DaltOiN' — Cronim Criiaich of 3Iagh Sleacht. 43 



encroaching on, the sanctuaiy grounds. The completion of St. Patrick's 

 mission at Magh Sleacht demauded, not alone the subversion of Crom and 

 his religion, but likewise the expulsion of his priesthood and the appropria- 

 tion of their freehold to Christian uses. Herein, I suspect, lies the 

 explanation of the origin of those polls of termon laud which, as has been 

 seen, were still unsecularized and imsevered from Kilfert church at the 

 beginning of the seventeenth century. 



Named Mabran in the Tripartite, and Methbrain in Tirechan's 

 Memoir, the priest who was left in charge of the infant church at Magh 

 Sleacht more probably had for his real name Niabrain, or Niethbrain.' 

 "What subsequently became of him we know not. It is possible that his 

 mission encountered many obstacles in the pagan obduracy and the 

 hereditary practices of the Sen Tuatha. But the Domnach Maighe Sleacht 

 held its ground, I think, as the chief, if not sole, tribal church of the district 

 until the Masraighe became subjects of the Ui-Briuin. The racial principle 

 operated too strongly in ancient Ireland to allow the proud descendants of 

 Fergna to recognize a Masraighe foundation as their metropolitan church in 

 Teallach Eachdhaich ; and they gave their allegiance instead to the church 

 which St. Moaedhog founded in his native Inis Ereaghmuighe, a mile below 

 Kilfert. 



St. Moaedhog's father was of the race of Colla Uais, but his rtucher was 

 of Ui-Briuin extraction.- By the Ui-Briuin he has ever been held in 

 veneration as the greatest of Breifni's evangelizers, and one of the foremost 

 of Ireland's missionary apostles. The Ui-Briuin turned away from Kilfert, 

 and enriched their own Saint's church in Templeport Lake with liberal 

 donations of the tribal territory. But the old church of fossa Slecht, though 

 reduced to minor importance, evidently ceased not to operate as a temple of 

 Christian worship. Most likely it was relegated to the broken Masraighe 

 population, and allowed, by an act of grace, thenceforth to serve, separately 

 or mainly, their religious needs.' The derisive allusion which seems to lurk 

 in its name, Kilfert (" church of the grave "), would, on this hypothesis, 

 become perfectly intelligible. 



On the 27th May, 1836, John O'Donovan wrote from Cavan : " If I 

 dubh 

 discover the idol Crom Cruach on the plain of Moy Sleeht, I shall deem 



• Bury, Proc. E.I. A., vol. xxiv, p. 155 ; and Index to "Book of Armagh," pp. 491-2. 



2 See "Martyrology of Donegal," p. xxsiii. 



^ Though St. Mogue's cemetery is only a mile distant, and serves as burial-ground 

 for a large district of country, Father Brady tells me that, in the sixteen years of his 

 pastoral charge, he has never known anybody from around Ealnavart to be interred in 

 the island. The original rivalry of the churches .seems to have descended to the 

 churchyards. 



