|
"When St Patrick came to Ireland in 432, he meant to sail up the coast to County Antrim where as a young slave, he had tended flocks of sheep for six years on Slemish mountain. But strong currents swept his boat through Strangford's tidal narrows and he landed where the Slaney River flows into the Lough.
Nothing daunted by his change of plan, Patrick set about his missionary business, starting with Dichu, the local cheiftain. Dichu was quickly converted and gave him a barn (sabhal pronounced "saul" in Gaelic) for holding services. Over the next 30 years Patrick converted the Irish to Christianity. He died at Saul in 461 and was buried in Downpatrick.
According to the 8th century hymn of St Fiacc, Patrick received his last communion from St Tassach. You can see the ruins of St Tassach's church, one of Ireland's earliest Christian buildings, at Raholp near Saul." |
