a statute mile from the Mullagh, and it forms part of the continuous ridge
of O'Donnell, and it — description may
both uniting places.
of O'Donnell, and it — description may
both uniting places.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
, p!
574.
Duffy s edition.
great patron
of
literature,
passage
wise statesman and with the instincts of a true churchman.
A great retinue of bishops, priests and deacons accompanied St. Columba on this occasion. From the description given of his entourage, we might naturally suppose, that as a considerable number set out from Scotland, so thatseveralvesselswereemployedforthepurposesoftheirvoyage. Asbe-
longing to the superior or highest grade of the priesthood, the bishops should naturally be expected to have precedence ; but, owing to the circumstance of St. Columba having first propagated Christanity among the Picts, and because he had established bishops in Scotland, deriving their jurisdiction from Iona, he was regarded as the foremost ecclesiastic, in that distinguished company. 6* No less than twenty bishops are said to have followed in the wake of the illustrious Abbot, with a docility and submission worthy of novices. 65 Forty priests, thirty deacons, and fifty clerics of lower grade, accompanied him. Besides these, Aidan, the monarch ofthe Dalriadian colony planted in Scotland, attended by some chiefs from that principality, deemed it his duty and interest to be present. Among the marvellous tales, relating to Columba, there is a remarkable description ofthe saint's voyage from Scot- landovertoIreland. 66 Whentheholyabbotandhiscompanionshadlefttheport
as the Comitia which used to be held at Tara placing it at A. n. 574. See Rev. Dr.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 477
of departure, we are told of a tempest, which had been excited by a ferocious and huge sea-monster. 6? This storm threatened to submerge the vessel and hercrew,whentheywerelaunchedoutintotheopensea. Thoseonboard,in terror and alarm, begged of the holy man to deliver them from this monster. However, the saint gave them to understand, the Almighty had reserved that honour, not for him, but for a St. Senachus,68 who dwelt in a distant place, and near the shore of Loch Erne. He lived at a place, known as Derrybrusk, andhefollowedthetradeofablacksmith. Justatthesamemoment,Sena- chus was engaged in his forge heating and hammering out iron. By Divine inspiration, he beheld the pressing danger in which the servants of God were placed. Snatching up his tongs, he seized upon a mass of iron, which was glowing at that moment in the fire. Rushing forth from his workshop, Senach flung the fiery missile aloft into the air. With a precision and a velocity truly wonderful, it was borne through space, from the woody shores of Doire Broscaidh, to the ocean, in which the lives of St. Columba and his com-
panions were exposed to such imminent danger. There, as the wonderful legend states, the mass fell direct into the gaping jaws of that furious mon-
ster, and, as might be expected, the fiery metal immediately killed it, before the eyes of all who were on the voyage. In order they might know, that it was to St. Senach,thosewhowereinthevesselowedtheirescape,Columbaprayed, that whatever shore of Ireland they might reach, there also must the carcase of the monster be driven. This prayer was granted ; for, when their barque touched the shores of Lough Foyle, there they found that wild beast's car- case rolled by the waters of the sea before them. Opening its jaws, they took out the mass of iron, which St. Columba sent back to its lawful owner,
he is said to have manufactured three 69 which bells,
St. Senachus. From
he bestowed upon three several churches. 7°
derry Journal of April 28th, 1876.
67 It is added, that he emerged fron a
whirlpool in the ocean, and that he followed
their bark not alone as if determined to ;
drown, but even to swallow them. This was probably a whale ; and, in the time of St. Columba, such monsters of the deep appear to have more generally frequented our seas. than they do at present.
68
His festival occurs, at the nth of May. For some further notices of him and of his place, the reader is referred to the Fifth Volume of this work, at that date. See Art. vi.
69 One of these was called Glunan
Seanaigh; another was denominated Gerran
churaigh : the third he presented to St. Naal'schurch.
7° See Colgan's " Trias Thaumaturga,"
Fordun calls the place Insula Dorcete. " See " Scotichronicon," vol. i. , lib. iii. , cap. xli. , p. 148. Walter Brower's folio edi- tion.
? 2 The accompanying illustration, from a . photograph by Mr. Thomas Predy, Lima- vady, has been drawn on the wood, by William F. Wakeman, Esq. , and it has been engraved by Mrs. Millard. To the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. of Limavady, the writer is greatly indebted for procuring and presenting such a faithful picture of the scene.
it,
It may seem strange, that the site of so remarkable an event, as
the holding of this great assembly, should now be matter for conjec-
ture; but, such is the case, not only regarding this spot, but also re- garding other equally memorable places, in various parts of Ireland. It is stated, and most generally believed, that the convention of Drom-Ceata ? x was held at a spot, sometimes called Daisy-Hill. It is near Newtown Limavady, just over the southern bank of the River Roe. The Irish
which it still is the 2 The of Druma-
name,
65
See Rev. John Keys O'Dogherty'scon- tribution, "The Convention of Drumceat, a. d. 590," chap, v. , in the "The London-
generally bears,
Mullagh. 7 parish
Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. iii. , cap. iii. , pp. 430, 431.
? * In his ignorance of its topography, ""
73 See Rev. Dr. Reeves'
"
Acts of Arch-
Colton in his
Visitation
bishop
of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. , MCCCXCVil. , Additional Notes H, pp. 132, 133.
? 4Adamnanstylesit "ReguminDorso- cette condictum. "
Metropolitan
,
47& LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
chose 73 should thus be distinguished, as having been the scene of that cele-
70
the mouth of Loch Feabhail now known as Lough Foyle and he sailed
brated Parliament. 7'' Wood and water, mountain and
villas and lordly demesnes, fill up a picture at present of no common magnificence. In a foot-note to the Annals of the Four Masters, and under the year 575, Dr. O'Donovan speaks of this assembly, and he names the Mullagh, as the place where it was held. 73 I—n coming to Druimceat, St. Co—lumba entered
The Mullagh—supposed by some to have been the site for the Convention of Drumceat—over the River Roe.
along its entire course, until he came to that point where it is entered by the
River Roe. 77 because of a dearth of Although,
it is
ble ; still, owing to the Divine assistance, he was enabled to run up against
thestream. 78 Helandedata
afterwardsknownfromthatcircumstance
place,
Cabhan-an-Churaid, or Hill of the Currach, and this place was very near
Druimchett. 7^ Having rested there for a short time, the holy man with his
wentto the of so 80 andits site was on a place assembly called,
companions
beautiful hill of gentle ascent.
75 See vol. i. , n. (q), p. 208.
81
76 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columlxe, lib. iii. , cap. iii. , P- 431-
77 Thus Columba's course is described by O'Donnell : "is memoratum euripum qua longe patet emensus, navigii cursum dirigi fecit per Roam amnem in predictum euripum decurrentem," &c. See ibid.
78 Of this river, O'Donnell remarks
:
" quamquam aquarum inopia alias innavi- gabilem, navis sancti viri divina virtute per- Currit. ' See ibid.
water,
usually unnaviga-
glade, smiling
79 Prince O'Donnell adds " Locus autem in quo navicula subinde stetit, deinceps ab eventu Cabhan an Churaidh, id est, collis cymbae appellatus, Druimchettse pervicinus est. " See ibid.
80 O'Donnell then continues: "abeoque
iuxta S. Columbe pnsscriptum, qui locum
turn peculiariter benedixit, D—ruimchettensis peregrinatioestincohando. " Ibid.
81
It seems very probable, that the fore- going description of O'Donnell was drawn from the traditions current in his time, and moreover, that he was well acquainted with
:
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 479
The Mullagh is situated in the county of Londonderry, about the third of a statute mile from the River Roe, on the western side of it, and about a mile
8
while Prince O'Donnell has it written Druimchett, ^ while by the old author
Druimchett vocatum," &c. Ibid. , cap. v. 82 The foregoing information and what follows in the text aredrawn from a very criti- cal and learned paper furnished to the writer,
by the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. , of Limavady, February, 1888. In this he argues, that the site of ancient Drumceat should
than to
Mullagh
Enagh. On the 10th of February, 1888, the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna—learned a tradition from Mr. John Havlin a man of good me—-
Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. , of Limavady.
84 See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv. , An-
nates Ultonienses.
rather be ascribed to the
86 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
mory although in his ninety-first year
that St. Columkille came in a currach to the Mullagh, where he met the Kings of Ireland
and of Scotland on it, according to the "ancient talk "of the people there. It ridge. is also thought, that the name of Drumceat
into " "or "summit " merged Mullagh thetop
of anything, owing to the fact that an artifi- cial mound had crowned the hill. Again, the place has been called Cavenmore or Greater Cavan, probably, in the opinion of Rev. Father M'Kenna, to distinguish it from the Lesser Cavan or Cabhan an Chu- raidh, which O'Donnell says was very near to Drumceat. Columkille gave a special blessing to Boat Hill which is thought to be
8" It is opposite to Lancey's Holme or
82 It is contended, that Drum- although
on the mountain side of
ceat is now written without a third syllable ; yet, in former times, Adamnan writes it Dorsum Cette,83 the Annals of Ulster have it Dromma-Cheta,8*
ofSt. Dalian's
Life,
86 it is noticed as Drumcheda. This is to
Limavady.
" the
and aboveitrisestheHillof neighbourhood, right
interpreted
mean in
aDruimorRidgejoinedtoit, andstretchingtoShanreagh,inthedirection of the river for about a statute mile. 8 ? On the western bank of the Roe, and at Limavady, there is a place called " the Boat Hole "88 by the people of the
English
Ridge
flat-topped
hill. "
He thus concludes ' ' Cseterum
That
the
locality.
modica. eolocimoracontracta, virsanctus cum sua venerandacomitivacontenditad peramse-
yeomen
young girl.
:
of the
the has Mullagh
nurailiumcollum,leniter—acclivem,vulgo foregoingisrelatedontheauthorityofVery
close to ea—ch other and on opposite banks of the that the pilgrimage to Drumceat should Roe there is no elevation deserving the
the present Shonreagh Hill, and he directed
commence therefrom, according to O'Donnell. 83 About the time of Colgan or towards the middle of the seventeenth century, Drumceat was celebrated for the religious assemblies there held and in the charter
;
granted by Charles II. , to the Irish Society, "
name of a hill down to Lough Foyle. More- over, between those hdls and that place where the river first meets its bed of rocks, there is no elevation on its banks that can
be called a hill.
90 When Thomas P'egan had been engaged
he excepts Mullagh otherwise Cavenmore preparing the Ordnance Survey in 1838, he
with the chapel thereon erected. According to well-established local tradition, from the
base of the Mullagh was ploughed up a largequantityofhumanbones; sothatthe former existence of a chapel, and these rem- nants of mortality indicate a graveyard hav- ing been attached. Formerly a cross had been fixed on the Mullagh, and a woman, whose maiden name was Mary Doherty, told
her granddaughter, Mrs. Alexander Doherty of Limavady, that it had been burned by
found among the people legendary stories
"
regarding
precisely similar to those told by Keating and others regarding the Convention held at Drum-Ceat. Itmaybe,thatthesimilarity which Drumahitt bears to Drum-ceat has localized on the banks of the Shesk legends relating to the convention that is generally supposed to have been assembled on the
banks of the Roe. Formerly that similarity amounted to identity ; Mr. Fagan found the
Now,
Shanreagh.
when she was a
woman died about the year 1863, when she was one hundred and five years old. " The
85 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. iv. ,v. , P- 43i-
nise," xxix. Januarii, p. 203.
87 Dr. Joyce tells us that Ceide as the Irish
scholar O'Brien writes it, or Ceidagh as the Four Masters write it, according to the same O'Brien, is " a compact kind of hill, smooth and plain at the top. " This definition cer- tainly suits the Mullagh, which also has a
on the side of the river. opposite
Height,
89 On the opposite side of the river is
Rathbready-beg on which Limavady is built. It may have been the Hill of the Boat mentioned by O'Donnell, but it is not very near Enagh, and in that direction, its ridge merges into or is lost in a level plain. In fact, the spot where it meets this plain is half- a-mile from Enagh. Between the hills of
Shanreagh and Rathbready-beg—quite
fairly
8? Thisisabout
the Parliament of Drumahitt,"
480 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
a statute mile from the Mullagh, and it forms part of the continuous ridge
of O'Donnell, and it — description may
both uniting places.
It suits also the
have been " the Hill of the Boat, which was very near to Drumceat"
provided this ancient name can be merged in the modern one of Mullagh.
However, quite a different place has been conjecturally named, as having been the site, and this is known as the townland of Drumahitt, in the parish
of Culfeightrin, county of Antrim, and diocese of Connor. Here, too, there seem to have been popular legends, regarding the Long Parliament of Druma- hitt, which lasted thirteen months, and to which St. Columkille came from Scotland. 9°
within the
Here, too, some interesting antiquities have been discovered
1 —we are told, that between Port Brittas present century. 9 Again,
—
names which
nately, however, the former name of that curious natural pillar the Granny Rock—which is an object so conspicuous at the entrance to Port Brittas, is now not known. At—a short distance from—the harbour is Dun-a-Mallaght, popularly translated " fort of the curse " and a little farther on is Dun- rainey, which is popularly translated " fort of the queen. " Until the middle of the last century, the Shesk rivulet flowed on the —east side of Dunrainey ; but,thenameofthefordcrossingintoD—rumahaman thetownlandinterven- ing between Dunrainy and Drumahitt since the change in the river was effected, has dropped o—ut of popular recollection. 94 The locality wher—e this
95 celebrated convention known in Irish as the Mordail-Droma-Cett met
old people, in 1838, pronouncing the name arch of the Kinel-Connell race, adds Rev.
now the harbour of Ballycastle very closely correspond
and Drumahitt, there are places and
92
with the ancient — Unfortu- legends. 93
ofthetownlandDrumacuithandtheDown JamesO'Laverty,tosummonanationalCon-
Survey enters it Drumchet. "—Rev. James vention at Limavaddy, within the territory
"
Historical Account of the of the Kinel-Owen, has not yet been satisfac- Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and torily explained, while Drumahitt is within Modern," vol. iv. , p. 465. This volume the Dalriadan territory and near to Scotland.
O'Laverty's
treats exclusively of that part of Connor Diocese, which is in the ancient territory of Dal-Riada. This contention seems to be disposed of, however, owing to the facts as related, that Drumceat was situated, not in the county of Antrim, but in the diocese and county ofDerry, and at the River Roe.
91 Several old churches and cemeteries are
within the parish of Culfeightrin, and these are described, in Rev. William Reeves'
"
Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Con- nor and Dromore," Appendix Z, pp. 282 to 284.
99 It lies in a bay opposite Rathlin Island.
After _£i 50,000 had been expended on a pier at this place, the harbour is filled with sand, and its coal mines near are yet unwrought.
It still preserves a traditional memory of its long parliament that lasted thirteen months and was attended by St. Columkille and the
'
King of Ireland, and can show the fort of
the malediction,' and the 'fort of the queen,'
between Port Brittas and its own 'charming, "
See Alexander Keith Johnston's
"
Diction-
Account of the Diocese of Down and Con-
nor, Ancient and Modern," vol. iv. , p. 467,
and n. ibid.
95 In A. D. 1532, Manus O'Donnell, chiet
of Tyrconnell, compiled an Irish Life of St. Columb in the castle of Port-na-tri-namad, or "the Port of the three enemies," now called Lifford ; and into this Life he com- pressed every local tale and legend, accessi- ble at that period. Colgan, who translated a great part of this work from Irish into Latin, reproduces the original substantially inhis"TriasThaumaturga. " TotheTyr- connell
ary of Geography, Descriptive, Physical, Statistical and Historical," p. 107.
93 The queen of Aedh and her waiting
maid are said to have insulted St. — Columba,
he leaves whatever honours
him—
chieftain,
a Coir-Chleirech '"a de- accrued from the collection and
by calling
graded cleric
transformed into two
These are commonly called, in the north of
compilation
of the Columban and on them must legends,
we for the details of this con- chiefly depend
vention.
46 St. Canice was born a short distance
from Drum-ceat, though the exact spot can- not be pointed out. He was living during the time of this convention, and he died,
A. D. 598.
"
and in punishment they
—
Ireland, cranes. "Many people tell us,"
"
that this is the reason why there are two herons ever since constantly seen on the ford, near Druim-ceat. " "What special reason induced King Aedh a mon-
says Keating,
Coirr-iasg
are " herons. "
gently sloping hill. '
" Historical
9* See Rev.
James O'Laverty's
June 9. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
was on the eastern shore of the Foyle, according to other writers, and on a
slope near the stream of the deep-channelled Roe, near the modern town of
Limavady, in the present county of Londonderry. It has been supposed, like- wise, that the townland of Keady, in the parish of Drumachose, gave name to Drum-ceat,96 the latter compound Keatta being very similar in sound to
Keady. 97 Already have we entered on this subject for investigation, in a pre- viousvolumeofthiswork. 98 Therewehaveseen,thatprobableargumentsare
advanced,^ to connect the famous place of assembly with the present Eanagh, which is on the opposite side of the River Roe from the Mullagh, and which
Enagh Hill—supposed by some to be the Site of the Convention at Drumceat.
is farther up that stream. Colgan says, the place was well known in his time,
JO°
and he mentions the annual assembly of the people at the spot thecommemorationofthatConvention. Eanaghalsoanswerstotheletter that description given by O'Donnell in his Life of St. Columba, and also Col-
97 See a series of chapters on " The Con- Professor O'Brien of Maynooth College, vention of Drumceat, a. d. 590," by Very and a native of Limavady, favoured his Rev. John Keys O'Dogherty, P. P. , New- views, and with many very excellent rea-
townstewart,in TheLondonderryJournaloi April 24th and 26th, 1876. Introduction, chap. i.
»8 See volume ii. at the 15th of February, when treating about St. Farannan, Con- fessor, and Patron of All-Farannan, now Alternan, parish of Easkey, county of Sligo,
sons.
100 The name Enagh or Aenach, as Dr.
Joyce shows, originally meant a place of assembly for the people to commemorate great events, and afterwards it came to mean a fair. See " Origin and History of Irish Names of Places^" part ii. , chap, vi. , pp. 197 to 200.
101 The accompanying illustration from
a photograph, kindly furnished by Very Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. , Limavady, has been copied by William F. Wakeman, and it has been engraved by Mrs. Millard.
102 In a letter of Very Rev. John Keys IH
He is said to have been one, among the eminent ecclesiastics who were present in the Convention at Dromceat.
See ibid. , chap. hi.
99 By Very Rev. John Keys O'Doherty,
P. P. , of Newtownstewart, who states, also, in a letter dated December 15th, 1875, tnat
Art. ii. , chap. i.
to celebrate
482 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
gan'sallusionstotheplaceas—agently'slopinghill. 101 Itstopsuppliesaspace— about three acres of dry soil and its table-ground is of a somewhat con-
cave shape. The place is near the Keady Hill, rising 1,100 feet over the sea- level ; while it has all the characteristics of a druim, or ridge, and that too of considerable extent. That " a 102 and that a fair or an-
Enagh signifies fair,"
nual assembly was held on the site, to commemorate the Convention, is testi-
fied by Colgan. Keady Hill forms the entire of the townland so called, with two ordinary field lengths sloping down from the foot of that hill. '°3 Both
the Mullagh and Enagh are nearly equi-distant from the mouth of the Roe, each being about five miles removed. It is contended, that though Enagh maybe fairly enough described as near to the Roe, there is no probability that it ever bore the name of Ceadagh or Keady ; for if so, it should have been called Keady-beg, or the Lesser Keady, to distinguish it from the higher hill in its neighbourhood.
The occasion of St. Columba's arrival at the meeting is said to have
been an unpleasant surprise to King Aedh io4 and to his household. How-
ever, it can hardly be supposed, Aedh was ignorant of the fact, that the holy Abbot had left Scotland, and that he had landed in Ireland, with an express object in view. As Columba had come in the interest of peace, the king could not do otherwise than treat the holy Abbot, his near relation, with at least outward reverence. 105 However, Columkille, with Aidan M'Gauran, King of Albania, and the prelates who accompanied the saint from Scotland, conformed with the formalities then in use. '°6 These high plenipotentiaries took their several seats next the monarch, as being greatly distinguished in rank and influence, while they were received as visitors and guests. This seems to be much more probable, than that Aid should have offered any studied insult to the saint ; as well because of that near relationship with him, and because courtesy and hospitality should be otherwise violated, as also because the high character and influence of Columba had rendered him popu-
O'Doherty, P. P. , addressed to the author,
and dated Newtownstewart, 'County Tyrone,
January 18th, 1888, he writes ; " A local
tradition in favour of Enagh is thus told by
a very old man in the locality. O'Cahan
and his daughters mounted on horseback
oncevisitedthefair. Apooroldmanhap-
pened to be in their way, and O'Cahan
lashed him with his whip, telling him to get
out ofthefair, andoutofthe wayofhis horse. Irish Nation," part i. , chap, ii. , p. 54. The old man replied, that soon the Choc
'
should be gan enagh, i. e. ,
a fair,' and the O'Cahan should be gan-each,
'" that is, the O'Cahan without a horse,'
103TheRev. FatherM'Kennafurtherob-
jects: "Any one can see, that separated from the slope or hill-foot of Keady by a level tract of ground two miles in extent, Enagh cannot be the ridge or Drum of that Keady. Some thought, that this Keady I now speak of might have been the
Dublin, 1876, 8vo.
10S It is stated, however, by Prince
the hill without
site for the Convention; but, no one holds this '"
to his arguments and representations. See view now, who knows that the CollisCym- Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga, Quinta bae,' was 'pervicinus,'or very near to Drum- Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. vii. , p. 431.
ceat. " The Rev. Mr. M'Ken—naadds to the
—: if it bethean- foregoing account "Enagh
cient Drumcette should have two features, viz. , it should be a hill, and that hill should have a ridge joined to it. If you call it Drum 'a ridge, 'and look at it, you see there
,o6 An absurd tradition prevailed, that our
' isnothinglefttobecalledCeadaghor hill,'
'
and if you call it a Ceadagh or hill,' there
is nothing left to be called a drum or '"
ridge. '
I04 " This Aidus had a brother named
Lochan Dilmhain, who was, according to someoftheancien—tIrishannalists,ancestor to the Dillons" John O'Hari's "Irish Pedigrees ; or, the Origin or Stem of the
O'Donnell, that Aedh's change of de- meanour towards our saint was only after he hadwitnessedtheactsofColumba,inre- ference to the members of his family, and when he feared God's judgments might fall upon himself, if he showed disrespect towards the holy man. Then he was ad- mitted to the king's favour, and it was told him. that every deference should be given
with a alluded to in the Fore speech to the " Amra Choluim Chilli," of Dallon Forgaill, edited by
saint visited Ireland on this occasion bandage over his eyes. This is
O'Beirne Crowe, pp. 8, 9.
June 9 ] LI VES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 483
larandbelovedamongallclasses. Thekingwellknewthepowerfulinfluence of the saint, and naturally feared his strenuous opposition. According to some
accounts, Aedh forbid, under forfeiture of life or property, that any person in the meeting should show any sign of reverence or kindness to the saint. The illustrious Abbot was a Dalriad, and he belonged to that family, which had already colonized Argyle and the south-western part of Scotland, so that his choice of residence in those territories and his sympathies towards their inha- bitants attached him to the adopted country. Columba was distinguished for his golden eloquence, and it was well calculated to sway the council of princes and prelates, several of these belonging to his own kith and kin. His monastic station, combined with his royal birth, gave him reverence and weight with all. In those Christian monasteries and schools, which had suddenly sprung up in every part of Ireland, his great repute as a doctor and a scholar had already been established. Angelic in appearance, elegant in address, holy in work, with talents of the highest order, and of consummate wisdom,10? he was eminently qualified to influence the decisions of this splendid repre-
At that
the fragments of which still move and delight the Gaelic scholar Io8 were
s—entative
assembly.
very time,
his
and —verse glowing soul-inspiring
familiar to the princes, nobles, clerics and people who had assembled.
Such was the man, on whom devolved the noble duty, to defend the cause
oflibertyandlearning; andwhenColumbacametotheassembly,allroseup
toreverenceandwelcomehim. 1? Owingtosomecause,itissaidtheQueen
of Aedh was filled with jealousy, at the veneration manifested towards
Columba and his followers. She secretly ordered her son Connal to insult
and maltreat them, and he obeyed her commands. Now Connal was
regarded as Roydamha or heir-apparent to the sovereignty of Ireland. It so happened, his pavilion was placed near to that of our saint and his com-
panions. The prince urged the boys and subservient persons in his retinue, to deride the strangers, and even to pelt them with sods and stones. Some of Columba's followers sustained severe injuries, and were knocked down to the earth. This was only a subject for sport and laughter among the ill- bred youths. For such an unmerited attack, the saint boldly and unsparingly
110 He also foretold, because of that crime, the prince should be deprived of the
to a and as she had insti- popular legend,
reproached the king's son, and pronounced excommunication against him.
crown and 111 kingdom.
According
gated her son to such acts of violence, the holy abbot asked, that the Queen
might be visited with a temporary affliction, in order to bring her to a true sense of her irreligious conduct. Consequently, she and a maid, who abetted
107 See Rev. Dr. William Reeves' Adam-
"3 This popular rumour was a sufficient theme for the bards ; one of whom, like another Ovid, produced some Irish—lines,
nan's face, p. 9.
McGee's "
"
Life of St. Columba," Second Pre-
108 See Thomas D'
lar History of Ireland," vol. i. , book i. , chap. V. , \>. 30.
which are thus rendered in
111 See "Trias Colgan's
"4 His father was the sovereign of Ire- land, when the famous Convention was held at Drumceat.
"5 In Irish "OpomA CeAcc or t>|\uim
Arcy
Popu-
English astonished at her feathers
l°9SeeRightRev. PatrickF. Moran's A j . ' ,
«
»o On this occasion, St. Columba ordered his companions to ring their hand-bells against Connall, as part of this solemn cere- monial.
. , . , ,, , And W1 h *er maid transform d fre-
Irish Saint! in Great Britain," chapr, iii. , g7
fl quents the flood ;
Thaumaturga," Quinta Acta S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. v. ,
p. 431.
*" See Rev. Jeoffrey Keating's "General
History of Ireland, "book ii. , p. 377. Duffy's Ceacc. See Rev.
great patron
of
literature,
passage
wise statesman and with the instincts of a true churchman.
A great retinue of bishops, priests and deacons accompanied St. Columba on this occasion. From the description given of his entourage, we might naturally suppose, that as a considerable number set out from Scotland, so thatseveralvesselswereemployedforthepurposesoftheirvoyage. Asbe-
longing to the superior or highest grade of the priesthood, the bishops should naturally be expected to have precedence ; but, owing to the circumstance of St. Columba having first propagated Christanity among the Picts, and because he had established bishops in Scotland, deriving their jurisdiction from Iona, he was regarded as the foremost ecclesiastic, in that distinguished company. 6* No less than twenty bishops are said to have followed in the wake of the illustrious Abbot, with a docility and submission worthy of novices. 65 Forty priests, thirty deacons, and fifty clerics of lower grade, accompanied him. Besides these, Aidan, the monarch ofthe Dalriadian colony planted in Scotland, attended by some chiefs from that principality, deemed it his duty and interest to be present. Among the marvellous tales, relating to Columba, there is a remarkable description ofthe saint's voyage from Scot- landovertoIreland. 66 Whentheholyabbotandhiscompanionshadlefttheport
as the Comitia which used to be held at Tara placing it at A. n. 574. See Rev. Dr.
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 477
of departure, we are told of a tempest, which had been excited by a ferocious and huge sea-monster. 6? This storm threatened to submerge the vessel and hercrew,whentheywerelaunchedoutintotheopensea. Thoseonboard,in terror and alarm, begged of the holy man to deliver them from this monster. However, the saint gave them to understand, the Almighty had reserved that honour, not for him, but for a St. Senachus,68 who dwelt in a distant place, and near the shore of Loch Erne. He lived at a place, known as Derrybrusk, andhefollowedthetradeofablacksmith. Justatthesamemoment,Sena- chus was engaged in his forge heating and hammering out iron. By Divine inspiration, he beheld the pressing danger in which the servants of God were placed. Snatching up his tongs, he seized upon a mass of iron, which was glowing at that moment in the fire. Rushing forth from his workshop, Senach flung the fiery missile aloft into the air. With a precision and a velocity truly wonderful, it was borne through space, from the woody shores of Doire Broscaidh, to the ocean, in which the lives of St. Columba and his com-
panions were exposed to such imminent danger. There, as the wonderful legend states, the mass fell direct into the gaping jaws of that furious mon-
ster, and, as might be expected, the fiery metal immediately killed it, before the eyes of all who were on the voyage. In order they might know, that it was to St. Senach,thosewhowereinthevesselowedtheirescape,Columbaprayed, that whatever shore of Ireland they might reach, there also must the carcase of the monster be driven. This prayer was granted ; for, when their barque touched the shores of Lough Foyle, there they found that wild beast's car- case rolled by the waters of the sea before them. Opening its jaws, they took out the mass of iron, which St. Columba sent back to its lawful owner,
he is said to have manufactured three 69 which bells,
St. Senachus. From
he bestowed upon three several churches. 7°
derry Journal of April 28th, 1876.
67 It is added, that he emerged fron a
whirlpool in the ocean, and that he followed
their bark not alone as if determined to ;
drown, but even to swallow them. This was probably a whale ; and, in the time of St. Columba, such monsters of the deep appear to have more generally frequented our seas. than they do at present.
68
His festival occurs, at the nth of May. For some further notices of him and of his place, the reader is referred to the Fifth Volume of this work, at that date. See Art. vi.
69 One of these was called Glunan
Seanaigh; another was denominated Gerran
churaigh : the third he presented to St. Naal'schurch.
7° See Colgan's " Trias Thaumaturga,"
Fordun calls the place Insula Dorcete. " See " Scotichronicon," vol. i. , lib. iii. , cap. xli. , p. 148. Walter Brower's folio edi- tion.
? 2 The accompanying illustration, from a . photograph by Mr. Thomas Predy, Lima- vady, has been drawn on the wood, by William F. Wakeman, Esq. , and it has been engraved by Mrs. Millard. To the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. of Limavady, the writer is greatly indebted for procuring and presenting such a faithful picture of the scene.
it,
It may seem strange, that the site of so remarkable an event, as
the holding of this great assembly, should now be matter for conjec-
ture; but, such is the case, not only regarding this spot, but also re- garding other equally memorable places, in various parts of Ireland. It is stated, and most generally believed, that the convention of Drom-Ceata ? x was held at a spot, sometimes called Daisy-Hill. It is near Newtown Limavady, just over the southern bank of the River Roe. The Irish
which it still is the 2 The of Druma-
name,
65
See Rev. John Keys O'Dogherty'scon- tribution, "The Convention of Drumceat, a. d. 590," chap, v. , in the "The London-
generally bears,
Mullagh. 7 parish
Quinta Vita S. Columba;, lib. iii. , cap. iii. , pp. 430, 431.
? * In his ignorance of its topography, ""
73 See Rev. Dr. Reeves'
"
Acts of Arch-
Colton in his
Visitation
bishop
of the Diocese of Derry, A. D. , MCCCXCVil. , Additional Notes H, pp. 132, 133.
? 4Adamnanstylesit "ReguminDorso- cette condictum. "
Metropolitan
,
47& LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
chose 73 should thus be distinguished, as having been the scene of that cele-
70
the mouth of Loch Feabhail now known as Lough Foyle and he sailed
brated Parliament. 7'' Wood and water, mountain and
villas and lordly demesnes, fill up a picture at present of no common magnificence. In a foot-note to the Annals of the Four Masters, and under the year 575, Dr. O'Donovan speaks of this assembly, and he names the Mullagh, as the place where it was held. 73 I—n coming to Druimceat, St. Co—lumba entered
The Mullagh—supposed by some to have been the site for the Convention of Drumceat—over the River Roe.
along its entire course, until he came to that point where it is entered by the
River Roe. 77 because of a dearth of Although,
it is
ble ; still, owing to the Divine assistance, he was enabled to run up against
thestream. 78 Helandedata
afterwardsknownfromthatcircumstance
place,
Cabhan-an-Churaid, or Hill of the Currach, and this place was very near
Druimchett. 7^ Having rested there for a short time, the holy man with his
wentto the of so 80 andits site was on a place assembly called,
companions
beautiful hill of gentle ascent.
75 See vol. i. , n. (q), p. 208.
81
76 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columlxe, lib. iii. , cap. iii. , P- 431-
77 Thus Columba's course is described by O'Donnell : "is memoratum euripum qua longe patet emensus, navigii cursum dirigi fecit per Roam amnem in predictum euripum decurrentem," &c. See ibid.
78 Of this river, O'Donnell remarks
:
" quamquam aquarum inopia alias innavi- gabilem, navis sancti viri divina virtute per- Currit. ' See ibid.
water,
usually unnaviga-
glade, smiling
79 Prince O'Donnell adds " Locus autem in quo navicula subinde stetit, deinceps ab eventu Cabhan an Churaidh, id est, collis cymbae appellatus, Druimchettse pervicinus est. " See ibid.
80 O'Donnell then continues: "abeoque
iuxta S. Columbe pnsscriptum, qui locum
turn peculiariter benedixit, D—ruimchettensis peregrinatioestincohando. " Ibid.
81
It seems very probable, that the fore- going description of O'Donnell was drawn from the traditions current in his time, and moreover, that he was well acquainted with
:
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 479
The Mullagh is situated in the county of Londonderry, about the third of a statute mile from the River Roe, on the western side of it, and about a mile
8
while Prince O'Donnell has it written Druimchett, ^ while by the old author
Druimchett vocatum," &c. Ibid. , cap. v. 82 The foregoing information and what follows in the text aredrawn from a very criti- cal and learned paper furnished to the writer,
by the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. , of Limavady, February, 1888. In this he argues, that the site of ancient Drumceat should
than to
Mullagh
Enagh. On the 10th of February, 1888, the Very Rev. E. M'Kenna—learned a tradition from Mr. John Havlin a man of good me—-
Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. , of Limavady.
84 See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus iv. , An-
nates Ultonienses.
rather be ascribed to the
86 See " Acta Sanctorum Hiber- Colgan's
mory although in his ninety-first year
that St. Columkille came in a currach to the Mullagh, where he met the Kings of Ireland
and of Scotland on it, according to the "ancient talk "of the people there. It ridge. is also thought, that the name of Drumceat
into " "or "summit " merged Mullagh thetop
of anything, owing to the fact that an artifi- cial mound had crowned the hill. Again, the place has been called Cavenmore or Greater Cavan, probably, in the opinion of Rev. Father M'Kenna, to distinguish it from the Lesser Cavan or Cabhan an Chu- raidh, which O'Donnell says was very near to Drumceat. Columkille gave a special blessing to Boat Hill which is thought to be
8" It is opposite to Lancey's Holme or
82 It is contended, that Drum- although
on the mountain side of
ceat is now written without a third syllable ; yet, in former times, Adamnan writes it Dorsum Cette,83 the Annals of Ulster have it Dromma-Cheta,8*
ofSt. Dalian's
Life,
86 it is noticed as Drumcheda. This is to
Limavady.
" the
and aboveitrisestheHillof neighbourhood, right
interpreted
mean in
aDruimorRidgejoinedtoit, andstretchingtoShanreagh,inthedirection of the river for about a statute mile. 8 ? On the western bank of the Roe, and at Limavady, there is a place called " the Boat Hole "88 by the people of the
English
Ridge
flat-topped
hill. "
He thus concludes ' ' Cseterum
That
the
locality.
modica. eolocimoracontracta, virsanctus cum sua venerandacomitivacontenditad peramse-
yeomen
young girl.
:
of the
the has Mullagh
nurailiumcollum,leniter—acclivem,vulgo foregoingisrelatedontheauthorityofVery
close to ea—ch other and on opposite banks of the that the pilgrimage to Drumceat should Roe there is no elevation deserving the
the present Shonreagh Hill, and he directed
commence therefrom, according to O'Donnell. 83 About the time of Colgan or towards the middle of the seventeenth century, Drumceat was celebrated for the religious assemblies there held and in the charter
;
granted by Charles II. , to the Irish Society, "
name of a hill down to Lough Foyle. More- over, between those hdls and that place where the river first meets its bed of rocks, there is no elevation on its banks that can
be called a hill.
90 When Thomas P'egan had been engaged
he excepts Mullagh otherwise Cavenmore preparing the Ordnance Survey in 1838, he
with the chapel thereon erected. According to well-established local tradition, from the
base of the Mullagh was ploughed up a largequantityofhumanbones; sothatthe former existence of a chapel, and these rem- nants of mortality indicate a graveyard hav- ing been attached. Formerly a cross had been fixed on the Mullagh, and a woman, whose maiden name was Mary Doherty, told
her granddaughter, Mrs. Alexander Doherty of Limavady, that it had been burned by
found among the people legendary stories
"
regarding
precisely similar to those told by Keating and others regarding the Convention held at Drum-Ceat. Itmaybe,thatthesimilarity which Drumahitt bears to Drum-ceat has localized on the banks of the Shesk legends relating to the convention that is generally supposed to have been assembled on the
banks of the Roe. Formerly that similarity amounted to identity ; Mr. Fagan found the
Now,
Shanreagh.
when she was a
woman died about the year 1863, when she was one hundred and five years old. " The
85 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Vita S. Columbse, lib. iii. , cap. iv. ,v. , P- 43i-
nise," xxix. Januarii, p. 203.
87 Dr. Joyce tells us that Ceide as the Irish
scholar O'Brien writes it, or Ceidagh as the Four Masters write it, according to the same O'Brien, is " a compact kind of hill, smooth and plain at the top. " This definition cer- tainly suits the Mullagh, which also has a
on the side of the river. opposite
Height,
89 On the opposite side of the river is
Rathbready-beg on which Limavady is built. It may have been the Hill of the Boat mentioned by O'Donnell, but it is not very near Enagh, and in that direction, its ridge merges into or is lost in a level plain. In fact, the spot where it meets this plain is half- a-mile from Enagh. Between the hills of
Shanreagh and Rathbready-beg—quite
fairly
8? Thisisabout
the Parliament of Drumahitt,"
480 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
a statute mile from the Mullagh, and it forms part of the continuous ridge
of O'Donnell, and it — description may
both uniting places.
It suits also the
have been " the Hill of the Boat, which was very near to Drumceat"
provided this ancient name can be merged in the modern one of Mullagh.
However, quite a different place has been conjecturally named, as having been the site, and this is known as the townland of Drumahitt, in the parish
of Culfeightrin, county of Antrim, and diocese of Connor. Here, too, there seem to have been popular legends, regarding the Long Parliament of Druma- hitt, which lasted thirteen months, and to which St. Columkille came from Scotland. 9°
within the
Here, too, some interesting antiquities have been discovered
1 —we are told, that between Port Brittas present century. 9 Again,
—
names which
nately, however, the former name of that curious natural pillar the Granny Rock—which is an object so conspicuous at the entrance to Port Brittas, is now not known. At—a short distance from—the harbour is Dun-a-Mallaght, popularly translated " fort of the curse " and a little farther on is Dun- rainey, which is popularly translated " fort of the queen. " Until the middle of the last century, the Shesk rivulet flowed on the —east side of Dunrainey ; but,thenameofthefordcrossingintoD—rumahaman thetownlandinterven- ing between Dunrainy and Drumahitt since the change in the river was effected, has dropped o—ut of popular recollection. 94 The locality wher—e this
95 celebrated convention known in Irish as the Mordail-Droma-Cett met
old people, in 1838, pronouncing the name arch of the Kinel-Connell race, adds Rev.
now the harbour of Ballycastle very closely correspond
and Drumahitt, there are places and
92
with the ancient — Unfortu- legends. 93
ofthetownlandDrumacuithandtheDown JamesO'Laverty,tosummonanationalCon-
Survey enters it Drumchet. "—Rev. James vention at Limavaddy, within the territory
"
Historical Account of the of the Kinel-Owen, has not yet been satisfac- Diocese of Down and Connor, Ancient and torily explained, while Drumahitt is within Modern," vol. iv. , p. 465. This volume the Dalriadan territory and near to Scotland.
O'Laverty's
treats exclusively of that part of Connor Diocese, which is in the ancient territory of Dal-Riada. This contention seems to be disposed of, however, owing to the facts as related, that Drumceat was situated, not in the county of Antrim, but in the diocese and county ofDerry, and at the River Roe.
91 Several old churches and cemeteries are
within the parish of Culfeightrin, and these are described, in Rev. William Reeves'
"
Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Down, Con- nor and Dromore," Appendix Z, pp. 282 to 284.
99 It lies in a bay opposite Rathlin Island.
After _£i 50,000 had been expended on a pier at this place, the harbour is filled with sand, and its coal mines near are yet unwrought.
It still preserves a traditional memory of its long parliament that lasted thirteen months and was attended by St. Columkille and the
'
King of Ireland, and can show the fort of
the malediction,' and the 'fort of the queen,'
between Port Brittas and its own 'charming, "
See Alexander Keith Johnston's
"
Diction-
Account of the Diocese of Down and Con-
nor, Ancient and Modern," vol. iv. , p. 467,
and n. ibid.
95 In A. D. 1532, Manus O'Donnell, chiet
of Tyrconnell, compiled an Irish Life of St. Columb in the castle of Port-na-tri-namad, or "the Port of the three enemies," now called Lifford ; and into this Life he com- pressed every local tale and legend, accessi- ble at that period. Colgan, who translated a great part of this work from Irish into Latin, reproduces the original substantially inhis"TriasThaumaturga. " TotheTyr- connell
ary of Geography, Descriptive, Physical, Statistical and Historical," p. 107.
93 The queen of Aedh and her waiting
maid are said to have insulted St. — Columba,
he leaves whatever honours
him—
chieftain,
a Coir-Chleirech '"a de- accrued from the collection and
by calling
graded cleric
transformed into two
These are commonly called, in the north of
compilation
of the Columban and on them must legends,
we for the details of this con- chiefly depend
vention.
46 St. Canice was born a short distance
from Drum-ceat, though the exact spot can- not be pointed out. He was living during the time of this convention, and he died,
A. D. 598.
"
and in punishment they
—
Ireland, cranes. "Many people tell us,"
"
that this is the reason why there are two herons ever since constantly seen on the ford, near Druim-ceat. " "What special reason induced King Aedh a mon-
says Keating,
Coirr-iasg
are " herons. "
gently sloping hill. '
" Historical
9* See Rev.
James O'Laverty's
June 9. ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
was on the eastern shore of the Foyle, according to other writers, and on a
slope near the stream of the deep-channelled Roe, near the modern town of
Limavady, in the present county of Londonderry. It has been supposed, like- wise, that the townland of Keady, in the parish of Drumachose, gave name to Drum-ceat,96 the latter compound Keatta being very similar in sound to
Keady. 97 Already have we entered on this subject for investigation, in a pre- viousvolumeofthiswork. 98 Therewehaveseen,thatprobableargumentsare
advanced,^ to connect the famous place of assembly with the present Eanagh, which is on the opposite side of the River Roe from the Mullagh, and which
Enagh Hill—supposed by some to be the Site of the Convention at Drumceat.
is farther up that stream. Colgan says, the place was well known in his time,
JO°
and he mentions the annual assembly of the people at the spot thecommemorationofthatConvention. Eanaghalsoanswerstotheletter that description given by O'Donnell in his Life of St. Columba, and also Col-
97 See a series of chapters on " The Con- Professor O'Brien of Maynooth College, vention of Drumceat, a. d. 590," by Very and a native of Limavady, favoured his Rev. John Keys O'Dogherty, P. P. , New- views, and with many very excellent rea-
townstewart,in TheLondonderryJournaloi April 24th and 26th, 1876. Introduction, chap. i.
»8 See volume ii. at the 15th of February, when treating about St. Farannan, Con- fessor, and Patron of All-Farannan, now Alternan, parish of Easkey, county of Sligo,
sons.
100 The name Enagh or Aenach, as Dr.
Joyce shows, originally meant a place of assembly for the people to commemorate great events, and afterwards it came to mean a fair. See " Origin and History of Irish Names of Places^" part ii. , chap, vi. , pp. 197 to 200.
101 The accompanying illustration from
a photograph, kindly furnished by Very Rev. E. M'Kenna, P. P. , Limavady, has been copied by William F. Wakeman, and it has been engraved by Mrs. Millard.
102 In a letter of Very Rev. John Keys IH
He is said to have been one, among the eminent ecclesiastics who were present in the Convention at Dromceat.
See ibid. , chap. hi.
99 By Very Rev. John Keys O'Doherty,
P. P. , of Newtownstewart, who states, also, in a letter dated December 15th, 1875, tnat
Art. ii. , chap. i.
to celebrate
482 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
gan'sallusionstotheplaceas—agently'slopinghill. 101 Itstopsuppliesaspace— about three acres of dry soil and its table-ground is of a somewhat con-
cave shape. The place is near the Keady Hill, rising 1,100 feet over the sea- level ; while it has all the characteristics of a druim, or ridge, and that too of considerable extent. That " a 102 and that a fair or an-
Enagh signifies fair,"
nual assembly was held on the site, to commemorate the Convention, is testi-
fied by Colgan. Keady Hill forms the entire of the townland so called, with two ordinary field lengths sloping down from the foot of that hill. '°3 Both
the Mullagh and Enagh are nearly equi-distant from the mouth of the Roe, each being about five miles removed. It is contended, that though Enagh maybe fairly enough described as near to the Roe, there is no probability that it ever bore the name of Ceadagh or Keady ; for if so, it should have been called Keady-beg, or the Lesser Keady, to distinguish it from the higher hill in its neighbourhood.
The occasion of St. Columba's arrival at the meeting is said to have
been an unpleasant surprise to King Aedh io4 and to his household. How-
ever, it can hardly be supposed, Aedh was ignorant of the fact, that the holy Abbot had left Scotland, and that he had landed in Ireland, with an express object in view. As Columba had come in the interest of peace, the king could not do otherwise than treat the holy Abbot, his near relation, with at least outward reverence. 105 However, Columkille, with Aidan M'Gauran, King of Albania, and the prelates who accompanied the saint from Scotland, conformed with the formalities then in use. '°6 These high plenipotentiaries took their several seats next the monarch, as being greatly distinguished in rank and influence, while they were received as visitors and guests. This seems to be much more probable, than that Aid should have offered any studied insult to the saint ; as well because of that near relationship with him, and because courtesy and hospitality should be otherwise violated, as also because the high character and influence of Columba had rendered him popu-
O'Doherty, P. P. , addressed to the author,
and dated Newtownstewart, 'County Tyrone,
January 18th, 1888, he writes ; " A local
tradition in favour of Enagh is thus told by
a very old man in the locality. O'Cahan
and his daughters mounted on horseback
oncevisitedthefair. Apooroldmanhap-
pened to be in their way, and O'Cahan
lashed him with his whip, telling him to get
out ofthefair, andoutofthe wayofhis horse. Irish Nation," part i. , chap, ii. , p. 54. The old man replied, that soon the Choc
'
should be gan enagh, i. e. ,
a fair,' and the O'Cahan should be gan-each,
'" that is, the O'Cahan without a horse,'
103TheRev. FatherM'Kennafurtherob-
jects: "Any one can see, that separated from the slope or hill-foot of Keady by a level tract of ground two miles in extent, Enagh cannot be the ridge or Drum of that Keady. Some thought, that this Keady I now speak of might have been the
Dublin, 1876, 8vo.
10S It is stated, however, by Prince
the hill without
site for the Convention; but, no one holds this '"
to his arguments and representations. See view now, who knows that the CollisCym- Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga, Quinta bae,' was 'pervicinus,'or very near to Drum- Vita S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. vii. , p. 431.
ceat. " The Rev. Mr. M'Ken—naadds to the
—: if it bethean- foregoing account "Enagh
cient Drumcette should have two features, viz. , it should be a hill, and that hill should have a ridge joined to it. If you call it Drum 'a ridge, 'and look at it, you see there
,o6 An absurd tradition prevailed, that our
' isnothinglefttobecalledCeadaghor hill,'
'
and if you call it a Ceadagh or hill,' there
is nothing left to be called a drum or '"
ridge. '
I04 " This Aidus had a brother named
Lochan Dilmhain, who was, according to someoftheancien—tIrishannalists,ancestor to the Dillons" John O'Hari's "Irish Pedigrees ; or, the Origin or Stem of the
O'Donnell, that Aedh's change of de- meanour towards our saint was only after he hadwitnessedtheactsofColumba,inre- ference to the members of his family, and when he feared God's judgments might fall upon himself, if he showed disrespect towards the holy man. Then he was ad- mitted to the king's favour, and it was told him. that every deference should be given
with a alluded to in the Fore speech to the " Amra Choluim Chilli," of Dallon Forgaill, edited by
saint visited Ireland on this occasion bandage over his eyes. This is
O'Beirne Crowe, pp. 8, 9.
June 9 ] LI VES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 483
larandbelovedamongallclasses. Thekingwellknewthepowerfulinfluence of the saint, and naturally feared his strenuous opposition. According to some
accounts, Aedh forbid, under forfeiture of life or property, that any person in the meeting should show any sign of reverence or kindness to the saint. The illustrious Abbot was a Dalriad, and he belonged to that family, which had already colonized Argyle and the south-western part of Scotland, so that his choice of residence in those territories and his sympathies towards their inha- bitants attached him to the adopted country. Columba was distinguished for his golden eloquence, and it was well calculated to sway the council of princes and prelates, several of these belonging to his own kith and kin. His monastic station, combined with his royal birth, gave him reverence and weight with all. In those Christian monasteries and schools, which had suddenly sprung up in every part of Ireland, his great repute as a doctor and a scholar had already been established. Angelic in appearance, elegant in address, holy in work, with talents of the highest order, and of consummate wisdom,10? he was eminently qualified to influence the decisions of this splendid repre-
At that
the fragments of which still move and delight the Gaelic scholar Io8 were
s—entative
assembly.
very time,
his
and —verse glowing soul-inspiring
familiar to the princes, nobles, clerics and people who had assembled.
Such was the man, on whom devolved the noble duty, to defend the cause
oflibertyandlearning; andwhenColumbacametotheassembly,allroseup
toreverenceandwelcomehim. 1? Owingtosomecause,itissaidtheQueen
of Aedh was filled with jealousy, at the veneration manifested towards
Columba and his followers. She secretly ordered her son Connal to insult
and maltreat them, and he obeyed her commands. Now Connal was
regarded as Roydamha or heir-apparent to the sovereignty of Ireland. It so happened, his pavilion was placed near to that of our saint and his com-
panions. The prince urged the boys and subservient persons in his retinue, to deride the strangers, and even to pelt them with sods and stones. Some of Columba's followers sustained severe injuries, and were knocked down to the earth. This was only a subject for sport and laughter among the ill- bred youths. For such an unmerited attack, the saint boldly and unsparingly
110 He also foretold, because of that crime, the prince should be deprived of the
to a and as she had insti- popular legend,
reproached the king's son, and pronounced excommunication against him.
crown and 111 kingdom.
According
gated her son to such acts of violence, the holy abbot asked, that the Queen
might be visited with a temporary affliction, in order to bring her to a true sense of her irreligious conduct. Consequently, she and a maid, who abetted
107 See Rev. Dr. William Reeves' Adam-
"3 This popular rumour was a sufficient theme for the bards ; one of whom, like another Ovid, produced some Irish—lines,
nan's face, p. 9.
McGee's "
"
Life of St. Columba," Second Pre-
108 See Thomas D'
lar History of Ireland," vol. i. , book i. , chap. V. , \>. 30.
which are thus rendered in
111 See "Trias Colgan's
"4 His father was the sovereign of Ire- land, when the famous Convention was held at Drumceat.
"5 In Irish "OpomA CeAcc or t>|\uim
Arcy
Popu-
English astonished at her feathers
l°9SeeRightRev. PatrickF. Moran's A j . ' ,
«
»o On this occasion, St. Columba ordered his companions to ring their hand-bells against Connall, as part of this solemn cere- monial.
. , . , ,, , And W1 h *er maid transform d fre-
Irish Saint! in Great Britain," chapr, iii. , g7
fl quents the flood ;
Thaumaturga," Quinta Acta S. Columbae, lib. iii. , cap. v. ,
p. 431.
*" See Rev. Jeoffrey Keating's "General
History of Ireland, "book ii. , p. 377. Duffy's Ceacc. See Rev.
