st year of
the pontificate of St. Sixtus III., the successor of Celestine; the
fourth year of the reign of Laeghaire, son of Nial of the Nine Hostages,
King of Ireland. It is generally supposed that the saint landed first at
a place called Inbher De, believed to be the mouth of the Bray river, in
Wicklow. Here he was repulsed by the in habitants,--a circumstance which
can be easily accounted for from its proximity to the territory of King
Nathi, who had so lately driven away his predecessor, Palladius.

St. Patrick returned to his ship, and sailing towards the north landed
at the little island of Holm Patrick, near Skerries, off the north coast
of Dublin. After a brief stay he proceeded still farther northward, and
finally entering Strangford Lough, landed with his companions in the
district of Magh-Inis, in the present barony of Lecale. Having
penetrated some distance into the interior, they were encountered by
Dicho, the lord of the soil, who, hearing of their embarkation, and
supposing them to be pirates, had assembled a formidable body of
retainers to expel them from his shores. But it is said that the moment
he perceived, Patrick, his apprehensions vanished. After some brief
converse, Dicho invited the saint and his companions to his house, and
soon after received himself the grace of holy baptism. Dicho was St.
Patrick's first convert, and the first who erected a Christian church
under his direction. The memory of this event is still preserved in the
name Saull, the modern contraction of _Sabhall Padruic_, or Patrick's
Barn. The saint was especially attached to the scene of his first
missionary success, and frequently retired to the monastery which was
established there later.

After a brief residence with the new converts, Patrick set out for the
habitation of his old master, Milcho, who lived near Slieve Mis, in the
present county of Antrim, then part of the territory called Dalriada. It
is said that when Milcho heard of the approach of his former slave, he
became so indignant, that, in a violent fit of passion, he set fire to
his house, and perished himself in the flames. The saint returned to
Saull, and from thence journeyed by water to the mouth of the Boyne,
where he landed at a small port called Colp. Tara was his destination;
but on his way thither he stayed a night at the house of a man of
property named Seschnan. This man and his whole family were baptized,
and one of his sons received the name of Benig