Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century/Laeghaire
Laeghaire (2) (Lagerie, phonetically
Leary), pagan monarch of Ireland, reigning at Tara
in the county of Meath. In the fifth year
of his reign St. Patrick, having spent the
winter in the counties of Down and Antrim,
in the spring determined to hold his Easter
festival near Laeghaire's palace. The monarch,
surrounded by his nobles and his Druid
priests, saw with wonder and rage the distant
light of the Christian paschal fire which was
to quench the lights of heathendom, and rode
over in force to Ferta-fer-Feic to expel the
intruder. But mollified by the stranger's
address, or frightened by his words of power,
he allowed the Christian mission to be established.
We can hardly believe that he continued
a persecutor while such progress was
made in the spread of the Gospel around him
and in his own family. His queen may
perhaps have become a Christian; his two
daughters, Fedhelm the ruddy and Eithne the
fair, were certainly converted and numbered
among the saints. Several of his descendants
(Reeves, St. Adamnan, 173) are beatified.
He probably died a pagan. The Four Masters give the date as 458, but 463 is more likely (Ann. Tig., eo an., ap. O'Conor, Rer. Hib. Script. iv. 111). He reigned probably 35 years. His body was carried to and buried at Tara, in the S.E. side of the external rampart, with his weapons upon him, and his face turned towards the Lagenians, as if still fighting against them. Vitae S. Patricii, ap. Colgan, Tr. Thaum. pass.; Lanigan, Ch. Hist. Ir. i. c. 5; Moore, Hist. Ir. i. c. 10; O'Hanlon, Ir. Saints, i. 163 seq.; Nennius, Hist. c. 59, ap. Mon. Hist. Brit. pt. ii. 72; Keating, Gen. Hist. Ir. B. ii. pp. 325 seq.; Four Mast. by O'Donovan, i. 144–145 n. g; Wills, Ill. Ir. i. 60; Skene, Celt. Scot. ii. 100 seq. 428 seq.; Todd, St. Patrick, 6 seq.; Joyce, Irish Names of Places, d ser. 230–231.
[J.G.]