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of the Northmen from Ireland ; but they returned in force before long, and his reign was marked by constant descents and depredations of the Dubh-Lochlan- naigh (Black Scandinavians, or Danes), and Finn-Lochlannaigh (White Scandina- vians, or Norwegians). His reign was also notable for a regal convention which he called at Eathhugh, in the present County of Westmeath. '3s 171
Malachy Mor, Monarch of Ireland, flourished from 980 to 1022, the rival, and afterwards the tributary of Brian Borumha. He succeeded to the nominal sovereignty of Ireland in 978, two years after Brian became King of Munster. He married Maelmaire, sister of Sitric, the Danish King of Dublin ; and after the death of his father, his mother married Olaf, a renowned warrior of the same nation. The early part of Malachy's reign was spent in constant contentions with Brian and other Irish chiefs, and with his connexions, the Northmen. Upon more than one occasion he inflicted severe defeats on the latter, carrying away 2,000 hostages, jewels, and other valuables, and " freed the country from tribute and taxa- tion from the Shannon to the sea ; " and
" wore the collar of gold, Which he won from her proud invader."
In 982 he invaded Thomond and rooted up and cut to pieces the great tree at Magh-Adhair [now Moyry Park, in the County of Clare], under which Brian and his ancestors of the Dalcassian line had been crowned, and where for generations they had received the first homage of their subjects. Eventually Brian and Malachy had to lay aside their feuds and unite against the common enemy, and in the year 1000 they defeated the North- men at Glenmama, near Dunlavin, in the County of Wicklow, as is related in the notice of Brian Borumha. In 1002 Brian, whose p .wer had been gradually increas- ing, marched to Tara, deposed Malachy, and assumed the supreme sovereignty. Malachy not only submitted, but appears to have entered into Brian's plans for the government of the country, and helped him in his operations against the North- men. After the battle of Clontarf and Brian's death, 23rd April 1014, Malachy again assumed the supreme authority in Ireland. His energy in following up the struggle refuted the calumny that he se- cretly favoured the Northmen in the fight. He reigned nine years after Brian's death, and is mentioned as the founder of churches and schools ; but the annals of the time show that the latter years of his life were passed chiefly in plundering 328
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expeditious in various parts of the island, and murderous contentions with the chiefs who owed him a nominal allegiance. Malachy died at Croinis (Cormorant Is- land), in Lough Ennel, near Mullingar, in 1023. A month before he had defeated the Northmen of Dublin at Athboy. ^^ 144 171 263
Malachy O'Morgair, Saint, Arch- bishop of Armagh, was born near Armagh, in 1095. He was educated near his home, by Abbot Imar, and afterwards at Lis- more, under Bishop Malchus. Returning to Ulster, he was admitted to orders, and in 1 1 20 was placed over the Abbey of Ban- gor. Four years later he was consecrated Bishop of Connor. According to Harris, St. Bernard gives a lamentable account of the people of his diocese, saying that Malachy found them rude, barba- rous, and uncultivated ; but " in a few years wrought such a reformation in the morals of his flock as was little inferior to that brought about by St. Patrick in these parts." Archbishop Celsus, on his death-bed in 11 29, desired that Malachy should be his successor in the primacy ; bat it was not imtil 1 134 that he was per- mitted to enter on the duties of the see, which he held but three years. In 1137 he resigned (Gelasius being appointed), and betook himself to the see of Down, where he founded an abbey. In 1 1 39 he proceeded to Rome, was received with great distinction by the Pope, and ap- pointed Legate. " He returned to Ireland and landed at Bangor, where he was re- ceived with the universal exultation of all degrees of people. He entered 01. the exercise of his legatine function over all parts of Ireland, held many synods, and restored and reformed the old disci- pline ; " 339 he purified the monastic orders, and introduced a branch of the monks of St. Bernard. In 1148 he undertook another journey to Rome to solicit palls for the Irish Church, but died of fever at Clairvaux, 2nd November, aged 53, and was there entombed. In 1 793, during the French Revolution, his remains and those of his friend St. Bernard were removed from their sepulchres. What are believed to be portions of them, since recovered, are now regarded with great veneration. An account of his life, from which subsequent writers have derived almost their entire information, was written by St. Bernard, in whose arms he died. He was canonized in 1190 : his festival is 3rd November. An exhaustive memoir of this saint has been written by the Rev. John O'Hanlon. By Protestant writers his ministry is believed to have marked
