BEGINNERS' BLAS 10

LOGAINMNEACHA/ PLACENAMES

DOWNPATRICK or DÚN PHÁDRAIG.

According to oral and documented history naomh Padraig died around the year 462AD. His resting place lies in Downpatrick nó Dún Phadraig, translating as Patricks’ fort Co an Dúin County Down. As we know St Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland and to a nation who were ignorant to Christianity. We know Patrick was born into a Christian family in a town known as Bannavern Taburniae in northern Britain. The Romans had not yet fully pulled out of Britain, so Patrick grew up in a world whose customs and and Christianity were provincial Roman, and in an area which never lost its Celtic identity and customs.

At the age of 16 Patrick was captured by raiders and was taken to Ireland as slave for 6 years. He had already become familiar with the Celtic festivals of the pre-Christian calendar before he was taken into Irish slavery. During his six years of slavery he developed a life of prayer and even attributed his escape from slavery to his deep Christian faith, after his escape back to Britain he had a dream in which the voice of the Irish begged him "to come and walk again amongst them". He decided to return to Ireland. After years of preparation he returned as a missionary bishop, with some helpers. On his return he entered Strangford Lough and landed at the mouth of the River Slaney, County Down. His first church was a barn at Saul ('Sabhall' is the Irish word for barn). This barn was given to him by the first person he baptised - Dichu, a local chief in the year 432AD. The site of the original church is marked by the ruins of a 12th century augustian friary. Patrick travelled over much of the north and west of Ireland, preaching Christianity.

In the following years he founded many important churches, St Patrick’s resting place lies in Downpatrick nó Dún Phadraig, translating as Patricks’ fort Co an Dúin County Down. Mystery surrounds Patrick's death and burial, which may have taken place around 462AD. There is a story that he died at Saul and his followers quarrelled over where to bury him. The problem was solved by placing his coffin on a cart pulled by two untamed oxen. Starting from Clogher, they were allowed to go wherever they liked. At the place they stopped, the body was finally buried and a church built. The oxen, the story goes, stopped at Dun-lethglaise translating as ‘fort of the side of the stream. The fort referred to was a pre-historic ring-fort where Patrick erected one of his first monastery, the site of the present Church of Ireland Cathedral. In the graveyard outside the cathedral there is a large granite stone with Patrick's name on it. But it was put there in 1901.

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