considerable force and beauty, written at a time when Paganism was almost supreme in Ireland. The author shared in the general belief of the day that even heathen sorcerers had mysterious powers by which they could work harm to their opponents. The expressions used in the Hymn correspond with the circumstances under which Patrick set out on his missionary visit to Tara to confront in its own stronghold the idolatry which was then rampant in the land.[1] The very expression 'Creator of doom' in reference to God which occurs twice in the Hymn is evidence in favour of its Patrician authorship. For, according to the Tripartite Life, which embodies some fragments of antiquity, 'my God's doom,'
- ↑ It was on this occasion that St. Patrick is related, in the later legend, to have illustrated the doctrine of the Trinity by the three leaves united into one in the shamrock. Dr. Fowler, in his edition of Adamnan's Life of S. Columba (p. xxxiii.), observes on the latter point: 'The use of the trefoil as an emblem in Ireland is very ancient, but probably of pagan origin. None of the early or mediæval Lives, however, connect it with St. Patrick, and the legend seems not to be found earlier than A.D. 1600. It is not mentioned by Colgan, who wrote in 1647.'
Bishop of Clonard, which in later times formed part of the diocese of Meath. The Collections of Tirechán form part of the miscellaneous matter contained in the MS. known as the Book of Armagh. According to Tirechán, four special honours were to be paid to him in all the monasteries and churches of Ireland. 1. The festival of St, Patrick's death, though in Lent (March 17), was to be celebrated by three days' festivities, during which all kinds of good food and flesh meat might lawfully be partaken of. 2. There a special mass was to be offered up in his honour on that day (offertorium ejus proprium in eodem die immolari). 3. The hymn of Secundinus, written in honour of St. Patrick, was to be sung during the whole time. 4. At all times of the year they were to sing Patrick's Irish hymn (canticum ejus scotticum semper canere). See Dr. Whitley Stokes, Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, p. 333.
