The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-17
ABOUT ST. PATRICK.
Topeka Irishman Writes of the
Origin Of the Day.

A Topeka Irishman writes the follow
ing for the State Journal:
In the two centuries before st. Pat
rick's advent to ireland, there 1ourished
among other soVereigns OF Ireland. less
known to fame. the great warrior. Mall
of the Nine Hostages, and King Dahl
this was not his real name. It was a
nickname. His real name was Feredaeh
the II.
During these 200 years the flag of Ire
land waved through continental Europe
over victorious armies and fleets, the r.
ish kings leading powerful armies across
the plains of Gaul, and even up to the
very confines of the Caesars domains
in Italy
This was the hey day of irish military
power in Europe, day which after
wards waned so disastrously, and later
on, set in utter gloom.
The neighboring Britons, whose yoke
a thousand years later ireland was to
wear, then lay helpless and abject at the
mercy of the Irish hosts the Britonss
as history relates. absolutely weeping
and wailing at the departure of the en-
Shaving Roman Legions, because now
there would be nothing to stay the visits
of the Irish and the Picts.
The Irish chieftains had their homes
filled with white slaves. captured in
these raids and incursiOns, both in
Britain and Gaul These white captives
/ were made attendants to the princes and
chieftains of Ireland. It was in this
manner that the youthful Patricius
/ (Patrick) was brought slave to Ire
! land from Gaul, some historians say
4 from Scotland.
When the power of Imperial Rome be-
gan to decline, and the outlying legions
were being drawn closer and closer to
the great city itself, the sunburst of
/ Ireland blazed over the seas and the re-
/ treating Romans found the cohorts of
Erin pushing dauntlessly on their
track.
The Irish writer's of the time them
/ selves say but little of the deeds of the
armies abroad. The continental records of
insight into the part they played on the
European stage in that time.
That is
Irish shores
The ocean trembled, struck with hostile
oars"
Mall was killed in Gaul on the banks
of the Loire, while leading his armies in
one of these campaigns.
King Dahl was killed by lightning at
the foot of the Alps while leading his
Thomas Davis. the great dramatic
poet of Ireland immortalized in song the
| death OF Dahl:
Little does Erin care
For gold or maiden fair
Where is King Dahi2-where?
Where is my bravest2
On the rich deck he lies,
Ger him his sunburst flies
Solemn the obsequies
Erie! thou gavest.
| Broad is his cairns base
Nigh the kings burial place,
Last of the Pagan race,
Lieth King Dahl"
OF these foreign expeditions Ireland
was destined to be indebted for her own
conquest by the spirit of Christianity.
King Mall among otner captive
/ brought the youthful Patrick and his
two sisters Darerca and Lupfta to Ire
land
The story of St. Patrick's bondage.
! his subsequent miraculous escape, his
entry into holy orders. his vision of
Ireland where he saw the people
stretching out their arms and inplor-
/ ing him to come back to them, his long
studies under St German and his final
determination to undertake in an espe-
cial manner the conversion of Ireland
| to the Christian faith, viii be found in
any Irish church history of the Life of
! st. Patrick.
Having received the sanction and
/ benediction of Pope Clestine. and been
I sonsecrated bishop, St Patrick accom-
| panied by a band of faithful priests,
| landed in Ireland 432.
This article will not allow to go into
detail of his missionary labors. but
suffice it to say that he completely
| converted the Irish nation before his
death, and the conversion was accom-
plished without the shedding of mar
! tyr blood. I viii give one illustration
/ of his labOrs and it occurred at the
very outset of his Ia boFs as an apostle.
Driudism was the pagan form of
worship then prevailing in ireland, and
the ard-ri or high king was holding a
4 druidical festival at Tara at which the
4 kindling of a great fire formed the chief
feature of the proceedings. It was Z
crime punishable With death for any
one to light a fire in the surrounding
country on the eve of that festival I'M
til the sacred fire on the hill of Tara
I blazed forth.
To his CONSERVATION, however. the
| king beheld on the hill Of Slane visible
from Tara bright fire kindled in the
/ sarly evening
This was the Paschal fire which St
Patrick and his missionaries had light
/ ed for it was Holy Saturday. The king
sent for the chief druid, and pointed
out to him on the distant horizon the
| pickering beam that so boldly violated
/ the sacred laws. The arch priest look
ed long and eagerly at the spot and
| finally answered, 20, king, there is in
deed a flame lighted on yonder hill.
which, if it be not put out tonight viii
never be quenched in Erin" Much
/ troubled by this answer of the druid
priest. Laori ordered that the offenders
be brought instantly before him for
/ punishment St. Patrick on being ar
rested arlayed himself in his vestments
and, crOzier in hand, marched boldly
| at the head Of his captors, reciting aloud
| as he went along a litany. which is still
/ extant. in which he invoked on that
great day for Ireland, The Holy Trim
ity=the Father. the Son and the Holy
Ghost-the ever blessed Mary the
mother of God and the saints around
the throne of Heaven. When St. Pat
rick arrived before the king and his
assembled mobiles and druidcal high
IL foir TO- ho