Early Irish History and Antiquities and the History of West Cork
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The author of this life and its date cannot be ascertained. Colgan maintained that St. Evin, of Monasterevin, who flourished about the middle of the sixth century, was the author, and O'Curry was of the same opinion. Petrie thought it a compilation of the ninth or tenth century. Dr. Whitley Stokes held that it could not have been written before the middle of the tenth century, and was probably compiled in the eleventh. His main reason is that it contains entries which must have been made in the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth centuries. He cites ten instances of this kind, which, as he alleges, were neither additions nor interpolations. It was written in the purest Gaelic.
This Life states:—" Patrick, then, was of the Britons of Alcluaid by origin. Calpurn was his father's name. He was a noble priest. Potid was his grandfather's name, whose title was a deacon. Conceis was his mother's name. She was of the Franks, and a sister to Martin. In Nemptur, moreover, the man St. Patrick was born."
« St. Fiacc's Metrical Life | Contents | Muircu's Life of Patrick »
