y out these sweeping
measures. Perhaps his zeal was not always according to knowledge. But he
soon became aware of his limitations, and determined to seek
instruction. With the consent of Cellach and Imar he betook himself to
Malchus, who had by this time retired from the archbishopric of Cashel
and was settled at Lismore. There Malachy spent three years. During that
period he doubtless increased his knowledge of Roman customs and
principles. But he did more. Cormac MacCarthy, son of the king of
Desmond, was then a refugee in the monastery of Malchus. Between Cormac
and Malachy there grew up a friendship, which proved in later years of
much advantage to the reforming cause.[72]

But at length Malachy's presence was urgently needed in the north, and
he was recalled by Cellach and Imar. What had happened was this. The
coarb of St. Comgall at Bangor, the principal religious site in the
north-east of Ireland, had lately died. Since he ended his days at
Lismore, it may be assumed that he was a friend of Malchus, and of the
movement with which he was identified. At any rate his successor, who
was Malachy's uncle, expressed his willingness to surrender his office
and the site of the monastery to his nephew.[73] Here was an opportunity
to carry into effect one of the canons of Rathbreasail, which had
hitherto been a dead letter, by establishing the diocese of Connor.
Cellach, duly elected coarb of Patrick, and consecrated bishop, had no
doubt been able to organize the diocese of Armagh in accordance with the
Rathbreasail scheme. In like manner such a man as Malachy, enjoying the
prestige which belonged to the coarb of Comgall, if consecrated bishop,
would probably succeed in organizing the diocese of Connor. So in 1124
Malachy journeyed to Bangor, was installed as abbot, and was made bishop
by Cellach.[74] He administered his diocese with the same vigour which
had already characterized his work at Armagh. But it is interesting to
observe how closely he conformed to the old Irish type of bishop, in
spite of his Roman proclivities. At heart he was far less bishop of
Connor than coarb of Comgall, abbot of Bangor. Indeed, in strictness, he
had no right to the title "bishop of Connor"; for Connor was not his
see. He made Bangor his headquarters.[75] Doubtless Malachy preferred
Bangor to the nominal see, because it was consecrated by centuries of
sacred memories, and because as yet he could not place the office of
bishop above that o