perhaps even to the
Etruscans." There is a map in the Library of St. Mark, at Venice, made
in the year 1436, where an island is delineated and named Antillia. See
Trans. R.I.A. vol. xiv. A distinguished modern poet of Ireland has made
the voyage of St. Brendan the subject of one of the most beautiful of
his poems.

[180] _Magh-Rath_.--Now Moira, in the county Down. The Chronicum
Scotorum gives the date 636, and the Annals of Tighernach at 637, which
Dr. O'Donovan considers to be the true date.

[181] _Gratis_.--Ven. Bede, cap. xxviii.

[182] _Rule_.--"The light which St. Columbanus disseminated, by his
knowledge and doctrine, wherever he presented himself, caused a
contemporary writer to compare him to the sun in his course from east to
west; and he continued after his death to shine forth in numerous
disciples whom he had trained in learning and piety."--_Benedictine
Hist. Litt. de la France_.

[183] _World_.--See Herring's _Collectanea_ and the _Bibliotheca
Patrum_, tom. xii.

[184] _Bobbio_.--My learned friend, the Rev. J.P. Gaffney, of Clontarf,
has in his possession a printed copy of the celebrated _Bobbio Missal_.
It is contained in a work entitled "MUSEUM ITALICUM, seu collectio
Veterum Scriptorum ex Bibliothesis Italicis," eruta a D.J. Mabillon et
D.M. Germain, presbyteris et monachis, Benedictinae, Cong. S. Maure. This
work was published at Paris in 1687. The original Missal was discovered
by Mabillon two hundred years ago, and is at present preserved in the
Ambrosian Library at Milan. It dates from the seventh century, and is no
doubt the identical Missal or Mass-book used by the saint. As my friend
has allowed me to retain the treasure for a time, I intend to give full
details on the subject in my Ecclesiastical History. For further
information at present, I refer the reader to the Rev. J.P. Gaffney's
_Religion of the Ancient Irish Church_ p. 43, and to Dr. Moran's learned
_Essays_, p. 287. I especially request the superiors of religious orders
to afford me any information in their possession concerning the history
of their respective orders in Ireland, and also of their several houses.
Details of re-erections of religious houses on old sites are
particularly desired. All books or documents which may be forwarded to
me shall be carefully returned.

[185] _Solivagus_.--Four Masters, p. 391.

[186] _Ireland_.--The elder Sedulius, whose hymns are even now used by
the Church, lived in the fifth century.