St. Conal. 21 



enemies pressed very hard upon him, and he was compelled to 

 leave the low country and fly to the hills. Here he met a shep- 

 herd who took him to his humble home and placed food before 

 him, and here the saint remained in hiding until he was able to 

 proceed on his journey. He went to Wales, and there he re- 

 mained until a new king succeeded Morken. This was King 

 Roderick, who at once decided to recall St. Mungo. When the 

 saint returned Roderick went to meet him at Hoddom, and con- 

 ducted him with great ceremony to his home at Glasgow. When 

 St. Mungo returned he did not forget his old friend and bene- 

 factor, the shepherd, but sought him out and asked him what he 

 could do for him. The shepherd replied that he lacked nothing. 

 His flock supplied him with food and clothing, and beyond these 

 his wants were very few. The saint recognised this and so 

 offered to take the shepherd's little boy and educate him for the 

 ministry. The shepherd consented, and so the little lad was 

 taken to Glasgow, educated there for the ministry, and then sent 

 back to Nithsdale to preach the Gospel to his own people. This 

 boy was St. Conal. Of course this is only legend, but we know 

 as matters of fact that St. Mungo was forced to leave Glasgow by 

 Morken, and that his journey would in all probability take him 

 through Xithsdale. We also know that St. Mungo was in the 

 habit of training voung men for the ministry of the Church. So 

 it is quite possible that this story may have a foundation in fact. 

 It may be that the tradition regarding his coming from Ireland 

 has arisen through confusing him with the Saint of Inchennan. 

 On the other hand, it is rather strange that the romantic story 

 which forms the second tradition should be utterly unknown in 

 this district. 



St. Connel, to fall back on local tradition again, is said to 

 have founded the three churches of Sanquhar, Kirkconnel, and 

 Kirkbride, and also to have preached up in what is now Cumnock 

 parish. He laboured among the heathen with much acceptance, 

 and tradition still tells how he went about barefooted. When he 

 found that his end was near he requested that he might be buried 

 on a spot on Glenwherry Hill from which the three churches he 

 had founded could be seen all at once. His grave is be.side a 

 little stream known as the "Willow Burn." The place is one 

 where the stillness is only broken by the cry of the moor fowl or 



