Their meeting took place at Domnach-már-Criathar, now Donaghmore, near Gorey, county Wexford, and St. Patrick inquired whether he had among his "disciples" anyone who was "the material of a bishop, whose qualifications are enumerated in the Book of Armagh".
[3] Edward O'Reilly, in his Irish Writers, erroneously ascribes to Dubthach "an elegant hymn … preserved in the Calendar of Oengus".
Another poem beginning "Tara the house in which lived the son of Conn", found in the Book of Rights, and also assigned to him by O'Reilly, is there said to be the composition of Benen or Benignus.
It relates to "the qualifications of the truly learned poet", and consists of thirty-two lines beginning "No one is entitled to visitation or sale of his poems".
The gloss on this explains: "It was upon Nuadu Derg, the son of Niall [brother of Lóegaire], who killed Odhran, Patrick's charioteer, this judgment was given".
St. Patrick appealing for redress was permitted to choose a judge, and selected Dubthach, who found himself in a difficult position as a Christian administering a pagan law.
"Patrick then (quoting St. Matthew 10:20) blessed his mouth and the grace of the Holy Ghost alighted on his utterance", and he pronounced, in a short poem which is preserved in the Senchus Mor, the decision that "Nuadu should be put to death for his crime, but his soul should be pardoned and sent to heaven".
[4] It became his duty to give a historical retrospect, and in doing so Dubthach exhibited "all the judgments of true nature which the Holy Ghost had spoken from the first occupation of this island down to the reception of the faith.
[5] Dubhtach is placed by hagiography with his nephew, Saint Fiacc of Sletty, and the jurist, Erc, at the court of Loegaire when Patrick visited Tara.
O'Reilly's account states- When St. Patrick had come to Tara and was preaching before King Loegaire, we are told that the only one who rose on the saint's approach and respectfully saluted him was Dubhthach, the king's poet, who was the first to embrace the Christian faith in that place; and as Joceline says, "being baptized and confirmed in the faith, he turned his poetry, which in the flower and prime of his studies he employed in praise of false gods, to a much better use; changing his mind and style, he composed more elegant poems in praise of the Almighty Creator and His holy preachers."
[6] Dubthach may be related to Mo Laisse maccu Lugair, whose feast day is given as 16 September in the Martyrology of Tallaght and Félire Óengusso.