202 Mr. PETRIE'S Inquiry into the Origin and 



king, Aodh Oirdnighe, " against Duncan," in revenge for the violation of the 

 shrine of St. Patrick. Thus also the Annals of Inisfallen record that in the 

 year 810 Benchor was devastated, and the shrine of St. Comgall broken, by 

 the Gentiles [Danes] ; and that in the year 830 the shrine of St. Patrick was 

 broken, and carried away by the Danes. 



Many other passages to the same effect might be adduced, if it were neces- 

 sary. The same annalists also record about this period the making of several 

 shrines : in the Annals of the Four Masters, for example, at the year 796, it 

 is stated that the relics of St. Ronan, son of Berach, were put into an ark or 

 shrine, which was ornamented with gold and silver. And, to come more imme- 

 diately to the point, the Annals of Ulster, at the year 799, mention the placing 

 of the relics of St. Conlaeth, bishop of Kildare, in a shrine of gold and silver, 

 as described by Cogitosus : 



" A. D. 799. Positio Reliquiarum Conlaio h-i Scptn oip 7 aip^ic." 



" A. D. 799. The placing of the relics of Conladh in a shrine of gold and silver." See also 

 Ware's Bishops, at Kildare. 



Thus we have the most indisputable historical evidence not only of the 

 existence of one of the two shrines noticed by Cogitosus as preserved at Kil- 

 dare in his own time, but also of the costliness of its materials ; and it will surely 

 not be doubted that the religious community of Kildare, who paid this reve- 

 rence to the relics of their first bishop, would have had a similar, if not a still 

 more splendid shrine, to preserve the relics of the great founder and patroness 

 of their establishment. 



The preceding record enables us also to determine with great exactness the 

 period at which Cogitosus wrote, which, it will be seen, could not have been 

 earlier than the ninth century, as so many learned persons have thought ; while, 

 on the other hand, it is equally certain that it must have been before the year 

 835, in which the Annals of Ulster, and others of equal authority, record that 

 Kildare was plundered by the Gentiles [Danes], on which occasion, if we 

 believe O'Halloran and it is at least a fair inference the shrines of St. Brigid 

 and St. Conlaeth were carried away. Thus : 



"A. D. 835. Cealooapat>oop55am oo^enncib o Inbip t)eaae, 7 potopcaoap leir na ciUe." 



" A. D. 835. Kildare was plundered by the Gentiles of Inbhir Dease, and they burned half 

 the church." 



