144 Mr. PETRIE'S Inquiry into the Origin and 



Tempull Gerailt, i. e. Church of Gerald, and Gill na n-Ailither, i. e. Church 

 of the Pilgrims, which must have been originally erected by the Saxon Saint 

 Gerald at the same place, some time in the beginning of the eighth century, as 

 St. Gerald's death is recorded in the Annals of Tighernach at the year 732. 

 and of Ulster at the year 731. 



The date of the re-edification of this church, by the senior Cathasach, may 

 be determined from the fact stated in the document, that it occurred during the 

 reign of Euaidhri, king of Connaught, and his son Toirdhelbhach, or Turlogh, 

 by which must be understood the period between the loss of Ruaidhri's eyes, 

 in 1097, and that of his death, which occurred in the year 1118. This is also 

 corroborated by the dates of the deaths of the other persons who witnessed the 

 grant; for Bishop O'Dunan died in 11 18, Bishop O'Cnaill in 1117 or 1118, and 

 Bishop O'Dubhthaigh in 1136. 



As examples of the substitution by the Irish writers of the Latin words tern- 

 plum, ecclesia, basilica, for the Irish damhliag, and of the Irish words till, eclais, 

 tempull, regies, for the same term, it will be sufficient to refer to the notices of 

 the ecclesiastical edifices at Armagh, the erection of which is, in most instances, 

 ascribed to St. Patrick himself. Of these buildings the first Irish notice, that 

 I have found, occurs in the Annals of Ulster at the year 839, in which it will 

 be seen that the great church was called a damhliag, or stone church. 



"A. D. 839. Gopcao Qinomaca co n-a oepcijib, 7 a oaimliacc." 



Thus translated by Dr. O'Conor : 



" A. D. 839. Combustio Ardmachse cum Nosocomiis [correctly Oratoriis], et Ecclesiis lapideis 

 suis." 



This event is recorded in nearly the same words in the Annals of the Four 

 Masters, and is freely translated by Colgan : 



" A. D. 839. topccao Gpomaacha co n-a oepcaijib, 7 co n-a oairiitiacc lap na 5 a ^ a| b 

 pempuice." 



" A. D. 839. Ardmacha cum sud Basilica, aliisq; sacris cedibus, incenditur per Nortmannos." 

 Trias Thaum. p. 295. 



Should it be asked, If the great church at Armagh were a stone building, 

 why is there no earlier mention of it in those Annals ? the answer is, that 

 the Irish annals seldom, if ever, make any mention of buildings except in 

 recording their burning or destruction, and that this was the first time the 



