n only
seven or eight years of age. Thus we may account for the large part
taken by his mother in his early education. But a poem attributed to
Malachy (_L.B._ 88) calls his father Dermot. The form of the surname
varies. It is usually written Ua Morgair; but _A.T._, _A.I._ (Ua
Mongain), _L.B._ (_l.c._), and the Yellow Book of Lecan (T.C.D. MS. H.
2. 16, p. 327 c), have Ua Mongair. The form Ua Morgair is certainly
right, for it appears in the contemporary Book of Leinster (_R.I.A._
xxxv. 355-360); and Ua Mongair obviously arose out of it through
confusion of the similar letters _r_ and _n_. The name must have been
unfamiliar, if it had not died out, when the mistake was made.
Therefore we may accept Colgan's statement that the family was known
as O'Dogherty in his day (_Trias_, p. 299). If so, they had probably
only resumed an earlier surname: for according to MacFirbis (Royal
Irish Academy MS. 23 P. 1, p. 698) Malachy was of the same stock as
St. Mael Brigte, son of Tornan. The latter, as well as the
O'Doghertys, were of the race of Conall Gulban (Adamnan, Genealogy
opp. p. 342).
[139] 2 Sam. vii. 9.
[140] It is interesting to note the emphasis laid by St. Bernard on
the influence of Malachy's mother on his life. How much he himself
owed to his mother Aleth is well known. See _V.P._ i. 1, 2, 9, 10.
Malachy's mother was probably a member of the family of O'Hanratty.
See below, p. 27, n. 2.
[141] Prov. viii. 22.
[142] Ps. xvi. 11.
[143] Ps. xxxiv. 11.
[144] The description of Malachy's boyhood by St. Bernard may be
compared with that given of his own boyhood in _V.P._ i. 3. It was
written before the _Life of Malachy_.
[145] Neh. ix. 20; Ps. cxliii. 10.
[146] Ecclus. xv. 2, 3 (vg.).
[147] 2 Cor. xii. 6.
[148] Eph. iv. 2.
[149] Gal. i. 14.
[150] Ps. cxix. 99.
[151] 1 John ii. 20.
[152] Ps. lxxvii. 4 (vg.).
[153] Ps. i. 2.
[154] 1 Tim. ii. 8.
[155] _Virus uirtutum._
[156] Armagh. See Sec. 4.
[157] Cp. Virg. _Aen._ vi. 465.
[158] 1 Kings viii. 22, 54.
[159] _Fortiori._
[160] Luke ii. 40, 52.
[161] John ii. 25.
[162] 1 Cor. xv. 10.
[163] 1 Kings xi. 28.
[164] 1 John v. 19.
[165] 1 Cor. ii. 12.
[166] Cp. John ii. 4 (vg.).
[167] 2 Cor. vi. 14.
[168] 1 Cor. ii. 12.
[169] Cp. Matt. v. 6.
[170] 2 Cor. i. 12 (vg.).
[171] John xiv. 30, etc.
[172] 2 Cor. iv. 7.
[173] Ps. xlv. 7.
[174] Collect of Mass for Travellers.
[175] Ps. xxi. 3.
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