Bachal Isu - Legend of St. Malachy

Legend of St. Malachy

In 1134, a time when the role of the Archbishop of Armagh had usually been handed down to family members of the previous archbishop, Archbishop Celsus wanted to end that tradition and name an Archbishop not related to him. His choice: Maelmhaedhoc O'Morgair, the eventual St. Malachy.

This angered Celsus's family; they sidestepped Celsus's wishes, and claimed his cousin would be the next Archbishop, who died shortly after, but not before choosing a successor: Celsus's brother Niall. In an effort to solidify his position as Archbishop, Niall took the staff, or at least the “golden Crozier Of St. Patrick,” and the Book of the Gospels from the Armagh Cathedral. The common people believed the true, legitimate Archbishop would have possession of these two holy relics.

Both Niall and Malachy had military support, and after a series of battles, St. Malachy was officially titled Archbishop. Celsus agreed to hand over the Book Of The Gospels without any argument, but Malachy had to purchase the staff from Celsus.

A few decades later, in 1178, William Fitz Aldelm, the then-Governor of Ireland, took the staff out of the Armagh Cathedral, and moved it to Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. The staff remained in Christ Church until the Protestant Reformation.