Ancient Ecclesiastical Divisions and Descriptions.

Among the most early and eminent ecclesiastics, renowned in the history of this county, we may place St. Columb-kill; who derived his name, as well from the reputed qualities of his mind, as from the habits of his life. "Columba," signifying in Latin a dove, and “ cil,” (pronounced "kill," in Irish, a derivative of the latin Cella) a monastery or cell.

This remarkable personage was born at Gartin in the county of Donegal, in the year 521. I have been within the chapel where he first taught Christianity to the Pagan natives. It is beautifully situated on the borders of a romantic lake. The walls were, in part, standing in June 1807. St. Columb was of the noble houses of Oneil and O'Connel, after the latter of whom, the county of Donegal was anciently named Tir-connel (the land of Connel) as that of Tirowen, or the land of John, was so called after the name of the celebrated Owen or Shane (both of which mean John) Oneil.

From his connection and influence with these and other chieftains, St. Columb obtained several grants for religious institutions; and on one of these grants, founded his great monastery at Derry, which was called after him Deragh-Columcil.

As the patron and founder of the most ancient religious houses in this county, I cannot omit to mention a few particulars of his history. To distinguish him from many other saints of the same name, (Columba,) he is usually surnamed Columb-kill: he was honoured with this title on account of the number of monasteries founded by himself.

On his quitting Derry for Scotland, he composed the following verses, thus translated by Dr. Coyle in his Collectanea Sacra.

My fragrant bank and fruitful trees, farewell,

Where pensive mortals, mixed with angels, dwell:

Here angels shall enjoy my sacred cell,

It seems to be agreed that, in the year 565, Brideus, a powerful chief of the Picts, gave St. Columb the little island of Hy, or Iona, which, from him, was called Hy-colm-cil. In this he erected a monastery famous, in after ages, as a seminary of learning, and a burying-place of saints and kings. His own body was the first buried in Iona, anno 597, in the 77th year of his age. It was afterwards removed to Down, and there laid in the same vault with those of St. Patrick and St. Bridget.*

In the year 546, the first abbey was founded in Derry by St. Columb; after which epocha, our ecclesiastical chronology is as follows: 597. The cathedral of Ardstra translated, first to Maghera. 783. The abbey and town of Derry, destroyed by fire.

812. The Danes burned them, and massacred the students and clergy.

832. The Danes were driven from the siege of Derry, with incredible slaughter, by Niell Calnè, monarch of Ireland, and Murchad, prince of Aileagh.†

983. Maol-Leachline, a Dane, carried away the shrine of St. Columb.

989-991-996. In each of these years, Derry was wasted by the

Danes.

* Whoever wishes to enquire more particularly respecting the life of this extraordinary person, may consult the Lives of the Saints, the Hibernia Dominicana, Dr. Coyle's Collectanea Sacra, &c.

+ This territory is now called Ely. The ruin of the castle is yet visible on the right, as you go from Derry to the village of Fahan.. It was one of the three great and royal palaces of Ulster, famed for important councils and convocations. See Dr. Coyle's Collectanea. It is also noted in the book of Howth, folio 104 and folio 177, being the last of this book of Howth, from which I made the following curious extract: "Five the greatest towns that were in ancient times, in Ireland, that is to say, Ardmagh, Derrè-columb-kill, Drumcloo, Kells in Meath, Faylemore."

Maol (shaven,) a servant, one devoted to some religious purpose. Leachline, Loghlin, or Leighlin, a Dane. Among the reputed Irish are many descendants of the Danes. They are generally fair with hair either red or tending to that colour. The names Mc Leighlin (i. e. son of the Dane) and Me Sweyne, i. e. son of Sweyne (a Danish name) attest this.

Ff

1095. The abbey consumed by fire.

1100. Murchertach O'Brien, prince of Munster, attacked Derry with a large fleet of foreigners, who were defeated, but the town was pillaged.

1121. Domhnal, prince of Tyrconnel, resigned his kingdom, and retired to this monastery, where he died.

1124. Ardgar, prince of Aileach was slain in an assault on Derry. 1134. The town was burned and plundered by the people of Munster; and next year, to revenge the death of Ardgar, the town, and all the sacred edifices, were consumed by fire.

1150. Abbot Flathertach O'Brolchain made a visitation through the county of Tyrone, then called* Cinel-eogain, and received from Murchertach Hya-Lochluin, king of Ireland, 20 oxen, together with the king's own horse, and a gold ring which weighed 5 ounces; and from every nobleman he received one horse; from every two burgesses an ox; one from each free person, and one from every four of the rest of the people. This liberal contribution was to repair the abbey. The following year, the abbot made another visitation through Siolcathasaich; from Cuculad O'Flan, prince of that country, he received a horse, with a gold ring weighing two ounces; from every nobleman a horse, and a sheep from each master of a family,

1158. The episcopal seat, which had originally been at Ardstra, on the river Derg, and afterwards translated to Maghera, was by a synodical decree removed to Derry. Flathertach O'Brolchain, who had presided over the abbey of St. Columb, is consecrated first bishop. 1161. The same abbot collected, from the country of Ossory, 420 ounces of pure silver.

• Here again we have to exclaim against the careless transcribers of Irish manuscripts: the territory here meant can be no other than that of " Cathan-aght-O-Cathan," pronounced Kaneaght-O'Kane, which means "the country of O'Kane, the chief of the O'Kanes." It is called the country of Tir-owen, because O'Kane held the upper district of Derry, under the title of Nether Tirone, as a feudatory of Oniel, at the time of the forfeiture.