250 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



he walked only eight miles, and then stopped to found a uionasteiy at Soulseat. 

 A little latei- he spent several days with King David. He went aside jnst over 

 the border to visit the conimmiity at Gisburn.' In his passage through 

 England lie had many hindrances which doubtless involved further delay.* 

 The journey from Bangor to Dover at the ordinary rate would have been 

 accomplished in tive weeks : it probably lasted at least seven. Adding a 

 week for the walk from Skerries to Bangor, we reacb the end of May, 1148, as 

 the approximate dale of the Council of Inispatrick. But it must be remem- 

 bered that lliis is an inference from very uncertain indications. 



We may now turn back to consider some dates given by St. Bernard whicli 

 are apparently incorrect. 



Vita, i 24. ■• In llie tliiriy-eightli year of Ids age tlie oppressor [Niall] 

 liaving been driven out, the poor man, Malachy, entered Armagh, Tontittand 

 Metropolitiin of all Ireland." Since Malachy was born in 1095 before November, 

 he was tliirty-eiglit yeai-s old in 113;! before November. But his contest with 

 Niail's predecessor was not over till 17 September, 11. "^4. This date is there- 

 fore nnmifeslly wrong. Tlie true date is llie end of 1 134, when, accoiding to 

 the Four Masters, " a change of ahbots took place at Arnuigh, i.e. Mael Maedog 

 O Moi-gair in tlie jjlace of Niall." Bernard wrote " tliiity-eighth " in error for 

 "fortielli." The origin of iht- mistake is obvious. Three years after the death 

 of L'ellach, Malachy l)egan his struggle willi Muirceartach, anil for two years 

 before the dealii of that "oppressor" (17 September, 1134), he exercised his 

 functions unU^ide the city (§S 20, 21), or, as the Four Masters have it, under 

 1132, he ".sat in the comarbate of I'atrick." This k the principal event of 

 Mttlachy's lliirly-eigiith year. Bernard, by some misunderstiinding of his 

 documents, liax transferred the dale to a somewhat similar incident two years 

 lat«r. Nor is he to be blamed. The entry in the Four Masters, if we had not 

 St. Bernard's own narrative to explain its nu'aning, would most naturally be 

 lakcn to imply an entiy into Armagh. 



A more serious confusion occurs at an earlier period. As we have seen, 

 Malachy was appointed vicar of Cellach in 1119 or 1120. St. Bernard gives 

 an account of his labours in that capacity (§§ 6, 7) which, if it is not wholly 

 imaginary, proves thai Malaciiy held the oHice for a year or two. Desiring 

 further instnictiou, with the consent of Cellach and his master imhar, he 

 afterwards visited Malchus at Lismore, " and remained with him some years " 

 (§ 8) — which can hardly mean less than three. During these years he made 

 the ac(|uaintance of Cormac Mac Carthaigh, who had been dispossessed of his 

 kingdom of Desmond, and was now a refugee at Lismore. In due time 



' Vita, J 68, f. • Strm. i. in tram. Mai., § 1. 



