ST. PATRICK LANDED.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 5, 31 October 1890, Page 5

ST. PATRICK LANDED.

(By Mary Banim, in the Dublin Freeman's Journal.) As we went along those pleasant roads, J found myself wondering if St. Patrick was fond of gathering the flowers that grow under the hedge-rowß in Buch abundance ?— had he a favourito walk? — which view of tbe Quoile or the Lough did he Jove most to gaee on ? as he rested on his way from Saul to Rabolp, where yet Btand the n mains of the church of that holy Bishop Tapsacb, to whom was given the privileges of assisting at tbe last hours of St. Patrick's life and administering tbe last Sacraments to him. Here, by the roadside, is a spot that should be held very dear to all ; and yet, owing to what was once a river having been drained away until it dwindled down to a little stream, even the name of the stream was lost, until acci''eotly discovered by Mr. Hanna, a noted authority upon the antiquities of the locality. In a pretty nook not far from Raholp, we come upon an old water-mill — its wheel broken ; its out- house dismantled ; its little water-cour6e almost choked with wild fiowerß ; the grassy bank beside it luxuriant with those beautiful umbrella like leaves that mtike such banks always ptctuiesque. In olden times tbe streamlet tbat flows under the mill-wheel was a river— the Inver Slane or Slaney— and it was up this water-course and past this very spot tbat Patrick sailed until he came near to tbe hill whence Dichu looked out and Faw the strange barque upon the Blaney. Probably tbe c^aint and his followers landed near where this little mill stands now, and probably, too, be often embarked here to sail in his coracle amongst >be is.ands of the Lough, for in those days the sea came mncb further inland than it does vow. As time went on and land was drained and barriers built to keep out tbe tide, tbe Slaney ceased to be a river ; it dwindled slowly to a little brook, the very name of which was bo long forgoiten that even the good woman who lives beside it cannot now give a sirgle tradition connected with the spot, while bo many memories of the surrounding districts have survived. On a hillock or rather near the road, to the east of Saul, and about a mile and a half distant from the latter, is the little church of Raholp or Bath-col pa, which, small as it is, wae a B.Bbup's church in Bt, Patrick'e time, The building is 35ft, long, 21ft, 4in, wide, the

east windows splayed inward ; there are some curiously large stones in the walla, and tbe elder and hawthorn — without which I have rarely seen the old churches— beautify the ruin with their luxuriant branches What is known of Bishop Tassacb, who lived here, and who was " one of the family of Patrick of prayers," shows ua that in those days a nobleman was not above adding to his privileges and powers by the acquisition of handicraft. Tassach was a noble ; ha was also a skilled artificer "of great endowment," a worker in gold and other metals, and it was he who covered with gold and adorned with precious gemi the (acred Daculua Jesu, or Staff of Jesus, which was the principal paste ral staff of St. Patrick, and was then, and during many subsequent ages venerated aa having been used by Christ Himself when on earth. There were many traditions connected with this staff. It is said that while St. Patrick was in his country he spent a time on an island in tha Tourenian Bea, or that part of the ocean which bounds the Touraioe. In tbe island Patrick found a hermit from the Bast who was in possession of this Btaff, which was a relic of Onr Lord's life amongst men ; an angel bad prepared the hermit for Patrick's visit, and had inspired him to transmit tbe staff to the missionary, Patrick, by whom it waa sacredly kept throughout bis life. In his lectnres, Professor O'Curry translates a very curious tradition of the " Baculus Jesu," or Staff of Jesus :—: — " Patrick took leave of German (hia tutor) then, and he gave him his blessing ; and there went with him a trusty tenior from German to take care of him and to testify to him ; Segetius was his name, and a priest in orders, and it was he that performed the offices of the Church under German. Patrick went then upon tbe sex, nine in his number. It was then the tide cast him on an island, wbere he saw a new house and a young couple in it ; and he saw a withered old woman at the door of the house by their side. ' What has happened the hag ?' Baid Patrick, ' great is herdebility.' The young man answered ; tbiß is what tie said : • She ia a grand daughter of mine ,' said the youDg man ; ' even the mother said he, ' O Cleric, of that daughter, whom you see, she is more debilitated again.' 'In what way did that happen 7 Baid Patrick. 'It is not difficult to tell it,' said the young man. "We are here since the time of Christ. He happened to visit us when He was among men here ; and we made a feast for Him. He blessed our house, and he blessed ourselves, and the blessing did not reach our children ; we shall be without age, without decay here to the Judgment (day) ; and it is a long time since thy coming was foretold us,' said tne young man ; ' and God left (us information) that thou wouldst go to preach to the Gaedbil ; aad Me left a token with vs — namely, a bent sthff, to be given to tnee. • I shall not receive it,' said Patrick,' until He Himself gives me His staff," Patrick stayed three days and nights witb tbem ; and he went then to Mount Hermon, in the neighbourhood of the island ; and the Lord appeared to him there, and said to him to come and preach to tbe Gaedhil, and that he would give him the Staff of Jesus ; and He Baid that it would be a deliverer to him in the hour of danger and in every nnequal contest in which he should be." After St. Patrick's death the Staff waß held in. great veneration and preserved amongst tbe insignia of the Se ■ of Armagh as a most sacred relic, tbe posßesaion of which, it was believed by the people, gave <ts holder the right to tbe Primacy. During successive generations it is mentioned, always with veneration, by rit. Bernard and the otber writers, a»d most frequently as the " IStaJI of Jeßus." Iv the twelfth century— llßo— it was removed to C .list Cnurch, Dublin, whtre it was preservel wiih tbe same devoti n for marly four hundred years lonyer, and there is yet in Westminster Abbey a record stating that in the year 152W " Sir Gerald Macshaynt, Knight, was sworn upon the Holie Massbook and the great relic of Brlonde called Baculum Christi, in the presence of Kynge'a Depuue, Chancellor, Tresorer, and Justice." (Dr. Todd'a Introduction to the Book of Obits and Manyrology of Christ Church Dublin.) Some years subsequent to this, in 1587, ia the reign of Henry VIII by order of Bishop Brown, the first Protestant Archbißhop of Dublin, this ancient relic was burned publicly in Dublin. The annalists tell of the wholesale destruction of churches, abbeys, statues and relics of this time, and particularly mention the Staff of Jesus. '• Tb«y also broke aud burned tbe celebrated images, shrines, and the relics of the saints of Ireland and England. They also burned, after that, the image of the illustrious Virgio Mary, which was of Athruim (Trim), in Meath, which wrought wonders and miracles, and healed the blind, the deaf, the lame, and persons afflic ed with various diseases ; also tna Btaff ot Jesus, wbich was in Dublin, nnd wrought miracles from the time of St. Patrick to that period, and had been in the banda of Christ when He was among men " In place of turning back to Duwnpatrick or to the holy wells of Struell— full of interest as they are— we will continue on, by tha fields and lanes, under the treeß in the valley and out in the broad sunshine and sweet air of the bills, until, lrom the top of the old Normau tower of Welcheßtown Castle, we get a fair view out over Strangford Lough and its many islands, each one like a gem set in the sparkling waters ihat ripple and glow in the gold ii the evening sun. Just here the islands are a perfect netwoik, numerous enough, although many must hove sunk since St. Patrick counted them aa 365. Still they are numerous enough to make the telling of their legends more iban I can do. Two of them were related to me as I looked over the Lough from tbe old ivy -mantled tower — not bo far from the mouth of tbe Quoile but that one can almost see the place where the belt of S%ul Abbey lies under the water. For it happened once tbat, hearing that plunderers were oa their way to desecrate and rob the monastery, the monks of the abbey threw their bell into the Quoile to save it from the marauders ; and ever since the old inhabitants of Ltcale— tboße descended from tbe people of tooße ear>y days — from time to time btar the bell ringing horn beneath the waters ; then they know that Borrow is at hand for ihem, or for someone belonging to t hem. But if, at tbe same time, they hear the sound of St. Mocnay's bell frum Island Mahee, they are consoled, for St. Mocbay's bell never rings but for joy to its hearer?, who then know well that out of the coming tribulation, patiently borne, will spring Borne tappiness tenfold greater than the sorrow that preceded it.

This bell of St. Mocbay is in like manner buried in Strangford Lough, by Island Mahee, or Inis Mochai, some nine miles to the north . A curious island, or sort of twin iales, one of which is like an aacun< lisor fort, where— says a tradition— Nial kept hia nine hostages It was here that St. Patrick placed, as Bishop and Abbot, one of his first and dearest disciples, Caolan, the grandson of Lilcbu, wbosa slave the boy Patrick had been. Not Jong after his coming to Saul, as tbe Saint was journeying | towards the north, he happened to pass by a pUce where ha saw a » youth of tender years herdiug swine, as he himself had done in his boyhood. Drawn towards the youth, Patrick spoke to him and quickly won bis love and awoke in him tbe desire o become a Christian. He learned so quickly, says the tradition, that only a miracle could accomplish such a wonder, and, before continuing hiß journey, Bt. Patrick baptised an i ordained the youth, giving him a copy of the Gospels. This youth was Caolan. the grandson of Milchu, with whom Bt. Patrick had been in captivity. Soon afterwards tbe Apostle placed Oaolan over the island, which has ever since borne his name, of which Mahee is a corruption. In those early times there was much love and simplicity amongst Christians, and frequeutly to a Baint's name the word Mo (m ) was prefixed as a term of reverential affection. Thus amongst his own disciples the young and saintly Abbot was Mo-Caolan, which was gradmlly shortened to Mochay, and finally becamp Mahee. St. Mochai was a youth of such exceeding purity and sanctity of heart that angels loved to walk in his footsteps, to speak with him, and to admire his diligence in all things. One day, along with others from his monastery, the abbot went 10 the woods to cut wattles for the building of a church. Long before the other monks had finished their work, Mochai 's task was done, and he knelt upon the green award to pray, when he heard a delightful bird singing in a hawthorn tree near at band. And, having sung a while, the bird said • " Thine is diligent work, O Mochai." "It is sortquired of us in tha service of God," answered the saint. " Who is speaking to me ? " asked Mochai. " An angel of God," replied the bird, " and I am here to amuse thee the while." " An, I like that well," said Mochai, and he leaned up against the hawthorn tree and listened while the bright bird Bang three melodies : of the harmony of faith, of the harmony of hope, and of the harmony of tbe love of God, and each melody lasted but twenty minutes, as it seemed to the stint. Then, when the bird ceased, Mochai took his burdsn home to the monastery, but no man there knew him ; he repaired to the church to pray, and there he f >und ao oratory which had been erected one hundred and fifty yeara before to his own memory. For the melodies suog by the heavenly bird had lasted, each oik, fifiy years. t>uch are some of the legends told of the islands in Strangford Lough — islands and lough which looked very beautiful as I saw them in the lovely May verdure, that clothed each hill and dale, ea^h field and ritdgerow, with tender leaf and flower, while the young May sun lit up siream and river and sea so gloriously that Lecale did indeed just then deserve its ancient title of Tnucha ched na soiUae—Territory of Light.