History of the Irish hierarchy Author:Thomas Walsh Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER VI. PROVINCE OF ARMAGH—THE PRIMATIAL SEE OF THE IRISH CHURCH. St. Patrick having devoted twenty years to his arduous and extraordinary mission thro... more »ugh the wilds and desert places of the kingdom, everywhere spreading the light of faith by his preaching and miracles, thereby overthrowing the long and dismal empire of Paganism, determines on erecting a Metropolitan See. Instructed by a vision from heaven, he proceeds to the territory of Macha, the royal city of Emania, and the residence of the kings of Ulster. The hill on which the city was built was formerly called " Druimsaellech," the Hill of Sallows. Here he was kindly received by Dairc, an opulent man, who gave a grant of a convenient site on this eminence for the erection of a cathedral. This high ground is that on which the city of Armagh now stands, and here the ecclesiastical metropolis of Ireland was established A. D. 455. Suitable edifices were attached for the accommodation of the clergy, and adjacent were structures for the pious of both sexes who were inclined to forsake the world and make a sacrifice of their whole being to the Author of the universe. The remaining years of St. Patrick were spent in the management of his see, and occasionally at his favorite retreat of Saul, where he had converted his beloved Dicho. The wonderful power of the Most High was signally displayed through the apostolic labors of St. Patrick : the congregations were provided with bishops and pastors, all subject to the Primatial See; churches were consecrated ; houses of education covered the face of the country: in short, a regular Hierarchy and a National Church was established; the sanctity and zeal of the people won the admiration of distant nations, and the isle which they inhabited was universally known as the land of "...« less