[ 8 ] 
fider the period in which the church under confideration was 
founded, 
Ir we give credit to legendary accounts, St. Patrick founded’ an 
abbey here for his nephew St. Auxil, who died in 454, and who 
gave mame to the church, that is, A7//-auxarle, Kill-afatlle, or 
Ceall-ufall, afterwards Kil/-uff and Killofy*. But leaving fuch 
relations to the biographers of Saints, it may not be unneceffary © 
to obferve, that the diftri@ in which this church ftands was 
anciently denominated Magh Laifagh, fituated in Magh Libhiadh, 
the old name of the N. E. parts of the county of Kildare; and 
part of the demefne lands of the O’Kelly’s, chieftains of the coun- 
try, who in the eighth century are faid to have founded a mo- 
nafiery here; the church and other buildings whereof, according 
to the fafhion of the country, were moft probably erected of wood, 
and denominated from the diftri@ Ceallmagh Lazfagh or Czl/morlaiffy, 
and from thence K7//moloffy or Killoffy, or the Church of Magh 
Laifyt. This monaftery in 833 was burnt to the ground by the 
the Danes, and being rebuilt, was a fecond time with Cillcullen 
or Killcullen deftroyed in 984 by the Danes, under the command 
of Ambrofe fon of Godfrey, when one thoufand perfons were 
taken prifoners, and the intire country deftroyed§. After this 
period 
* Arch. Monaft. ex M'Geog. p. 658. 
+ Pfalter of Cafhel, Keating. 
$ Ann. 4 Mafters. 
§ Tbid. 
