 O’Loughlin suggests that the aim of Muirchú in the "Vita" was to send a message to his audience; that they had seen the truth of Christianity through Patrick's efforts and that they could still rely on him in his saint form as they had when he lived.By having their own saint, in the sense that Patrick's actions were centred in Ireland, the Irish Christians would have had a lasting figure to rely on as an intermediary to God.By portraying that Patrick had convinced the Ui Néill to become Christians, other Irish people may have been inspired to follow suit if the powerful family's path, possibly to gain more powerful positions and favours that may not have been granted to those who were not Christian.