average while to suit the irregularities of ground, and to bring the top nearly on a level all around, the southern portion was raised a few feet higher than the northern. The widtk of this circular wall, at the base, averages above 13 feet. Several old roads, leading from the Greenan, can be traced aroundit, onthehill-sides.
Munster, at the head of a large southern army, demolished the Grianan of Aileach, in revenge for the demolition of Kincora, by Donnell Mac Loughlin, in A. D. 1088. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 934, 935, and 967 to 969.
5° This restoration has been effected, since 1S74, with great labour and expense, by Dr. Walter Bernard, of Londonderry.
'>^ Seeanaccountandengravingofit, in J. B. Doyle's "Tours in Ulster," chap, xv. , pp. 302, 303.
s^ This it thought to have been the Icac^ alluded to in the Irish Tripartite Life, as havingbeenleftatAileach.
95 In A. D. iioi, King Murtach O'Brien of
9' See Maghtochair's "Inishowen: its
;
638 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i^ should be over Erinn from Aileach. " When you lift your foot out of your
"
the men of Erinn shall tremble before you. " He blessed the Island'"' of Enis-Eoghain —now formed into a peninsula—and the limits of which at present are
known, as the baronies of Inishowen, East'°* and West,'°3 in the County of Donegal. After this visit, our holy Apostle gave a blessing of valour to
Eoghan. '°< Among our Manuscript memorials,'°5 there is, likewise, an enumeration of the gifts bestowed by St. Patrick, on each of the sons of that
potentate. He imparted those blessings, from Belach-ratha, or " the road- rath," now known simply as Ballagh,'°^ in the barony of Inishowen East, and parish of Clonca, near Malin Head,'°7 the most northern part of Inishowen. Here are Malin holy well, and the ruins of a church, near the sea-shore, said to have been the erection of St. Patrick himself Eochaidh, the son of Fia- chra, son to Eoghan, was baptized with Eoghan. Patrick's covenant was madebetweenthem; and,itwasdecreed,thatwhosoeverdaredtotransgress it, should not have children born to him, and his body should not decom-
pose, in the clay.
Leaving Elagh,'°^ the holy man, it is stated,^°9 crossed the Foyle, at Cul-
more,"° to enter on a new field of labour. Immediately, St. Patrick went into Daigurt, or Dagart, in Magh Dula,""^ probably within the bounds of the present county of Derry. "^ He built there seven Domhnachs, or great
bed to the flag, and your successors after you," said Patrick,
History, Traditions and Antiquities," chap, iv. , p. 23.
'°°
This was probably a coronation stone, having this tradition attaching to it.
'"' Such most likely it was, in the days of St. Patrick, when the parted waters of the River Foyle entered the ocean on one side, by Lough Foyle, and on the other, by Lough Swilly.
On all who may be born from him, Provided they are obedient. "
'"5 In the Bookof Lecan, fol. 67, b. , col. I.
"^ It is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheet 4.
'°' The town of Malin will be found, on the same Sheet, but this extreme point lies much
the
"^ This distinctive
more Pococke's " northerly. Bishop
has noted a monastery, at Mawlin.
'°*
on Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets i, 2, 3,4,
5, 9, 10, II, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30, 31. This district forms the extreme northern part of Ireland.
"
is
barony described,
Journal"
'°3 This distinctive portion of the old Sheets 38, 47 ; while Elaghmore is in the
territory is to be found, on Sheets 9, 10, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29, 30, 37, 38, 39, 46, 47.
'°* We have it thus translated, from the
parish of Templemore, in the North-west Liberties of Londonderry, and it is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Londonderry," Sheet 13. '°5 See Maghtochair's "Inishowen: its
History, Traditions and Antiquities," chap, iv. , p. 23.
"° This townland is in the parish of I Templemore, North-western Liberties of
Londonderry. It is shown, on "Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the County of
original Irish, in Miss Cusack's Patrick :"—
''
Life of St.
" My blessing on the tuatha (territories) I give from Belach-ratha, OnyouthedescendantsofEoghan,
Until the Day of Judgment.
" Whilst plains are under crops,
The palm of battle shall be on their men,
The armies of Fail (Ireland) shall not be served, in tliat of Moyola, a river that
over your plains ;
Vou shall attack every tetach (tribe).
" The race of Eoghan, son of Niall,
Bless O fair Brigid !
Provided they do good,
Government shall be from them for ever.
"Theblessingofusboth Upon Eoghan Mac Ncill,
passes by Castledawson, and which flows into Lough Neagh, at its north-west point.
"
See Acts of Archbishop Colton in his
Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of
Derry," a. d. Mcccxcvil. ," edited by Rev. William Reeves. D. D. Additional Notes,
F. , n. (f), p. 120.
*" Colgan errs, when placing this territory
inKiennacht. SeeIndexTopographiaa,to
"
The townland of Elaghbeg, in the parish of Burt, and barony of Inishowen West, is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal,"
Londonderry," Sheets 13, 14.
"' Tliis name is said to be partly pre-
Trias Thaumaturga," p.
There is a very curious Breton legend extant,54 and, it states, that our Divine Saviour gave the following promise to the glorious St. Patrick, at his
"
grotto on the Lough Dearg island :
Whosoever shall enter this cave,
having confessed and repented of his sins, and well established in faith, he shall
purge away all offences, in one day and one night ; while he shall see, likewise,
the torments of the wicked, and the joys of the blessed. " It is said, that
each year, at the beginning of Lent, St. Patrick was accustomed to take a
boat, which he steered, and he was absent for forty days. During this time,
he had been engaged, making his Purgatory, as the legend goes j and, he always chose a distant and desert island, for the place of his retreat. 55
teresting little book, intituled the " Mirror
of Penance," which was published in London.
50 Three festivals were held yearly in his
honour, on the 1st January, 24th July, and 1 6th December.
s' See Archdall's " Monasticon Hiberni-
cum," p. 102.
^' Sir William Stewart obliged James
Magrath, the owner of this island, to enter
into a recognizance, "not to allow Jesuits, friars, nuns, or any other superstitious order of Popery to enter thereon. "
S3 See a communication to the London-
derry Journal oi June 12th, 1878, and headed, " Historical Notes on the Parishes
of Ardstraw, Umey, and Termonaghan, Diocese of Deny," by Hy-Fiachre. Part xvii. Loughderg.
S'* This is taken from a Manuscript, in the National Library, Paris, fr. 1544, fol. 105, Cf. , according to F. Denis, " Le Monde en- chante," et Marie de France, tome ii. , p. 423.
53 The celebrated Spanish poet, Don
Pedro Calderon de la Barca, among his
numerous dramas, has made this the subject
"
Purgatorio de san Patricio. " The Dramatis fersona are St. Patrick, Angels, a king of Ireland, his daughter, and various other minor characters. This romantic Drama has been rendered into elegant Eng- lish verse, by Denis Florence M'Carthy, and
of one,
632 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [March 17.
Certain fishermen saw him disembark one day on an islet, which no person durst approach, and there he went to the bottom of a cave, where the Magi celebrated mysterious rites. There were two subterranean routes in it ; one of these led to the abyss of eternal pains, and the other to the land of joy and of youth. Whoever went in there could only issue from it, by the aid of magic words. As St. Patrick did not appear again to their gaze, the fishers supposed he had passed away for ever, and they said, that those evil spirits, he chased away from every other part of Ireland, had taken refuge in this subterranean cavern, and that they kept him there a prisoner, within the
four walls of a dungeon, dark, cold, moist, miry and filled with venemous
reptiles, under a chilling and penetrating rain, which drop by drop fell on his shoulders, and penetrated even to the marrow of his bones. On the eve of
Easter, he reappeared to his monks, thin, pale and attenuated, like to a phantom. The year following, St. Patrick was observed anew to enter the same cave. His monks believed he remained there, so near the abyss of sorrows and the land of joy, that he witnessed whatever passed in both. Thus, by a strange concourse of events, the magic cavern was changed into the penitents' cell, and the old barbaric rites and pagan superstitions yielded to the great Christian truths, and to the sublime meditations of St. Patrick on Hell and Paradise. ^^
5**
Sanctorum Hi- hernias, secundum diversa tempora. " This covers a series of years, from a. d. 433 to
In the year 439, it is stated, that St. Patrick received three assistant bishops,
— ——
St. Secundinus sometimes called Sechnall^^ St. Isserninus sometimes
called Serenuss^ and St. Auxilius,59 or Ussaille, to aid him in his missionary
labours. ^" Bywhomthoseprelatesweresent,however,doesnotappear. By some writers, Auxilius and Secundin are called nephews of St. Patrick, by his sister Darerca, but this is an unreliable account. Our first bishops in Ireland, after St. Patrick, arc said, indeed, to have been Secundinus, Auxilius, and Isser- ninus. These were undoubtedly foreigners, and, it would seem, they came from Gaul. Although little is authentically known regarding him, yet Isserninus is always spoken of as coming from abroad. After his consecration, that bishop lived constantly in Ireland, until his death, which happened, about the year 469. With their assistance, St. Patrick probably consecrated other bishops, during the course of his mission. According to a very ancient document,^^ three hundred and fifty prelates, all illustrious and filled with the graces of the Holy Spirit, as also the founders of churches, lived about this period. ^^ The first order called the most holy, flourished during four distinct reigns of Irish kings, viz. : in the time of Laogarius, of Aila Muilt, of Lugada, son to Laogarius, and of Tuathail. These all followed the early discipline and rites, which seem to
with an interesting introduction, it has been pubHshed in successive Nos. of Duffy's
de Bretagne," p. 76. His festival occurs, at the 6th of March, as likewise, on the 7th of May, and on the 19th of September,
*'
Irish Catholic Magazine," vol. i. , pp. 25
to 27, 45 to 50, 73 to 75, loi to 107, 164 to
170.
s* See Le Vicomte Hersart de la Ville-
59 His feast occurs, at the 27th of August.
" La et la Poesie Legende Celtique
marque's
des Cloitres en Irlande, en Cambrie et en
Bretagne," Premiere Partie, sect, xvii. , pp. 106 to 108.
57 His festival is held, on the 27th of No- vember.
''The text of this, in Latin, has been 1
1
some between that Perceiving affinity
"
headed, Incipit Catalogus
name and Sezinus, Colgan gave himself the
useless trouble of striving to identify two
quite different persons. Lobineau, in his 664. See Britanicarum Lcelesiarum An- work, mentions St. Sezni, while adding,
is known about him, except his name. See " Histoire des Saints
'* The document—
that
scarcely anything
from what source drawn we are not told—says regarding
^ See Ussher's "Index
A. D. ccccxxxix. The Annals of Innis- fallen have: "Secundinus et Auxiliarius (Auxilius) et Esserninus mittunlur in auxi- lium Patricii ; nee tamen tenuerunt aposto- latum, nisi Patricius solus. "
'published, by Archbishop Ussher, and it is
"
tiquitates," cap. xvii. , pp. 473, 474.
Chronologicus,"
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 633
havebeenintroduced,byourgloriousApostle. Inthatorderofholybishops, who were in St. Patrick's time, these first mentioned are Romans, and Franks, thatis,nativesofGaul; whiletheBritonsandScotsarerankedafterthem. ^3
The benign missionary greatly desired the conversion of Eugenius, another son to Niall of the Nine Hostages, and he resolved on visiting the fortress of that dynast, to announce the Faith of Christ. Accordingly, the holy man took his course, through that deep, wild and romantic pass, known as Bearnas-mor of Tir-Aodha,^-* and which still bears the name of Barnes- more,^5 in the northern part of Tirhugh barony. Thence, he emerged into Magh-Itha,^^ or Hithe, which was an extensive plain, in the present barony
them " Unum caput Christum, et unum celebrated the Resurrection, on the four- ;
ducem Patricium habebant : unam Missam, teenth moon, or on the sixteenth, with unam celebrationem, unam tonsuram (ab rigorous intentions. Those lived through aure usque ad auiem) sufferebant. Unum four reigns ; that is, ^da Allain (who
Pascha, XIV. Luna post sequinoctium vemale, celebrabant : et quod excommu- nicatum asset ab una Ecclesia omnes ex- communicabant. Mulierum administrationem et consortia non respuebant : quia super petram Christum fundati, ventum tentation- is non timebant. "
^3 As if it were intended to draw a distinc-
reigned only three years, on account of his evil thought), and Domnail, and the joint rule of the sons, Mailcobus and ^da Slaine, and they continued until the great mortality. These are their names : Bishop Petranus,
Bishop Ultan, Bishop Colman, Bishop Mur- geus, Bishop ^danus. Bishop Loman, Bishop Senach. These are Bishops, and many others. The following, indeed, were Presbyters : Fechin Presbyter, Airendanus, Failanus, Coman, Commianus, Colmanus, Ernanus, Cronan, and many other Presby- ters.
tion, between these contemporaries of St.
Patrick, and saints, who flourished in Ire-
land, at a later period, the ancient document
proceeds to give the following account,
which (with parenthetical explanations) we
thus present in a literal English translation :
"The second Order of Catholic Presbyters.
For in this Order, few were Bishops, and
many were Presbyters, in number three second like the Aloon, the third as the
hundred. They bad one head, our Lord, they celebrated different Masses and different
Rules, one Pasch (they observed) the four- teenth moon after the Equinox, one tonsure
from ear to ear, they rejected female service, separating them (women) from Monasteries. This Order lasted, also, during four reigns ; that is to say, from the
Stars. "
Archbishop Ussher had two copies of this
document, and from these, he gives different
readings, inserted as marginal notes. The
more recent copy was somewhat longer than
the more ancient one, and he distinguishes
it, by the Greek word, dvaKe<pa\aiu(ns,
''
a recapitulation. " Then follow these sentences, as the addition: " Nota quod primus ordo erat Sanctissimus, secun- two grandsons (Donihnall and Fearghus) of cius Sanctus sanctorum, tertius Sanctus. Muredaig, and of yEdus, son to Ainmerech. Primus sicut Sol in fervore claritatis calescit, They received (their) Mass (rites) from secundus sicut Luna pallescit, tertius sicut
last (years) of Tuathail, and through the whole reign of King Diarmata, and of the
Bishop David, and Gilla, and Docus, Aurora splendescit. Hos tres ordines B. Britons : their names are, the two Finians, Patricius superno oraculo edoctus intellexit ; the two Brendans, the Tuam Jairlaithea, cinn in visione ilia prophetica vidit totam Comgall, Coemgen, Ciaran, Columba, Hibernian! flamma ignis repletam, deinde Cainecus, Eogenius mac Laisreus, Lugeus, montes tantiim ardere, postea lucernas
Ludeus, Modiieus, Cormacus, Colmanus, Nesanus, Laisreanus, ]jarrindeus, Coeman, Ceran, Coman [Endeus, . 'Edeus Byrchinus], and many others.
ardere in vallibus conspexit. "
°-* Now commensurate with the
of
"5 At present, the mailcoach load, from Sligo to Derry, runs through it, for about There were holy Presbyters, and a few three miles in length. It is said, that Mon.
" The third Order of Saints was this.
:
Pe Thoyras Rapin
French
* these
—one of the
Bishops, in number one hundred
dwelt in desert places, and lived upon herbs,
water, and alms [of the faitiilul], they III. to Ireland
avoided property, and had different Rules toire d'Angleterre," resided in a small and Masses, and diverse tonsures, [for some castle, at the western end of this gap. It is had the coronal, (Roman), and others the now in ruins. See James Eraser's " Hand caesarien, (old Irish), and they held a Book for Travellers in Ireland," No. 104 differing Paschal solemnity. For some p. 574-
"The first Order was most holy, the second Order was holier, the third Order holy. The first glowed as the Sun, the
meaning
barony Tirhugh, in the county of Donegal.
Huguenots who—accompanied King William
while
composing
his "
His-
634 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
ofRaphoe. There,hefoundedachurch,knownasDonaghmore,^'nearthe town of Castlefinn,^^ where he left one of his disciples, Dudubae^s or Dub- dubanus,7° son to Corcan. It is now a rectory,7* and it is near the River Finn. 7* Eugenius remained at Fidh-more, now said to be Veagh,73 in the parish of Raymochy,74 anciently called Rath-Maiglie-h-Aenaigh. 7S There is an old graveyard, and a ruined church, in the townland and parish of Leck- Patrick,? ^inthecountyofTyrone. ItliesbetweenStrabane? ? andLondon- derry. Unless we suppose an involution78 in the order of narrative, it does notappeartobetheplacealreadyreferredto; yet,itisremarkable,thatthe
«'
denominations of Desert, and a place called Cloghcor,79
the upright stone,"
are near the townland of Leckpatrick. Not far from these localities is
Whitefort,^° a very remarkable and large rath, on a commanding site, and
from which the celebrated Grianan of Ailech may be seen. ^^ This circular caherwasregardedastheregalfortressoftheO'Neills,inUlster. Theword,
GrtanaJi, was generally used to signify a palace, or a distinguished residence, in a beautiful or sunny situation. ^^ The word, Aileach, is stated, to mean a
stone house ; and, the name, Tir-Aileach, was applied to the surrounding country. ^3 Tradition holds, that this remarkable stronghold was occupied
'*
It was so called, from Ith, uncle of
the County of Donegal," p. 118,
7" This parish, in the barony of Lower
"
Milesius, who, according to bardic tradition, was buried there.
Strabane, is shown, on the
the diocese of Derry. See Rev. William land proper is described, on Sheets 2, 5.
Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of rule of St. Columba, and it is annexed to Tyrone," Sheets 2, 5, 6, 10. The town-
^7 This church subsequently adopted the
*'
Reeves'
Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. Mcccxcvil. ," n. (v), p. 60. The Latin form is " Dominica magna. " It
77 The town of Strabane is in the three
distinct parishes of Camus, Leckpatrick and Urney, in the barony of Lower Strabane. It is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Tyrone,"
Acts of Archbishop Colton in his
need scarcely be observed, says Dr. Lani-
gan, that Domnach-mor or Donaghmore Sheet 5.
means"agreatchurch. " Thisetymology, however, may be questioned,
7^This,however,isfrequentlydetected,in St. Patrick's Tripartite Life, as, also, in his Life by Jocelyn.
'*
This town and townland are in the
parish of Donaghmore, and barony of 79 In the parish of Leckpatrick. See
" Raphoe. They are shown, on the Ord-
nance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheet 79. The ex-
tensive parish of Donaghmore itself, con- taining 46,738 acres, is described, on Sheets 69, 70, 77, 78, 79, 86, 87, 88, 95, ibid.
*^ Thus is he named, in the Irish Tripar- tite Life.
7° According to the Latin Tripartite. Col- gan identifies him, as the Dubanus, who is venerated, at the I Ith of November.
Tyrone Ordnance Maps, Sheet 2.
*°
Seeanaccountofit, andofotherinte- resting objects of antiquity, about its neigh- bourhood, in a paper, read April nth, 1870,
"
Observations on some Sepulchral Urns and Burial Monu- ments in the County of Tyrone, with re- marks on the true site of the Battle of Knockavoe. "—"Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. i. , series 11. , pp. 14 to
19. 8«
7' See Seward's "Topographical Dic- ""
tionary of Ireland, at the name.
"
7* See Colgan's 163, p. 181.
Trias Thaumaturga," n.
73 Such is the statement, found in a note Grianan of Aileach," by Dr. Walter
"
to Miss Cusack's
I know not on what authority. Veagh lies cians in Ireland, &c. , with Plates xvii. and between the church of Donaghmore of xviii. , indicating ground plans and lateral
by Dr. George Sigerson,
See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. i. , series ii. , for a paper, read on the 12th of August, 1878, "Ex- ploration and Restoration of the Ruin of the
Life of St. Patrick," but Bernard, Fellow of the College of Physi-
Magh-Ith, and the royal palace of Ailech.
sections, pp. 415 to 423.
*^ The illustration of its ex- accompanying
terior, as seen at present, was drawn on the spot, by Mr. Joseph P.
Addey, Master of
Drawing in the Londonderry School of Art. This drawing has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it was engraved, by Mrs. Millard.
*3 The most complete topographical and
T- This is in the of
parish barony Raphoe,
and it is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets 46, 53, 54, 61, 62. The townland of Veagh is found on Sheet 54. Ibid.
'5 Here St. Brugach, a bishop| was vene- rated, on the 1st of November. See Dr. James M'Parian's "Statistical Survey for
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
635
from remote pagan times, as the chief residence of the northern kings. No
doubt, too, they had many outlying forts. Formerly a great wood extended
around Whitefort, and along the east banks of the Foyle. This may serve
to throw some light, on a royal residence of Eugene, and on his place, Fidh-
"
mor, or
the great wood," the exact locality for it not having been determined.
The Grianan of Aileach, as lately restored, County of Donegal
The holy missionary was approaching Eoghan,^-* who was ancestor of the Cinel Eoghain, and his territory was near. ^s The families, descended from him, were seated in the present counties of Tyrone and Londonderry, as also in the baronies of Raphoe and Inishowen, in the county of Donegal. ^^ Patrick had said to his " Take care that
you
"""
suade your father to believe. " What reward ? asked he. The sove-
reignty of thy tribe should for ever belong to thy heirs," said Sechnall. To this
people :
lion, Eoghan, the son of Niall. " Resolving to compliment the illustrious stranger on his way, and as a mark of high-bred courtesy, Eoghan sent a guard of honour to meet his' expected guest, and Muiredhach, his son, was appointed to its command. He was in front of the youths, when he met on the way, Sech- nall,orSecundinus,whowasintherere,andamongahostofclerics. Sechnall said to Muiredhach, " You should have a reward from me, if you could per-
historical account of this locality will be found, in the " Memoir of the City and North-Western Liberties of Londonderry," part ii. , sect. 2. pp. 217 to 234. Various engravings of the fort-site, and of parts of the Grianan, accompany this notice.
** According to Roderick O'Flaherty's "Ogygia," at least he had five sons, viz. : (l) Muireadhach, father of Muircheartach Mac Erca, King of Ireland, the ancestor of the O'Neils, and whose posterity gave six- teen monarchs to Ireland ; {2) Fergus,
ancestor to the O'Conors of Moyith ; (3) Oilill, from whom the Muintir Kelly ; (4) Fedhlim, ancestor to the O'Duibhdhiorma of the Bredach, in Inishowen ; and, (5) Eochy Binne, from whom the Cinel Binney, near the Foyle, are descended. See pars, iii. , cap. Ix. Kxv. , p. 402.
^= From him, it took the name of Tir- Eoghain, or Tir-Owen.
^ See John O' Donovan's " Leabhar na
g-Ceart, oi" Book of Rights," n. (s), p. 34. ^7 This dramatic form of narrative is
meet not with the
636 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
arrangement, Muiredhach assented. When the holy Apostle had preached, in the presence of the king, Eoghan embraced the Faith of Christ. St. Patrick had his first interview with him, at Fidh-mor, where a leac or flag
was set
up.
" If
would receive the doctrines of Christ in salutary
" the
ever," answeredthe
"
fromhim," the Dignity replied
^'^
request,
that his stature should grow to equal
presents
Colgan says,
you Patrick,
your
king. ""
of the Gaedhil should come to ^7 you. "
said
Personal comeliness and a fine presentable figure were deemed to be great recommendations, at that time, in Ireland ; while the kings and chiefs felt greatly desirous, to boast of such distinctions. " I am not good-looking," said " brother me on account of " What
country,"
hostages
myugliness. "
" The form of that young man, who He alluded to St. Rioc^^ of Inis-bo- finde, then said to have been so engaged. Immediately, Patrick covered them over with the same garment, the hands of each being clasped round the
other. They slept thus, and afterwards awoke, having a like form, and with "
Eoghan, my precedes form do you desire ? " asked Patrick.
is bearing your satchel," said Eugene.
the sole difference of the tonsure. I do not like my height," said Eoghan.
""
What size do you desire to be ? then enquired Patrick.
was of small stature, reached up his hand with his sword. ^9
'•'
Eoghan, who I should like
this height," said he. Then we are told, he immediately grew to the height
desired, and that he so continued, for the rest of his life. Patrick afterwards
blessed Eoghan, with his sons. " Which of your sons is dearest to you ? " ""
asked Patrick. Muiredhach," said the dynast. Sovereignty from him,9°
for
said the saint.
"
Fergus," man. "And
holy
" And next to him ? " asked Patrick.
after him ? then enquired Patrick. Eocha Bindech," replied Eoghan.
"Warriors from him," said Patrick. "And after him? " then asked our
""
saint. They are all alike to me," answered Eoghan. Therefore, they
shall have united love," said Patrick.
Patrick next went to Ailech of the Kings,9^ and which is now known as
Greenan-Ely, on a most elevated, commanding position, at the head of Loughs Foyle and Swilly. s^ Three concentric ramparts,93 of an irregular circular outline, but now greatly dilapidated, ascend above each other in successive terraces, to the crowning cashel, or keep of the old fortress. s* From
adopted, from the Irish Tripartite. In addition to the foregoing sentence, the Latin
Tripartite has, "sed quia extra patriam, earn amplexus, non ahos obtinebis obsides, quam quas manu forti et gladio evendica- bis. "
that St. Rioc was the nephew of St. Patrick, and a son of his
sister Darerca.
^5 Such is the account, in the Irish Tri-
partite Life. In the Latin version, it is stated, he held up a spear, and obtained the
Inishowen, See it shown, on the " Ord- nance Survey Townland Maps for the
County of Donegal," Sheet 47. On Sheet 55, to the south, we might probably trace tiie low lands, where a channel once con-
jiected Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly.
93 Within the outermost enclosure, on the
circularapexofthehill, 5Jacresarecon- I
;
»* The Ordnance Survey Memoir
its length.
9° This means, that the right of sove-
reignty was to be attached to his race.
views of its ground plan, and the galleries
within its ruined walls, as found in 1837,
with some sectional views, and admeasure-
9" Irish Ordnance " Me- ments. These measurements have been
See the Survey
moir of the City and North- Western Liber-
ties of Londonderry—," part ii. Ancient,
already made. A square-headed work appeared in 1 837, in royal 4to, with doorway enters the Cashel, as now restored,
This
fme local ground plans and engravings.
9' The Greenan stands on an elevation of S02 feet, and its whole ambit lay, within the
townlands of Carrowreagh, Speenoge and Toulett, in the parish of Burt, and barony of
has been
sect. 2. Antiquities Pagan, p. 217.
within the second, 4 acres ;
tained
the third, about I acre is found ; while, within the Cashel, there is about ^ acre of surface.
more accurately set forth, and in detail, by Dr. Bernard, in the paper, to which allusion
and three distinct platforms, ascended by means of side stone steps, are within the circle, which reaches interiorly, 77 feet 6
inches, in diameter, from wall to wall, as measured by Mr. Joseph P. Addey, who
within
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
637
the height it occupies, one of the most magnificent and extensive views in Ireland may be obtained. For many ages past, this fortress had been deserted,95andaheapofscatteredstonesonlymarkedthesite; but,oflate years, these have been collected, and have been placed,^^ so as to re-build
Interior view of Aileach Fort.
the great cahcr, on the lines of its original foundation, and according to a
style and an arrangement, supposed to be very closely resembling the early structure. Here, too, is pointed out a stone, called by the name of St. Columkille. i^7 It is thought to have been the former coronation stone of Aileach, and to have been that which St. Patrick blessed, when he accom- panied Prince Eoghan to his palace, over Lough Foyle. ? ^
At the period of our Apostle's visit, referred to about a. d. 442, it has
been stated, that E^oghan—Anglicised Owen—had lived about forty-seven years, in the old Castle of Aileach. 59 Then, St. Patrick blessed the fort, and
left his flag'°° there ; and, he prophesied, that kingship and pre-eminence
kindly furnished a liorizontal plan, and lateral sections. The illustration in the text
has been drawn, on the spot, also, by the same gentleman ; it has been transferred to the wood, by William F. Wakeman, and it was engraved by Mrs. Millard. At the highest part, the wall at present is about 17 feet 3 inches, in height, on an average while to suit the irregularities of ground, and to bring the top nearly on a level all around, the southern portion was raised a few feet higher than the northern. The widtk of this circular wall, at the base, averages above 13 feet. Several old roads, leading from the Greenan, can be traced aroundit, onthehill-sides.
Munster, at the head of a large southern army, demolished the Grianan of Aileach, in revenge for the demolition of Kincora, by Donnell Mac Loughlin, in A. D. 1088. See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 934, 935, and 967 to 969.
5° This restoration has been effected, since 1S74, with great labour and expense, by Dr. Walter Bernard, of Londonderry.
'>^ Seeanaccountandengravingofit, in J. B. Doyle's "Tours in Ulster," chap, xv. , pp. 302, 303.
s^ This it thought to have been the Icac^ alluded to in the Irish Tripartite Life, as havingbeenleftatAileach.
95 In A. D. iioi, King Murtach O'Brien of
9' See Maghtochair's "Inishowen: its
;
638 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i^ should be over Erinn from Aileach. " When you lift your foot out of your
"
the men of Erinn shall tremble before you. " He blessed the Island'"' of Enis-Eoghain —now formed into a peninsula—and the limits of which at present are
known, as the baronies of Inishowen, East'°* and West,'°3 in the County of Donegal. After this visit, our holy Apostle gave a blessing of valour to
Eoghan. '°< Among our Manuscript memorials,'°5 there is, likewise, an enumeration of the gifts bestowed by St. Patrick, on each of the sons of that
potentate. He imparted those blessings, from Belach-ratha, or " the road- rath," now known simply as Ballagh,'°^ in the barony of Inishowen East, and parish of Clonca, near Malin Head,'°7 the most northern part of Inishowen. Here are Malin holy well, and the ruins of a church, near the sea-shore, said to have been the erection of St. Patrick himself Eochaidh, the son of Fia- chra, son to Eoghan, was baptized with Eoghan. Patrick's covenant was madebetweenthem; and,itwasdecreed,thatwhosoeverdaredtotransgress it, should not have children born to him, and his body should not decom-
pose, in the clay.
Leaving Elagh,'°^ the holy man, it is stated,^°9 crossed the Foyle, at Cul-
more,"° to enter on a new field of labour. Immediately, St. Patrick went into Daigurt, or Dagart, in Magh Dula,""^ probably within the bounds of the present county of Derry. "^ He built there seven Domhnachs, or great
bed to the flag, and your successors after you," said Patrick,
History, Traditions and Antiquities," chap, iv. , p. 23.
'°°
This was probably a coronation stone, having this tradition attaching to it.
'"' Such most likely it was, in the days of St. Patrick, when the parted waters of the River Foyle entered the ocean on one side, by Lough Foyle, and on the other, by Lough Swilly.
On all who may be born from him, Provided they are obedient. "
'"5 In the Bookof Lecan, fol. 67, b. , col. I.
"^ It is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey
Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheet 4.
'°' The town of Malin will be found, on the same Sheet, but this extreme point lies much
the
"^ This distinctive
more Pococke's " northerly. Bishop
has noted a monastery, at Mawlin.
'°*
on Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal," Sheets i, 2, 3,4,
5, 9, 10, II, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30, 31. This district forms the extreme northern part of Ireland.
"
is
barony described,
Journal"
'°3 This distinctive portion of the old Sheets 38, 47 ; while Elaghmore is in the
territory is to be found, on Sheets 9, 10, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29, 30, 37, 38, 39, 46, 47.
'°* We have it thus translated, from the
parish of Templemore, in the North-west Liberties of Londonderry, and it is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Londonderry," Sheet 13. '°5 See Maghtochair's "Inishowen: its
History, Traditions and Antiquities," chap, iv. , p. 23.
"° This townland is in the parish of I Templemore, North-western Liberties of
Londonderry. It is shown, on "Ordnance
Survey Townland Maps for the County of
original Irish, in Miss Cusack's Patrick :"—
''
Life of St.
" My blessing on the tuatha (territories) I give from Belach-ratha, OnyouthedescendantsofEoghan,
Until the Day of Judgment.
" Whilst plains are under crops,
The palm of battle shall be on their men,
The armies of Fail (Ireland) shall not be served, in tliat of Moyola, a river that
over your plains ;
Vou shall attack every tetach (tribe).
" The race of Eoghan, son of Niall,
Bless O fair Brigid !
Provided they do good,
Government shall be from them for ever.
"Theblessingofusboth Upon Eoghan Mac Ncill,
passes by Castledawson, and which flows into Lough Neagh, at its north-west point.
"
See Acts of Archbishop Colton in his
Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of
Derry," a. d. Mcccxcvil. ," edited by Rev. William Reeves. D. D. Additional Notes,
F. , n. (f), p. 120.
*" Colgan errs, when placing this territory
inKiennacht. SeeIndexTopographiaa,to
"
The townland of Elaghbeg, in the parish of Burt, and barony of Inishowen West, is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Donegal,"
Londonderry," Sheets 13, 14.
"' Tliis name is said to be partly pre-
Trias Thaumaturga," p.
