22 COBNISH DEDICATIONS. 



provided that the headship of the two great ecclesiastical and 

 educational establishments should ultimately pass into the hands 

 of scions of the usurping family. 



Carthagh, who had been thrust upon Kieran, gave him 

 much trouble. He carried on an amour with one of the young 

 pupils of Liadhain's establishment, and when Cuach, Kieran' s 

 fostermother, had placed herself under Kieran's direction, and 

 had established herself either at Killeen or close by, Carthagh 

 carried on the same game with one of her damsels. At length 

 the scandal became so flagrant that Kieran advised Carthagh to 

 travel, and sow his wild oats at Rome. S. Itha said of this 

 escapade : — 



" Carthagh will come to you 

 A man who exalts Faith ; 

 A son will be born to Carthagh, 

 "Who will do no credit to his parentage."* 



A damsel named Bruinech the Slender was with S. Liadhain 

 at Killeen. She inspired Dioma, chief of the Hy Fiachach 

 tribe in West Meath, with passion, and he carried her off. The 

 story has already been told (^see S. Buriena). 



The relation in which Kieran stood to S. Patrick is uncertain. 

 That the sons of Ere, of the Duach family, did steal his horses 

 we are told in the life of S. Patrick, as that he cursed them for 

 so doing.f There is, however, no mention in it of the intervention 

 of Kieran. Why they showed such hostility to the great apostle 

 we are not informed. There exists a popular tradition among 

 the Irish of Ossory that Kieran and Patrick were not on the best 

 of terms, and that when they met Kieran refused to salute the 

 apostle. This tradition may be perfectly worthless. One thing 

 is clear that Patrick did encounter some opposition from the 

 bishops and clergy, as his "Confession" was clearly written to 

 disarm this opposition. 



It is quite possible that the missionary bishops and abbots 

 of the southern half of Ireland were jealous of the supremacy 

 of Armagh. 



* Felire of Oengus, Mch. 5. 

 tTiipartite Life, I, p. 109. 



