Another Attempts on St. Patrick’s Life

Above: St Mel’s Chuch Cathedral

While Patrick was on his way to Armagh after his jour through Munster, an attempt on his life by Failge Bearrai resulted in the death of his charioteer Odhran.    Attacks the Saint‘s person or property, indeed, cannot be said have been infrequent or confined to any particular territ Coirbre sent two men to Assaroe to resist him and set a at him;   in Ui Meith Macha three persons stole one of two goats, and their descendants were thereafter doomed be distinguished by goats’ beards; in the South four pers stole his horses, and they, on the other hand, were forgiv in the district of Moylurg his horses were taken by force, may be here noted that Patrick is recorded more than o to have driven his chariot over offenders, even over his sis Lupeta—self-accused of a lapse from the ways of virtue he entered Armagh,   and  over  Seachnall,  his nephew bishop, for saying he preached charity so little.    This see to have been no new habit:   Cuchulainn, according to Tain, bent down in token of sincerity and respect and re for the disappointment of Fearghus so that the chariot Fearghus went over him thrice.
The founding of Armagh has been placed at different date its famous school, once " the metropolis of civilizations," I words of Darmsteter, is admitted to have been established, its primatial church probably about 457. Indications recognition of its ecclesiastical primacy present themselves from an early period. Four churches in the district around Ballaghadereen and Frenchpark, say the Annals of Ulster, sent a cow each to Armagh until remitted in 810. Nodain of Diseart Nodain, in Roscommon, founded a church at Cavetown and gave its patronage to Armagh. Caichan, son of Cairthean king of Drumlease, offered his fifth of the land to God and Patrick for ever, and the king declared it free of all rent and tribute. The king of Serthe gave to Asicus, coppersmith to Patrick, and to his monks after his death, the grazing of a hundred cows, their calves and twenty oxen as a permanent offering. " His relics are at Rath Cungai in Serthe," says the Tripartite Life of the Saint, " and to Patrick belongs the church, though the community of Colm Cille and Ard Sratha have encroached on it."
When it is stated that Armagh was founded after Patrick’s tour of Munster, what is probably to be inferred is that thenceforward Armagh’s ecclesiastical supremacy was recognised throughout the whole South as elsewhere. Following the example of Dichu at Saul and his brother at Breachtain, Enda brother of Laoghaire bestowed on the Saint, with Laoghaire’s approval, every ninth ridge of his land, north of Cruachain in Connacht, while another brother Conall granted the site for a church in Meath. A sheep from every flock each year was not the only gift by Anghus wife of baoghaire. Nor was Donnchadh king of Osraighe less generous. Iserninus, ordained wdth Patrick, set up a church •*t Aghade on the Slaney and recognised Patrick’s supremacy. Aonghus king of Munster, imposed a capitation screaball of iree pence for every person receiving baptism in his territory.
At the time of Cormac mac Cuileannain it was imposed thus : 50 cows, 500 sheep, 500 balls of iron, 500 mantles, 500 inner garments  every  third   year.    Here it   is not necessary to multiply^ examples otherwise referred to incidentally and testing themselves even in the attitude of princes, kings, Patrick from Laoghaire’s brother Feidlimidh, who gave Verr ms estate near Trim where he founded one of his the nearest churches, and Laoghaire himself who gave him site for St. Mel’s Church Ardachadh, to Brian Boirmhe, Muircheartach O Briain, and Ruaidhri O Conchubhair each in his own way, conferred special favours on Arma|