276 THE SHRINE OF ST. PATRICK'S BELL.
with
all its churches and all its bells. But among these bells was not the
Clog-Phadriug (the Bell of Saint Patrick). That was confided to the
custody of a maer (keeper) whose honor and emolument depended upon the
safety of the trust reposed in him. The keeper of the Bell was the head
of the O'Maelchallans. The ancient poem already quoted refers thus to
the elected keepers :
"
I command for the safe keeping of my bell Eight who shall be noble
illustrious : A priest and a deacon among them, That my bell may not
deteriorate."
The
Bell of Saint Patrick was regarded as more and more holy as the
centuries rolled on, and by the middle of the eleventh century any
profanation of its sanctity was visited with the severest penalties.
Under the date 1044 there stands this emphatic entry in the Annals of
Ulster:
"A predatory expedition of Niull son of Maelsech-lainn, king of Ailech, against Ui-Meith and against
