5th century. Dichu, son of an Ulster chieftain and a swineherd in his
youth, succeeded to the kingdom of Lecale in County Down, Ireland, and
bitterly opposed
Saint Patrick (f.d. March 17)
when he landed there in
432. He became Patrick's first Irish convert, gave Patrick a church in
Saul, capital of Lecale, the first of Patrick's foundations in Ireland,
and the two became close friends
(Benedictines,
Delaney).