nsferred that See to Maghera or Rathlure,
thus uniting Ardstraw and Rathlure. His accession to Derry joined the
three into one, to which under Dr. O'Carolan in the next century,
Innishowen was added, thus forming the modern diocese.

Dr. O'Coffey took up his residence in the abbey where, on the 10th of
February, 1173, he breathed his last. Archdall in his Monasticon calls
him "St. Muredach;" but the old Annalists content themselves with saying
that "he was the sun of science, the precious stone and resplendent gem
of knowledge, the bright star and rich treasury of learning; and as in
charity so, too, was he powerful in pilgrimage and prayer." The Masters
add that "a great miracle was performed on the night of his death; the
dark night was illumined from midnight to day-break; and the neighboring
parts of the world which were visible were in one blaze of light; and
all persons arose from their beds imagining it was day."

But I must now hasten to the end, for there is little in the history of
the next four centuries over which one loves to linger. The story it
tells is the old one of robberies and murders and burnings. It records
the first rumblings of that storm so soon to break over that land and
make of our island a vast coliseum, drenching it with the blood of
martyrs. I have often thought what a pang it must have cost the heart of
Brother Michael Oblery to pen such entries as these:

"1195, Rury, son of Dunlere, chief of Ulidia, plunders
Derry-Columbkille with an English force."

"1197, Sir John De Courcy plunders the abbey of Derry."

"1198, Sir John De Courcy again plunders Derry abbey."

How his eyes must have filled as he glanced in memory over the long tale
of his country's sufferings, on the record of which he was about to
enter. 'Twas bad enough to see the Dane lay sacrilegious hands on the
sacred vessels; but it was worse still to behold one's fellow-Catholic
apply the robber's torch to the church of God where, perhaps, at that
very moment our Lord himself lay hid under the sacramental veils. Yet
these were the men who, from the Loire to the Jordan had fought the
church's battle so gallantly,--whose countrymen would only hold the
Calabrian kingdom, that their lances had purchased so dearly, as vassals
of the Pope,--the very men who themselves were studding the Pale with
those architectural gems, of which the ruins of Dunbrody and its sister
abbeys still speak so eloquently. It was a