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| Saint Patrick |
Most school children know that
Saint Patrick came to Ireland in the year 432 AD. We know from ecclesiastical
history that he travelled to the west of Ireland. After visiting Elphin and Croghan, he came
around the north of Loch Techet, the ancient name for Lough Gara, through the
present townlands of Cuppenagh and Templeronan . It is said that he went to
Gregraidhe of Loch Techet. The Gregraidhe (horse people) or Gregory comprised
the baronies of Coolavin in Sligo and Costello in Mayo. According to an entry
in the Annals of Tigernach (AU 665) Cummeni, Abbot of Clonmacnois, was of the Gregraige of
Loch Techet.
Patrick’s two ‘Lives’ by
Muirchu and Tirechan written possibly
between 661-668 and 665-680 claim to be using oral tradition from known people
such as St Ultan of Ardbraccan, Co Meath. Both ‘Lives’ are preserved in the
‘Book of Armagh’. The ‘Tripartite’ Life (‘3 parts’, for public reading) is
dated c 895-901.
St. Patrick spent many years in
Ireland although exactly how long we do not know. During this time he travelled
extensively. He writes: ‘I journeyed among you, and everywhere, for your sake,
often in danger, even to the outermost parts beyond which there is nothing,
places where no one had ever arrived to baptise or ordain clergy or confirm the
people’. When the tribe responded to the Gospel, an enclosure would be set
aside, with boundaries and ‘termon’ crosses, sometimes with a ditch, sometimes
with a wall, clearly marking out to everyone that the area was sacred. Within
it a tiny church of wattle and daub would be built.
Many monasteries were built at
tribal meeting places or on tribal boundaries.
As monastic communities grew they attracted a resident local community.
The monasteries provided for the spiritual needs of local families and taught
the children. The monastery and the village grew together. The monks undertook
tasks such as the creating and copying of literature and highly specialised
metal-ware.
This was a time when tribal
chiefs donated land for monasteries and the abbots appointed by them were still
to a degree controlled by those chiefs. The organisation of Irish society at
this time was rural and based on the extended family. For example, a family
might live in isolated farmsteads, defended by ditches and banks evidenced by
the large number of ringforts found throughout Ireland. Several extended
families formed a clan, which in turn, formed a small kingdom. Each clan had its warriors, druids and slaves.
Neighbouring tribes were often related by blood. The main occupation was
cattle-breeding and cattle raids were common. Fighting and violence were
prevalent in this tribal society.
An account of St Patrick’s missionary
activities was written sometime around 680AD by Tirechan, the Bishop of North Mayo.
According to Tirechan, Patrick came from the plain of Mirteach, between
Castlerea and Ballaghaderreen, to a place called Drummut Cerrigi or Drumad of
the Ciarraige. This is now the townland of Drumad in the Parish of Tibohine. It
is said that he dug a well here and no stream went into it or came out of it,
but it was always full. The well was named Bithlan (i.e. ever full).
Here, the saint found two
brothers, Bibar and Lochru, the sons of Tamanchend, fighting about the division
of their father's lands. St. Patrick reconciled them by a miracle, and he
blessed them and made peace between them.
The brothers gave their land to Patrick and he founded a church there.
Patrick then went to Aileach
Esrachta which was at Telach Liac or Telach na Cloch, which later became known
as Tullaganrock in the Parish of Kilcolman. It is said that local people were
afraid of the stranger and the eight or nine men accompanying him, so they
decided to kill him. The crowd was restrained by a brave man named Hercait of
the race of Nath i. Hercait and his son Feradach were babtised and Feradach
joined St Patrick. Patrick gave Feradach a new name calling him Sachail. He
eventually became bishop and was associated with a famous church called
Basilica Sanctorum which is now known as Baslik - a parish between Castlerea
and Tulsk.
The area south of the Lough Gara
was called Airteach in the early medieval period. Situated in this area are the remains of an
early ecclesiastical site, Kilnamanagh. This site is classified as an early
church by Gwynn and Hadcock (1970, 394), who make a reference to Tírechan’s
Life of Patrick and connect the church with St Patrick and Bishop Do-bonne
(Dabone).
He afterwards founded
Cill-Atrachta, in Gregraidhe. St Attracta, Talan’s daughter, received the veil
from Patrick's hand. Patrick left a teisc and chalice with Atracht, Today, this
church, founded by St. Patrick for St. Attracta, is known as Killaraght. The
Feast of Saint Attracta is celebrated throughout the diocese of Achonry on the
11th August.
St. Patrick visited the area of
Boyle (Mainistir na Búille). Here, it
is said that he was received badly, the people gave a deaf ear to his
instructions and even carried off his horses. The Saint denounced their
hardness of heart, and having a foreknowledge of their future punishment said:
"Your seed shall serve the seed of your brother for ever."
Patrick decided to revisit some
of the churches which he had founded in Tyrerril and Gregraighe, and to preach
the Gospel again to the people dwelling on the river Buill (Boyle) and through
Moylurg. While crossing a ford on the river, his chariot was upset and he was
thrown into the waters. This ford was called Ath Carbuid, or the ford of the
chariot (vadum quadrigae).
The area around Lough Gara is
rich in monastic sites including: Monasteraden, Templeronan, Killaraght and
Kilnamanagh. Other ecclesiastical nearby are: Cloonshanville and Tibohine to
the south; Kilcolman to the west and Carrowntemple and Kilfree in the
north. Not all of these Early Christian
sites can be directly linked to St. Patrick but his influence has been enormous
and lasting, despite the many challenges of the twenty-first century.
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