[43-1] In Ireland, in old times, the dead were often buried standing up in the grave. It was in this way Finola and her brothers were buried. [Illustration: An Ogham stone. See note, next page.] [Illustration: Bronze spear-head. A long handle was fixed in the socket and fastened by a rivet.] [Illustration: Bronze sword. A hilt was fixed on by rivets.] Then the children of Lir were baptised, and they died immediately. And when they died, Kemoc looked up; and lo, he saw a vision of four lovely children, with light, silvery wings, and faces all radiant with joy. They gazed on him for a moment; but even as they gazed, they vanished upwards, and he saw them no more. And he was filled with gladness, for he knew they had gone to heaven; but when he looked down on the four bodies lying before him, he became sad and wept. And Kemoc caused a wide and deep grave to be dug near the little church; and the children of Lir were buried together, as Finola had directed--Conn at her right hand, Ficra at her left, and Aed standing before her face. And he raised a grave-mound over them, placing a tombstone on it, with their names graved in Ogham;[45-1] after which he uttered a lament for them, and their funeral rites were performed. [45-1] Ogham, a sort of writing often used on tombstones to mark the names of the persons buried. It consisted of lines and points generally cut on the edges of the stone. So far we have related the sorrowful story of the Fate of the Children of Lir. From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. IX. HOW RELIGION AND LEARNING FLOURISHED IN IRELAND. As soon as St. Patrick had entered on his mission in Ireland, he began to found monasteries, which continued to spread through every part of the country for hundreds of years after his time. Though religion was their main object, these establishments were among the chief means of spreading general enlightenment among the people. Almost every monastery had a school or college attached, at the head of which was some man who was a great scholar and teacher. The teachers were generally monks: but many learned laymen were also employed. Some colleges had very large numbers of students: for instance, we are told that there were 3000 in each of the two colleges of Clonard and Bangor[46-1]; and many others might be named, which, though not so large, had yet several hundred students in each. [46-1] Clonard, in Meath, on the Boyne. Bangor, in the Co. Down.