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Nathi, the son of Garchon an Irish prince, he left the kingdom despairing, of success, and died, amongst the Picts, on the 15th of December, 431. Pope Celestine, having determined that another and more effectual effort should be made to Christianize Ireland, ordained Magonius, (or Maun,)† a bishop, and deputed him on that important mission. On this occasion, he dignified the Hibernian Apostle with the honourable Roman title, "PATRICIUS," father of the people," a denomination by which he will be known to posterity, and enrolled amongst the benefactors of mankind, as long as the annals of the world shall endure. At the time of his consecration, Auxilius was ordained a priest, Iserninus,§ a deacon and, with some other holy men, were appointed his coadjutors and fellow labourers, in the glorious work which he had undertaken. With twenty disciples, eminent for piety and wisdom, he arrived in Britain,** preached in Cornwall, and having there increased his attendants to the number of thirty-four,++ sailed for Ireland,‡‡ and, in the year 432, landed at Inbher Dea, at the entrance of the river Dea, now the port of Wicklow.§§

He was now mature in wisdom and in age, for he had attained his sixtieth year; yet time had not abated his energies nor diminished his fortitude. He had scarcely landed, when he converted and baptized Sinell, a man of considerable note in that country, the grandson of Finchad, and the eighth in lineal descent, from Cormac king of Leinster. In vain did Nathi, who had terrified Palladius*** from the Irish coast,

• Brit. Eccl. Ant. p. 440. † Nennius Hist. Brit. c, 55, 56. Schol. vet. in Fiech, Florent. Wigorn. Chron. ad an. secundum Dion. 372. Nennius Hist. Brit, c, 56. Officium Canonic. Lateran. Mart. Prim. p. 842. Vincent. Spec. Mathæi Flor. Hist, an. 491,

16, edit. Venetis apud Juntas, an. 1586. Hist. 1 20, c. 23. Flor. ad an. 491.

tt Johan. Tin. vit. Dav, Jocel. c. 26. §§ Harris's Ware's bishops, p. 11, 12. Primord. p. 846. ¶¶ Tria Thaum. vita 2da n, 35. Menel. geneal. c. 20, *** Brit. Eccl. Ant. p. 423,

menace his more resolute successor. * The pious man, in despite of his opposition, persisted in fulfilling the duties of his office. Yet, having proceeded to RathInbher, near the mouth of the river Bray, the Pagans of the adjacent district, drove him forcibly to his ship, and he was necessitated to depart from that inhospitable country.+

From thence he proceeded to an island called after him, at this day, Holm-Patrick, or Inis-Phadruig,‡ on the coast of the county of Dublin; and, having rested here a short time, he sailed to Ullidia, or Ullagh, which comprises the county of Down, and a portion of the S. S. E. parts of the county of Antrim. Here he landed at the bay of Dundrum, called then InbherSlaing-Bay. Dichu, the son of Trichan, prince of the country, came forth with his troops to murder the holy man, but when he saw his venerable aspect and heard the words of truth which flowed from his lips, inspired with awe and reverence he listened, believed and was baptized. This new convert dedicated to God, the land in which he had first embraced Christianity: and, here, a church, called "Sgibol," or, "Sabhall-Phadruigh,” Patrick's Barn, was erected, which was afterwards converted into a monastery. The building, contrary to the usual form of churches, extended from north to south.

In the year 433, SAINT PATRICK made a fruitless effort to convert his old master, Milcho, but it is stated by the author of "The Tripartite life," that his son Guasact and two of his daughters, believed and were baptized. Milcho, is said to have consumed himself and his house with fire, and this suicidal act excited the most poignant anguish in the bosom of his faithful servant. Shortly after this period, SAINT PATRICK was hospitably received by Sesgnen,** in Meath, whose whole family he

Brit Eccl. Ant. Brit. Eecl. Ant.

Brit. Eccl. Ant. 440. + Ware's bishops, p. 12.
S Tria Thaum. p. 18, 39. Probus, c. 28.
Ussher Ind. Chron. p. 517. Brit. Eccl. Ant, 441: .. Tir.
Joce. c. 39.

p. 440.
p. 440.
apud Usser Brit. Eccl. Ant. p. 441, 442,

converted and baptized.* Amongst these was his son Beneen,+ or Benignus who was afterwards successor to his pious preceptor, in the see of Armagh. He preached also at Tarah, before King Leogaire, monarch of Ireland. Here Dubtach, the laureat-bard, Fiech, a young poet, his pupil, and Fingar, the son of Clito a nobleman, became the disciples of our Irish Apostle.§ The queen, also, was converted, and the king himself, who for a long time had resisted the eloquent exhortations and entreaties of the saint, was at last baptized. The conversion of these royal personages was followed by that of Connall, (the brother of Leogaire, great grandfather of Columba ;) and of Ethne the Fair and Fedeline the Ruddy, daughters of the Irish monarch.||

Having diffused the light of the Gospel through Meath and Louth, and having appropriated a portion of his time to devotion, on a mountain near the western coast of Connaught called Cruachan-Aickle now CroaghPatrick, he proceeded on his mission, and founded a church, named Achad Fobhair, in Umalia, a district in the south west of the county of Mayo. This he consigned to the pastoral care of his disciple Senach.¶

In Tir-Amalgaid, now the barony of Tyrawly, in the county of Mayo, he baptized the seven sons of King Amalgaid,** who had been bitterly contending about the succession to their father's throne. Many thousands of the people were also converted at the same time.++ Here he erected a church, and consigned it to his disciple Mansenus, a devout and zealous Christian.‡‡

In the year 441, he founded, in Connaught, the town and church of Cassiol-Irra, now called Cashel, and, having appointed Saint Bron its bishop,|||| he proceeded to the southern parts of Tyrconnel, in Ulster, where he

• Ware's bishops, p. 13. + Brit, Eccl. Ant, p. 441, 442, 443. + Ibid. Passio Sanct, Scripta Anselmo, apud Mess. p. 211. Prob. c. 26: || Ware's bishops, p 14. Ibid. p. 15-17. • Nennius Hist. Brit. c. 59. tt Usser Ind. Chron. p. 517. tt Ware's bishops, p. 17, Vita Trip: 12. c. 87. Tria Tbaum. p. 271.

built the great church of Magh-Ean, in the south of the county of Donegal. At Ailech Neid, one of the seats of the northern kings, situated in the peninsula of Innis-Eoghain, or Innis-Owen, about three miles north of Derry, he converted the reigning king, Owen Nial, with all his family. In the neighbourhood of the river Fochmuine, or Faughan, in the barony of Tirekerin, county of Derry, he founded seven churches; and having returned to the vicinity of Innis-Eoghain, he built the church of Domnach-Bile near the river Bredach.*

To him also the church of Dun-Cruthen, now Dunboo, in the barony of Coleraine and county of Derry, owed its origin; and, in his progress through that country, he converted Sedna son of Trena, and all his sept.t

In the year, 443, SAINT PATRICK spent a portion of his time at Ard-Patrick, situated eastward of the town of Louth. Having left that district, he founded a church and bishop's see at Clogher, on the river Launy. Here, in the days of paganism, oracular responses were said to be delivered from a stone; a circumstance from which the place had derived its name. Thus on a spot which superstition had appropriated to the worship of inanimate things, he dedicated a temple to the living God of the universe.§

And, now, after thirteen years of incessant labour, having Christianized a vast multitude of the Irish nation, he proceeded, in the year 445, to found the CITY OF ARMAGH, in which he built a cathedral, and some other religious edifices. This city he is said to have constituted the mistress and metropolis of Ireland, appointing it the Primatial see; of which he is himself generally deemed the first archbishop.||

The hill upon which the city was built, was formerly called "Druim-Sailech," the hill of sallows. It was

Ware's bishop p. 18. + Ibid,

Usser Ind. Chron. p. 517,

§ Ibid. p. 517, | Ibid. p. 518. Jocel, c, 65, 165, Prob, 1, 2, c, 7.

the gift of Daire, a prince of the country. From him also he received a grant of a small tract adjacent to it, on the eastern side, called Na Fearta. Here SAINT PATRICK resided with his family, prior to the building of Armagh,*

In the year 447, he visited Britain,† in order to obtain coadjutors in the great and laborious work which he had so happily commenced. Most of his original friends had been placed in various churches, and the new religious establishments which he was every day creating, required pastors of acknowledged experience, talents, learning and Christian virtues. In Britain, he consecrated thirty bishops, and on his passage to Ireland, from that country, he visited and materially edified the inhabitants of Mona, or the Isle of Man, and established prelates in many other islands.‡

In 448, he is said to have held a synod at Armagh, in which pious labour, he was aided by Auxilius and Isserninus. The canons, passed at that synod, are yet in existence. After this period, he passed through Leinster and Meath, and having crossed the Finglass river, arrived at Dublin, then called "Bally-ath-Cliath,” a term denoting a town on the ford of hurdles. Here, he converted King Alphin, the son of Eochaid, and his people, who received baptism at a fountain afterwards called Saint Patrick's well, south of the city. Near this spot he built a church, on whose site the famous cathedral which bears his name now stands. We learn from the erudite Ussher, that he had himself seen the fountain, which was enclosed within a private house, in the year 1639.**

When by his eloquence and indefatigable zeal, our Irish Apostle had established Christianity in Dublin,

• Usser, Brit: Eccl. Ant. p. 446. + Joc. c. 92: Usser. Ind. Chron. p. 518. Ware's bishops, p. 20. § Usser. Ind. Chron. p. 518. Brit. Eccl. Ant. p. 479. 485. Op. S. Pat. apud Ware. Spelman's British Usser. Ind. Chron. p. 518. • Usser Prim, p. 863

Councils.

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