VII.—PATRICK IN SOUTHERN DALARADIA

Instead of going southward into Uladh, our Apostle now appears to have turned eastwards, and founded, we are told, many churches in Dalaradia, the names of which are given by the Tripartite. The first two are Domnach Mor Magh Damoerna and Raith Sithe. The latter is certainly the old church still known as Rashee, in the barony of Upper Antrim, which was included in the ancient Magh Line. The parish still retains the name, and ‘the old graveyard is much used, but no traces of the church remain. We find reference to two Bishops of Rashee, A.D. 618, St. Comgall and St. Eoghan. It was then, doubtless, the chief church of the sub-kingdom of Magh Line, of which Conlae seems to have been the ruler.

Domnach Mor Magh Damoerna has not yet been identified. It appears to us that as Patrick was travelling east from Muckamore—and this is the first church named in the list—it was probably the old church now known as Templepatrick, which is about midway between Muckamore and Rashee, on the very route the Apostle would take through Magh Line. It gives its name to the parish, and was probably adopted as equivalent to Domnach Mor, which also signifies a Patrician church. In these two churches the Saint, we are told, left two of his household, but their names are not given.