A Century Later

Above: Picture of St Columcille

Exactly a century later the same annals note that the clergy of Connacht with the archbishop Muireadach O Dubhthaigh fasted at Rath Breanain in the interest of Ruaidhri O Conchubhair, " but it was not observed for them." Another twelfth-century case was that of the head of the students of Doire who fasted because Muircheartach O Lochlain of Aileach was brought to Armagh for burial.
Malediction, too, was common. A case is afforded by Ciaran‘s conduct towards Ceallach his student. Ceallach, who was studying to become a monk, escaped from the monastery to fight with the followers of his father Eoghan Beal against Guaire. Ciaran thereupon cursed him. And though  the  student   later   received   Ciaran’s   blessing   and became a bishop, he ultimately died a violent death. Other typical cases are furnished by the action of Colm Cille in converting the Queen of Aodh Ainmire and her handmaid into herons and by his treatment of Conall Clogach. Colm Cille ordered thrice nine bells to be rung against Conall son of Aodh for having incited the rabble against the saint and his clerics. Further, he cursed him, and deprived him of royalty senses, memory, understanding—somewhat as in the days of the druids—so that the victim was thence known as Conall Clogach. Again, the community of Colm Cille went to Tara in 816 to curse Aodh Oirdnidhe king of Ireland— probably for his invasion of the Cineal Conaill two years earlier, or for complicity in the murder of the Abbot Maoldun. As a final example, Keating’s summarised account of the Synod of Rath Breasail closes thus : " The crosses of all the bishops and of all the laity and clergy who were at the holy Synod . . . against whomsoever shall transgress these decrees, and the malediction of them all on whomsoever shall oppose them.
"Excommunication, always so ready an instrument of Catholic discipline, calls for little comment here. Perhaps the most notorious example of its application in our history is found in the action of Cardinal Vivian, Apostolic Legate, at a Dublin Synod during the progress of the Anglo-Norman invasion. Having first counselled the Irish to fight unto death in defence of their country, the calculating Cardinal, under pressure by the agents of the alien usurper, proclaimed Henry II lawful master of Ireland and fulminated, in the name of the Church, a decree of excommunication against every native who should refuse to acknowledge him or resist his armies. He also condoned the violation of sanctuary, declaring that the Irish were guilty of sacrilege in placing their provisions for safety in the churches and that the invaders were within their rights in breaking open the churches and appropriating the food. The people retorted by a raid on his retinue, carrying off his horse, asses, mules.