254: Proceedings of the Ronal Irish Acudemy. 



St. Bernard, of course, could not be expected to understand such pro- 

 cedure. That a man should at the same time be made bishop and also 

 abbot of a monastei'y outside his see was contrary to his notions of ecclesias- 

 tical decorum. So he separates the period of Malachy's office of abbot from 

 that of his office as bishop. To be sure, an abbot might be promoted to a 

 bishopric ; but then his obvious duty was to leave the abbey and to go to his 

 see. And so St. Bernard apologizes for Malachy's continued residence at 

 Bangor, on the ground that it was near the see, which is simply not the ease. 

 He ignores the fact, which may be inferred from hints in his own pages,^ that 

 Malachy remained abbot of Bangor to the end of his life, following the 

 example of many other Irish abbot-bisliops of past ages, such as Aidan of 

 Lindisfarne. Once again he has misread his documents through ignorance of 

 Irish ecclesiastical custom, of which even Cellach and Malachy had not wholly 

 set themselves free. 



I may now venture to set out a tentative chronology of Malachy's life. 



1096, l>efore November. Malachy born. 

 <•. 1119. Ordained priest. 



1120. Appointed Vicar of Cellach. 



1121, after July (?)• Visits Liamore. Kemains there three years, during 

 which he makes the acquaintance of Cormac Mac Carthaigh. 



1124. Made bishop of Connor and abbot of Bangor. 



1127. Bangor destroyed. Second visit to Lismore. Malachy again meets 

 Mac Carthaigh, and assists in his restoration as King of Desmond. 



1128 (?). Founds the monastery of Iveragli. 



1129, April 1. Death of Cellach. Malachy appointed his succe.s-sor. 



llo2. Enters upon a contest for the see of Armagh against Muirchear- 

 tach, and begins to execute his functions as arciibishop outside the city of 

 Armagh. 



li;54, September 17. Death of Muircheartach. Niall succeeds him and 

 is driven out by Malachy. 



1137. Malachy retires to the diocese of Down, having consecrated 

 Gilla mac Liag (Gelasius) as Archbishop of Armagh. 



1139, .June \'i. Death of Gilla Criost O Morgair. 



1140, Jauuar)-. Malachy leaves Bangor for Borne. 

 October, lletums to Bangor. 



' E.g., j 63. which implies that after his return from Rome St. Malachy lived at 

 Bangor, had authority to dispose of the property of the community, and generally held 

 the same |>osition in reUtion to the brothers as in 1124. 



