46 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



of Tuam, author of a very interesting and readable " Life of St. Patrick. 

 Both approached their task under the prepossession of a firmly conceived 

 theory, namely, that Crom was venerated somewhere near Fenagh, in County 

 Leitiim ; and both appear to have confined their exploratious to Fenagh and 

 its neighbourhood. I do not know whether either thought it worth while to 

 go near Ballymagauran. Each in turn — Canon CHanlon fii-st, Dr. Healy some 

 twenty years later — fixed on Edentinny, a low limestone ridge nearly midway 

 between BallinEimore and Fenagh, as the goal of his quest, believLng it to be 

 so beyond reasonable possibiKty of doubt. Though I should much like to 

 examine the arguments on which their agreed solution of the question was 

 made to rest, it must suffice for me here to mention that the " water named 

 Guthard," from which St. Patrick saw the idol, is supposed by Canon 

 O'Hanlon to have been " Lough Growna, or the upper coui-se of the Erne " ;^ 

 while Dr. Healy extends it thus through the heart of Conmaicne Magh Eein : 

 " The water here referred to seems to be the chain of smaU lakes stretching 

 from Drumshambo Lough to Gulladoo Lough, on the borders of County Cavan, 

 There are eleven or twelve of them in alL'" For the Domnaeh Maighe 

 Sleaeht the same author was reduced to the strait of requisitioning " the parish 

 church of Oughteragh " or of Ballinamore.' 



Canon O'Hanlon, moreover, whUe confessing his inability to locate the 

 '■ Masraige et Cathraige Sleaeht " of Oolgan,* does not hesitate to reject 

 O'Donovan's reasoned identification of Magh Sleaeht.^ Dr. Healy accepts that 

 identification, but, on the strength of " an entry in the ' Annals of the Four 

 JIasters/ under date a.d. 12.56," he makes Magh Sleaeht include the greater 

 part of the parish of Oughteragh, in County Leitrim.^ The entry in question 

 relates to the battle of Magh Sleaeht, the site of which had been supposed by 

 O'Donovan to Ue somewhere between the extremity of the Bartonny wing of 

 Slieve Anierin and the village of Ballinamore." But O'Donovan had, 

 apparently, not consulted the full descriptions of this engagement given in 

 the " Annals of Lough Ce " and in the " Annals of Connaught." The battle 

 was fought '' on bealach na beithige, at the head of SHabh an laraind,"* " on 

 the brink of Athdei^,'"* " between Ath na Beithige and Bel in Bhealaigh." " 



' '■ Lives of the Irish Saints," vol. iii, p. 580. 



- "Life of St. Patrick, "p. 182. He might have added that they lie far apart, and 

 cover a range of more than twenty miles. 

 iJiiU, p. 188. 



' " Lives of the Irish Saints," vol. i, p. 498. 

 ^ Op. cU., vol. iii, p. 581. 



• "Life of St. Patrick," pp. 183, 184. 



' 2sote to •' Four Masters," s%ih anno 1256. 



* " Ann. Ulst." 



9 " Ann. L. Ce " and Ms. 23 E/7, Pv.I.A., p. 911. '» Ibid. 



