"Of Erin all is Patrick judge On Macha's Royal Hill; They bless his name with loud acclaim, Our King by God's high will. "The Clanna Neil a sheltering oak Have found in Columcille, And Uladh's sons are strong behind Great Finnian of Moville." St. Finnian was, it seems, a bishop, and his successors in Moville for some two hundred years are spoken of as bishops; but from A.D. 731 they are merely described as abbots, and seem to have lost their episcopal jurisdiction. Still the School of Moville then and long after continued to flourish, although it appears to have been eclipsed by the brighter flame of Bangor, its younger neighbour to the north. In A.D. 730 flourished Colman, son of Murchu, Abbot of Moville, who is regarded as the author of a Latin hymn of singular beauty preserved in the famous work known as the _Liber Hymnorum_ now in Trinity College, Dublin. "Colman, son of Murchu," is described as the author of the hymn, and hence Dr. Todd very justly regards him as identical with the Abbot of Moville. The following is an English translation made for the learned Father O'Laverty, author of the _History of the Diocese of Down and Connor_, by the late lamented Denis Florence McCarthy, a poet whose own pure heart could well interpret the soaring aspirations of a saintly soul:-- THE HYMN OF ST. COLMAN, SON OF MURCHU, IN PRAISE OF ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL. "No wild bird rising from the wave, no omen from the land or sea, Oh Blessed Trinity, shall shake my fixed trust in thee. No name to God, or demon given, no synonym of sin or shame, Shall make me cease to supplicate the Archangel Michael's name, That he, by God the leader led, may meet my soul that awful day When from this body and this life it trembling takes its way. Lest the demoniac power of him, who is at once the foot of pride And prince of darkness, force it then from the true path aside. May Michael the Archangel turn that hour which else were dark and sad To one, when angels will rejoice and all the just be glad. Him I beseech that he avert from me the fiend's malignant face, And lead me to the realm of rest in God's own dwelling place. May holy Michael day and night, he knowing well my need, be nigh, To place me in the fellowship of the good saints on high; May holy Michael, an approved assistant when all else may fail, Plead for me, sinner that I am, in thought and act so frail, May holy Michael in his strength my parting soul from harm defend, Till circled by the myriad saints in heaven its flight doth end; For me may holy Gabriel pray--for me may holy Raphael plead-- For me may all the angelic choirs for ever intercede. May the great King's eternal halls receive me freed from stain and sin, That I the joys of Paradise may share with Christ therein. Glory for aye be given to God--for aye to Father and to Son-- For aye unto the Holy Ghost with them in council one.