The
original
name was Coibb tli
O'Donovan — :
modern title —and it seems to have O'Quinn
' '
—
From the
which flocks
included Rasharkin parish, with the four
towns of 8.
O'Donovan — :
modern title —and it seems to have O'Quinn
' '
—
From the
which flocks
included Rasharkin parish, with the four
towns of 8.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Thence, Colgan infers, that Daniel wa—s in Ireland, about the time of St.
Patrick but, indeed, this in-
ference is very questionable. Again, it is noticeable, that the church of Ailech mor belonged by some right, to the monks of St. Kieran. But,anobjectionmayberaised, that the first Domnaldus' father's name was Crimthann, a form which seems rather to have been used by the Irish, than by the
Connaught, to signify
"
a watery hill-side ;"
Stokes, LL. D.
'57 Colgan remarks, that the Irish proper
nameDomnallcorrespondswithDaniel,and name, who is alluded to, by John Bale, in
"
Scriptomm Illustrium Majoris Britannise," cent, i. , cap. lix. He lived A. D. 516, and his feast was held on the 1st of December,
according to the "
Martyrologium Anghca-
rium Cambriae,
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 643
Ailech-Airtich, regarding whom we have already spoken ; the second was Domnaldus,sontoColgne,ofTulach-Hag;^58 while,thethirdwasDomnal- dus, of Cuil-chonalta. ^59 As if relating a second trip, the Latin Tripartite Life declares, that at the north of Lough Foyle, St. Patrick crossed the strait fromInishowen,andthenproceededtowardsDun-Cruthen. ^'^'° Thesituation of this place has not been clearly determined. Colgan threw out a con- jecture,'^^ that Dun-cruthen was the same as the present Dunboe,'^^ in the district of Machare. '^3 However, it is probable, that Duncruthen was situated elsewhere. '^* If not in, it was not far from, a district, called Keu-
nacta,'^3 now the barony of Kenaght, in Londonderry. Here, he erected a church, placing over it a bishop, called Beatus, and by his merits well
deservingthisname. '^^ TheTripartiteLatinLiferepresentshim,asthein- timatefriendofaholyman,namedEugenius. '^7 intheterritoryofKen- nacta, he remained for seven Sundays, and he laid the foundations of seven churches, consecrated to the Lord. '^^ One of these was Domnach-Airthir- Arda,^^9 now bearing the local designation of Tamlaght. '7o Another church was called Domnach-Bregh-Muige,'? ' and adjoining it was the miraculous well,knownasTiopra-Phadruic,or"Patrick'sWell. " Whilehewasinthis part of the country, a noble, named Sedna,^? ^ came to Patrick, and listened most attentively to his instructions. At this time, Setna's wife bore in her womb one, who was afterwards destined to become a child of light. The noble, his wife, and whole family, embraced the faith. When the son was
Britons. The same objection may be taken
probably to the second-named, and whose father is called Colgne. However, it lies
'^s In early times, this territory belonged to the O'Conors of Gleann Geimhan, of the race of Cian-, son to Oilioll Olum, King of
not against the third Domnaldus, whose IMunster, in the third century, A short
father's name is not given. Our Irish Mar- t)rrologists note the feast of a St. Domnall,
at the 26th of April. Nothing can be pro- nounced, with certainty, regarding these
time, before the English invasion, they were dispossessed by the O'Cathains or O'Kanes, of the race of Eoghan. See "The Topo-
graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and holy bishops, named in the text. See Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," edited by
"
Trias Thaumaturga," n. 55, p. 175.
'5^ In ancient Ceara, there were three
Dr. O'Donovan, p. xvi. , n. 69.
"^ Among several persons, bearing the
name of Beoadh or Beoan, Colgan has endeavoured to discover who this Beatus
townlands, named Tulach ; and, probably,
one of these is here meant. One was called,
Tulach or " Hill. " This was. he could not come to Spelain, Spellan's Yet,
is now known as Cnoc Spealain, which rises decision.
any
to a considerable height, between the village
of Balla and Slieve Cama, in the barony of
'''7 Very probably, this was intended for Eugenius, Bishop of Ardstrath, or Ardstraw,
CaiTa, county of Mayo. See John O'Dono- who lived in Tyrone, about the sixth cen-
van's "Genealogies, Tribes and Customs of
Hy-Fiachrach," pp. 156, 157, and 196, 197, with n. (i. )
'59 This place has not been identified.
'^°It signifies "the fort of the Cruith- neans," who, in the time of St. Patrick, had settlements in northern Ulster.
'*' He has been followed by Archdall. See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 91.
'*=
It is now a parish, in the diocese of Derry, and situated near the ocean. It is in
tury, and whose feast occurs, on the 23rd of August. If so, Beatus was not a contem- porary, with St. Patrick.
'^^ The Latin Tripartite then adds here,
"quas proinde Dominicas appellavit. "
"''9 Now Tamlacht-Ard, or Magilligan, so called, because it was within the bounds of
Airthir-Arda, or "the Eastern Heights," which rise in the extreme north-western
parts of Londonderry County.
'7° This townland, in Magilligan Parish,
the barony of Coleraine, and may be seen, barony of Keenaght, is shown, on the
described on the " Ordnance Survey Town-
land Maps for the County of Londonderry,"
" Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the "
CountyofLondonderry, Sheets5,6.
'7' Colgan only informs us, that this place was in the territory of Kiennact. See
Sheets 2, 3, 6, 7.
— "
'*3 Many places, bearing this name
or "a
'** See Rev. Mr. Sampson's excellent
"Trias " Index Thaumaturga,
"a
are found in different parts of Ireland.
r—tlACAi^e meaning
field,"
plain
Topographi-
" Londonderry," p. 487.
cus, p. 708.
'7== He is said to have been son to Trena,
and grandson to Tigemach.
'" This saint, whose feast is held on the
work,
Statistical Survey of the County of
644 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
born, he was delivered to St. Patrick for baptism. He also obtained the
holy Apostle's blessing, and he was adopted as a spiritual son, to be in- structed in piety and sacred learning. Afterwards, he was known as Kiena- nus,'73 Bishop of Darnliag, or Duleek. ^74 While there, St. Patrick foretold the future birth and holiness of St. Cannech,'75 and he was announced to that people, as the common patron of their region of Kiennacht.
During his progress, while founding many churches, St. Patrick came to the bounds of Lei, or Lea,^76 which was on the western^? ? banks of the Bann,^? '' where the fishermen were only able then to take fish, during the night-time. The potent servant of God ordered them, however, to set down their nets, in the daytime, Avhen they captured a great number of fish. Thenceforward, by day and night, the fisheries of the Bann were found to be ever productive, and the fishermen thankfully preserved their steady sources of gain. ^79
CHAPTER XV.
ST. PATRICK VISITS THE TERRITORIES OF DALRIADA AND OF DALERADIA—HE PREACHES IN DALRIEDA—HE FOUNDS CHURCHES THERE AND IN DALARADIA—HIS MISSION NEAR LOUGH NEAGH, AT HY TUIRTRE, AND AT IMCHLAIR.
The territories of Dal-Riada,^ in the northern part of Ulster, and of Dal- Araidhe,^ in the eastern portion, were the next districts visited, by our inde-
fatigable Apostle.
These were two chief divisions of ancient Ulster. The
24th of November, was the eleventh hi descent from OiUU Olum.
'74 It is curious, that the territory in
Meath, where Duleek is situated, was also
"
calledKienachta. See ActsofArchbishop
Cotton in his Metropolitan Visitation of
the Diocese of Derry, a. d. mcccxcvii. " Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ivii. , p. Edited by Rev. Dr. William Reeves. Ad- 25, and n. 51, p. 32 ; Quarta Vita S.
ditional Notes, F, n. (e), p. 124.
'75 His feast occurs, on the lith of
October.
'7^ The Latin Tripartite Life states " venit
in Leasorum fines. " In the "Leabhar na
g-Ceart, or Book of Rights," the people of tima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. cviii. ,
this district are called "Fir Li of the Lake,"
''
Fir Li of the Bann. " According to the " Book of Lecan," their district extended from Bir to Camus ; and the O'Clerys' Irish Calendar, at the 9th of January, places Aghadowey, in Magh Li. See Dr. O'Donovan's n, (m), p. 123, and
pp. 134, 135.
'77 In the time of St. these Patrick, people
of Lei, or Li, were living on the west side
of the Bann ;
cix. , ex. , cxi. , cxii. , cxiii. , cxiv. , cxv. , cxvi. , cxvii. , cxviii. , cxix. , cxx. , cxxi. , cxxii. , cxxiii. , cxxiv. , cxxv. , cxxvi. , cxxvii. , pp. 143 to 146, and nn. 155 to 192, pp. 180 to 182. Also Miss Cusack's "Life of St. Patrick," pp. 433 to 439, with the corre- sponding notes. —
'
Chapter xv. This territory repre-
sented the — from the district, ranging present
village of Glynn formerly called Glenfin- neaght—about 30 Irish miles from the mouth of the Bush River. That in
and they are also designated
Life has
them, "
" ad Orientalem
The Irish version agrees.
although the Latin Tripartite
adjacentes.
Here, we have another proof of the compa- ratively modern character of these docu- ments. Sliabh Callainn, now Slieve Gallion, was in ancient Li, and it is still on the west
side of the River Bann.
O'Cathains increased in power, the people of Li were driven across the Bann, and these were unquestionably on the east side of it, at the period of the English invasion. See ibid. , n. (m. )
firmation of the — he statement,
gave
the
But,
ejus ripam
valley, which the old church of Glynn is situated, formed part of the southern boundary of Dalriadaterritory. Randal,EarlofAntrim, who died in or before 1639, gave this infor- mation to Archbishop Ussher, and as con-
when the
'7^ Harris, without any warrant, states, that St. Patrick crossed the Bann, at Cole-
" raine. See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , Arch-
bishops of Armagh," p. 19. For this mission, he was not obliged to cross that river.
Patricii, cap. Ixxi. , p. 44, and nn. 47, 48, p. 49 ; Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxxiv. , Ixxxv. , pp. 84, 85, and nn. 91, 92, 93, p. 112, cap, Ixxxix. , p. 85, n. 99, p. 113, cap. xcvi. , p. 87, cap. cxxiii. , pp. 92, 93 ; Sep-
'79 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
following Irish distich
:
O buAii- •o'a iieiiAJit) caIca 50 c]\oif SlcAnriA ptincAccA,
%
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 645
regal seat of the province was at Emania, about one and a-half English miles west of Armagh. It is still designated, by that remarkable enclosure, called
•A5 pii "OaL Ria'oa tiA |AeAnii ^lorfbe If eolAcli \ax\ flieA|\Aiin.
It is thus rendered into English, by John
townlands, in the western part of Rasharkin parish.
The original name was Coibb tli
O'Donovan — :
modern title —and it seems to have O'Quinn
' '
—
From the
which flocks
included Rasharkin parish, with the four
towns of 8. The Killio- fly over, Craigs. Tuogh of
Buaish,
Unto the cross of Glenfinneaght,
Extends Dah-iada of sub-divisions, As all who know the land can tell. "
"
inonie is so called, from Coibb tl i mhu1^^e-
Dublin Penny Journal," vol. i. , No. 46, p. 362. The parish of Glynn is in the barony of Lower Belfast, and it is de-
the village of Dunloy, in the eastern part of
Finvoy parish. 9. The Tuogh of Maghere-
dunagh received its name from •niACAii\e,
" a plain," and TJun ©ac-oac, " Dunaghy," the parish of which it chiefly consisted. The second division of Dalriada was known as the Glynnes, and these were classed under seven Tuoghs. I. The Tuogh of Munerie
See the
"
Ordnance Survey Townland
scribed on the
Maps for the County of Anlrim," Sheets
40, 41, 46, 47. The townland proper is on
Sheet 40. It lies along the west shore of was about co-extensive with the parish of
Lame Lough. Thus, the territory seems to
have taken in, nearly the whole northern and
eastern coast of tlie present county of
Antrim, including thebaroniesof Upper and
Lower Glenarm, and of Gary, with portions
of Lower Dunluce and Lower Belfast Baro-
nies. Dalriada was included in two well-
known divisions. The first of these was the
Route, containing nine Tuoghs or districts.
I. The Toicgk between the Bande and the
Boys, or between the River Bann on the
west, and the River Bush on the east, com-
prised the parishes of Coleraine, Ballyagh-
ran, Ballywillen, Ballyrashane, Dunluce and
KildoUagh ; the part lying near the Bann
was formerly called Rloy Elle. 2. The
Tough of Dunsrjerick and Ballenatoy was
separated from the last by the Bush, and it
contained Dunseverick and Ballintoy
parishes, with that part of Billy parish,
which lies within Gary barony. 3. The
Tough ofBallelagh, containing the parish of clinis, which lies between Nappan and
Derrykeighan, and that part of Billy parish,
which is in the barony of Lower Dunluce.
Various allusions to the local history are
Lemnalary. 6. TheTuoghoftheFarkewas so called from Glenai-m demense, and it in-
cluded Tickmacrevan, Templeoughter and Solar parishes. 7. Thz Tuogh of the Lame comprised the parishes of Carncastle, Killy- glen, KilwauglUer, and Larne. The most celebrated of those Glynnes are Glenshesk, Glendun, Glencorp, Glenaan, Glenballye- mon, Glenariff, Glencloy and Glenarm. See Rev. William Reeves' " Ecclesiastical An- tiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appendix FF. Dalriada, pp. 318 to 334.
- This territory is said to have derivetl its
name from Fiacha Araidhe, a king of
Ulster, who reigned ten years at Emania, and who flourished A. D. 236, according to Tigernach'sAnnals. Hencecamethede- nomination t)Al, "posterity," and -A^Afoe, the proper name of the king. Dalaradia lay southwards from Dalriada territory. The boundaries between both territories are now
; undistinguishable, on the east and west—
but, towards the middle, the River Ravel which rises in the southern part of Dalriada, by two streams, one of which is called the
found, in an elegant Poem, with engravings, "
intituled,
Dunluce Gastle," in Four Books,
by Edward Quiilinau. It was privately printed,
and it appeared, in a 410 shape, A. D. 1814.
4. The Titogh of Loughgill is so called from
the parish of Loughguile, which forms the
chief part of it. 5. The luogh of Balk-
7Honey and Dromart was so called I'rom the
parish of Ballymoney and the townland
Drumard therein, and it included the
parishes of Ballymoney and Kilraghts. 6.
The Tough of Killeocomuay, seemingly de-
rived from Coil iiA 5-Connniuig, or
"
O'Conway's wood," now forms the name for Kilconway barony, of which the Tough was a part ; but, originally, the name be- longed to the western part of Finvoy parish, where there is a large earthen enclosure in Finvoy glebe, formerly called Kilconway Fort. 7. The Tuogh of Killioquin, now known as the denomination of Kiilyquin, is
the name of an estate, consisting of thirteen
Cum, or "the wood of O'Conn"—
the
ATJAij, or
"
O'Murray's," and it lies around
Ramoan and the Grange of DrumtuUagh. 2. The Cynamond (minor territory) of
Annoy and Raghlins comprised the parish of Armoy and Rathlin Island. 3. The
Tuogh of Cary was synonymous with Cul- feightrin parish, and the barony, which took its name therefrom, comprehends much more than the original territory. 4. The Tuogh of Glinmicotiooh is perhaps a corrup- tion of ^teAun moA'DonAc, which expresses in English "the middle glens. " In the "Act of Settlement and Explanation," the name is written Glendonenaghie, which seems to be intended for Glendun. This forms the commencement of Lower Glenarm barony, and it consists on the north of the Granges of Inispollan and of Layd, and on the south of Layd parish. 5. The Tuogh of the Largie'vs. so called from the Irish beAi\5A, "the hill-slopes," and it bears this expres- sive denomination still, for that pait of Ard-
646 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
the Navan Fort,3 which takes in a very large area of ground. * Ancient Ulster was nearly of the same extent, as the modem province, although its ancient boundaries have been subjected to considerable changes. s It is stated, that St. Patrick proceeded to Rori,^ perhaps intended to designate the Clanna Roory, or the Sons of Rury, which was an epithet, applied to the most distinguished families of Ulster. ? These boast a descent from the race of Ir, son of Milesius, in which line appeared Rudhraidhe Mor, who is said to have been King of Ireland, a. m. 3850. While his story is unknown, and his date uncertain, there must be some reaUty in his name, because it has been transmitted to so many distinctive tribes, and because from him, several northern localities have derived their names.
Towards the northern part of Dal-rieda, St. Patrick came to Carn-Setna,^ or Carn-Sedna, where he met the king of this region, who was named Darius. 9
Dungonnell River, and another the Ravel— province ; and, here, from time to time, was regarded as the tnie boundary. The assembled those warriors of the North,
Dungonnell River has its source, from a small basin, called Lough Evish, in the townland of Cloughcor, at the edge of Ard- clinis parish. The Ravel River, a northern branch, rises in a small lake, called Agan- na-munican, on Slievanee mountain in the
whose valiant deeds are subjects, for the most ancient bardic poetry of the Irish.
s Thus, Louth, which now belongs to Leinster,waspartofit; whileCavan,which is now reckoned in the province of Ulster, was considered formerly to be portion of Connaught. See in the Ulster Observer, of September 29th, 1864, the report of a
parish of Dunaghy, and flowing through
Glenravel, it joins the other branch, at
Deshcart burying-ground. That the Dun- learned Lecture, in Downpatrick, by the
gonnell River, although latterly it has lost the name, was considered the true source, appears from the fact, that it divides the barony of Kilconway, in Dalriada, from Lower Antrim barony in Dalaradia. The two branches, united at Deshcart, then re- ceive the name of the Clough Water, and flowing in a south-west course, this latter continues to separate both ancient territories, lying north and south, \intil it flows into the ! Main Water, at a place, called Glaiy Ford. Flowing southwards, the Main Water con- tinues to be the boundary, until it reaches the village of CuUybacky. Roderick O'Flaherty extends Dalaradia from Newry, to Slieve Alls and Linnduachaill, or Magh-
"
Rev. William Reeves, D. D.
*
It seems, that Do rori is the reading, in the Irish Tripartite IMS. ; the commentator on Miss Cusack's Life of St. Patrick thinks it is probably corrupt, and that it includes some wrong form of the name for the reign- ing King of Dal-Riada. He appears to liave been present, on the occasion of find- ing the child, as afterwards mentioned. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' "Ecclesiastical Antiqui- ties of Down, Connor and Dromore," Ap- pendix T, p. 247.
1 From this stock came, at various periods, certain chiefs, or founders of families, whose names are stereotyped in denominations of Ulster. Thus Eoch-Cobha, from whom the extensive baronies of Iveagh derived their
eralinn. See
Og}'gia," pars, iii. , cap.
xviii. , p. 190. This, however, seems to names of Ui-Eathach, and Magh-Cobha,
have reference, rather to the descendants of
Fiacha Araidhe, than to the country which
they occupied. Strictly speaking, the name Dalaradia, as a territorial designation, was applied only to the northern portion of this extensive tract. Thus, the Bishop of Connor was designated as the Bishop of Dalaradia, which shows, that the olil territory and the diocese were co-terminated ; while, the Bishop of Down was called, also, the Bishop
belonged to this race. Fagartach, from whom the barony of Kinalarty derived its name of Cinel Fagertach, or the race of Fagartah, was of this stock ; and the ancient families of Magenis, Macartan, O'Laverly, O'Garvey, Wards, and others of lesser note, trace their descent from him. See the Re- port of a learned Lecture, in Downpatrick, by the Rev. William Reeves, D. D. , in the
Ulster Observer of September 29th, 1864.
parish of Billy, and barony of Cary, shown on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Antrim," Sheet 3. This,
from the text description, is likely enough to have been the locality.
of Uladh. A
* This has not been place
account of Dalaradia, and of its history, will be found in the leained work quoted, in the preced-
very interesting
identified. There are many local names, in the county of Antrim, compounded with this word. ing note. See ibid. Appendix GG. Da- Among these, there is a Carnside, in the
laradia, pp. 334 to 348.
3 It is situated, in the parish of Eglish, and
barony of Armagh. It is shown, on the
"
Ordnance Survey Townland IMaps for the
County of Armagh," Sheet 12.
* Here reigned a long succession of native
5 Of this potentate, we find no notice in princes, whose sway extended over the our Irish Annals, unless he happens to be
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 647
This dynast happened to be engaged on an itinerary through Dalriada, and at theplacealreadymentioned,amostextraordinaryadventurebefellhim. There, he heard the screams of an infant, and these seemed to come from out of the
ground. That cairn was demolished, and the sepulchre was opened. Then,
a smell, as if that of wine, arose around them, and it appeared to come from
the sepulchre. There, too, was seen a living child, with a dead mother. This woman had died of ague. She had been brought from across the sea to Erinn, and the child was born after her death, and burial. Seven days, it is
saidtohave
inthetumulus. "Thatis
^°saidthe "That king.
lived,
bad,"
Patrick afterwards baptized the
shall be his name, Olcan," " said a Druid.
child; and,hebecame,incourseoftime. BishopOlcan,ofthecommunity
of Airther-Maighe," or Armoy,'3 which means " the eastern plain," in the
district of Dal-Riada.
From Erc'4 and 01chu,^s the two sons of Eochaidh Muinreamhar,^^ the
Irish and Scotch Dal-Riada are descended. '7 St. Patrick received welcome
'^
Down, Connor and Dromore," p. 80, n. (t),
and Appendix Z, pp. 287, 288.
'3 In the townland of Kilcroagh, at the
southern extremity of this parish, an "
"Ancient Burying-Ground is marked on
''
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the
the County of Antrim," Sheet 13. There
"
is a small Cashel, marked, also, ing-ground," in the townland of Knockans, on the same Sheet ; yet, this is not locally known to have been a place for interments.
another son, called Muirheadhach Bolg ; but, Duald Mac Firbis thinks, that those accounts were not true.
from Erc's twelve sons. '? Then, one of these, a
in their Irish territory,
junior, and designated Fergus Mor^^ Mac Erca, complained to the saint, that
that Daire—son to Olchu, and grandson to
Eochaidh Muinreamhar — who occupied,
with his other brothers, Murbolg, now JMur-
logh Bay, in the parish of Culfeightrin, on to Guaire, son of Cionaoth, or Cinde, the north-eastern part of the coast of son of Cairbre Rioghfhota, from whom the Antrim.
" The original "olc," in Irish, has this meaning, "evil. " Olcan is a diminutive of "olc. "
" The feast of St. Olcan, or Bolcan, has
been assigned to the 20th of February.
"In the county of Antrim. See Rev. armed, avenged his father, who was killed
Dr. Reeves'
"
Ecclesiastical Antiquities of
A. D. 220, by slaying his murderer Nemed, A. D. 237, in the battle of Cinfebrat. Conary
II's brother-in-law, Art Aen-fir, succeeded him as sovereign, and had under his care the three Cairbres. The son of Art-Aen-fir, Cormac O'Conn, obtained several victories over the Ulidians and the Albanians, and after a reign over Ireland of forty years, he died A. D. 266. Probably, during this time, Cairbre Riada and his adherents obtained a footing, in those parts of Erinn and of Albany, which afterwards bore his name.
's "
From Olchu the Dal-Riada of Ulster, from whom the Ruta is named, descend.
He had eleven
Dal-Riada, and these are named, Muirea- dhach Bolg, Aodh, Daire, Aongus, Tuathal,
Anblomait, Eochaidh, Seudna, Brian, Oiniu, and Cormac.
*^ Eochaidh Muinreamhar was son of
and O'Flaherty's Ogygia," pars, iii. , cap. Ixiii. , pp. 321 to 323.
'^ The Irish arrangement Tripartite's
seems to refer it, according to the order of narrative, to Dal-riada ; while the Latin
Tripartite appears to place it in Dal-aradia. ^9 By Jocelyn, we are told, that these twelve brethren, who lived in Dalradia, and
sons, occupying Murbolg
in
old bury-
'•* From Ere the Dal-Riada of Alba, or
Scotland, descended. He had twelve sons,
and of these six, named Loarn Mor (great),
Loarn Beg (little), Mac Nisi Mor, Mac Nisi
Beg, Fergus Mor and Fergus Beg, con-
quered the sovereignty of Alba. The other
six sons, Mac Decill (or Degil), Aongus, clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. i. , cap. i. whose seed was in Albania, Eunna, Breasal, Also, Charles O'Conor's " Ogygia Vindi- Fiachra, and Dubhthach, remained in Erinn. cated," pp. 162, 163, note and p. 175, as According to other accounts, Ere had also his "Dissertations on the History of
Aongus, son to Fergus Aulaidh or Uaille, son of Fiachaidh Tathmail, or Taithmil, son to Fedhlimidh Lamhdoid, son of Cinge, son
Dal-Riada descend. His mother Saraid,
daughter to Conn, was married toConarylL, King of Ireland, and besides him, the parents had two other sons, called respectively, Cairbre Bascain, and Cairbre Muse. Now,
Cairbre Rioghfhota, or Carbry the long-
'7 Venerable Bede inaccurately connects
the supposed and only temporary migration of the Scots, under Cairbre Riada, "qui dace Reuda de Hibernia progressi," with the permanent settlement of Fergus Mor
"
Ireland;" Rev. William Reeves' "Eccle- siastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix FF, pp. 319 to 321 ;
Mac Erca, in Scotland. See
Historia Ec-
648 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [AIarch 17.
hehadbeenunjustlyexcluded,fromhisshareoftheinheritance. Heasked Patrick'sintervention,thathemightobtainit,^'' andtheholyApostlewas
successful, in the advocacy he assumed. Grateful for this, Fergus presented him with the part, in which Airther-Maighe was situated. ^^ But, as the dis-
interested missionary did not desire any gift for worldly purposes, Patrick presented to Bishop Olcan, what had been obtained, so that he might there
"
begin an ecclesiastical foundation. Patrick then said to Fergus,
thy esteem with thy brothers is not great to-day ; yet, it is thee and thy descendantsthatshallbechiefs,andthedistributorsofpower. Thekingsof this land, and of Fortren, shall Idc from thee for ever. " This prediction was fulfilled in Aedan Mac Gabhrain, who possessed Albans by force of arras.
Mac Nisse—whose name is Latinized Macnessius—of Condere, now Connor, read his psalms with Patrick. Here, there is a portion of the Irish Tripartitemissing; but,theLatinversionrelates,thatMac-nessiuscommitted a dishonourable crime, which justly excited the holy x\postle's indignation.
"
grave of the hand," that member having dropped from his body. ^* We may well regard the whole of this account as being simply legendary.
ference is very questionable. Again, it is noticeable, that the church of Ailech mor belonged by some right, to the monks of St. Kieran. But,anobjectionmayberaised, that the first Domnaldus' father's name was Crimthann, a form which seems rather to have been used by the Irish, than by the
Connaught, to signify
"
a watery hill-side ;"
Stokes, LL. D.
'57 Colgan remarks, that the Irish proper
nameDomnallcorrespondswithDaniel,and name, who is alluded to, by John Bale, in
"
Scriptomm Illustrium Majoris Britannise," cent, i. , cap. lix. He lived A. D. 516, and his feast was held on the 1st of December,
according to the "
Martyrologium Anghca-
rium Cambriae,
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 643
Ailech-Airtich, regarding whom we have already spoken ; the second was Domnaldus,sontoColgne,ofTulach-Hag;^58 while,thethirdwasDomnal- dus, of Cuil-chonalta. ^59 As if relating a second trip, the Latin Tripartite Life declares, that at the north of Lough Foyle, St. Patrick crossed the strait fromInishowen,andthenproceededtowardsDun-Cruthen. ^'^'° Thesituation of this place has not been clearly determined. Colgan threw out a con- jecture,'^^ that Dun-cruthen was the same as the present Dunboe,'^^ in the district of Machare. '^3 However, it is probable, that Duncruthen was situated elsewhere. '^* If not in, it was not far from, a district, called Keu-
nacta,'^3 now the barony of Kenaght, in Londonderry. Here, he erected a church, placing over it a bishop, called Beatus, and by his merits well
deservingthisname. '^^ TheTripartiteLatinLiferepresentshim,asthein- timatefriendofaholyman,namedEugenius. '^7 intheterritoryofKen- nacta, he remained for seven Sundays, and he laid the foundations of seven churches, consecrated to the Lord. '^^ One of these was Domnach-Airthir- Arda,^^9 now bearing the local designation of Tamlaght. '7o Another church was called Domnach-Bregh-Muige,'? ' and adjoining it was the miraculous well,knownasTiopra-Phadruic,or"Patrick'sWell. " Whilehewasinthis part of the country, a noble, named Sedna,^? ^ came to Patrick, and listened most attentively to his instructions. At this time, Setna's wife bore in her womb one, who was afterwards destined to become a child of light. The noble, his wife, and whole family, embraced the faith. When the son was
Britons. The same objection may be taken
probably to the second-named, and whose father is called Colgne. However, it lies
'^s In early times, this territory belonged to the O'Conors of Gleann Geimhan, of the race of Cian-, son to Oilioll Olum, King of
not against the third Domnaldus, whose IMunster, in the third century, A short
father's name is not given. Our Irish Mar- t)rrologists note the feast of a St. Domnall,
at the 26th of April. Nothing can be pro- nounced, with certainty, regarding these
time, before the English invasion, they were dispossessed by the O'Cathains or O'Kanes, of the race of Eoghan. See "The Topo-
graphical Poems of John O'Dubhagain and holy bishops, named in the text. See Giolla na Naomh O'Huidhrin," edited by
"
Trias Thaumaturga," n. 55, p. 175.
'5^ In ancient Ceara, there were three
Dr. O'Donovan, p. xvi. , n. 69.
"^ Among several persons, bearing the
name of Beoadh or Beoan, Colgan has endeavoured to discover who this Beatus
townlands, named Tulach ; and, probably,
one of these is here meant. One was called,
Tulach or " Hill. " This was. he could not come to Spelain, Spellan's Yet,
is now known as Cnoc Spealain, which rises decision.
any
to a considerable height, between the village
of Balla and Slieve Cama, in the barony of
'''7 Very probably, this was intended for Eugenius, Bishop of Ardstrath, or Ardstraw,
CaiTa, county of Mayo. See John O'Dono- who lived in Tyrone, about the sixth cen-
van's "Genealogies, Tribes and Customs of
Hy-Fiachrach," pp. 156, 157, and 196, 197, with n. (i. )
'59 This place has not been identified.
'^°It signifies "the fort of the Cruith- neans," who, in the time of St. Patrick, had settlements in northern Ulster.
'*' He has been followed by Archdall. See "Monasticon Hibernicum," p. 91.
'*=
It is now a parish, in the diocese of Derry, and situated near the ocean. It is in
tury, and whose feast occurs, on the 23rd of August. If so, Beatus was not a contem- porary, with St. Patrick.
'^^ The Latin Tripartite then adds here,
"quas proinde Dominicas appellavit. "
"''9 Now Tamlacht-Ard, or Magilligan, so called, because it was within the bounds of
Airthir-Arda, or "the Eastern Heights," which rise in the extreme north-western
parts of Londonderry County.
'7° This townland, in Magilligan Parish,
the barony of Coleraine, and may be seen, barony of Keenaght, is shown, on the
described on the " Ordnance Survey Town-
land Maps for the County of Londonderry,"
" Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for the "
CountyofLondonderry, Sheets5,6.
'7' Colgan only informs us, that this place was in the territory of Kiennact. See
Sheets 2, 3, 6, 7.
— "
'*3 Many places, bearing this name
or "a
'** See Rev. Mr. Sampson's excellent
"Trias " Index Thaumaturga,
"a
are found in different parts of Ireland.
r—tlACAi^e meaning
field,"
plain
Topographi-
" Londonderry," p. 487.
cus, p. 708.
'7== He is said to have been son to Trena,
and grandson to Tigemach.
'" This saint, whose feast is held on the
work,
Statistical Survey of the County of
644 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
born, he was delivered to St. Patrick for baptism. He also obtained the
holy Apostle's blessing, and he was adopted as a spiritual son, to be in- structed in piety and sacred learning. Afterwards, he was known as Kiena- nus,'73 Bishop of Darnliag, or Duleek. ^74 While there, St. Patrick foretold the future birth and holiness of St. Cannech,'75 and he was announced to that people, as the common patron of their region of Kiennacht.
During his progress, while founding many churches, St. Patrick came to the bounds of Lei, or Lea,^76 which was on the western^? ? banks of the Bann,^? '' where the fishermen were only able then to take fish, during the night-time. The potent servant of God ordered them, however, to set down their nets, in the daytime, Avhen they captured a great number of fish. Thenceforward, by day and night, the fisheries of the Bann were found to be ever productive, and the fishermen thankfully preserved their steady sources of gain. ^79
CHAPTER XV.
ST. PATRICK VISITS THE TERRITORIES OF DALRIADA AND OF DALERADIA—HE PREACHES IN DALRIEDA—HE FOUNDS CHURCHES THERE AND IN DALARADIA—HIS MISSION NEAR LOUGH NEAGH, AT HY TUIRTRE, AND AT IMCHLAIR.
The territories of Dal-Riada,^ in the northern part of Ulster, and of Dal- Araidhe,^ in the eastern portion, were the next districts visited, by our inde-
fatigable Apostle.
These were two chief divisions of ancient Ulster. The
24th of November, was the eleventh hi descent from OiUU Olum.
'74 It is curious, that the territory in
Meath, where Duleek is situated, was also
"
calledKienachta. See ActsofArchbishop
Cotton in his Metropolitan Visitation of
the Diocese of Derry, a. d. mcccxcvii. " Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ivii. , p. Edited by Rev. Dr. William Reeves. Ad- 25, and n. 51, p. 32 ; Quarta Vita S.
ditional Notes, F, n. (e), p. 124.
'75 His feast occurs, on the lith of
October.
'7^ The Latin Tripartite Life states " venit
in Leasorum fines. " In the "Leabhar na
g-Ceart, or Book of Rights," the people of tima Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. cviii. ,
this district are called "Fir Li of the Lake,"
''
Fir Li of the Bann. " According to the " Book of Lecan," their district extended from Bir to Camus ; and the O'Clerys' Irish Calendar, at the 9th of January, places Aghadowey, in Magh Li. See Dr. O'Donovan's n, (m), p. 123, and
pp. 134, 135.
'77 In the time of St. these Patrick, people
of Lei, or Li, were living on the west side
of the Bann ;
cix. , ex. , cxi. , cxii. , cxiii. , cxiv. , cxv. , cxvi. , cxvii. , cxviii. , cxix. , cxx. , cxxi. , cxxii. , cxxiii. , cxxiv. , cxxv. , cxxvi. , cxxvii. , pp. 143 to 146, and nn. 155 to 192, pp. 180 to 182. Also Miss Cusack's "Life of St. Patrick," pp. 433 to 439, with the corre- sponding notes. —
'
Chapter xv. This territory repre-
sented the — from the district, ranging present
village of Glynn formerly called Glenfin- neaght—about 30 Irish miles from the mouth of the Bush River. That in
and they are also designated
Life has
them, "
" ad Orientalem
The Irish version agrees.
although the Latin Tripartite
adjacentes.
Here, we have another proof of the compa- ratively modern character of these docu- ments. Sliabh Callainn, now Slieve Gallion, was in ancient Li, and it is still on the west
side of the River Bann.
O'Cathains increased in power, the people of Li were driven across the Bann, and these were unquestionably on the east side of it, at the period of the English invasion. See ibid. , n. (m. )
firmation of the — he statement,
gave
the
But,
ejus ripam
valley, which the old church of Glynn is situated, formed part of the southern boundary of Dalriadaterritory. Randal,EarlofAntrim, who died in or before 1639, gave this infor- mation to Archbishop Ussher, and as con-
when the
'7^ Harris, without any warrant, states, that St. Patrick crossed the Bann, at Cole-
" raine. See Harris' Ware, vol. i. , Arch-
bishops of Armagh," p. 19. For this mission, he was not obliged to cross that river.
Patricii, cap. Ixxi. , p. 44, and nn. 47, 48, p. 49 ; Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxxiv. , Ixxxv. , pp. 84, 85, and nn. 91, 92, 93, p. 112, cap, Ixxxix. , p. 85, n. 99, p. 113, cap. xcvi. , p. 87, cap. cxxiii. , pp. 92, 93 ; Sep-
'79 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
following Irish distich
:
O buAii- •o'a iieiiAJit) caIca 50 c]\oif SlcAnriA ptincAccA,
%
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 645
regal seat of the province was at Emania, about one and a-half English miles west of Armagh. It is still designated, by that remarkable enclosure, called
•A5 pii "OaL Ria'oa tiA |AeAnii ^lorfbe If eolAcli \ax\ flieA|\Aiin.
It is thus rendered into English, by John
townlands, in the western part of Rasharkin parish.
The original name was Coibb tli
O'Donovan — :
modern title —and it seems to have O'Quinn
' '
—
From the
which flocks
included Rasharkin parish, with the four
towns of 8. The Killio- fly over, Craigs. Tuogh of
Buaish,
Unto the cross of Glenfinneaght,
Extends Dah-iada of sub-divisions, As all who know the land can tell. "
"
inonie is so called, from Coibb tl i mhu1^^e-
Dublin Penny Journal," vol. i. , No. 46, p. 362. The parish of Glynn is in the barony of Lower Belfast, and it is de-
the village of Dunloy, in the eastern part of
Finvoy parish. 9. The Tuogh of Maghere-
dunagh received its name from •niACAii\e,
" a plain," and TJun ©ac-oac, " Dunaghy," the parish of which it chiefly consisted. The second division of Dalriada was known as the Glynnes, and these were classed under seven Tuoghs. I. The Tuogh of Munerie
See the
"
Ordnance Survey Townland
scribed on the
Maps for the County of Anlrim," Sheets
40, 41, 46, 47. The townland proper is on
Sheet 40. It lies along the west shore of was about co-extensive with the parish of
Lame Lough. Thus, the territory seems to
have taken in, nearly the whole northern and
eastern coast of tlie present county of
Antrim, including thebaroniesof Upper and
Lower Glenarm, and of Gary, with portions
of Lower Dunluce and Lower Belfast Baro-
nies. Dalriada was included in two well-
known divisions. The first of these was the
Route, containing nine Tuoghs or districts.
I. The Toicgk between the Bande and the
Boys, or between the River Bann on the
west, and the River Bush on the east, com-
prised the parishes of Coleraine, Ballyagh-
ran, Ballywillen, Ballyrashane, Dunluce and
KildoUagh ; the part lying near the Bann
was formerly called Rloy Elle. 2. The
Tough of Dunsrjerick and Ballenatoy was
separated from the last by the Bush, and it
contained Dunseverick and Ballintoy
parishes, with that part of Billy parish,
which lies within Gary barony. 3. The
Tough ofBallelagh, containing the parish of clinis, which lies between Nappan and
Derrykeighan, and that part of Billy parish,
which is in the barony of Lower Dunluce.
Various allusions to the local history are
Lemnalary. 6. TheTuoghoftheFarkewas so called from Glenai-m demense, and it in-
cluded Tickmacrevan, Templeoughter and Solar parishes. 7. Thz Tuogh of the Lame comprised the parishes of Carncastle, Killy- glen, KilwauglUer, and Larne. The most celebrated of those Glynnes are Glenshesk, Glendun, Glencorp, Glenaan, Glenballye- mon, Glenariff, Glencloy and Glenarm. See Rev. William Reeves' " Ecclesiastical An- tiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore. " Appendix FF. Dalriada, pp. 318 to 334.
- This territory is said to have derivetl its
name from Fiacha Araidhe, a king of
Ulster, who reigned ten years at Emania, and who flourished A. D. 236, according to Tigernach'sAnnals. Hencecamethede- nomination t)Al, "posterity," and -A^Afoe, the proper name of the king. Dalaradia lay southwards from Dalriada territory. The boundaries between both territories are now
; undistinguishable, on the east and west—
but, towards the middle, the River Ravel which rises in the southern part of Dalriada, by two streams, one of which is called the
found, in an elegant Poem, with engravings, "
intituled,
Dunluce Gastle," in Four Books,
by Edward Quiilinau. It was privately printed,
and it appeared, in a 410 shape, A. D. 1814.
4. The Titogh of Loughgill is so called from
the parish of Loughguile, which forms the
chief part of it. 5. The luogh of Balk-
7Honey and Dromart was so called I'rom the
parish of Ballymoney and the townland
Drumard therein, and it included the
parishes of Ballymoney and Kilraghts. 6.
The Tough of Killeocomuay, seemingly de-
rived from Coil iiA 5-Connniuig, or
"
O'Conway's wood," now forms the name for Kilconway barony, of which the Tough was a part ; but, originally, the name be- longed to the western part of Finvoy parish, where there is a large earthen enclosure in Finvoy glebe, formerly called Kilconway Fort. 7. The Tuogh of Killioquin, now known as the denomination of Kiilyquin, is
the name of an estate, consisting of thirteen
Cum, or "the wood of O'Conn"—
the
ATJAij, or
"
O'Murray's," and it lies around
Ramoan and the Grange of DrumtuUagh. 2. The Cynamond (minor territory) of
Annoy and Raghlins comprised the parish of Armoy and Rathlin Island. 3. The
Tuogh of Cary was synonymous with Cul- feightrin parish, and the barony, which took its name therefrom, comprehends much more than the original territory. 4. The Tuogh of Glinmicotiooh is perhaps a corrup- tion of ^teAun moA'DonAc, which expresses in English "the middle glens. " In the "Act of Settlement and Explanation," the name is written Glendonenaghie, which seems to be intended for Glendun. This forms the commencement of Lower Glenarm barony, and it consists on the north of the Granges of Inispollan and of Layd, and on the south of Layd parish. 5. The Tuogh of the Largie'vs. so called from the Irish beAi\5A, "the hill-slopes," and it bears this expres- sive denomination still, for that pait of Ard-
646 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
the Navan Fort,3 which takes in a very large area of ground. * Ancient Ulster was nearly of the same extent, as the modem province, although its ancient boundaries have been subjected to considerable changes. s It is stated, that St. Patrick proceeded to Rori,^ perhaps intended to designate the Clanna Roory, or the Sons of Rury, which was an epithet, applied to the most distinguished families of Ulster. ? These boast a descent from the race of Ir, son of Milesius, in which line appeared Rudhraidhe Mor, who is said to have been King of Ireland, a. m. 3850. While his story is unknown, and his date uncertain, there must be some reaUty in his name, because it has been transmitted to so many distinctive tribes, and because from him, several northern localities have derived their names.
Towards the northern part of Dal-rieda, St. Patrick came to Carn-Setna,^ or Carn-Sedna, where he met the king of this region, who was named Darius. 9
Dungonnell River, and another the Ravel— province ; and, here, from time to time, was regarded as the tnie boundary. The assembled those warriors of the North,
Dungonnell River has its source, from a small basin, called Lough Evish, in the townland of Cloughcor, at the edge of Ard- clinis parish. The Ravel River, a northern branch, rises in a small lake, called Agan- na-munican, on Slievanee mountain in the
whose valiant deeds are subjects, for the most ancient bardic poetry of the Irish.
s Thus, Louth, which now belongs to Leinster,waspartofit; whileCavan,which is now reckoned in the province of Ulster, was considered formerly to be portion of Connaught. See in the Ulster Observer, of September 29th, 1864, the report of a
parish of Dunaghy, and flowing through
Glenravel, it joins the other branch, at
Deshcart burying-ground. That the Dun- learned Lecture, in Downpatrick, by the
gonnell River, although latterly it has lost the name, was considered the true source, appears from the fact, that it divides the barony of Kilconway, in Dalriada, from Lower Antrim barony in Dalaradia. The two branches, united at Deshcart, then re- ceive the name of the Clough Water, and flowing in a south-west course, this latter continues to separate both ancient territories, lying north and south, \intil it flows into the ! Main Water, at a place, called Glaiy Ford. Flowing southwards, the Main Water con- tinues to be the boundary, until it reaches the village of CuUybacky. Roderick O'Flaherty extends Dalaradia from Newry, to Slieve Alls and Linnduachaill, or Magh-
"
Rev. William Reeves, D. D.
*
It seems, that Do rori is the reading, in the Irish Tripartite IMS. ; the commentator on Miss Cusack's Life of St. Patrick thinks it is probably corrupt, and that it includes some wrong form of the name for the reign- ing King of Dal-Riada. He appears to liave been present, on the occasion of find- ing the child, as afterwards mentioned. See Rev. Dr. Reeves' "Ecclesiastical Antiqui- ties of Down, Connor and Dromore," Ap- pendix T, p. 247.
1 From this stock came, at various periods, certain chiefs, or founders of families, whose names are stereotyped in denominations of Ulster. Thus Eoch-Cobha, from whom the extensive baronies of Iveagh derived their
eralinn. See
Og}'gia," pars, iii. , cap.
xviii. , p. 190. This, however, seems to names of Ui-Eathach, and Magh-Cobha,
have reference, rather to the descendants of
Fiacha Araidhe, than to the country which
they occupied. Strictly speaking, the name Dalaradia, as a territorial designation, was applied only to the northern portion of this extensive tract. Thus, the Bishop of Connor was designated as the Bishop of Dalaradia, which shows, that the olil territory and the diocese were co-terminated ; while, the Bishop of Down was called, also, the Bishop
belonged to this race. Fagartach, from whom the barony of Kinalarty derived its name of Cinel Fagertach, or the race of Fagartah, was of this stock ; and the ancient families of Magenis, Macartan, O'Laverly, O'Garvey, Wards, and others of lesser note, trace their descent from him. See the Re- port of a learned Lecture, in Downpatrick, by the Rev. William Reeves, D. D. , in the
Ulster Observer of September 29th, 1864.
parish of Billy, and barony of Cary, shown on the " Ordnance Survey Townland Maps
for the County of Antrim," Sheet 3. This,
from the text description, is likely enough to have been the locality.
of Uladh. A
* This has not been place
account of Dalaradia, and of its history, will be found in the leained work quoted, in the preced-
very interesting
identified. There are many local names, in the county of Antrim, compounded with this word. ing note. See ibid. Appendix GG. Da- Among these, there is a Carnside, in the
laradia, pp. 334 to 348.
3 It is situated, in the parish of Eglish, and
barony of Armagh. It is shown, on the
"
Ordnance Survey Townland IMaps for the
County of Armagh," Sheet 12.
* Here reigned a long succession of native
5 Of this potentate, we find no notice in princes, whose sway extended over the our Irish Annals, unless he happens to be
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 647
This dynast happened to be engaged on an itinerary through Dalriada, and at theplacealreadymentioned,amostextraordinaryadventurebefellhim. There, he heard the screams of an infant, and these seemed to come from out of the
ground. That cairn was demolished, and the sepulchre was opened. Then,
a smell, as if that of wine, arose around them, and it appeared to come from
the sepulchre. There, too, was seen a living child, with a dead mother. This woman had died of ague. She had been brought from across the sea to Erinn, and the child was born after her death, and burial. Seven days, it is
saidtohave
inthetumulus. "Thatis
^°saidthe "That king.
lived,
bad,"
Patrick afterwards baptized the
shall be his name, Olcan," " said a Druid.
child; and,hebecame,incourseoftime. BishopOlcan,ofthecommunity
of Airther-Maighe," or Armoy,'3 which means " the eastern plain," in the
district of Dal-Riada.
From Erc'4 and 01chu,^s the two sons of Eochaidh Muinreamhar,^^ the
Irish and Scotch Dal-Riada are descended. '7 St. Patrick received welcome
'^
Down, Connor and Dromore," p. 80, n. (t),
and Appendix Z, pp. 287, 288.
'3 In the townland of Kilcroagh, at the
southern extremity of this parish, an "
"Ancient Burying-Ground is marked on
''
Ordnance Survey Townland Maps for
the
the County of Antrim," Sheet 13. There
"
is a small Cashel, marked, also, ing-ground," in the townland of Knockans, on the same Sheet ; yet, this is not locally known to have been a place for interments.
another son, called Muirheadhach Bolg ; but, Duald Mac Firbis thinks, that those accounts were not true.
from Erc's twelve sons. '? Then, one of these, a
in their Irish territory,
junior, and designated Fergus Mor^^ Mac Erca, complained to the saint, that
that Daire—son to Olchu, and grandson to
Eochaidh Muinreamhar — who occupied,
with his other brothers, Murbolg, now JMur-
logh Bay, in the parish of Culfeightrin, on to Guaire, son of Cionaoth, or Cinde, the north-eastern part of the coast of son of Cairbre Rioghfhota, from whom the Antrim.
" The original "olc," in Irish, has this meaning, "evil. " Olcan is a diminutive of "olc. "
" The feast of St. Olcan, or Bolcan, has
been assigned to the 20th of February.
"In the county of Antrim. See Rev. armed, avenged his father, who was killed
Dr. Reeves'
"
Ecclesiastical Antiquities of
A. D. 220, by slaying his murderer Nemed, A. D. 237, in the battle of Cinfebrat. Conary
II's brother-in-law, Art Aen-fir, succeeded him as sovereign, and had under his care the three Cairbres. The son of Art-Aen-fir, Cormac O'Conn, obtained several victories over the Ulidians and the Albanians, and after a reign over Ireland of forty years, he died A. D. 266. Probably, during this time, Cairbre Riada and his adherents obtained a footing, in those parts of Erinn and of Albany, which afterwards bore his name.
's "
From Olchu the Dal-Riada of Ulster, from whom the Ruta is named, descend.
He had eleven
Dal-Riada, and these are named, Muirea- dhach Bolg, Aodh, Daire, Aongus, Tuathal,
Anblomait, Eochaidh, Seudna, Brian, Oiniu, and Cormac.
*^ Eochaidh Muinreamhar was son of
and O'Flaherty's Ogygia," pars, iii. , cap. Ixiii. , pp. 321 to 323.
'^ The Irish arrangement Tripartite's
seems to refer it, according to the order of narrative, to Dal-riada ; while the Latin
Tripartite appears to place it in Dal-aradia. ^9 By Jocelyn, we are told, that these twelve brethren, who lived in Dalradia, and
sons, occupying Murbolg
in
old bury-
'•* From Ere the Dal-Riada of Alba, or
Scotland, descended. He had twelve sons,
and of these six, named Loarn Mor (great),
Loarn Beg (little), Mac Nisi Mor, Mac Nisi
Beg, Fergus Mor and Fergus Beg, con-
quered the sovereignty of Alba. The other
six sons, Mac Decill (or Degil), Aongus, clesiastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. i. , cap. i. whose seed was in Albania, Eunna, Breasal, Also, Charles O'Conor's " Ogygia Vindi- Fiachra, and Dubhthach, remained in Erinn. cated," pp. 162, 163, note and p. 175, as According to other accounts, Ere had also his "Dissertations on the History of
Aongus, son to Fergus Aulaidh or Uaille, son of Fiachaidh Tathmail, or Taithmil, son to Fedhlimidh Lamhdoid, son of Cinge, son
Dal-Riada descend. His mother Saraid,
daughter to Conn, was married toConarylL, King of Ireland, and besides him, the parents had two other sons, called respectively, Cairbre Bascain, and Cairbre Muse. Now,
Cairbre Rioghfhota, or Carbry the long-
'7 Venerable Bede inaccurately connects
the supposed and only temporary migration of the Scots, under Cairbre Riada, "qui dace Reuda de Hibernia progressi," with the permanent settlement of Fergus Mor
"
Ireland;" Rev. William Reeves' "Eccle- siastical Antiquities of Down, Connor and Dromore," Appendix FF, pp. 319 to 321 ;
Mac Erca, in Scotland. See
Historia Ec-
648 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [AIarch 17.
hehadbeenunjustlyexcluded,fromhisshareoftheinheritance. Heasked Patrick'sintervention,thathemightobtainit,^'' andtheholyApostlewas
successful, in the advocacy he assumed. Grateful for this, Fergus presented him with the part, in which Airther-Maighe was situated. ^^ But, as the dis-
interested missionary did not desire any gift for worldly purposes, Patrick presented to Bishop Olcan, what had been obtained, so that he might there
"
begin an ecclesiastical foundation. Patrick then said to Fergus,
thy esteem with thy brothers is not great to-day ; yet, it is thee and thy descendantsthatshallbechiefs,andthedistributorsofpower. Thekingsof this land, and of Fortren, shall Idc from thee for ever. " This prediction was fulfilled in Aedan Mac Gabhrain, who possessed Albans by force of arras.
Mac Nisse—whose name is Latinized Macnessius—of Condere, now Connor, read his psalms with Patrick. Here, there is a portion of the Irish Tripartitemissing; but,theLatinversionrelates,thatMac-nessiuscommitted a dishonourable crime, which justly excited the holy x\postle's indignation.
"
grave of the hand," that member having dropped from his body. ^* We may well regard the whole of this account as being simply legendary.
