Extent of the Diocese of Meath

In the description of the Dioceses established in Ireland at the Synod of Rath Breasail, no Diocese of Meath or Clonmacnoise is mentioned, but the Kingdom of Meath appears to have been divided into the Dioceses of Duleek and Clonard, the former extending from Sliabh Breagh near Slane, to the Carn of Duncuair (Rath Core to the South of Trim) and from a small lough called Lochan na h-imirce, eastwards to the sesa; and the latter from Clochan, westwards to the Shannon, and from Urchuillte, where it met the Diocese of Ardagh, to Cloncurry (Conaire) where it joined that of Kildare.

Various changes, however, seem to have been since made, not in boundaries, but in uniting the small Dioceses to form the present large one.

The Diocese of Clonard, which was generally called of Westmeath, was annexed to Clonmacnoise in 1174, from which period we find the title of Bishop of Clonmacnoise hereditary in the family of O'Malone, of whose origin little is known. It is probable that the Diocese of Clonmacnoise extended from Birr to the River Inny and comprised the whole of the Co. of Westmeath and that part of the King's Co. now included in the Diocese of Meath. It is likely also that the Diocese of Clonard was of the same extent, no change having, in all probability, taken place, but a translation of the Seat of the Bishop from Clonard to Clonmacnoise.

Of the Diocese of Killaloe
(called in Latin Dioecesis Laonensis).

This Diocese is described in the Book of Clonenagh as extending "from Slighe Dala to Leim Conchulainn, and from Sliabh Oigi an an Righ to Gleann Caoin."

These are its exact limits at this day: Slighe Dala, according to Keating and other Irish Authorities, is Ballaghmore in Ossory, which is at this day close to the eastern boundary of this Diocese. Leim Chuchulainn is Loop Head at the mouth of the Shannon. Eachtge is a range of mountains which divides the Counties of Clare and Galway, and over which the boundary of the Diocese of Killaloe passes at this day. Sliabh Oighi an Righ can be no other than Keeper Hill in Tipperary Co., which is the boundary of this Diocese. Gleann Caoin is the present Glenkeen in the Barony of Ileagh and Co. Tipperary, and which is near (on) the eastern limit of the Diocese of Killaloe.

Of the Diocese of Ossory

This is called the Diocese of Kilkenny in the Book of Clonenagh and described as extending "from Sliabh Bladhma to Mileadhach and from Grian Airbh to Sliabh Mairge."

It is so at this day; it meets the Diocese of Killaloe in the Slieve Bloom range, a short distance to the northeast of this Town and comprises the entire of the Co. of Kilkenny and the Barony of Upper Ossory, latterly (i.e., in comparatively modern times) added to the Queen's Co.

Mileadhach is on the brink of the Barrow at the Meeting of the Three Waters. Sliabh Mairge, now Slewmargy, in the Queen's Co. is the boundary of the Diocese of Ossory at this day. Grian Airbh, the situation of which is as yet unknown to me, must lie on the confines of Tipperary and Kilkenny Counties. The Cross of Grian Airbh divided the Diocese of Ossory or Kilkenny from the Archdiocese of Cashel.

It is very curious that the Parish of Seirkieran, which is insulated in the Diocese of Killaloe, was referred to as in Ossory so early at the time of King 'Donogh, the son of Flann. As throwing light on this subject, the following story, given by Mac Firbisse, is curious, though it gives us an unfavourable idea of the character of the Clergy of the day. Nothing should be suppressed that throws any light on the condition of Man in any age - why suppress? According to climate, age, circumstances of education, prevailing opinions, prejudices, bigotry, superstition, man is modified; he is a boy of wax, capable of any modification. He was so, is so, and will be so, until Mr. Owens shall make philosophers of chimney sweepers and dairy girls.

"Donogh (the son of Flann, son of Maelseachlainn Mor, son of Donnell) leads an army to erect a wall and sink a trench around the Church of Saighir Chiarain, at the request of his wife Sabia, the daughter of Donogh Ramor, the son of Kellach, King of Ossory. It created great envy in her mind that every one of the distinguished Churches of Ireland were enclosed with a wall and ditch, while her own family Church of Saighir was without a wall and a ditch. All the men of Meath went with her to Tullydonogh to the east of Saighir, and commenced the erection of the wall. Shortly after the body of her father arrived at the Churchyard for interment, having been carried in a Fean (a car or chariot, cormae) drawn by six horses, and he was interred without delay. At nightfall nine long haired, black crossans (crouched Friars, no!) came and commenced chanting (cliaruigheacht) over the grave in the same manner that Crossans (what?) are ever since in the habit of doing. Their eyes and teeth were whiter than snow, but every other part of them was blacker than the smith's coals. They commenced to repeat a poem for (i.e., concerning) the King. Every one who beheld them was sick from morning till night. This is the poem they repeated:-

A poem is then inserted in which I find a contradictory meaning.

"These Clergy continued from night till morning, repeating this poem over the King's grave, and all who beheld them (as has been already said) were sick from morning till night. At length a question arose among the Laity and Clergy on the subject, for they were surprised that Demons (as these manifestly were) should frequent the grave of so truly pious a King, who had been accustomed to distribute food and drink among the poor of God and among all the people, in all the Chief Churches in Ossory on the Festivals of the Apostles, and whose conduct was under the control of confession (faoisidin) and confessional injunctions (breth .i. breitheamhmas aithrighe). The Clergy abstained and fasted to God that it might be revealed to them why the demons followed him. And the (an) Angel of God came openly to O'Caple, a Culdee of the Kinel-Fiach-Mic-Neill, then resident at Saighir, and said to him: It is well ye have fasted, said the Angel. These are nine of the Clergy of O'Coingeoidh (mo chuingidh ort a chiarain cuingidh (coimhed, congbhaidh) me o chleir choingeoidh) and this is the third time they have come to Ireland from Hell (bravo!). (A mhuire is leamh an sgeal so). Not having been able to injure the King during his life time, they have come to annoy him (i.e., his body, which had lost all its sensibility - mo gradh do philosophia) after death. Let Masses be offered, and let the consecrated waters of God be made (i.e., let holy water be made) to-morrow, and let it be sprinkled on the grave and on all the cemetery and on the plain of the Church, and the demons shall then depart from you. (I thought that the devil had no power to come near the grave in which the temple of a glorified soul was deposited). This was accordingly done, and the Clergy of O'Coingheoidh (Cia he an buachail sin?) came fluttering in the air in the shapes of very black birds (not blackbirds) for they durst not lie on the consecrated ground (nac raibh an roilig coisreagtha o aimsir shen Chiarain?) and they said: 'The fasting and the consecration are not to no purpose (have defeated our purpose) for we would haunt the body of the King in this world (ni fhil see orthodox!) as his soul is in Heaven (non sequitur!) in the other world, and we have no power over it.' And then they departed."

"The Crossan Fionn O'Kinga and Mac Rionntach O'Conodhrain were present on this occasion, and it was they who took (i.e., committed to memory) the poem and the tune from the Clergy of O'Coingheoidh, so that this is the poetical composition which served them from that forth, and not only them but all the other Crossans (satirical bards?) of Ireland in general."

A naois a mathar na raibh cleir Ui Choingeoidh! Ce he O'Coingheoidh? An sean bhuachaill air mh'anam.

This is a most strange story. What were the Crossans? The Irish family of Mac Crossan have taken name from the profession, whatever it was.

Mac an Fhilidh Poet
Mac an Bhaird Bard
Mac an Ollaimh Olave
Mac an tSaoir Carpenter
Mac an Bhreitheamhain Judge
Mac an Deoganaigh Dean
Mac an tSagairt Priest
Mac an Chrossain ? ? ?

I don't want to make use of this story to shew what vile, low and ignorant knaves the Clergy of Saighir Kieran were; all I want to draw from it is that the Church of Saighir was then the burial place of the Kings of Ossory, and that this accounts in some measure for its being placed in the Diocese of Ossory.

Of the Diocese of Kildare

This Diocese is described in the Book of Clonenagh as extending "from Rosfionnghlaise to Nas Laighean and from Nas to the Cumar or Confluence of Clonard, and to the mountains of Glenn Da Loch."

This Diocese of Kildare still extends from Ros Fionnghlaise, now Rosanalis at the Slieve Bloom range, to Naas, and from Naas to Clonard, but it does not extend as far eastwards as the mountains of Glendalough. We must therefore, suppose that a part of the southeast of this Diocese has been added to that of Glenalough, which was afterwards united to the Archdiocese of Dublin, since the Synod of Rath Breasail was held. It is very curious, however, how well the boundaries laid down at that Synod have been, generally speaking, preserved.

See the account of the Diocese of Kildare, which was furnished Colgan in ----- by Dr. Mageoghegan, the then Roman Catholic Bishop of that Diocese. See also my remarks on the misprints in Colgan's edition of it: Mithidh scur de ar sceluibh.

Your obedient servant,
John O'Donovan.