No More Learning

*'* It is in the distinctly stated,
Trinity College Manuscript, H. 3. 18, that the Seafic/it(S Mor was likewise calletl Cain
"
individual Brehon of the Gaeidhil has dared
to abrogate anything found in it.
^5 Hence, this volume seems not to have
been a collection of History and of Laws,
but relating to Laws solely. See Dr. Petrie's " History and Antiquities of Tara Hill," p. 56. Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," vol. xviii.
Fhadriiig, or
Patrick's Law," and that no
*°
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
Quarta Appendix ii. , p. 214.
ad Acta S.
Patricii,
pars.
^^ This was the name, which the Irish ap- plied to St. Patrick's copy of the Gospels, and now known as the " IBook of Armagh. " See "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (1), pp. 132 to 134.
^^
See Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. clxxxv. , p. 106.
^"^ See Bishop Nicholson's "Irish Histo-
Ii.
lost, or they are not yet recovered.
9" Although Dr. Petrie thinks the Scan-
See Rev, John Francis Shearman's
Patriciana," No. vii. , p. 116.
9-* The date of his death is not
''
Loca
rical
9° See Rev.
recorded, yet, we are told, he was buried in the ram-
Library," cha]5. ii. , p. Jeoffrey Keating's
" General History of Ireland," book ii. , at the reign of King Laogaire, where he gives a very particular account of the proceedings and care of the committee, appointed to revise the laws, and to preserve the poems, genea- logies and chronicles of the ancients. Many of the books he names, as existing over two hundred years ago, now seem to have been
jDarts of Maisden, in his armour, and as if prepared for battle.
95 See Ussher's " Britannicarum Ecclesia- nim Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 431, and
"
Index Chronologicus," at A. D. ccccxlviii. , p. 518. Ibid.
9° As at A. D. 460. See Rev. John Francis
Shearman's "Loca Patriciana," No. vii. , p. 118.
the illustrious met
Illand,
or
Illann,97
See Dr. Petrie's
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 687
and Alild, or Ailell, sometimes called Oilill,9^ the sons of Dmilaing, and who succeeded their father, on the throne of Leinster, They received, with respect and attention, the message of salvation, conveyed to them, and both
were purified, in the waters of regeneration, having been baptized in a well,99
whichlaynorthofthetownofNaas. '°° ThesiteofSt. Patrick'stent'°^was
here shown, on the green of the fort, or great Dun, w-hich stands in the
centre of the town. While there, he also baptized AililFs two daughters,
Moghain and Feidelm. ^°^ Their father dedicated them to God and to St.
Patrick. They lived as consecrated virgins, afterwards, and St. Patrick is
said to have blessed the veil, which was placed on their heads. '°3 At this
place, too, one Foillen, an Oeconemus, or officer of the royal household, had
conceived a strong prejudice against the Christian Religion. Messengers went from the saint, who desired to hold a conference with this steward of the
Fort, at Naas. Then, Foillen ridiculed the holy man, against whom he had an
enmity,andherefusedtobeconverted. Hefeignedaprofoundsleep,when
the Apostle of Ireland approached him. '°+ The sleep of death, however,
came over this unhappy man ; and, his eyes never opened, afterwards, except to the horrors of perdition, in another life. This dreadful fate was long re-
membered, by the inhabitants of this place ; and, the worst imprecation they
that this imprecation was used, in his time. Jocelyn states, however, that quite a corresponding event occurred at Cnoc, thought to have been Castle- knock, just after Patrick had left Dublin. He calls that unfortunate man, who slept on to death, not by the name of Foillen, but by that of Murin. '°7
*'' The heroic prince lllann, who was a effected other works, before he set out for great warrior, died a. d. 506, according to Leinster. This system, however, cannot
"
the sleep of Foillen, in the Castle of Naas ! " '°5 We are told, by Colgan,'°^
could wish an enemy was conveyed in these words :
May his sleep be like
Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 164, 165.
9** His death is recorded, at A. D. 526.
See ibid. , pp. 174, 175. Many Kings of Leinster, as also the great St. Lorcan or Laurence O'Toole, descended from him. See
well be reconciled, with our received chro- nology, nor with the series of our saint's transactions, as given in the Tripartite Lives. The great objection, with regard to time, might indeed be got over, so far as concernsIllann. But,wecannotreasonably
*'
the author's Life of St. Laurence O'Toole," account for the baptism of Alild, at that
&c. , chap, i. , pp. II, 12, and note. early period, particularly as the Tripartite 59 It is Said to have been north of the adds, that his daughters, Mugania and
great Fort or Dun. Fethlimia, were also baptized by our saint, "''In the writer's "Life of St. David, and in the same fountain. Supposing Alild
Archbishop of Menevia, Chief Patron of Wales, and Titular Patron of Naas Church
and Parish, in Ireland," a special chapter
to have been then only twenty-four years of
age, we should be obliged to admit, that he
reached the term of over 100 years. See
Rev. Dr. " Ecclesiastical Lanigan's
has been devoted to the l2mo.
and his- tory of this ancient town. Dublin, 1869,
History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, v. , n. 38,
"'
to have been
pp. 274, 275.
'°'' to the Irish According
It is
ward of the road.
been at Naas.
east-
"' were They
Patrick was told, that the steward was
" said "I asleep. My debroth," Patrick,
should not be surprised, if it M'ere his last
sleep. " Plis people went to awaken him, and they found him dead, owing to the dis- obedience he showed to St. Patrick.
'°5 See the " Life of St. Patrick, Apostle ofIreland,&c. ATripleLeaf,"chap,iii. , pp. 66, 6"]. Hence, the imprecation, which, adds the Tripartite, a person wishing bad rest to another used to pronounce.
'"^ See his "Trias " Sexta '1 haumaturga,
Vita S. Patricii, n. 73, p. 112.
'°7 See ibid. , cap. Ixxii. , p. 91.
'°* This territory took its name from
Carchu, a descendant of Ugaine Mor, King
said,
placed,
Tripartite Life,
on the December, according to the Calendar of the O'Clerys. Jocelyn has omitted the whole of what is said about St. Patrick having
venerated,
9th
of
'"^ Ussher's Tripartite mentions, in general terms, that the sons of Dunking, who ruled in North Leinster, believed and were bap- tized. See "Primordia," cap. xvii. , p. 826. Now, Ussher assigns their baptism, to A. D. See his " Index
448. Chronologicus," ad annum ccccxLVlli. This epoch was
ruled, to harmonize with his calculations, according to which St. Patrick founded the See of Armagh, went to Great Britain, and
antiquities
6S8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[March 17.
During this progress of St. Patrick through Leinster, he appears to have
visited Hy-Garchon territory^°^ once more, and Drichir, or Dricrin,'°9 the
princeofthecountry,inhospitablytreatedhim. "° Thischiefisreportedto have been a son-in-law to King Leoghaire. But, St. Patrick was consoled
for this bad reception, by meeting a very poor man, named Cillen, or KiUin,'" who slaughtered the only cow he possessed, in order to entertain the saint and his retinue. "^ He likewise gave to Patrick the quantity of flour, that he brought for his own support from the king's house. "3 Where- upon, St. Patrick prophesied, that Cilline's son, who is named Marcanus, or Marcan,"* should be a future king, over the Ui-Garchon.
From Hy-Garchon, St. Patrick is said to have travelled through that level and pleasing region, through which the River Liffey ran. "5 Here, he founded churches, and he also provided for their good government. This dis-
"
trict was called Magh-liffe, or the
Killuassuille,"^ so called from St. Auxilius, or Usaille,"? whom the saint left at this place, now known as Killashee,"^ or Killossy ;"9 as also, Kill-Cuilinn,'=° now known as Old KilcuUen,'^^ which belonged to St. Iserninus,"^ and to St. Mactail ;^^3 while other churches were established by him, of which a record
of Ireland. We learn from the Scholiast, on St. Patrick founded an abbey, and that it the Martyrology of Aengus tlie Ceile De, was not far from Kildare. He calls Auxi- that it was in one of the Fotharta of lius K nephew of St. Patrick. See " Mon- Leinster. See Dr. Todd's "St. Patrick,
Apostle of Ireland. " Introduction. Ap- pendix A. , Table v. , p. 253, and chap, i. , pp. 286, 290, 338.
'°5 Such is the name, as written in the Irish Tripartite. This king's name does not appear in the Annals, but he was perhaps a near connection of Nathi, who opposed St. Palladius and Patrick, in the same country. He was a person of considerable importance, being a member of the same family, as the kings of Leinster.
"° The Irish Tripartite Life states, that he refused Patrick, regarding his feast, at Rath-Inbhir, on Laeghaire's account.
"' He does not appear to have been
identified with any saint in our Calendars,
although his pedigree has been traced, in Dr.
Todd's "St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland. "
Introduction. Appendix A. , Tablev. , p. 253. ^" The Rev. Dr. Lanigan remarks, that
this is a proof, furnished by the Tripartite, that St. Patrick did not always abstain from
"
obscure.
"'* See the pedigree of the Ui-Garchon,
asticon Hibernicum," p. 332.
"7 According to the " Annals of the Four
flesh-meat. See
Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , sect, v. , n. 42, p. 276.
and it is described, on the dare," Sheet 28.
Ecclesiastical History of
plain of the Liffey. " In it were founded,
'^-
Nennius, and some other wTiters, "^ This probably illustrates some old state, that Auxilius and Iserninus were Celtic custom, the origin of which is now ordained with St. Patrick. It is held, by
"
of Ireland. " Introduction. Appendix A,
some, that these disciples only received Minor Orders, at that time. The Ulster Annals indicate, that Iserninus died A. D.
given by Dr. Todd, in
St. Patrick, Apostle
"
Table v. , p. 253. It should, however, be siarum Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p. 438, and
""
Index Chronologicus at A. D. ccccLXix.
"3 He is said to have died, June nth, A. D. 548. This saint could not have been Mag-Liffe is erroneously made to be the there, if this date be correct, even as a
observed, that this pedigree appears to be incorrect and defective.
"5 In O'Conor's map of Scotia Antiqua,
county of Dublin. See
"
Dissertations on
disciple, of St. Patrick, at the time of Isser- ninus' appointment.
"•See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Secunda Vita S. Patricii, cap. xxvi. , p. 14,
the History of Ireland," sect, xiii. , p. 172. Ed. Dublin, 1812.
"' Here Archdall states, incorrectly, that
Masters," he died on the 27th August, A. d. 454. On that day, the Calendar of the O'CIerys has his festival.
"^ This is a parish, situated in North and South Naas Baronies, and it is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kildare," Sheets 19, 23, 24. The townland proper is marked, on the latter sheet.
"9 Rawson places it, within a mile of
Naas. See " Statistical Sui'vey of the
County of Kildare," p. vi.
'^° This was formerly a considerable town.
It has given way, however, to the new Kil- cuUen, or Kilcullen-bridge, which was not founded, until the fourteenth century. See
Seward's "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland," at Kilcullcn.
"' The townland so called presents the chief antiquities of KilcuUen parish to view,
"
Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Kil-
469. See Ussher's
Britannicarum Eccle-
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 689
does not seem to have been preserved. Over these, too, he left holy ministers to preside ;"+ for, in all such cases, the illustrious man resolved, that the seed sown should be tended, by industrious labourers.
CHAPTER XVIII.
ST. PATRICK APPROACHES LEIX—DESIGN ON HIS LIFE AND PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE—HE NEXT VISITS DUBTACH IN HY-KINSELLACH—HE CONSECRATES ST. FIACH AS BISHOP OF SLETTY—CRIMTHAIN, SON OF ENDA KINSELLAGH, PATRONIZES HIS EFFORTS AND FOUNDS MANY CHURCHES—ST. PATRICK THEN VISITS THE OSSORIAN DISTRICT.
Having accomplished the preceding series of transactions, St. Patrick next proceeded to visit the territory of Leix. ' At the time, and long afterwards,
this appears to have been one of the most important principalities in Leinster. But, while journeying towards it, some of the people, on the Youte, had contrived a snare for the saint and for his disciples. ^ According to Jocelyn, certain wicked people, living in the plain of the Liffey, had pre- pared an ambush for the holy missionary. This design seems to have been formed, and partially accomplished, on the western bank of the Liffey, as he approachedtheboundsofLeix. SomechildrenofBelialdugdeeppits3and holesintheway,wherethesaint,withallhisretinue,wastopass. Thosetraps werecoveredoverwithbranchesandgreensodsofgrass. But,anumerousand benevolent family, who had a knowledge of the trap laid for his destruction, sent him a timelyjwarning. The saint, full of confidence in God, gave his bene- diction to this holy family, and so he, and his retinue passed, without receiving any detriment. The green sods, like solid earth, afforded them a firm passage. The saint commanded a pious matron,* or a young maid,s Briga,^ or Brig,7 who noticed them regarding the ambush laid, to call her father. ^ With his ten sons, and three daughters, St. Patrick converted that man to the Christianfaith. Hisdaughtersbecamenuns,andthesewereveiledbythesaint's own hands. Of the sons, five flourished in the world, it is said, in great prosperity, while five others became monks, remarkable for great perfection and sanctity, as the saint had prophesied concerning them. Again, the holy man had a prevision, that the evil-disposed should be a servile and a depen- dent race,9 subject to strange rulers, while neither princes nor prelates were to spring from their line. It appears, from the narrative, that the Apostle hadnowarrivednear,ifnotwithin,theUiErcainboundaries. '" St. Patrick
nn. 39, 40, pp. 18, 19; Tertia Vita S.
Patricii, cap. Iviii. , p. 25, and nn. 52, 53, p.
32 ; Quarta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxv. , p.
44 ; Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixviii. ,
Ixix. , Ixx. , Ixxi. , Ixxii. , pp. 90, 91, and nn.
68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, pp. Ill, 112 ; Sep-
tima Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. xiv. , Life. We are told, that the name Brig XV. , xvi. , xvii. , xviii. , pp. 151, 152, and nn. differs from Brigid. We find, that the
23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, pp. mother to St. Comgall of Bangor, bora "
184, 185. See, also. Miss Cusack's Life in Magheramorne, near Larne, County
of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," pp. 457 to 461, with the corresponding notes.
Chapter xviii. —' It embraced at this
Antrim, was named Brig, and the Calendar of the O'Clerys mentions four holy persons
named
time the
® The Irish thus Tripartite
of the -''
greater part
present Queen's
dramatically " For God's sake,"
"Drive on, then, for God's sake, your
horses,"
9 Never having rest from persecution or
complaints, as the Irish Life adds. 2X
County.
The plotters had intended, as we are told,
to draw them into bogs, there to kill them.
pits, '•
relates this occurrence
said the little boys, drive on, your horses,"
3 The Irish
calls them water- According to the Tripartite Life.
cried Patrick,
Tripartite
s As Jocelyn says.
®
daughter to Fergna, son of Cobtach. Her
She is supposed to have been Briga,
feast is thought to be, at the 7th of Ja- nuary.
^ So is she called, in the Irish Tripartite
Brigh.
:
690 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
blessed Briga, and all her family, who belonged to the Hy-Erchon tribe, and he declared, that brave chiefs and estimable cleries should always abound
among them. " Thus, St. Patrick and his companions providentially escaped from those dangers. In our Apostle's time, that place was known as Laigis micfinn ;" and when the writer of his Tripartite Life flourished, it was a marshy
spot, called Moin-Choluim. The Irish Tripartite Life apparently states,
that here the saint pronounced a malediction, not on the territory Laighis, but on a Laighis, son to Find. '3 It is said, Moin Choluim^4 is now the old
church of Moone,'5 giving name to a parish and to a barony, near Timolin,'^ in the south of the present county of Kildare. Then, Patrick alighted, from his horse, while on the hillock, which was then called Bile-Mac-Cruaich,'7 After-
itwascalledForrach-Patrick. '^ He thatthereshouldnever said,
wards, however,
be a foreign king or steward over the people there, and that when the King of Leinster should be distributing the animals for food, in his royal house, the Satrap, or Steward, of Hy-Ercon,'9 should be entitled to one-fourth of the cattle and heifers slain, for the king's kitchen. ^° It was declared, moreover, that they should have Patrick's respect, and their place was V^inc\. '? ,forrach, or " seat. "''' They were destined to have, likewise, the dignity of laics and clerics, as also to have wealth and renown. ^^ or down to
Eight princes, justiciaries^^ they had,
the reign of Conchobar,^^ son of Donnchadh,^5 son to Domhnall,^^ monarch at Tara ; and, this succession was held to confirm the predictions of St. Patrick, inreferencetothem. "7 Traditionsappeartoabound,inthispartofthecountry,
which show it was blessed, by the presence of our great Irish Apostle. ^^
in the barony of Kilkea and Moone, Nar- ragh and Reban East and West, in the county of Kildare. Its extent is shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the County of Kildare," Sheets 31, 32, 35, 36. The townland proper is shown, on Sheets 32, 36.
'3 These are said to have been derivetl,
from Ercan, eighth in descent, from Eoch- aidh-Finn-Fothart, founder of the Fotharts'
tribe, in this part of the country.
*° So states the Latin Tripartite Life.
According to the Irish Life, it is said, the Ui-Ercain steward should have one shin (of beef ), and the King of Leinster the other.
*' It was also called, "Forum Patricii,"
and Norragh Patrick, in Archbishop Alan's
" Viride. " In his it had Repertorium time,
many neighbouring churches succursal to it.
Narraghmore, or the "great Forrach," was used to denote its site.
" Several memorials of St. Patrick exist,
'°
the south part of the county of Kildare.
This tribe seems to have been seated, in
" See Sexta Vita S. Patricii," cap. cxx. , p. 92.
" The Irish Tripartite Life states, that Laighs was the tribe-name of the youths, who committed the misdeed, against St. Patrick and his companions.
'^ It is not, however, inconsistent with the former statement.
'* It is said to have been formerly called, 11lAein, and niAein ChoUntn-clnLte, be- cause the church had been erected, by the great Abbot of lona, and because a frag- ment of St. Colum-Cille's Cross was there shown. Eventually, it became a Franciscan
house. See Dr. O'Donovan's
"
Annals of
the Four
and Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes G, p. 280.
'S This parish extends, through the baro- nies of East Olfaly, Kilkea and Moone,
Masters,"
vol.
ii. ,
n.
(c), p. 781,
Narragh and Reban East, and it is defined,
in that part of the country.
on the " Ordnance Townland Survey Maps
^3 The Latin Life " octo Tripartite has,
for the County of Kildare," Sheets 22, 31, 35) 36) 38. The townland proper is on Sheets 36, 38.
'* The townland, town and parish of Ti- molin, in the barony of Narragh and Reban East, are shown, on the " Ordnance Survey Townland for the of
supremi diaecetes sive Justiciarii," appa- rently having jurisdiction, in their own locality.
^* Conchobhar ascended the throne A. D. 818, and he died in 831.
'^ He reigned, from A. D. '766 to 792.
"* He from A. D. to See reigned, 739 758.
Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four
Masters," vol. i. , for the particulars of these
foregoingeventfulreigns.