Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 12.djvu/216

 son of Lugaidh, a prince in that territory. She was also known as So-deilbh, or ‘of beautiful form,’ and according to Colgan was venerated on 26 Oct. In consequence of her kindness he promised her an abundance of cattle; hence the plain was known as the ‘plain of the heifers,’ now Moygawnagh, in Tirawley.

Travelling still northwards, he reached the estuary of the Moy, where the sixteen sons of Amalgaid were assembled in convention. St. Emhin in the ‘Tripartite’ reckons only twelve; but the statement of Colgan, taken from the ‘Book of Lecan,’ is in some degree supported by the ‘Tribes and Customs of Hy Fiachrach,’ which states them as fifteen. Amalgaid had two wives, Tressan, daughter of Nadfraoich, king of Munster, and Erc, daughter of Eochaidh, king of Leinster. The sons of the former were favourable to Corbmac when he presented himself at the assembly, and requested permission to settle there, but the sons of Erc opposed him. In the end, however, he was permitted to choose a place to dwell in, and he accordingly selected a favourable spot at the estuary of the Moy. The fishery, according to the Bardic accounts, had been famous from the remotest times, and in later ages had been visited and blessed by St. Patrick, St. Brigid, and others. The establishment founded here was enriched by grants of lands and tithes. Among other gifts bestowed on it were the lands of Cill-roe and Cill-aladh, held formerly by Bishop Muredach and the sons of Droigin. Besides the sons of Amalgaid other chieftains became his supporters, as for instance Eochaidh Breac, whose posterity, the Hy Eachach of Hy Fiachrach Aidne, were devoted to him. In the lapse of time their devotion grew cold, and Corbmac was superseded by later saints, among whom were St. Cumain Fota, a descendant of Erc, and St. Deirbile, also a native saint.

When his establishment was placed on a secure foundation, he turned his thoughts to the neighbouring territory of Luigni (Legney, county Sligo), over which and the adjacent territory of Gaileanga (Gallen, county Mayo) Diermid, son of Finbarr, then ruled, who was of the race of Cian, son of Olioll Olum, and therefore of his kindred. This prince received him kindly, and bound his seven successors to pay three cows annually to Corbmac and those who should come after him; but Aidan, son of Colman, who had a monastery near, fearing lest the interests of his church should suffer, remonstrated with him, and advised that he as a stranger should return to his own country, and seek for lands there. King Diermid tried to make peace, but Corbmac determined to return to his friends, the sons of Amalgaid, and devoted himself to the office of peacemaker, endeavouring to establish good feeling between them and the race of Cian. For this purpose he induced them to hold a meeting at a hill called Tulach Chapaich, ‘the hill of friendship,’ at which were present with him St. Froech of Cluain Colluing and St. Athracht of Killaraght. Here a perpetual league of friendship was formed. This was afterwards renewed, and three celebrated conventions were held there.

‘So devoted was Corbmac and so holy his manner of life that gifts were bestowed on him continually, and he was treated as their tutelar divinity.’ Once more, however, intrigues were set on foot against him as a stranger and intruder, and three messengers in succession were sent to order him to leave the district. The first of these having been cursed by the saint was devoured by wolves on the mountain of Sliabh botha, near Ros Airgid, where a cairn marks the spot. The other two messengers having deprecated the saint's wrath escaped with their lives. This incident was evidently suggested by the story of Elijah in 2 Kings chap. i.

Corbmac is credited with having cured a youth who suffered from a ‘deadly, contagious disease caused by a pestilential exhalation’ from the mountain Sith badha, near Rathcroghan, co. Roscommon, believed to be haunted by demons. To him is also ascribed a bath, called Dabhach Corbmaic, in which whoever bathed should not die a violent death, and, if a maiden, should have a happy marriage.

Such are the facts recorded in the ‘Book of Lecan.’ The question, however, of the date at which he flourished is one of peculiar difficulty, owing to the anachronisms which abound in it. Colgan thought he flourished in the fifth century, and Lanigan considered that some indications pointed to the seventh; but there are grounds for thinking that his true date is the sixth century; for as he was ninth in descent from Olioll Olum, A.D. 234, allowing thirty years for each generation, we have 270 + 234, which gives A.D. 504. Again, his brother St. Emhin, according to Ussher, flourished in 580, and most of the events of his history, as his visit to King Eogan Bel (d. 547) and Olioll Inbanda (544), fall within the sixth century. There is, it is true, a difficulty in the case of St. Becan, who is reckoned among his brothers, as the ‘Four Masters’ give his death at 688; but Keating (Reign of Diarmuid Mac Fergusa) says some authorities held that besides Fiacha Muillethan, Eogan Mor had another son Diarmuid, from whom Becan was descended. He would thus be a near relative, not a brother of Corbmac, and