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THE SHRINE OF ST. PATRICK'S BELL. 283
Ballyelog,
i. e., the town of the Bell. In 1365 the O'MulchaHans were exempted
from an interÂdict laid upon their diocese by the Primate, and this was
done out of veneration for the sacred bell of which they were the
custodians. Once more the bell migrated into the family of the
O'Mellans and once again came back to the O'MulchaHans, whose name was
undergoing a softening process, it will be observed.
In
1455 the keepers having become powerful and wealthy began naturally to
be arrogant. They usurped the "firstlings of flocks," and got into
trouble with the Primate in consequence. And now there comes a great
gap in the history of the bell. From 1466 to 1758 there are no annals
in Ireland which deal with it. Perhaps the inhabitants were too busy
with their newly-arrived English neighbors and all their advent
entailed to remember the bell. It continued, however, during all those
generations in the same family of keepers whose name had become further
toned down and was now Mulhollan.
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